After 25 years of hard work and dedication to Gail's Harley-Davidson, it's time for me to close it down.
As you may know, I have been coming in to work every day for the past 40+ years. I’m done. It’s time
for me and my man, Gale, to enjoy our lives together. As some of you know, I began thinking about
this last summer. As I approach my 60th birthday, I'm ready to spend more time relaxing and enjoying
life's simpler pleasures.
Why now? The used Harley business isn’t what it was a few years ago. It is impossible for us to buy
enough bikes. The public is way too upside down in their bikes for us to buy them for an amount that
will still allow us to make a profit. In addition to that, Harley’s new business plan has made our bikes
worth a whole lot less than they were a year ago.
Owning this dealership has been the joy of my life. I am so grateful for the community we have created
and all the wonderful memories we share. While it is difficult to say goodbye, I feel peaceful knowing
Gail’s is stronger than anybody ever believed it would be.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for a lifetime of friendship and support. This dealership has a
soul and it will always hold a special place in my heart.
How long have you been planning this? I began thinking about this last summer. I decided if things
didn’t change, I’d retire before I originally thought I would. Things haven’t changed and with everything
that has happened in the past several weeks, I decided the time was now.
What happens to my:
Extended Warranty... your Extended Warranty goes with your motorcycle and is good at any
motorcycle dealership in the nation
Tire and Wheel... your Tire and Wheel works the same as your Extended Warranty and goes with
your motorcycle and is good at any motorcycle dealership
Prepaid Maintenance... I will reimburse the unused portion of your prepaid maintenance
calculating on a pro rata basis.
Lifetime Engine Warranty......The lifetime engine warranty was a free service that was given to customers when they purchased a motorcycles for a period of time. This warranty was only good at Gail's. So when Gail's ends so does the warranty.
Bank Loan... your motorcycle loan is connected to your lending institution and has nothing to do
with our dealership.
Did Harley kill your business? No! And No! Harley-Davidson Motor Company was extremely good to
me. They paid me well in 2020 when they bought my franchise and have been very good to work with
ever since. I will always love the Harley-Davidson Motor Company and will continue to ride their
amazing machines.
My dealership made it much, much longer than anybody ever thought was possible. When Harley
bought my franchise, the prediction of the great industry minds was that I’d be out of business within
90 days max. Well, we made it! Thanks to YOU!
What will Happen to your Shawnee dealership?
Shawnee Cycles and Powersports will remain open under the excellent leadership of its General
Manager, Donnie Rooks. With such a strong team in place there, I only need to check in a couple
times a month. This change allows me to drastically reduce my workload without fully stepping away
from the industry I love.
Are you starting another business? Not at this time but I definitely have some irons in the fire so stay
tuned. In addition, I am still on the Board of the National Powersports Dealers Association so my
pulse will remain on the Motorcycle and Powersports industry.
Why would you sell me a bike when you are closing? We have great bikes, and offer nationwide
warranties, so why would you not want to buy one of our bikes?
Can I get my Harley worked on at your other dealership? At Shawnee Cycles and Powersports, we
specialize in import motorcycles and side by sides. As I mentioned before, there are a slew of Harley
service centers where you can surely find great technical service.
Riders Academy
What about the classes that’s already scheduled? We will keep the riders course open through June.
Can we have another place, so we can continue the riders course? Unfortunately, no. We need to be work on the bikes.