24 • September 2024 • Powersports Business

BY MADELYN PEGG ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Shore Cycles of Salisbury , Maryland , has a new owner as of July 1 . James Summerson , new to his role as owner , is not new to the motorcycle industry or to Shore Cycles .

“ I have been in the motorcycle industry since 2005 ,” he says . “ I grew up riding dirt bikes and raced a little bit of Motocross . I went to the University of Maryland , and while I was there , I worked at a small independent shop called The Dirt Shop , which has a very solid , historic background . It was there for 45 or 50 years , owned by Ralph and Carol Flanigan . I learned a lot from them . Really great people worked there and went on and had really good careers in the industry .”

The dealership closed around the same time Summerson graduated from college , and he began working for Tom Heyser and Caroline Spar at Heyser Cycle in Laurel , Maryland .

“ I was there for about nine years and that ’ s where I became an A-level technician ,” he says . “ I could work on bikes , but those are the years I really learned to be a professional mechanic .”

Previous Shore Cycles owner John Churchman interviewed Summerson for a motorcycle mechanic position . “ I just loved the shop ,” Summerson says . “… and John and I clicked really well .” Summerson started at the dealership in 2018 .

Today , Churchman is a part-time consultant . “ He ’ s certainly still a guiding light for us ,” Summerson says . “ I think in his personal life , it was just time for new ventures . He ’ s kind of a creative entrepreneur type , and I think he was ready for his next challenge .”

SUMMERSON AS OWNER “ I ’ m still trying to figure it out ,” he laughs about balancing his roles as owner and as a technician . “ I love to wrench ,” he says . He believes it ’ s important to work along-side employees , as he observed most of his bosses do in the past . “ I ’ m just following in their footsteps .”

Summerson is focused on making sure the culture of Shore Cycles stays consistent . He says he wants employees to come into the same dealership that they have loved to work at for a long time .

“ We have very little turnover here as far as employees go , and I think that ’ s a good sign . When people stay for years and years at their job , especially in an industry that sees a lot of turnover , it ’ s a good indicator of a positive workspace ,” he says . “ Financially , we make sure our guys are paid at a competitive wage or above competitive if we can .”

John Churchman ( left ) sold Shore Cycles to employee and mechanic James Summerson on July 1 . Photos courtesy of Shore Cycles

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