As the days turned into weeks and the weeks marched forward, a year passed and Del was given an opportunity he knows was his very own brass ring. His radiator repair shop boss and owner of the small Harley-Davidson dealership, where Del was also repairing motorcycle engines, asked Del if he would consider going to the HarleyDavidson Service School. Surprised and excited about his future prospects, Del accepted the offer. Once the application was submitted and Del was accepted to the Harley Service School, plans for the trip and stay in Milwaukee were made. Everything was falling into place. Del had two good jobs, he was in love with the girl of his choice and now he was set to learn everything he possibly could about HarleyDavidson motorcycles, putting his career choice on track for the future. There was just one thing that had slipped Del Hofer’s memory that might cause a bit of a problem: Del and his fiancée, Renee Spargo, were to be married within the same time frame as the Harley-Davidson Service School program. Problem? What problem? Del and Renee were married as planned. As for their honeymoon, well, that too was now “planned.” Milwaukee is a lovely place in the middle of February; at least that’s what Del told Renee, and he swears to it even today, some 50-plus years later.
graduation from service school
Photo submitted by: Del HOfer 32
CLOSING THE CIRCLE OF FATE As another year passed quickly, Del was once again shown “the light” of fate when his boss at the Harley Dealership took him aside one day and asked, “Would you consider buying me out of the motorcycle business?” As shocked as he felt, Del knew this was more than fate simply winking at him. Without batting an eye, he accepted, and the deal for him to take over the small shop with little inventory and only a few motorcycles was signed. But where would he go? His soon-to-be ex-boss didn’t want the motorcycle shop anywhere near his radiator repair business. Claiming not to like motorcycles, and “motorcycle people” even less, he wanted Del to move the HarleyDavidson dealership elsewhere.
Having just signed the agreement to buy the Harley-Davidson dealership for $2,500, Del wanted to find a good place to relocate that wasn’t expensive, yet had the square footage he needed to work on engines and display the motorcycles he had for sale. Like sirens to the sea merchants, the perfect location sang to Del: the same motorcycle shop that was only two blocks from where he grew up in Huron.
WHEN THE STARS ALIGN Del rented the same store space for the next 10 years. In 1971, as his business had expanded and his friendship deepened with John Davidson (grandson of the original founder), Del was offered a larger