Photos by Brady Kay
Years ago as the new guy in town, my Honda Shadow 1100 motorcycle was acting up and I wasn’t sure who I could trust to work on it. A lifetime Idaho Falls resident recommended a shop located at 152 Park Avenue and I’ve been a regular ever since. From burger places to scenic areas to visit, advice from locals is extremely valuable and in this case, it was spot on.
At the time the motorcycle shop was known as Bill’s Cycle, but I remember working with Ben Hawker, the sales manager at that time and being impressed by his knowledge and experience. I learned later that Ben has been working here since he was 19 years old and has created a loyal customer following from his years of service.
When Mike Murdock, the owner of Bill’s Cycle, decided to retire in 2012, Ben and his wife Pam bought the business and renamed it Ben’s Quality Cycle and then expanded it to include all brands of motorcycles along with ATV’s as well as small engine repair.
This year is the 40th anniversary of when Ben first started working at the shop and his 9th year as the owner. Talk about putting down roots.
Ben’s ties to the shop actually go back even further. In the ’70s he loved riding around on his Honda Z50 and Honda Trail 90 bikes that his dad picked up from Bill’s Cycle Shop. Each had stickers from Bill’s on them with the business address and not only does Ben still own those original vintage motorcycles, he now owns the shop.
“I look at those old stickers and see the address on them and it’s sometimes still hard to believe that’s my business now,” says Ben. “I really have a long history with this shop and it’s a big part of my life.”
Customer Service
With regular maintenance work, my 1994 Shadow with nearly 50,000 miles on it hasn’t given me a lot of trouble over the years, but I’ve always been impressed by the attention to detail that Ben always demonstrates when I bring my motorcycle into his shop.
I once took my bike in for new tires and when Ben noticed a wiring issue with my turn signal, he simply fixed it at no cost to me just because he saw a need. You don’t typically get that level of service from larger dealers.
Being relatable as well as knowledgeable are keys to his success. He sees his focus on taking care of his customers as one of the biggest advantages to being a small business.
“Not being tied to a dealership where customers are often pressured into a specific brand has been a big advantage for us,” explains Ben. “Our main focus has, and always will be, helping customers out. It’s rewarding to take care of our customers.”
A Wide Reach
Ben’s Quality Cycle has been helping locals for nearly ten years, but its reach is far beyond just our region. Early on it was word-of-mouth that helped bring in new customers, but lately, he’s been seeing a different way.
“Really social media has helped a lot of people find us as well,” says Ben. “If you do something for someone traveling it really spreads across the nation.”
With customers coming from France, England and even as far as Australia, Ben wishes he had kept a book from the time he first started for people to sign in just so he could have a record of just how far his customers have come from.
“We have a regular customer from Pennsylvania who stops in for service every year during his travels,” says Ben. “With social media they always seem to find us.”
Beyond Honda
Ben’s Quality Cycle is best known for servicing and repairing Honda brand motorcycles, but after expanding to other brands it’s been fun for the owner to work on a variety of different engines.
“It’s hard to find a bad motorcycle, all of them are amazing,” says Ben. “Especially when you compare the bikes being built today versus those in the olden days.”
With Idaho Falls having a large dirt bike community, there are just as many dirt bikes as road bikes that come into the shop on a regular basis. Plus they stock a lot of parts so customers won’t have to wait too long.
“We pride ourselves on having a fast turnaround on parts ordered and updating the items kept in stock to give customers options and variety,” says Pam who works at the shop part-time.
With a full showroom that includes fluids, tires, helmets, gear and other motorcycle-specific products, Ben’s Quality Cycle has become a must-stop for repairs and service and it’s safe to say the word is out.
For More Information
Ben’s Quality Cycle
152 Park Ave • Idaho Falls, ID • 208-525-8183
www.bensqualitycycle.com