Issue 04 - Interview w/ Legion Moto Co.

SLOW

A KIDS & COBRAS MAGAZINE

EXCLUSIVE ISSUE The Story of Legion Moto Co.

KIDSandCOBRAS.com @kidsandcobras

ISSUE 004

Kids & CObras

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RIDE DRINK

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LEGION MOTO CO.

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SLOW MAG Masnifesto In the pages that follow we invite you to slow down and enjoy that brew as you feast your eyes on the danger, rebellion, sexuality, freedom, and adventure that motorcycles bring to our lives.

In this issue, we are exclusively telling the story of one of the most unique motorcycle garges in the world, known as Legion.

So pause.

Sip some coffee.

And enjoy...

@kidsandcobras kidsandcobras.com

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NEW SINGLE ORIGIN COFFEE

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Enjoy the freedom that comes with doing what you love.

Kenya, Nicaragua,

The Story of Legion Moto Co.

LEGION MOTO INTERVIEW

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So pause.

Sip some coffee.

And enjoy.

Slow Mag is our unique way of inviting you to slow down and enjoy that brew. With a heavy emphasis on photography, each issue captures the sexuality, danger, rebellion, freedom, and adventure that motorcycles bring to our lives.

Collecting Stories about People who love motorcycles & Coffee.

Mag

COntributors: @samwake_ @urthtrek @seanbenesh @kidsandcobras @legionmotoco

Photographers: Sean Benesh Sam Wake Legion Moto Co. Kendra Farber Matt Faisety Max Stein Catalina Jean

SLOW

@legionmotoco

2227 SE 7th Ave Portland, Oregon

(503) 954-1546

THE STORY

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Legion Motorcy Co.

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THE STORY of

Legion MOTO CO. Words BY: Sam Wake, Alex Glover, Matt , Gabriel Legion Moto Co. may be one of the most unique motorcycle garages in the world.

Nestled in heart of inner SE Portland on 7th and Division, in a city where it rains 9 months out of the year, Legion provides two wheeled desperados a place to call home.

At Legion you can grab a beer at the bar, get a haircut at the 2 chair barbershop, and get your bike worked on all at the same time. Even cooler they provide riders in the urban core, who are short on garage space, DIY lifts with access to tools and the readily available advice and guidance of professional mechanics.

The owners Alex and Gabe are creatures of their own volition. They are good ol’ boys, vetrans, who love motorcycles, love a good time, and love people. Legion is what I like to call a “third space”. A third space is a space where all kinds of people, with all kinds of backgrounds can come together and find home.

Legion is up to something really cool. Yes Legion is a garage, BUT even more it is a community. All kinds of riders who have different skill levels, or bike types become one big family at Legion.

Here at K&C we wanted to take a moment and let them share their story.

ENJOY!!! /// THE STORY OF LEGION MOTO CO. /// SLOW MAG /// ISSUE 004

Let’s Start with an introduction! Who are you?

Alex Glover: 34, Dyna bro all about Four Loko, Pit Vipers, and tooth gems.

Gabriel Court: 36, red-headed daddy and silky short ambassador.

Matt Ayer: 38, just got an engineering degree and would love to tell you all about it.

WHere are you from & How did you end up in Portland?

Alex: All over the PNW. I moved here after getting out of the Navy to go to school at PSU. Gabriel: All over the PNW. Heard the dream of the 90’s was alive here and left the Army to go to PSU. Matt: Massachusetts. It wasn’t LA and the local Harley Dealership needed Master Tech

When did you start Riding Motorcycles?

Alex: we all started as kids for the most part.

Riding dirt bikes or old Trail 90’s. I spent a lot of time on the back of my dad’s bike growing up as well.

Matt: got a dirtbike for HS graduation, sold it to move to AZ for MMI then got a street bike while in CA and my first Harley shortly thereafter.

THE STORY OF LEGION MOTO CO. /// SLOW MAG /// ISSUE 004

Alex, Gabe, & Matt

THE STORY OF LEGION MOTO CO. /// SLOW MAG /// ISSUE 004

WhAt Is the most memorable ride you have been on?

