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| Harley
riders (left to right): Steve Thomas, vice president
of the residential group, T.R. Hughes Inc.; Don Garner,
vice president US Bank; Bob Stadler, senior vice president,
Brown Shoe; Pat Bush, owner, Doc’s Harley-Davidson; Tom
Hughes, founder and CEO, T.R. Hughes Inc.; Ken Davis, vice
president of land development, T.R. Hughes Inc.; and Mike
Ferguson, vice president, PRODUCT4 Inc. |
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By Laurie Burstein
Like most executives, Tom Hughes is an incessantly busy man. As
the founder and CEO of T.R. Hughes Inc.—a major homebuilder in St.
Charles County—his weeks are crowded with appointments, meetings
and deadlines.
But the weekends? Those are for him and his Harley. “There is something
truly unique about riding motorcycles,” Hughes says. “You have the
wind in your face on the open road, and are the one in control.
It’s a great escape.”
Hughes served as a police officer in St. Charles for 21 years, building
a small number of homes on the side. At 42, he left the department
and began building homes fulltime. Today, with 150 employees and
$75 million in annual sales, Hughes builds 300 homes a year.
He has been riding motorcycles since his teens, but it was just
two years ago when his wife gave him his first Harley-Davidson as
a surprise present on his 50th birthday.
So how does the CEO of a successful company look on top of a Softail
Fat Boy?
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Heritage
Softail Classic
Length:
94.5
inches
Wheelbase:
64.5 inches
Fuel Capacity:
5.0 gallons
Weight:
696.0 pounds
ENGINE
Displacement:
88.0
inches
Bore and Stroke:
3.75
inches x 4.00 inches
Torque:
85.0
foot pounds at 3,000 rpm
Fuel System:
Carburetor
or Electronic Sequential Port
Fuel
Injection (ESPFI )
Compression Ratio:
8.9:1
Miles per Gallon:
48
highway/41 city (carburetor);
48
highway/43 city (ESPFI)
WHEELS
Front: Laced Rear: Laced
COLOR
OPTIONS
Vivid black, brilliant silver, sierra red, luxury teal,
luxury blue, glacier white pearl, lava red sunglo, two-tone
luxury blue and impact blue, two-tone luxury teal and brilliant
silver, two-tone sierra red and
brilliant silver, two-tone smokey gold and vivid black
FEATURES
Black powder-coated engine with chrome covers; detachable
king-size windshield; leather saddlebags with quick detach
buckles; passenger backrest; touring handlebars; full front
fender with chrome accents; chrome hub cover; chrome passing
lamps; chrome-plated directional light bar
PRICING
Vivid black: $16,995 Pearl: $17,235 Two-tone: $17,580
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Sporster
883 Custom
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Length:
Wheelbase:
Fuel Capacity:
Weight: |
90.3
inches
60.4 inches
4.5 gallons
558
pounds
|
ENGINE
Displacement:
Bore and Stroke:
Torque:
Fuel System:
Compression Ratio:
Miles Per Gallon: |
53.86 inches
3.00 inches x 3.81 inches
51.0 foot pounds at 4,300 rpm
Carburetor
8.9:1
57 highway/48 city
|
WHEELS
Front: Laced Rear: Custom silver cast aluminum alloy
COLOR
OPTIONS
Vivid black, brilliant silver, sierra red, luxury teal,
real red, luxury blue, glacier white pearl, two-tone luxury
blue and impact blue,
two-tone impact blue and vivid black, two-tone sierra red
and
brilliant silver
FEATURES
Silver powder-coated engine with polished covers; significantly
reduced clutch lever effort; 4.5-gallon fuel tank; forward
foot
controls; laced front wheel, disc rear wheel; chrome pull-back
riser; one-piece, two-up seat
PRICING
Vivid black: $7,595 Pearl: $7,775 Two-tone: $7,970
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“The image of a motorcycle rider has really changed,” Hughes says.
“Today it is very acceptable. Most of the riders I see are baby
boomers like myself. My employees think it’s neat to see a 50-year-old
on a Harley. I’m just a big kid with a really fun toy.”
Hughes often rides with his colleagues, including Steve Thomas,
vice president of the residential group, and Ken Davis, vice president
of land development. He also likes to ride with his son Jason, who
works at the company, as well.
