Gover Harley-Davidson/Buell is a friendly, helpful, small-town dealer located in Piqua Ohio. We are a family-owned and operated business that genuinely cares about our customers. It is most definitely worth the ride, or drive, to Gover Harley-Davidson/Buell. We offer a full line of H-D® and Buell® motorcycles, H-D® MotorClothes® merchandise & collectibles, and Genuine Parts and Accessories. We are also an authorized service and dyno tuning center. We strive to have a good selection of bikes (new and used) on the floor for immediate sale at all times.
Our history goes back to September 17, 1999 - the date we officially purchased and took over the operation of the dealership from Bob, Esther and Steve Ludy of Ludy's Harley-Davidson. The Ludy family had operated their business in Painter Creek, Ohio (southeast of Greenville) for 31 years. When we took over the dealership, the only employees were the Gover family, Steve Ludy (mechanic) and Ron Hoelscher (part-time mechanic). In the next year and a half, as our experience, reputation and inventory levels grew, so did our staff. By the spring of 2001 we had hired five additional full time employees we were busting out of the seams of our original (7000 sq. ft.) store. In April of 2001, Gover Harley-Davidson relocated to its current location on Ash St. (U.S. Route 36) in Piqua, Ohio. Our new facility was 17,500 sq. ft. and we were in heaven! The location was much more convenient for most of our customers and our business continued to grow. With the influx of new customers we needed more staff and continued to expand our staff to the current level of 25-30 (which includes Gover family members, seasonal, full and part-time employees).
In the spring of 2005, we launched a building expansion which was ultimately completed in January of 2006. With the additional 10,500 sq. ft. we expanded our service department’s capabilities significantly with the purchase of a state of the art dynamometer. We now offer limited same-day service/maintenance, performance engine work and winter storage. Additionally, we have a 900 sq. ft. room (located at the rear of the parking lot near the shelter house) for the use of our H.O.G. Chapter in their various activities and meetings.
We are genuinely committed to you, our customers, the Harley-Davidson Motor Company and the sport of motorcycling. We strive to provide an enjoyable experience to our customers each and every time they come to our store. Customers frequently tell us that we have the most friendly and helpful dealership in the area and we work very hard to provide the best service and value possible. We try to welcome each customer in our store with a smile and a “hello” and thank them for their patronage when they leave. We welcome all riders into our family and hope to see each and every customer again very soon.
We ask only one thing of our customers – Talk to us! Please tell us if there is ever ANYTHING that we can do for you. We love to: answer questions (there are no stupid questions), share some laughs, respond to any concern, talk about the great ride you took last week/month/year, address any and all problems (if you don’t tell us how can we fix it?), determine how we can improve your bike’s performance and/or appearance, show you what’s new, get to know you, take good care of you, call you friend…
James D. Gover (Jim Jr.) - Owner / Dealer Principal / Service Manager
Hi, I’m Jim Jr and I love riding motorcycles! It’s just that simple. But it’s interesting to know that this all-consuming passion did not blossom until I became an adult. As a kid I showed horses which got me into line dancing. From there I became a D.J. which led to an internship at “The Big One” (WLW in Cincinnati) and a real (paying) job at Kool 95 and WPTW. The move from on-air radio personality to car sales at Dan Hemm was necessitated by the fact that I had recently gotten married to Tracy and needed a “real job” that paid more. (Radio is great fun but not always great pay…)
So how did I become a Harley dealer? That’s a question a lot of folks ask me. My Dad and I had always talked about going into business together and when we found out Ludy’s H-D was for sale it seemed to be the perfect opportunity! I had been riding and actively participating in a local H.O.G. Chapter for a number of years at that point. I loved the sport, the industry, the people, the motorcycles… I wanted more than anything to make it my career. For the next nine months I worked diligently to coordinate all of the financial and legal issues and commitments necessary for our family to buy Ludy’s. To call the process of becoming a Harley dealer arduous would be a gross understatement. But after many set-backs and headaches (literally) the dealership was ours!!
Since becoming a dealer in September of 1999, I have assumed responsibility for many different areas in the dealership. In an effort to expand my knowledge and abilities I have taken many, many seminars and classes sponsored by Harley-Davidson. Some of the most enlightening ones were about: Service Writing and Service Operations, Harley Owners Group, Sales, Finance and Insurance, Organizational Excellence, Product Liability, Marketing and Community Service. The absolute best course I ever took was called “Back to the Track” in which I learned some more advanced riding skills on the road course at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. I was able to test ride several Harleys and Buells as well as a number of competitor’s models.