Alex: That’s a hard one to answer. There are a few good stories from when I was a kid with my dad and I don’t think the statute of limitations is up for some other ones.

Matt: run to the rock 2 years ago year, with Alex sympathy puking with me Gabe: When Matt kissed a homeless guy at run to the rock 2 years ago.

Tell us about Legion.

Alex: Legion is first and foremost a community space (when there isn’t a pandemic). We have a full service shop specializing in Harley Davidsons, but we work on a bunch of different bikes, we have DIY lifts where people can work on their own bikes, we have a bar and barbershop in the same building as well. Our hope is to bring people together under one common theme motorcycles.

How Long Has It been around?

Alex: Gabriel and I started working on Legion in 2018 and we opened our first location in July of 2019.

Why did you start it? or What caused you to start it??

Alex: The motorcycle scene kind of felt stale at the time and Gabriel and I wanted to put our passion for motorcycles and people at the forefront of our professional lives. Social work was literally killing me and I needed to do something that was meaningful and fulfilling without taking such a toll on my body and mental health.

Where did the name Legion come from??

Alex: Our friend Andrew actually came up with it. He lives in Denver and we were on the phone talking about names and he was like, “Alex and Gabe, you guys are vets, why don’t you call it Legion?” and it stuck from there.

What does legion mean to portland and the surrounding community?

Alex: I guess you’d have to ask Portland? I don’t know. I hope the folk in Portland see us as not only a place of friendship and community, but also a place that will take you and your bike seriously and we stand by the work that we do.

What was 2020 like for you? How did you manage in the middle of a shutdown?

Alex: 2020 sucked ass. We had just opened our bar and it was just starting to pick up momentum. We had all kinds of events planned from movie nights to restaurant pop ups and then COVID happened and we had to close the bar doors after about 1.5 months. On top of COVID and our bar closing, we got the boot from our first location and we had to find a new place quickly. Service is what kept us open and moving forward. For a while, it was just Matt and I locked up in the shop pumping out bikes. We were nervous that people would be getting rid of their bikes due to financial hardship, but it was quite the opposite - we were slammed all spring and summer.

What are the challenges of running a motorcycle shop in the heart of Portland OR? Alex: Fucking overhead! It’s expensive to have a space this big in this central location. I honestly think our location works well for us because there aren’t too many houses around, but there’s enough traffic to keep curious folks walking in. Location aside, when it comes to parts, it’s challenging to compete with online retailers and parts is one of our main revenue sources.

What have been some of your favorite memories running this buisness?

Alex: Between the crew we have and the folks we meet, there are very few dull moments. I’m most appreciative of the opportunities where we close the doors for a few days and hit the road with our friends and family. That’s why we opened this shop - we fucking love riding motorcycles.

Tell us about Legion’s Future! What future goals do you have for the COmpany?

Our bar should be opening back up to the public any day now (given some COVID restrictions go away). Aside from the bar, we’re focusing on expanding our service offerings and getting the shop to run more like a well-oiled machine.

THE STORY OF LEGION MOTO CO. /// SLOW MAG /// ISSUE 004

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“Every brand has an origin story. Our job is to help you find yours.”

- Sean Benesh

Founder

Kids & Cobras is a community focused business that was started by a group of folks who became friends while riding their motorcycles through and around the city of Portland, Oregon.

As curvy Oregon roads forged friendship, one SAM WAKE began to share his passion for social entrepreneurship and a dream to start a motorcycle business that sought the welfare of the city. and Like good friends do, FELLOW RIDERS threw gasoline on the dream and not long after Kids and Cobras was launched.

Our goal is Simple…

We want to inspire you to live your life without regrets and leverage your influence for the marginalized.

You only get one life, So let’s not waste it living in fear. there is more courage in your tank than there is danger ahead of you, And we are committed to creating cool stuff that dusts off the ol’ imagination and gives you the excuse you need to get on a bike and chase down your future while leveraging your assets, relationships, and influence for marginalized people and places…

- LEAVE NOTHING UNDONE Sincerely, THE K&C CREW