Company History - Zylstra Harley-Davidson/Buell


		home \| company history Headquartered in St. Charles, IL, Zylstra Harley-Davidson/Buell is the picture of corporate success. Employing over 200 at its dealerships in three states, Zylstra has been recognized by Harley-Davidson as one of its premier dealers. That's quite an accomplishment for a company that has in a little over a decade gone from a barn on an Iowa farm to three thriving dealerships. To understand what makes Zylstra Harley-Davidson/Buell such a success today one need only look at the family behind the company. The Zylstra story is of course about entrepreneurs and hard work, but it is overwhelmingly a story about family: Peter Zylstra, Robert's Grandfather, came to Iowa in 1906 with the first Dutch immigrants, and started the farming tradition. In 2006 the Zylstra family celebrated the century mark of having farmed land in northwest Iowa, including the home farm originally bought in 1941 by Robert’s parents Charley and Edna. Today, Robert and Tommy continue the family farming operation in their hometown of Sibley, Iowa including the land that was handed down to Robert from his father, Charley. Over the years the Zylstra farming interests have included growing corn and soybeans, and running a large-scale cattle feeding operation, among other things. Throughout the years Robert and other family members have had several other non-agricultural businesses, but their first love was - and remains - farming. However, there's always time for a hobby on the farm, and for Robert that was motorcycles. It came naturally: Charley Zylstra bought a used 1948 Harley-Davidson® Panhead in 1953 and took his eight-year old son for a ride. Robert was hooked from then on, buying his first motorcycle, a German Scooter at 15, and many others since. Robert bought his first Harley-Davidson in 1969. It was a new XLCH 900 Sportster. Robert's son, Tommy shared his father's passion for motorcycles, and still has his first motorcycle, a 1975 Yamaha 125 he has had since 1977. Tommy bought his first Harley-Davidson motorcycle, a 1979 Low Rider®, in 1988, which he still owns today also. In the late 1980's Robert turned his hobby into a part-time business, and began buying and selling an occasional motorcycle. Tommy also became involved in the new business while still in college at Iowa State University in Ames, IA. By 1991 the decision was made to stop feeding cattle and start selling HOGS! At first it was a few motorcycles here and there, bought and sold out of the farm shop. The business was an immediate success, quickly acquiring one of the three largest inventories of used Harley-Davidsons in the United States. They were specializing in Harley-Davidson® motorcycles and by the early 1990's the Zylstra’s, including Robert's wife, Marcia and daughter Kristine, themselves avid motorcyclists, were selling over 150 used bikes a year. The decision was made to move the business to a storefront in downtown Sibley. Dubbed "Zylstra Cycles of Sibley," the business found a home in a storefront previously owned by Robert's Uncle Harry, a pharmacist in town. Although the Zylstra’s enjoyed the used Harley-Davidson business, they also wanted to sell new motorcycles. They recognized early on the strength and draw of the Harley-Davidson brand, and their next goal was to become a Harley-Davidson dealer. That chance came in 1994, when Robert and Tommy purchased an existing dealership in Ames, IA. Marcia and Kristine were also part of the operation, as was Robert's brother-in-law Randy Johns. The Ames Harley-Davidson dealership had been owned for about 20 years beginning in 1916 by a relative of Marcia and Randy. This fact was discovered after the business had been purchased. It is now back in the family. The dealership was previously owned and operated under the name of Ames Cycles, and at the time of the Zylstra's purchase, it carried five major brands of motorcycles: Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha. The dealership also boasted several brands of trailers, watercraft, power equipment and go-carts. Within a few years the dealership carried Harley-Davidson only. In 2001, Ames acquired the Buell brand as well. These two remain the only new motorcycles sold at any of the Zylstra dealerships. Since 1994, the store in Ames has grown and has been through many changes, all for the better. Hard work and experience in the Harley-Davidson motorcycle business has paid off in many ways. In 1999, Zylstra Cycle Company, Inc. won the prestigious Circle of Excellence, Gold Bar & Shield Award. This award recognizes the top dealers in the nation in customer service and satisfaction, and is given by Harley-Davidson Motor Company to only 25 dealers. Also in 1999, out of seventy five applicants, Tommy and Robert Zylstra were awarded the franchise rights to a new Harley-Davidson dealership in Elk River, MN, that opened as Zylstra Harley-Davidson, Inc. in October of 2000. Zylstra Harley-Davidson/Buell has been awarded many prestigious Circle of Excellence, Silver Bar & Shield Awards. These awards are given by Harley-Davidson Motor Company to recognize the top dealers in the nation in customer service and satisfaction. In August of 2002, the family purchased the Harley-Davidson dealership in Elgin, IL, an existing dealership that had been operated in Elgin for 41 years. Realizing the business would soon outgrow the dealership in Elgin, the Zylstra family began work on their largest venture yet, building a brand new, state-of-the-art, dealership in St. Charles, IL. In December of 2006, Zylstra Harley-Davidson located in Elgin officially moved to St. Charles, IL. Opening its doors on December 16, 2006, this new facility is now the flagship for all the Zylstra dealerships. Zylstra Harley-Davidson/Buell in St. Charles features an all-brick, 80,000 sq. ft. facility built on 37 acres purchased next to the Kane County Fairgrounds. This dealership was designed to host large-scale events for Harley enthusiasts from around the country. It also offers a training center for new riders and a wide variety of value-added services. It's quite a story the Zylstra family has to tell: What started out as Robert Zylstra's hobby has grown into a hugely successful business. Or as Robert likes to describe it, "It's a hobby gone completely out of control." True enough, but it's also a story of a family dedicated to bringing the best products and service to their customers. And that story has many more chapters left to write.

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