Sales, parts, service and I.T. are my strengths. However, I am currently serving primarily in the capacity of Service Manager at the dealership. I am passionate about giving you a good experience in our Service Department and welcome any and all input from customers on what we have done/can do to provide excellent service and value. I also enjoy working with customers who want to enhance the performance of their motorcycles. If you’re interested in something as simple as different pipes to something as involved as a high performance overhaul including new heads, cams, pistons and/or diamond cut cylinders, please come see me! We will work HARD to get you the performance you want and a bike that you can be even more proud of!
When not at work, you can usually find me spending time with my family, riding, or researching the latest technology on websites such as geeeksaresexy.com. I am also interested in sci-fi (especially Star Trek and Star Wars), photography and working with our dog, Keeper, on obedience, cart and pack dog skills.
I don’t get to ride as much as I’d like to, but I try to attend at least one or two H.O.G. Chapter functions each month and I ride through the week every chance I get! I personally have two bikes. A 1996 Wide Glide® and a 2008 Cross Bones, but the truth is that I like riding almost any model/style motorcycle. Lucky for me, over the years we’ve owned the dealership I have had a chance to ride many, many different bikes. I would gladly share the insights and experience I have gained with anyone. Please see me if there is anything that I can do to help you have a better motorcycling experience. I very much enjoy getting to know our customers. If we haven’t met already, I encourage you to ask for me. It would be my pleasure to meet each and every customer!
Tracy N. Gover – Owner / Dealer Principal / General Manager
Greetings, all! My name is Tracy N. Gover and I am Jim Jr.’s wife. But I didn’t start out in life that way… My maiden name is Tracy Bruns and I grew up in Celina, Ohio.
My family owned a marina on Grand Lake St. Marys, and I grew up boating, snowmobiling, and motorcycling. My Dad was a big fan of motorcycling, but he tended to favor imports such as BSA, Bultaco and Moto Guzzi. I started taking short rides sitting in front of Dad on the gas tank when I was very young (much to the dismay of my Mother) and then as the driver (to the further dismay of my Mother) at the ripe old age of about 9. I loved that 50cc Honda… and then the 70cc Honda… and then the 125cc Honda. After that, I got into high school and “helmet head” just wasn’t cool – so I didn’t ride for a number of years. I went on to college and received a Bachelors in Business Management and then a Masters in Project Management. My interest in motorcycling was resurrected by a friend and co-worker, Jim Crisp. I was dating Jim Jr at the time, and we both caught the riding bug in a big way! We had a motorcycle escort at our wedding and even went to York to see the assembly plant on our honeymoon.
One week before our first wedding anniversary we become partners with Jim’s parents in the ownership of Gover Harley-Davidson. It has taken a lot of hard work to learn the industry and grow our dealership, but every step of the way has been challenging and rewarding! To understand where I fit into the dealership and my qualifications as such please read on.
My role in the dealership is twofold. First, and most important, is my role as Succession Manager, responsible for the growth and personal development of our Chief Executive Officer. (In other words, I’m a loving and supportive mother.) On the business side of things, I am the General Manager. My primary duties include monitoring daily activity, managing our finances, working with department managers to establish and achieve goals, and establishing the company’s overall policy, procedure, insurance, and legal issues. I am also the Treasurer of our H.O.G. Chapter.
In my free time I mostly enjoy spending time with family and friends, reading, cooking and tending to my flower garden. I can honestly say that Harley-Davidson and the people that I have met through motorcycling have changed my life… much, much for the better! I hope that your experience with motorcycling will be equally rewarding and I sincerely hope that Gover Harley-Davidson will play a key role in your motorcycling future. We have a great staff. They have helped us build a reputation for showing our customers respect and courtesy, as well as providing good service, lots of value and a friendly atmosphere. I always enjoy getting to know our customers and I am hopeful that I will meet you sometime soon.
James M. Gover – Owner / Advisor / Ambassador
My humble life began in Sardis, Kentucky on Feb. 25, 1944. My family consists of three brothers, one sister and of course, Mom and Dad. My brother Bob didn’t like it when I came along because until then he was the baby of the family and was getting all the attention. Well, rumor has it that Bob and a few cousins took me down in the woods, bent a young sapling down and tried to put me in orbit. Rumor also has it that I landed on my head and some folks think I haven’t been quiet right since then…
Anyway, we lived on a farm and my dad and older brothers farmed and hauled logs up out of the bottom lands. When Lake Cumberland was put in back in 1954, the lake took my dad’s farm and logging land. Next thing you know we were packed up and moved to Somerset. While growing up in Somerset, I played football and baseball mostly, while occasionally going to school.
