Most great shop success stories generally have a common denominator, and that's usually starting out from a small garage. Husband-and-wife team Curtis and Michelle Horn knew the cards were stacked against them when they set about creating Horn Cycle Works in Pomona, California, but they did have one thing that they felt would be their trump card: customer service. "We made a pact that no matter how busy or overbooked we got, we knew that we had to treat all our customers well...without customers, you don't have a business."
The Horns have held fast to that ideal, and they've come a long way since quitting the day job to concentrate on the shop full time. "It was very scary at times, to know we were out there with no backup," Michelle recalled. "We were either going to sink or swim." Fate was on their side, though, when they stumbled across a 3,000 square-foot location up for lease in 2000. Since then, they've expanded both their working area and their clientele, and have jumped up to 5,500 square feet of showroom and shop.
The majority of the Horn business is servicing, but "We do everything from changing a light bulb to custom builds, and of course everything in between. We install superchargers, we offer a variety of high-performance kits in all models." Curtis and Michelle pride themselves on using only the best, highest-quality components, because "What's the use of making the motorcycle go fast if it isn't going to last?"
Certified techs and gearheads are on-hand to assist customers with almost any question one might have. Horn Cycle Works is an authorized Power Commander Tuning Center, which allows them to fine-tune all fuel-injected models, and Curtis and Michelle attended the Dynojet training course to "tunelink" the new EFI Harleys.
A section of the showroom is dedicated to color samples with paint and powdercoating, and the Horns have tried something new by putting the colors on tanks rather than have a client pick one from a book. Custom paint is available via longtime partners GM Bootleg, and Michelle says that "We've never had a disappointed customer."
The main shop area sports a great deal of machinery, four lifts, a state-of-the-art tire machine, and many work benches. They can hold everything from stock Harleys to overstretched choppers, and have all the tools required to do anything from a tranny rebuild to cam changes. "We offer a private consultation with the owner one-on-one, and we offer private and proprietary builds."
One of the most unique services that Horn Cycle Works offers is the powertrain warranty. "This is a first for the V-Twin market," Michelle notes. "It's a fabulous concept."
Supporters and afficionados of the Horns can show off the HCW name with a signature brand of T-shirts, hats, beanies, jackets, and other clothing. The parts counter sports a team that is happy to answer questions about adding an upgrade to almost any type of V-Twin motorcycle. Accessories, OEM tires, and a passion for both customer service and creating motorcycles is what drives Horn Cycle Works, where the customer still comes first.