My love for motorcycles started nearly at birth, but got serious at age 15. I couldn’t afford a motorcycle back then so I built my own. I bent up a frame & fork out of tubing & built a chopper minibike with a 5 horsepower Briggs engine. I got it licensed by local Police Dept. in Algoma, Wisconsin located on the shores of Lake Michigan. I put 3,700 miles on that little bike around my little hometown. I took it to our hometown cinema & saw the movie “Wild Angels” starring Peter Fonda. Later that summer, I sold the minibike & bought my 1st Harley from a local farmer for $2, a 1939 Flathead ULH 80ci. That started it all.

In 1979, I started my own HD repair shop. Back then, my rent on that small ½ stall garage size shop was $75/month. By April 1st, 1983, I became a Harley-Davidson dealer. The dealership has grown to a 72 acre complex with a restaurant, 2 antique motorcycle & classic car museums, 128 animal zoo, & an antique mall. The unique dealership is truly a destination “Like No Other.” I couldn’t be more proud of my 2 wonderful children & their spouses that all work at the family-owned dealership & restaurant. My son, Steve, is instrumental in our service department as a technician. I built my business on outstanding service & I’m proud that my son has carried on that tradition with his amazing technical skills. Steve’s wife, Tammy is extremely dedicated to her job as General Manager at our restaurant, Timeline Saloon & BBQ. The restaurant was built around family heirloom recipes & is home to our 24 ½ foot long, 7 engine motorcycle that seats 10 people, the Timeline Motorcycle. My daughter, Kersten & her husband Shannon manage the HD dealership together. Their professionalism & business acumen are invaluable to our growth & success. Kersten also drag races nitro Harleys & is riding in the Cannonball this year on Stewball 2.

I’ve always had an insatiable need for speed & I began building & drag racing Harley drag bikes in the 70’s. I started on gas, then alcohol, & then moved to nitromethane. I couldn’t get enough of it. In 1994, I set a world record that held for 3 years. I still occasionally race my 900 horsepower Top Fuel Harley that will run well into the 6’s at over 200 MPH. After 37 years of drag racing, the bear sleeps within me. Time to slow it down to 45 MPH & take pride in riding Stewball; a 1916 J Model Harley-Davidson with a 1913 wicker sidecar. I’m thrilled to introduce Lyn, my sidekick & love of my life. She is a lovely lady from Cincinnati with a thirst for adventure. Her desire to navigate & enjoy the ride at my side in the wicker sidecar makes me overwhelmingly excited & proud. She shares the same “sickness” that I have been afflicted with in our love & appreciation for these old dinosaurs sculpted of massive obsolete castings.

Stephen “Doc” Hopkins & Lyn