Hamilton’s top hogs ride high

There’s a great biker quote that goes, “If you want to be happy for a lifetime, ride a motorbike,” and Barry Sproule has had over four decades of happiness.

Barry’s Hamilton Harley-Davidson dealership, Road and Sport, is an award-winning business built from a passion for two wheels. In fact, it won Harley-Davidson Australasian Dealer of the Year awards in 2017, 2020, and 2021. “It is recognition and is really a tribute to the team here,” Barry says.

And there’s still a long road ahead with daughter Hannah Manssen gently taking over the day-to- day running of the dealership. More on that later.

Barry and business partner Keith Larkin started the business 45 years ago in October of 1978

“Where did all the time go, 45 years is a long time!” Barry says. “It has been an exciting trip and it is still fun.”

At first there was plenty of opposition to the two lads in their early 20s.

Banks weren’t keen to lend them money and the MVDI (Motor Vehicle Dealers Institute) of the day was sceptical about their suitability to hold a dealer licence.

“Everyone was against us, the people in the licensing board were objecting, saying ‘who are these two little shits trying to sell motorbikes, they don’t know what they are up to’.

“We were only 21 and 23, there was a lot of naysaying going on, so we got quite creative in the end.

“The requirements for a licence were quite stringent and you need to have a line of credit with the bank. Fortunately, we did own some property and we managed to convince the bank and we got a line of credit.”

Starting out small

So, Barry and Keith set to work running the small second-hand bike shop and repair centre in Rostrevor Street Hamilton.

With Barry as the mechanic, and Keith as the salesperson, they became the Suzuki agent and the brand helped build the business.

Then in 1990, Harley-Davidson was making a comeback, and after a rigorous vetting procedure the pair were sent their first Harley and a new journey for the business began.

Four years later, Keith left the partnership and Barry and wife Shelly bought him out.

The following years of the journey had its challenges but nothing they couldn’t handle.

“Motorcycle people graft along, and adversity is something they expect because they ride a motorbike. If you want to go home and have a cup of hot milk with your mother you won’t be riding a motorbike,” he says.

And Barry’s still enjoying the journey. “When you’re running a business, time is not your friend, it’s your enemy,