TOPEKANS LIVE HIGH ON HARLEY HOG
Written by Don Marker
Topeka Capital-Journal
Tuesday, October 27, 1992

Motorcycle dealer credits success to knowing how to treat the customers.

The fancy leather jacket with the logo on the back hangs on the clothes rack, not far from boots, belts, and buckles.

Several motorcycles poised among the clothing on the showroom floor are clues this isn't an upscale boutique.

Fact is, you're at Harley-Davidson Sales and Service Inc., 600 W. US-24 highway.

When Henry N. Patterson bought the Topeka Harley dealership in 1949, there weren't any clothes in the showroom except for the ones "Pat" had on his back.

Now, clothing and other "people accessories" make up a significant part of the business.

You can pick from a wall full of accessories to individualize your person.

The famous Harley logo can be seen on just about anything it can be sewn, glued, printed or painted on. The motorcycles still are there, their headlight chrome gleaming, teardrop gasoline tanks reaching forward to the open road. The whole machine speaks movement.

And that movement can be yours for between $5,000 and $16,000. That's today's prices on motorcycles manufactured by Harley-Davidson, the only U.S. manufacturer left from about 300 that have tried the business.

Harley wasn't without hard times and some analysts speculated in the early 1980s that it would join other companies put out of business by foreign competition.

But a company turnaround began in 1981 when Harley-Davidson was bought by employees. Updated manufacturing methods and improved quality brought H-D back. By 1987, the company had 25 percent of the "heavyweight" motorcycle market. A trade publication says Harley-Davidson now has more than 45 percent of that market.

Harley stock, like the company market share, has been increasing, says the Mutual Fund News Service. Earnings last year were $1.04 a share. The projection for this year is $1.50, and next year, the service says, the number is likely to be around $2 a share.

That's great, say the Pattersons, but they are more interested in taking care of Topeka area customers.

The local agency is a corporation headed by Henry Patterson. Son Dennis Patterson is vice president. Henry's wife, Leola Patterson, is secretary-treasurer. Mike Patterson, Henry's grandson, is a board member, and sales manager. Mike's father, Larry, died in 1985.

They talk with pride of their business, as they show a visitor around. The mechanics' areas are as clean as the showroom. Thousands of parts wait in bins for the call to make good as new a vintage Harley. "Harleys always get rebuilt." Pat said. "They never go to the boneyard."

Pictures of men and motorcycles hang on the walls of the memorabilia room. "That's where a bunch of old men get together and tell lies on Saturday mornings," says Pat, grinning under his ever-present cap. He probably contributes his share of memories in those Saturday sessions. Like the one from the '50s and '60s when he worked by himself in the store, and the many years he could afford just one employee. Now there are nine, counting the three Pattersons.

One of Pat's first paying customer's in Topeka was Lester Zimmerman. Zimmerman's son, Bruce, now works in the service department and does some computer work, too.

The customer service policy and community involvement have brought the Pattersons' store honors. Road Rider magazine rated it in the top 40 motorcycle dealers for 1992. The national Harley-Davidson firm has honored the agency with the Bar and shield Circle of Excellence Award six of the past 10 years.

"That only goes to 25 of the 600 dealers nationwide," Pat said.

He's proud, too, that his business has helped raise about $300,000 over the past 12 years for the Muscular Dystrophy Association through charity motorcycle rides.

But all the success and honors are kept in perspective. "I still sweep out occasionally," he said, taking a good look around the showroom.