From Somerset, I moved to Lexington then to Piqua, Ohio in 1961. I went to work for Miami Industries, where my dad and brother worked. As luck would have it, I ran into the prettiest little gal you ever saw. That’s right! I met Shirley in the grocery store and I knew she was the one for me. There was just one little problem, Shirley wouldn’t go out with me. But I didn’t give up and, finally, after two long months of dating, we were married on March 7, 1964.
After leaving Miami Industries, I went to work for Montgomery Ward. While there, I received a notice in the mail stating that Uncle Sam needed me, so I joined the Marine Corps. I served a 13 month tour of duty in Vietnam with a MOS of 0331 M-60 Machine gunner. When I got home I took a job with Crumbach-Rogers Oldsmobile-Cadillac in Piqua. After working as General Sales Manager for a few years, I had the opportunity to buy stock in the company and became a dealer and co-owner with Bernie Rogers in 1970. Just when you think it can’t get any better than this, it does. Enter a beautiful baby boy, born in April, 1970. I am proud to tell you that he was the joy of our lives then and continues to be today. More on that later… Bernie and I eventually sold the Olds-Cadillac dealership in 1984. In the early 80’s I had helped coordinate, fund and build a child care facility for kids who, for varied reasons, did not have a home. After selling the car dealership, I continued my work with children and families. Eventually I went to Newark, Ohio where, in 1990, I joined forces with Sandy Rice and Square One For Youth was born. Over the next several years, we built our agency into one of the largest foster care agencies in the state. In 1997, the agency was sold to The Buckeye Ranch in Grove City, Ohio. I stayed on with The Ranch for a period of time working in both the Columbus area and Cincinnati, but eventually I allowed my contract to expire and gave up the commute for good!
Our family expanded to four with the addition of our wonderful daughter-in-law Tracy in September of 1998. We purchased the Harley-Davidson dealership from Esther, Bob and Steve Ludy in 1999. And then in July of 2002, Jim and Tracy brought into this world the most beautiful granddaughter you can possibly imagine!
My role at the dealership is ever-changing but always rewarding. My primary responsibility now a days is to help Jim and Tracy oversee the business operations and, hopefully, use my life experience to help the dealership and its staff to learn and grow. I’ll confess that I really enjoy helping out in the store too. You may find me selling bikes, cooking hot dogs, selling boots or just visiting with customers. No matter what I’m doing, I absolutely love to work with and talk to our customers and I hope to meet you soon (if I haven’t already).
I start most days with conversation and coffee at a local restaurant. I normally go to the store for at least few hours each day. Otherwise, I’m usually working around the house or, if I’m lucky, get in a round of golf or some time spent with my granddaughter.
I thank God every day for the many blessings he has given me. I have so much to be thankful for. Most importantly, a wonderful family, some truly great friends and our many, many customers who make this business so rewarding. I consider myself a very blessed individual. When you have your health, a great family, great friends and you are able to do things that you truly love to do, it's not hard to smile.
Shirley Gover – Owner / Advisor / MotorClothes® Merchandise Receiving
How does one follow the likes of Jim Sr.?? Well, I learned a long time ago that it’s not as prudent to follow him as to simply hang on and try to enjoy the ride!!! I was born in Sidney, Ohio and grew up in and around Shelby County. I was working at the checkout in the Piqua Kroger store when I met Jim and the rest, as they say, is history.
I consider myself blessed to have been able to be a stay at home with our son Jim Jr. I have found the motherhood experience to be extremely fulfilling and I have supported Jim and shared in many of his interests over the years. From boy scouts to band, showing horses to line dancing, we always managed to have fun. At first when motorcycling was introduced as a hobby, I wasn’t terribly thrilled. But I have come to enjoy riding as a passenger and I definitely enjoy visiting with our customers when I’m in the store.
I work part-time at the store doing receiving for the MotorClothes® and General Merchandise Department. I also watch our granddaughter several days per week while Tracy works. I enjoy reading and do a lot of walking – partly because I enjoy it, but also to help maintain my health. I hope your experience with our dealership is enjoyable. We want nothing more than to provide a pleasant atmosphere and friendly, helpful and capable staff.
