For his long-time dedication to the sport of motorcycling, John Parham, founder of J&P Cycles and president of the National Motorcycle Museum Board of Directors, received the Don J. Brown Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2012 Dealer Expo and American V-Twin Dealer Show on Friday, Feb. 17.
Parham, a life-long motorcycle enthusiast, founded J&P Cycles with his wife Jill in 1979. What started as a small Harley-Davidson motorcycle repair shop in a dirt-floor garage on the outskirts of Anamosa, Iowa, has grown into the world’s largest catalog retailer of aftermarket motorcycle parts and accessories.
The company produces one of the largest mail-order catalogs in the industry, with this year’s print edition featuring 1,064 pages that list more than 40,000 motorcycle parts and accessories. A restorer of vintage motorcycles since his youth, Parham in 2001 relocated the National Motorcycle Museum from Sturgis, S. D., to Anamosa. Today the museum displays more than 320 motorcycles from around the world and countless pieces of artwork and memorabilia in a 36,000-square-foot facility.
“Just like our J&P customers, I love every aspect of motorcycles, and I’m a firm believer in the J&P motto: ‘Keeping the world on two wheels,” Parham said in accepting the award. “Vintage motorcycles have always been a tremendous passion of mine, which led to the labor of love that is the National Motorcycle Museum. Since Jill and I retired from running the company last fall, the museum has become my true day-to-day passion.” Parham’s son Zach assumed leadership of J & P Cycles in 2011.
The Don J. Brown Lifetime Achievement Award is presented each year during the Dealer Expo trade show to an individual in the motorcycle retailing community who furthers the sport, the business and industry over the course of a career. It is named in honor of a founding editor of Dealernews, who became the industry’s leading research expert during his 50-plus-year career.(Photo Courtesy Dealernews)
Well deserved.
Congratulations great achievements in the motorcycle industry.
This award could not have been given to a more deserving couple! Congratulations John and Jill! All the best to each of you.
Over & Out,
Jeff
John is First Class
Way to go John & Jill !!
Couldn’t have happened to a finer individual.
Cheers!!
The UPS truck just dropped off a box last night with J&P tape on it, and that’s about the highest compliment I can pay any businessman: you keep up the good work, and I’ll keep giving you my money! Thanks for the many years of good service.
Congratulations John (and Jill) well deserved!
Congratulations John. A great copmpany to deal with
A very fine couple and well deserved.
congrats john and jill.great people
Too bad they sold the company to a large foreign company though. Would have been nice to keep all that money here. Congrats to them!
Two of the BEST people in the industry. All have been!
I live in Daytona so I get to visit one of their visions frequently.
Ride on