Hughes is gathering a group of co-workers and friends to visit the
annual motorcycle rally in Sturgis, S.D., in August. It’s the 64th
year for the gathering, which is attended by riders from all over
the world. (Last year’s official attendance was estimated at 502,000.)
Hughes has been to Sturgis once before, and hopes to attend every
other year.
Hughes isn’t alone in his love for bikes. Don Garner has been riding
motorcycles since his youth. After a long day of work as vice president
of U.S. Bank, Garner can often be found on his Harley-Davidson.
Raised on a farm in Southern Illinois—where, he said, drivers licenses
were “optional”—his father bought him his first Harley to ride to
school. Garner fondly recalls how he had his first date with his
wife of 35 years on a Harley.
Fast forward to 2004, and Garner is 54 years old, with a successful
career and family. His job involves overseeing operations for financing
and loans made to consumers through auto and motorcycle dealers
in six states. His co-workers know he is an avid Harley rider, and
he rides his motorcycle to work when the weather permits.
“Harley’s are my passion,” Garner says. “I have been riding for
42 years and am lucky that I have been able to find a career that
lets me mix my hobby and my profession, since I often call on Harley
dealers.”
While Garner sticks to business casual dress for work, he wears
full Harley leathers and a do-rag for headgear when riding. “Many
motorcycle riders are professional people who simply like the power
and freedom of riding,” Garner says.
Mike Ferguson couldn’t agree more. Last summer, he rode 5,400 miles
in 13 days on his Harley—from St. Louis to California and back.
As a vice president with Product4 Inc., a bank automation software
company, he says many of his clients know he rides motorcycles and
it makes for a great conversation opener.
“When we talk about what we did over the weekend, I tell them I
rode my Harley,” he says. “Some of them are a little jealous when
I tell them about my trips.” Ferguson customized his $25,000 bike
himself. “At 48, I am at an age where I can afford to put the time
and dollars into this hobby that I love. It keeps me young. I even
have a Harley tattoo.”
As a 100-year-old publicly-traded company, Milwaukee, Wisc.-based
Harley-Davidson Inc. has built one of the strongest brand names
in the country—which has translated well into profits. Last year,
the company had $4.62 billion in sales, marking the 18th consecutive
year of climbing revenues. This April, Harley announced record earnings
of $919 million for the first quarter of 2004.
Hughes, Garner and Ferguson fit the customer profile of today’s
Harley rider—male baby boomers in their late 40s to early 50s with
plenty of disposable income. Current demographics provided by the
company show that the median age of a Harley consumer is 47, with
an average annual income of $80,000.
That money will come in handy, because Harley-Davidson motorcycles
aren’t cheap. The least expensive model starts at $6,500, with the
average costing between $15,000 and $20,000. The more expensive
bikes can run as high as $30,000.
Jenny Frieze has been selling Harley-Davidson motorcycles for more
than 25 years. Her husband, Russ Frieze, died in 2002, but he left
a strong legacy for the Belleville, Ill., dealership.
“Our customers feel welcome here,” Frieze says. “They come in sometimes
just to visit, have coffee and share stories of rides and adventures.
Harley-Davidson motorcycle riders are a close bunch of people.”
The customers at Frieze Harley-Davidson are doctors, lawyers, dentists,
farmers, salesmen and autoworkers. “Harley buyers come from all
walks of life,” Frieze explains. “Some trends we are seeing are
more woman buyers, as well as entire families who come in. It’s
not unusual for customers to take a family vacation on Harleys today.”
Frieze sponsors the Belleville Harley Owners Group (HOG), which
holds monthly meetings and group rides for its 200-plus members.
(All dealers are required by Harley-Davidson Inc. to sponsor a local
HOG.)
Farther west, in Kirkwood, Pat Bush has sold Harleys to teachers,
farmers, lawyers, doctors, movie stars and people from all walks
of life. Doc’s Harley-Davidson has long been a local fixture among
Harley enthusiasts. Bush’s father started the business in 1955,
and after a career as a hairstylist for 30 years, Bush bought the
company from family members in 1998. This March was the best month
in her company’s history.
