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NEW HAVEN – Calling it “the ride of a lifetime,” New Haven Powersports announced today that it will shut its doors for good on Aug. 29.
In social media post late Monday afternoon, the dealership said, “After 54 incredible years of business, the time has come for our family to hang up our helmets and retire our business.”
New Haven Powersports sells new Ducati, Kawasaki and Suzuki motorcycles and several scooter brands, including Vespa and Piaggio. It was opened in 1972 as New Haven Suzuki by Dave “Chief” MacQuarrie, who passed away in April 2019. It has since been owned by his daughter, Jodi Green.
The post recalled that MacQuarrie had “hoped to share his love of motorcycles with our neighbors. We never could have imagined the lifelong friendships, the generations of families and the countless miles we would share with all of you.
“To our loyal customers, our dedicated team and the entire motorcycling community: thank you. Thanks you for letting us be part of your journeys, for trusting us with your bikes and treating us like family.”
The post did not give a reason for the closure of New Haven Powersports or any further information, but in a message Monday evening in response to an inquiry from RIDE-CT, Green acknowledged health issues involving members of the store’s family and the changing power sports landscape played roles in the closure decision.
“Health reasons are a big part of it,” Green wrote. “The winters are LONG and the business isn’t what it used to be. It was a hard decision to follow through on, that’s for sure. Bittersweet.”
What happens to the brands isn’t known, although Kaplan Cycles in Rockville, CT recently revealed that it’s now a Ducati dealer.
(Updated at 7:29 a.m. on Aug. 11.)
