Local HD dealer co-owner dies

[fudgie]

Co owner, Steve Brandt, of local/ nearby HD dealership died Thurs. Someone found him in the ditch with his bike 60' away. No skid marks. Didn't know him but go to his shop quite a bit. Always has free concerts and Hog roast every month. It was a year ago this month Bruce Rossmeyer from Daytona dies in WY on his bike. Not good for HD bussiness owners. Cant get to any online articles due to having to pay to view the paper. 

http://www.brandtshd.com/index.html

[Serk]

Cant get to any online articles due to having to pay to view the paper. 

Suck...

Here's some articles for ya' on it:

http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/wabash-county-roann-man-dies-in-motorcycle-crash

http://www.southbendtribune.com/article/20100701/News/100709884/1130

http://www.timesuniononline.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=224&ArticleID=48638

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

You always gotta wonder when a rider is found like that if a cage was involved and didn't stop.

[Super Santa]

Only a side note.

He was from the town that my mother was born in in 1920.  She named my middle sister Roann after the name of the town.

[alph]

A few years ago, a kid was found dead in the ditch, the same way Mr. Brandt was found.  Turns out that something (most likely a bird) hit him in the chest and knocked him off the bike.  They did x-rays and found he had several broken ribs on his chest.  No skid marks either, not necessarily a car involved with Mr. Brandt.

[Willow]

Turns out that something (most likely a bird) hit him in the chest and knocked him off the bike. 

It would have to be a huge bird such as a turkey, eagle or the like.  I ride mostly without a screen and have taken hits by objects including a bird to the head (not an eagle) at seventy mph plus.

"Something hit him in the chest and knocked him off his bike" would sound to me a whole lot like foul (not fowl) play.      

[big turkey]

Never hit a bird before on a Bike.

That must be a real trip man.

Gald you made it through it.

Big AL

[Walküre]

I've seen a lot of deer, here in Indiana, this year, also. A near-miss could be close enough to lose control, yet not leave skid marks...

Was just up that way, couple weeks ago, and thought about stopping at Brandt's. Didn't, though. Daughter is starting IPFW, this fall, so will be making a few trips that way, I'm sure.

R

[fudgie]

I've seen a lot of deer, here in Indiana, this year, also. A near-miss could be close enough to lose control, yet not leave skid marks...

Was just up that way, couple weeks ago, and thought about stopping at Brandt's. Didn't, though. Daughter is starting IPFW, this fall, so will be making a few trips that way, I'm sure.

R

Brandts is a good place to stop and is one of my favs. Always free stuff going on. One of the top HD dealers in the US. They even offer to take my Valk on trade in! Give a shout when your up this way. A few Valks up around Ft Wayne.

[Walküre]

Yeah, I got my windscreen from Jaysen up there - traded my short/narrow for a tall/wide. Great deal! Worked for both of us.

Wanted to hit Brandt's, because I had heard it is more of an "old-style" Harley shop - the ones I used to go to in the 60's and 70's. Where you could actually buy a good pair of deerskin gauntlets, WITHOUT "HD" logos, or skulls, or other goofy stuff, all over them. I'm needing a pair. Is that the case, or is it a "boutique" like all the others I've seen around?

Our local non-Harley shop caters to the sports bike (big college town...), with brightly colored stuff - while good, just not my taste. And the HD has expanded the salesroom into what used to be shop space. Guess the money is in the Logo, and not the service. I would like to think it's because the HD is THAT much more reliable, but they were still stacked in there, like cord-wood. I don't like to mail order, if I can help it, because I like to try on for size, plus, if we ALL just mail order, pretty soon ALL the local shops will be gone. But, I may be forced to do that for my gloves.

Ft. Wayne also has this for sale:



http://auto-rv.com/Browse.aspx?AdName=CHLI5105025

Back in the day, if you didn't have a Triumph, Harley, or Sears/Montgomery Wards bike, you had a Honda...and if you didn't like the 160, you could opt for the "huge" 305...



R

[fudgie]

Ehhh, you wont find the gloves there. They do have alot of HD clothes but not as much as other dealers. Bought Kit boots there a few years ago. 90% of the store is wall to wall bikes. He does have a few old ones on display. Before he moved to this store about 5 yrs ago, his old store was alot more of a bike shop. Parts laying around everywhere and only a handfull of shirts.

Theres a small leather outlet in the same town as Brandts that may have them or hit Hudson leather in Pioneer Ohio.