“I’ve ridden motorcycles all my life,” she says. “And at age 56,
I still can. It’s something that gets in your blood and doesn’t
go away.”
Bush says her customers don’t fit a certain profile. “There really
isn’t a stereotype anymore of a Harley rider,” she says. “I had
an 80-year-old man buy a Harley from me. I also see more women coming
in to buy Harleys. Women are more independent today and riding a
motorcycle is a very accessible hobby.”
But what about motorcycle safety? Dr. Dan Scodary, 49, is chief
of surgery at Christian Hospital Northeast, and has been a motorcycle
rider for 25 years. While it might sound like a contradiction for
a neurosurgeon to ride a motorcycle, given the injuries he has witnessed
from accidents, Scodary jokes, “Being a surgeon doesn’t mean I have
to sit in a rocking chair and knit.”
Scodary explains that motorcycles aren’t dangerous; it’s the people
riding them that can be a danger. “The sport is only as dangerous
as you make it,” he says. “If you wear a helmet, watch the speed
limit, don’t drink and drive, and have the proper training, motorcycle
riding is safe.”
Riding classes are available through St. Louis Community College
and private companies, such as Iron Horse Training, which offers
individual lessons. Harley-Davidson recently introduced a new program
called Riders Edge, a training course for more advanced riders.
Like many professions, being a doctor can be stressful, and riding
a Harley is a great way to blow off steam. Scodary says, “Riding
a Harley let’s you live out your dreams. There are no worries on
the bike.”
For Bob Stadler, buying a Harley was as simple as deciding he needed
more excitement in his life. After a long and successful career
with Brown Shoe Co., beginning in 1972, he is now senior vice president
of administration. Stadler, 55, had ridden motorcycles as a teenager,
but then went for 28 years without riding.
Six years ago, something changed.
“Approaching middle age and experiencing empty nest syndrome, I
needed some excitement,” he said. “After researching brands and
models for three years, I did it—I bought my first Harley-Davidson.”
Stadler admits he was somewhat fearful of the size, weight and power
of the Dyna-series Harley (about 650 pounds), so he enlisted a friend
to ride it home. After six hours of riding lessons, his confidence
level returned. One month later, his wife, Pat, was again riding
on his bike with him—as she had in the 1960s, when they first started
dating.
Now, on most weekends you’ll find the Stadlers riding the back roads
of Illinois with other couples. In 2001, he traded up to a Road
King Classic, a touring model with more comfort.
“I must admit, when on my Harley, I totally relax, feeling like
I am in my 30s again,” he says. “I clear my mind from the stress
and pressures of the workweek. The smell of corn and wheat fields
along with the sun and rain, while feeling the road and hearing
the thunder (there is no other sound comparable to the Harley engine)
all make for an adventure-filled day. On Monday’s, I feel pleasantly
relaxed and refreshed, ready for another week.”
Stadler is in good company at Brown Shoe—there are 12 Harley owners
at the company’s Clayton headquarters. Once a year they take a three-day
road trip together. The group is made up of people from all areas
of the company, which helps bring everybody together, Stadler says.
Stadler sums up what so many Harley riders in St. Louis have found.
“Harley riders are some of the nicest people I have met,” he says.
“They span the spectrum from doctors and lawyers to ‘gear heads,’
but none of that matters. It’s all about the ride and the bike.”
Key
Dates
in harley-Davidson History
1903 21-year-old
William S. Harley and 20-year-old Arthur Davidson make available
to the public the first production Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
The Milwaukee, Wis., factory in which they worked was a 10-by-15-foot
wooden shed with the words “Harley-Davidson Motor Company”
crudely scrawled on the door. • The first Harley-Davidson
Dealer, C.H. Lang, opens in Chicago, Ill., and sells one of
the first three production Harley-Davidson motorcycles ever
made. 1906 A new
factory, measuring 28 feet by 80 feet, is built on the Chestnut
St. site, later renamed Juneau Avenue. Staff size is increased
to six full-time employees. 1908
The first motorcycle sold for police
duty is delivered to the Detroit, Mich., police department.
1918 Almost half of all
Harley-Davidson motorcycles produced are sold for use by the
U.S. military in World War I. At War’s end, it is estimated
that the Army used some 20,000 motorcycles in their efforts,
most of which were Harley-Davidsons. 1938
The Jack Pine Gypsies Motorcycle Club
holds the first Black Hills Rally in Sturgis, S.D.
