Dealership Information | First Bike Motorsports (2024)

Dealership Information | First Bike Motorsports (1)

At First Bike Motorsports we are powersports enthusiasts, and we are excited to help you experience the fun and adventure that a quality Yamaha vehicle can bring into your life! We are a powersports dealership serving the Butler area, offering the best in new and pre-owned motorcycles and other powersports vehicles. Our friendly and knowledgeable sales, financing, service, and parts departments are ready to offer outstanding service at every point, from assisting while you're making your choice to ongoing maintenance and customization. At First Bike Motorsports, we value the opportunity to create a long-term relationship with our customers, and we do that by making sure to exceed your expectations.

How do we stay small and sell big? It's simple: years of experience. Our mission is to offer you the latest in motorsports products at the best prices, along with unparalleled service. We pledge to use our best efforts to make your experience both beneficial and enjoyable. Once you give us a try, we're sure you’ll be back for more!

FRANKLIN TWP -- In 1975, 10-year-old Rich Grossman had a Butler Eagle newspaper route and a dream. That dream was a brand new, all-chrome Kawasaki BX200 bicycle he discovered in the showroom at Davis Cycle Sales, and it took him three months – and a whole lot of newspaper deliveries – to purchase the shiny new bike on lay-away.

His journey toward a first bike led Grossman to a lifelong love of all things with wheels. Over the years, Grossman, now 53, returned to his neighborhood cycle shop on Route 422 in Mt. Chestnut many times, purchasing motorcycles and parts along the way. In April, Grossman made his largest purchase yet – he bought the entire dealership.

For Grossman, owning the dealership that sold him his first bike brings his favorite pastime full circle. He'll never forget the experience of purchasing his first set of wheels, and he looks forward to helping other people buy their first bike as well.

"I was delivering the Butler Eagle, and I came across the bicycle in the showroom at the motorcycle shop," he said. "And when I spotted it, I was like, 'I gotta have this bicycle.' "It was $150, which would have been thousands of dollars in today's money, and of course, I couldn't afford it because I made like $20 a month on my paper route," he said. "So, I got a second job, washing trailer trucks and working at the driving range there on Mt. Chestnut. It took me three months to pay for that bicycle." He gave the shop's owner, Glenn Pugh, $50 per month until he was able to completely pay for the bike. More than four decades later, Pugh still has the records for the sale.

Grossman's experience with that "first bike" helped him to name his new dealership. The name he came up with, simply enough, is First Bike Motorsports. "The family discussed a variety of names for the bike shop," said Grossman's wife, Tina. "It wasn't important for Rich to have his name on the building. He wanted the name to pertain to one of his favorite childhood memories – the place where he used his own hard-earned money to purchase his first bike."

It should come as no surprise that Grossman consulted his family before deciding on a name for his new shop. After all, Grossman's family is the true reason he bought the store. Ironically, his passion for motorcycles was actually holding him back from buying a dealership. However, his desire to create something for his family ultimately led him to his purchase. "I had a fear that my hobby would become my living and it would ruin my hobby," he said. "I worried about that for years, but I always wanted to do it anyway. But now as I get older, it's still my hobby; I still love it. But, I want to have something for my children."

Rich and Tina own the dealership, but their two sons, Justin and Brandon, will handle day-to-day operations. Justin will handle the Parts and Service Department, while Brandon is in charge of Sales. Tina and their daughter, Chelsey, also will be heavily involved, albeit behind the scenes. Brandon Grossman is excited for the opportunity to work with and for his family. "I've been on a motorcycle since I was five years old," he said. "It's been my whole life. So, to be able to be part of helping my Dad reach his dream? Well, it's just a great honor. "To have a dad who provides me with this kind of opportunity... I just want to work as hard as I can."

The Grossmans are well prepared for the rigors of running a dealership through their work at Diehl Automotive Group. Rich Grossman serves as the auto dealership's General Manager, while Tina Grossman is the dealership's Customer Relations manager. Brandon Grossman worked in sales there before becoming a business manager. Chelsey serves as the Warranty Administration Manager at Diehl Automotive's Robinson Township location. The only member of the Grossman clan who is new to the dealership environment is Justin, who comes to the family's new business with a background in manufacturing. "It's certainly been a very big adjustment for me, going from a situation where I worked with basically the same guys every day to now working with the public," he said. "But, it's been a great experience so far. I get to meet new people every day, not to mention that I get to work with my family. That's been the best part." And, just like his brother Brandon, in many ways Justin has been training for this job his entire life. "I've been riding since I was four years old," he said. "I started in training wheels, and I've always loved riding. As I got older, I started working on them in the garage with my dad. That experience has really helped me on the Parts and Service end of the business."

Rich Grossman served a variety of roles before becoming GM at Diehl Automotive. After first joining the Route 8 dealership, then known as Trostle Oldsmobile, 34 years ago as a delivery driver, Grossman moved up through the ranks and eventually became Parts Manager. He also spent time in the dealership's service department, body shops and sales floor. Both he and Tina plan to stay on at Diehl, a situation that allows him to monitor their new dealership from a slight distance. "As a business owner, most people don't realize it's better to work on your business, not in it," he said. "Working in your business can be costly, because you sometimes don't see the forest for the trees. "That's my goal: to teach my children how to work in the business while I work on the business and make sure that they know what I am doing daily." Rich and Tina Grossman have a plan in place to one day hand the business over to their children. But until that day, they plan to run the shop the way it's been run for years.

"I've talked with [former owner] Glenn and many of his current customers. They are going to be taken care of exactly the way they have been. There will be no interruption of services. "We have literally thousands of customers who come through that door and many have asked if anything will change. The answer is no, we will continue to offer the same community focused, friendly approach the shop has had for years."

The kind of service that helped a young boy fall in love with motorcycles by helping him to buy his first bike more than four decades ago. A reminder of that sales philosophy can be found every day at First Bike Motorsports.

A couple of months ago, Justin and Brandon found a Kawaski BX200 bicycle nearly identical to their father's first bike. They purchased it, and now that bike, along with a Butler Eagle newspaper delivery bag and the original sales paperwork, is on permanent display in the shop's showroom. For Grossman, that shiny bike represents the culmination of a lifelong dream. "It feels great because it's something I always wanted to do," he said.

Published by: Kris Smith

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Call us at (724) 287-3052 or come by today and experience our superior service and selection! We look forward to serving you!

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First Bike Motorsports is conveniently located near the areas of Erie, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, State College, and Warren.

Dealership Information | First Bike Motorsports (2024)

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