22 • December 2025 • Powersports Business

From Vespa demand to Moto Morini momentum, the longtime West Park, Ohio dealer shows why authenticity, community connection, and a thriving podcast audience still move metal.

BY BRENDAN BAKER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

We sat down recently with Phil Waters, owner of Cleveland Moto and longtime voice of the Cleveland Moto podcast, for a Power Hour interview. Waters— whose shop has been a staple in Northeast Ohio for more than 25 years— shares insights on the shifting two-wheel market, the role of premium scooter sales, the value of vintage service, and why he added Moto Morini to his lineup.

BUILT FOR TWO WHEELS Cleveland Moto’ s identity has always been crystal clear: two wheels only.“ We don’ t do ATVs or side-by-sides,” Waters says.“ People ask if we can work on a Can-Am, and I tell them it doesn’ t fit through the door. We’ ve only got two-wheel doors.”

The business started in downtown Cleveland as a Vespa-focused operation before moving to Lakewood, where customers felt a scooter store belonged. Eventually, Waters settled the dealership in Cleveland’ s historic West Park neighborhood— an area with a long motorcycle lineage thanks to generations of firefighters and police who lived there under the city’ s former residency requirements.

The area remains dense with two-wheel activity.“ There are about four shops within a tight radius,” Waters says.“ And then you’ ve got Santa’ s Motorcycle Supply and Sills Motor Sales, both nearly 70 years old. Sills was one of the first Honda dealerships in the area. Cleveland’ s got deep motorcycle roots.”

SCOOTERS STRONG, ENTRY-LEVEL DOWN

Asked about current sales trends, Waters echoes what many dealers have seen in 2024 – 25.

Phil Waters is the owner of Cleveland Moto, which is celebrating its 25th year in business this year. He also hosts a popular podcast on YouTube that has been growing organically for the past 15 years.( Staff photos)

“ The premium brands— Vespa especially— are still moving,” he says.“ Vespa is a destination brand for a lot of people. Those customers are still buying.”

The slowdown is happening everywhere below premium, according to Waters.

“ The $ 3,000 to $ 4,000 working-class scooters? Those aren’ t selling. The super low-end Chinese scooters— other shops do a lot of that— aren’ t selling either,” he says.“ Lower-income and middle-income buyers are feeling the pinch. Everyone’ s freezing. Even if they could finance something, they’ re still holding back.” But there are still seasonal surprises.“ Every year we panic in mid-September and think we’ re done. And then the old white guys save fourth quarter,” Waters jokes.“ Autumn is their superpower. They love riding this time of year. We’ ll get guys who literally waited all year to buy a Moto Morini until the leaves changed.”

VINTAGE WORK KEEPS SHOP GOING IN WINTER

One key to Cleveland Moto’ s longevity is its commitment to vintage service— a rarity among modern dealerships.

“ We’ re a year-round shop. We don’ t lay anybody off,” Waters says.“ Winter is when we work on the vintage bikes. There’ s enough old iron in Cleveland to keep us busy.” But there are limits.“ If you bring us a 1971 Moto Guzzi in March, we’ re not touching it. Months that end in‘-ber’— that’ s when the vintage bikes come

in,” he says.“ March, April and May are for selling and prepping modern inventory. The vintage stuff keeps the lights on in January.”

A PODCAST THAT BECAME AN INSTITUTION

Cleveland Moto’ s podcast, now more than 525 episodes deep, started almost by accident. Waters and his friend Dustin were wrenching on a CB750 in a garage when a comedian friend walked in and said,“ You guys are hilarious. Somebody should be recording this.”

Dustin, a musician and sound engineer, grabbed a recorder. The rest is history.

They experimented with a professional studio but eventually moved back to the garage.“ We sounded great in the studio,