1945 World War II ends,
and Harley-Davidson has produced almost 90,000 WLA models
for military use. Wasting no time, production of civilian
motorcycles resumes in November. 1953
Hendee Manufacturing, creator of the
Indian motorcycle, goes out of business. Harley-Davidson would
be the sole U.S. motorcycle manufacturer for the next 46 years.
1969 Harley-Davidson merges
with the American Machine and Foundry Company (AMF), a longtime
producer of leisure products. 1981
Thirteen Harley-Davidson senior executives
sign a letter of intent to purchase Harley-Davidson Motor
Company from AMF. By mid-June, the buyback is official, and
the phrase “The Eagle Soars Alone” becomes a rallying cry.
1987 Harley-Davidson is
listed on the New York Stock Exchange (HDI). 1997
A new 217,000-square-foot Product Development
Center opens next to the Capitol Drive plant in Milwaukee.
The building is dedicated to Willie G. Davidson. • A new 330,000-sq.-ft.
plant in Kansas City produces its first Sportster.
1998 A new assembly facility
opens in Manaus, Brazil, the first operations outside of the
U.S.
Source: www.harley-davidson.com,
with permission. |
Guide
to the St. Louis region’s
harley owners groups (hog)
Belleville HOG, sponsored by Frieze
Harley-Davidson; (618) 277-8864
Kirkwood HOG (www.kirkwoodhog.com);
sponsored by Docs Harley-Davidson; (314) 965-0166
Gateway HOG, in South County; sponsored
by Gateway to the West Harley-Davidson; (314) 845-9900
Alton HOG; sponsored by Ted’s Harley-Davidson; (888)
695-4740
Bourbeuse Valley HOG, in Franklin County; sponsored by Bourbeuse
Harley-Davidson; (636) 277-8864Bourbeuse Valley HOG,
in Franklin County; sponsored by Bourbeuse
Harley-Davidson; (636) 277-8864 |
Not
the Only Ride in Town
Harley-Davidson motorcycles aren’t the only ride in town.
Ray Zimmerman is president of the 37,000-member BMW Motorcycle
Owners of America Inc. (BMW MOA), which has its national headquarters
in Ballwin. The local chapter, the Gateway BMW Group, has
200 members who meet monthly and take part in various events
and rides.
“We are a social club and a great way for other BMW motorcycle
owners and enthusiasts to meet each other,” Zimmerman says.
Members receive a newsletter, discounts and a directory of
BMW riders from across the country who are willing to be contacted
in cases of emergency—or just to socialize—when others are
on road trips. Members can also take part in the annual local
rally in Potosi, Mo., or the national rally in Spokane, Wash.
Zimmerman rides his BMW to work as often as possible and says,
“Unless there is snow or ice, I am on my motorcycle.” He adds,
“Riding a BMW is more than a hobby, it’s a lifestyle.”
BMW Motorcycle Owners Association
(636) 394-7277
www.bmwmoa.org
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RIDING WITH A HEART
By Glen Sparks
She rides on the streets and through the countryside, listening
to the engine roar and feeling the air smack her in the face.
Being on a motorcycle relaxes her after a long, stressful
day as president and CEO of a business that does about $13
million in sales every year.
“It clears your head,” says Harley-Davidson aficionado and
business person Rebecca Herwick, head of St. Peters-based
Global Products Inc. “It’s not like being in a car and being
inside a box.”
Herwick likes being outside the box. Back in the early 1980s,
the former chemist rode her Harley-Davidson to work every
day at the Mallinckrodt Corp., and she admits, “I felt a bit
ostracized. It might be different now, but back then, chemists
just didn’t do that sort of thing.”
Herwick, though, is accustomed to doing her own thing. So,
maybe it shouldn’t be surprising that she did so much to help
her former business partner and close friend, Doug Watkins,
after that terrible Friday evening on Aug. 25, 2000.
Riding his motorcycle in the left lane on Interstate 370 in
St. Charles County, Watkins crashed into the back of a tractor
trailer. Witnesses said he held out his arms to brace himself
against the collision. The impact sent him flying through
the air before he hit the ground.
