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AGAWAM, MA – The phones at Hogan’s Cycle Shop on Route 159 across from Six Flags New England amusement park are ringing incessantly, and it wasn’t an uncommon sight today to see owner Bob Hogan with a receiver in each hand. One call came from Australia.
Customers kept walking through the front door, too. Some of them were well-wishers, but there have been scavengers as well over the past four days since an alarming message went up on the shop’s Facebook page:
The message declared, “Well, the time has come. After 65 years in business, it all has to go!” but it didn’t flatly state that Hogan is closing up shop. Given the amount of parts and bikes, primarily vintage Spanish-made dirt bikes built by Bultaco and OSSA, it could take a long, long time to clear out the facility.
Not that Hogan necessarily has years and years to do it. He’s 86 years old. He said he suffered a stroke while driving on Christmas Day. While he’s recovered nicely and displayed a sharp memory when chatting with visitors today, he’s decided to perhaps devote less time to business.
“I’m slowing down, closing down a bit,” he said. “I’m going to scale down and sell of lot of this stuff.”
And a lot of stuff there is. Dozens (maybe hundreds) of old gas tanks, tires and cylinder heads. There’s gear and parts and accessories. And, of course, old off-road bikes, making Hogan’s Cycle Shop a bit of a museum.
Besides being a well-known shop-owner – Hogan’s Cycle Shop has been at its current location since about 1969 – Hogan is a lifelong and champion rider, who has the trophies to prove it.
He also lays claim to providing the design for the Bultaco Alpina model.
Between the constant phone calls and people walking into the shop, Hogan was kept hopping today. The response to the message posted on Facebook on Monday has been “overwhelming,” he said.
The comments on the Facebook post express gratitude and appreciation. Hearing Hogan talk, sharing tales and knowledge, and hearing him hedge just a bit on his plans, it’s hard to imagine Hogan’s Cycle Shop disappearing entirely anytime soon.
Hi and sorry that you are retiring. I am attempting to restore a 1975(I think) 250 Bultaco SherpaT. I may need a seat, Carb parts, front back brake hub pads and parts, muffler /arrester, lots more. Let me know if you have some or all of these inventory items, or maybe a 250 parts bike?
Sorry to see you had the stroke i loved your shop i only went thear twice like 30 years ago i was overwhelmed with the 2 strokes you had . I loved the rm 400 suzuki you had but i couldnt afford 2 or3 bikes you also had a rd400 cafe racer but i couldnt take them all then so i took a black 82 gs 750 16 valve black suzuki with a fender cracked the long way it had a custom pipe and sounded great .it blew up a week after i bought it .i traded a rd 350 suzuki and 800 dollars i was a fool the rd was a faster bike . Anyhow i am looking for 2 strokes for the street and woods i like japanese bikes but am open to others what do you have for complete or close to complete repairable 2 strokes expecially looking for like a rz a rd or honda or kawasaki 2 strokes maybe eaven vintage rm do you have any of thease for sale
Sorry to see the shop closing. End of an era for sure. Wanted to come down this weekend but have to work. Do you have an aluminum or plastic tank available for a 72 Ossa MAR?
Thanks and good luck.
Jim Smith
I’m gonna miss Mister Bob, with his many stories of racing from days gone by. It’s as if those races were held the previous weekend & he tells them with much vigor and excitement in fine detail. This good man has come to my aid when looking for parts for Bultacos that might be 50 years since new, but he’s got em most of the time. It has been my honor to have known him since 2013 or 2014, when I started my dirt-bike collection. Sharing breakfast at Bobbi-J’s with him & the other “regulars”. Always having a story to laugh at over good food & hot coffee. I have a million ways to be thankful for knowing this fine fellow & having the pleasure of calling him my friend! Godspeed, Mister Bob!! John Kleinman “The Mississippi Rebel”