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TPW-JAN16

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25 THUNDER PRESS www.thunderpress.net construction on the Scottsdale property will continue with the old Hacienda dealership building next to be razed. The newly-constructed Harley- Davidson building that encompasses 150,000 sq. ft. of fl ooring is spread out over two stories plus a basement, and sprawls across almost 4.5 acres. It's obvious from afar that this ain't your typical dealership. Considering that the average Costco covers about 143,000 sq. ft., or three football fi elds minus the end zones, you can only imagine what cruising the Scottsdale property involves. With almost 500 motorcycles in inventory—over 100 motorcycles displayed on the main fl oor, almost that many outside and over 275 more in a downstairs showroom—there's no shortage of model options for the new bike shopper. There's a photo booth set up with an Arizona-themed backdrop and a state-of-the-art soundproof audio theatre for customers to test out stereo equipment while not disrupting the peace of the quieter crowd. A "rumble zone" invites shoppers to start up various bikes to hear the engine sounds while a special exhaust fan eliminates fumes, and seating is scattered throughout the building in case your signifi cant other isn't as into shopping as you are. Still to come is a boutique, Leather and Lace, that will feature lingerie and there are plenty of parts, accessories and just plain "stuff" to sate any enthusiast's yen. There's absolutely nothing a Harley-Davidson fan can't fi nd here, and that's just the ground fl oor. Upstairs is an arcade and customer lounge area where you can hang out sipping free coffee and use the free Wi-Fi as your friends add to their tat- too collection at the tat parlor. There's a patio to catch a breath of fresh air right next to the chapel where you can arrange to seal your fate by exchang- ing vows in the wedding chapel. We noticed a certifi cate of ministry for Robert Parsons, ordained on October 6, 2015, hung on the wall and as it just so happened, Parsons performed his fi rst wedding onsite right after the ribbon cutting. Meanwhile, down in the basement, is a 48-seat movie theater. Scattered throughout the dealership are hydraulic lifts so bikes can be raised for better viewing, eliminating the need to crawl around on the fl oor to scope out the cool stuff. No convenience was over- looked while Parsons was considering what to include in a facility that's not just for bikers anymore. No siree, this dealership is motorcycle entertainment at its fi nest and everyone's invited to come hang out, even if your entourage includes a baby stroller instead of a Fat Boy. And there were plenty of those cruising the aisles between those spar- kly new motorcycles. Baby strollers, that is. Mixed in with all this, of course, is the nitty-gritty part of motorcy- cling. If you're just in town visiting, there's a large stable of rental bikes to choose from and if you have an ailing bike, they can help you out there, too. There's a service department that is nothing shy of incredible and the word "huge" is an understatement when describing the area where 16 mechan- ics bays feature two lifts each, meaning that 32 motorcycles can be wrenched on at once. Spooky Fast Customs, a bike shop just down the street that deals with custom bikes that's also owned by Parsons, has a booth on site where an artist can whip up a custom design for your tins and airbrush them right there. Saturday's fun included a char- ity ride for the Phoenix Children's Hospital and, as an added bonus, Kim Coates was on hand to meet fans. You know, that cool guy who portrayed the crazed character from that scary TV motorcycle club, the Sons of Anarchy? "Tig" was a favored biker bad from Tinsel Town who added a touch of "real" to the show because he was one of the few that actually rides a motor- cycle in his per- sonal life. He is, however, nothing like the creepy guy he played on the show and spent a few hours graciously posing for photos with delighted riders. Parsons was later spotted hanging out at the well-known biker watering hole, the Hideaway in Cave Creek, where he was buying drinks and chatting up riders about the concert scheduled for later that evening back at the deal- ership. Free to those with a rider's endorsement and their passenger, the Doobie Brothers were joined by Michael McDonald for a night that absolutely set the desert on fi re. The Doobies have a huge following in Arizona and are so appreciated by local riders that an energy that can only be described as electric can be seen every time the band comes to the Valley of the Sun. Of course, the fact that the concert was opened up by a round of freebies launched into the crowd, a troupe of scantily-clad ladies and a repeat of the patriotic display from Friday's festivities that helped get the crowd ramped up and added to the frenzy couldn't be ignored, either. Before the band's performance, Bob Parsons took the stage—sporting a USMC tat commemorating his service during Vietnam that was inked right there at the dealership—to hand over proceeds from the ride earlier in the day. Combined with a donation from the Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation, a whopping $1,000,000 was presented to the hospital. It's pretty hard to fol- low a cool announcement like that, but the Doobie Brothers defi nitely got the crowd to listen to the music. The next time you're looking for something to do on a sunny afternoon, you might want to take a ride out to visit the biggest biker Disneyland on earth. We guarantee you'll fi nd some- thing to whet your appetite. (www.hdofscottsdale.com) 4 If riders found themselves tired of cruis- ing the indoor options, they were wel- come to hang around outside and watch the gals with the big-ass hula hoops doing their thing Entertainment included cute chicks fl inging fi re on Friday afternoon

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