Watkins broke every bone on the left side of his face, suffered
brain damage and lapsed into a coma. Doctors didn’t think
he could survive.
Herwick watched it all, seeing her friend struggle to breathe
in a sterile hospital room. Later that fall, she decided to
offer him her home, and to help start him on the long road
of rehabilitation.
“I just didn’t think he was getting the type of care that
he needed at the hospital in order to progress,” Herwick explains.
She tube-fed Watkins and re-taught him rudimentary lessons,
such as the letter “A” and the word “apple.” Watkins also
needed to learn how to walk again, and in the summer of 2002,
he needed a job. Herwick put him to work at Global Products.
“That’s what inspired me into thinking that there is a place
for head-injury victims at the work place, and that almost
all head-injury patients do want to get back to work and do
something productive,” Herwick says.
By the time Watkins left Global Products last November, he
could drive and do many other tasks that most people take
for granted. “Working is how these people recover,” Herwick
says.
Now, Lenny and Dennis work for Global Products, which manufactures
and distributes Harley-Davidson gifts, clothing and other
custom products for more than 750 domestic and 350 international
dealers. They are both recovering from head-injury accidents.
(Herwick asked that the men’s last names be kept private.)
While Dennis works in the receiving department, Lenny handles
some of the company’s sorting and shredding chores. His co-workers
remind him to clock in every day. At his desk, Lenny has a
piece of paper that lists his work duties. Those duties do
not change much.
“Lenny doesn’t like a lot of change,” says Barb Johnson, Lenny’s
supervisor. “You do need to remind him to do some things,
but I was a former school bus driver. I have all the patience
in the world.”
Sitting at his desk on a recent afternoon, Lenny completed
some of his sorting duties. He says that working at Global
Products sure beats sitting around the house.
“Oh, of course,” he says. “It’s good to be here. It’s fun.”
After sorting through several piles of paper, Lenny began
shredding. Shredding is not one of Lenny’s favorite chores,
but he doesn’t complain.
“Hey, it’s a job,” he says. “Everything’s good.”
Global can thank the Center for Head Injury Services in St.
Louis for referring Lenny and Dennis. The non-profit center
offers programs for brain injury survivors and their families.
Global brings in from one to 10 brain-injured workers every
month for evaluation. The workers do a variety of tasks, including
sorting, labeling, shredding and pulling orders. Just about
every head-injury victim can do some sort of job, Herwick
says.
“You can see the progression, too,” she adds. “They get smarter
every day.”
Lenny and Dennis both work about 20 hours a week. 40-hour
weeks might be too demanding for them, Hull says.
“I think that their short-term memory has been so damaged,
[and] that the job just takes so much concentration and is
so intense, that they really start to wear down after awhile,”
Hull says.
In the next few years, Herwick hopes to hire more brain-injured
workers. Business at Global, which she started in 1983, is
picking up after a recent dip in sales. Originally, the company
acted as a distribution center for motorcycle novelties. But
in 1995 Global began manufacturing products for Harley-Davidson.
Once near bankruptcy, the Milwaukee-based motorcycle maker
now is one of the most recognizable brands in the world.
Global Products has branch locations outside Toronto and Munch,
Germany. Herwick plans on leasing business space in China
starting this June. If she can, Herwick wants to ride her
Harley-Davidson Superglide around China.
“With Harley riders, there’s an automatic bond,” says Herwick,
45, who grew up riding mini-bikes as a little girl in southern
Illinois. “It’s a unique, close-knit group.”
She already has taken riding trips to Europe, Canada, the
Dakotas and northern California. Herwick owns five Harley-Davidsons.
Her passion for Harley-Davidson motorcycles matches her passion
for helping the victims of head injuries.
She serves on the board of the Center for Head Injury Services
and encourages more companies to hire workers with severe
head trauma. “For one thing, it’s cost effective, because
it allows you to assign the more demanding tasks to other
workers, rather than assigning them routine, repetitive jobs,”
Herwick says. “Also, I think it gives every employee an appreciation
of their job and the things that they can do that they take
for granted.”
Glen Sparks is a freelance writer based in St. Louis.
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Laurie Burstein is a freelance writer based in St. Louis.
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