Home Grown Heroes & Harley-Davidson

Home Grown Heroes & Harley-Davidson An Interview With Stephen Cox Of Cox’s Harley-Davidson

By: LincoLn infieLd

ore than 60 years ago, north

Carolina’s longest continuous family owned Harley-Davidson Dealership’s humble beginning was sparked by a motorcycle purchase, knowledge of textile machinery, and some friends who needed a hand repairing their own motorcycle. Recil Cox purchased a Harley-Davidson in the mid 1950’s with the understanding that if he didn’t like it his brother would take it off of his hands for him.

Well, as fate would have it, he decided to keep the bike. “If you had a crystal ball, that decision to keep that motorcycle versus sharing it with his brother or selling it to his brother ultimately catapulted him into the motorcycle industry,” said Stephen Cox, Recil Cox’s Grandson and 3rd Generation GM of Cox’s Harley-Davidson when we got a chance to sit down and talk to him about his family history as an Harley-Davidson Dealer. Long Time Employees Eddie Berry (L) & Larry Kessler (R) With Stephen Cox (C)

Recil had a good understanding of machinery and internal combustion engines from working at a local textile mill in “I believe it was a $50 deposit that he had to make” Stephen Asheboro, NC, and being the oldest child in a farm family. said and then added, “So from 1961 to 2000 that’s where we “An internal combustion engine was an internal combustion were”. In the 1970’s Cox’s Harley-Davidson Shop would add engine; you didn’t have all the technology that we have today. on a show room for the expanding business and even used So, if you could work on manufacturing equipment you could the basement of the family home to store service motorcycles work on motorcycles” Stephen explained. “He (Recil) had and other inventory. They added on to the building again in a group of friends in the area that were enthusiasts as well, 1995, before building their current location at 2795 NC-134, so the natural progression was for them to bring their motor- Asheboro, NC in 2000. cycles to him to work on,” Stephen Continued. The Cox family wasn’t only a successful Harley Dealer,

News of Recil’s ability spread and Harley-Davidson District but they also were making a name for themselves on the flat Representative, Dave Warren, approached Recil on multiple track racing circuit. “Yeah, I’d say they were probably local occasions about creating a dealer point in Asheboro, NC. On legends” Stephen said with a laugh when talking about his the final occasion Dave Warren presented it to Recil Dave said Grandfather Recil, father “Poochie” and uncle Jerry’s flat track that if he built a garage and the dealership didn’t work out, racing. “They started racing at a young age, preteens and that at the end of the day he would at least have a garage. Recil frankly was a passion for them, too. You weren’t going to go accepted and built a 2-bay garage with a downstairs office out and win part of a million-dollar purse like you see today”. beside his house on Crestview Church road in Asheboro, NC. “Pawpaw (Recil) was the team owner, he was the crew manager, he was the mechanic and it was just a traveling nucleus of those guys”. Unfortunately, Jerry Cox got killed flat track racing in Wilson, NC in October of 1973, but Poochie continued to race until 1976, and continued to be part of the sport after his racing days ended. “As soon as he stopped racing in 1976, he (Poochie) began officiating races” Stephen added. Poochie would continue to officiate motorcycle racing all the way up to 2009, before passing away in 2010. As far as the longevity of Cox’s Harley-Davidson and the direction of the dealership moving forward, Stephen gives the credit to the great customer base and the dealership of the

staff, some of which have been a part of the Cox’s H-D family for decades. “We do this because of the people that share the passion of motorcycling with us and because the people that work with us. At the end of the day I get to look out there at people like Eddie Berry, who’s been with us since he was twelve and swept floors for my Grandpa Decades and decades of service.” Stephen then relayed a story of his father, Poochie, hiring their current parts manager Larry Kesler in the early 1990’s and mentioned Joy Hicks who has been with the dealership for the past 16 years. Stephen added, “I guess I need to add back up the longevity average in this place. Because

it’s pretty surprising how well we’ve been able to keep the people that make this place run the way it runs, and that’s the reason we are going into seven decades. It’s because of our team and the people who come through those doors. That’s just all there is to it”. Stephen went on to say that they are currently focusing on the customer experience. The dealership has up’d the customer experience by adding a new patio where riders and enthusiasts can relax and enjoy free draft beer from local Four Saints Brewery, hosting bike nights, adding more TV’s and high-top tables and other furniture making it more than just a motorcycle dealership. If you are in the market for a new or used Harley-Davidson, you should check out Cox’s Harley-Davidson, North Carolina’s oldest family owned dealership. Or just stop by and hang out, have a cold brew and make yourself at home! Big thanks to Stephen and the Cox’s Harley-Davidson family for their hospitality and taking the time to chat with us. To check out the full interview click on the Video page on our website www.FullThrottleMagazine. com or Scan this QR Code with your Smart Phone

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