Ever since longtime Tulsa dealer Atlas Cycle closed its doors last year the rumors have been flying about who will pick up those orphaned European lines they carried. Suddenly there was no local outlet or factory support for Aprilia, BMW, Ducati, Moto Guzzi or Triumph. Not to mention all those forgotten marques that used to grace their showroom: Cagiva, Moto Morini, Husqvarna or MZ.
Atlas owner, Ken Johnson, decided to retire in 2007. He opened the business in 1965 in a storefront on Cherry Street. Over the years Ken carried all the obscure motorcycle, scooter and mini-bike brands. Eventually the shop moved to 11th Street just east of Sheridan.
The latest news is some new faces have popped on to the scene, and we're optimistic it's good news for local riders!
Early this year Brookside Motorcycles on Peoria picked up the Aprilia and Moto Guzzi lines. This shop started out as a pre-owned and consignment shop, later bringing in the Johnny Pag chopperettes. They also expanded their showroom last Fall (albeit not their parking lot unfortunately) to make room for the Italian two-wheelers. I spoke with the owner, Paul Rogers today and he assured me that the appropriate signs were on the way. However he would not comment on two other European brands this editor thinks might be landing at his shop in the near future. Keep an eye out for their upcoming Vintage Cycle Meet on April 27th. BBQ and soda provided FREE from 11am-3pm.
Then later today we confirmed with the owner of Polaris Outdoors, Kathy King, that Tulsa's newest BMW and Triumph dealership will be Polaris Outdoors, soon to be known as Roadhouse Motorsports. In addition to Polaris four-wheelers and PWC this store sells Victory, the other American V-twin motorcycles. They are in the process of expanding their showroom and building a new service facility at their present location on US-169 near 61st Street. Kathy went on to say that they have a lot of cool events coming up this year, so watch this space or their website for more information.
Atlas owner, Ken Johnson, decided to retire in 2007. He opened the business in 1965 in a storefront on Cherry Street. Over the years Ken carried all the obscure motorcycle, scooter and mini-bike brands. Eventually the shop moved to 11th Street just east of Sheridan.
Paul Rogers of Brookside Motorcycle Company
Kathy King of Polaris Outdoors
Just about every dealer in T-Town phoned up Triumph. But most of the conversations ended early- Triumph and their Eurocentric leanings forbid selling alongside Japanese bikes. For BMW and Ducati the most likely candidate appeared to be the Oklahoma City dealer, having already stormed ashore in Brookside with their Vespa shop.Kathy King of Polaris Outdoors
The latest news is some new faces have popped on to the scene, and we're optimistic it's good news for local riders!
Early this year Brookside Motorcycles on Peoria picked up the Aprilia and Moto Guzzi lines. This shop started out as a pre-owned and consignment shop, later bringing in the Johnny Pag chopperettes. They also expanded their showroom last Fall (albeit not their parking lot unfortunately) to make room for the Italian two-wheelers. I spoke with the owner, Paul Rogers today and he assured me that the appropriate signs were on the way. However he would not comment on two other European brands this editor thinks might be landing at his shop in the near future. Keep an eye out for their upcoming Vintage Cycle Meet on April 27th. BBQ and soda provided FREE from 11am-3pm.
Then later today we confirmed with the owner of Polaris Outdoors, Kathy King, that Tulsa's newest BMW and Triumph dealership will be Polaris Outdoors, soon to be known as Roadhouse Motorsports. In addition to Polaris four-wheelers and PWC this store sells Victory, the other American V-twin motorcycles. They are in the process of expanding their showroom and building a new service facility at their present location on US-169 near 61st Street. Kathy went on to say that they have a lot of cool events coming up this year, so watch this space or their website for more information.
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Published by Rex Brown
on Thursday, March 27, 2008 at 1:16 PM. 
Riding a motorcycle seems to bring out the explorer in us. I couldn't begin to count how many times I've glanced down a twisty lane and thought, "I wonder where that road goes?" I often detour to find out if I have the time.
Brad and I are often asked how we find our way around when exploring two-lane roads off the beaten path. Some people are surprised we don't have any GPS mounted on our motorcycles. On the road, I still rely on the "dead tree" style of maps, printed out before I leave, stuck in the top of my tank bag.
I also like to bring along a couple of maps. One is the good ol' Oklahoma state highway map. I usually pick up a few copies from the visitor center so I can fold and mutilate one to fit just right in my tank bag. The other map is one of the most valuable books I own: Roads of Oklahoma. This is a large format paperback atlas made up of USGS maps of Oklahoma. Each page is about 12 miles wide, so it gives you great detail of the landscape. It's easy to locate where you are by looking at the large state map on the back. The state is divided into segments and a big red number indicates what page you need to turn to.
Unfortunately it's not easy to find. It was originally published by Shearer Publications, but was recently acquired by Mapsco. Hopefully that means they'll be a little more plentiful soon.
A similar publication is offered by De Lorme. The Oklahoma Atlas & Gazetteer is quite similar. The main difference is DeLorme opted for topo maps, which I find a little harder to read. And locating the adjoining map above or below is more difficult because the small text is printed within the map itself, not in the margin like the R of O. But this book is much easier to find and available for many other states.
Either one is well worth bringing along on your next ride.
More of our favorite books, videos and gadgets...
Brad and I are often asked how we find our way around when exploring two-lane roads off the beaten path. Some people are surprised we don't have any GPS mounted on our motorcycles. On the road, I still rely on the "dead tree" style of maps, printed out before I leave, stuck in the top of my tank bag.
I also like to bring along a couple of maps. One is the good ol' Oklahoma state highway map. I usually pick up a few copies from the visitor center so I can fold and mutilate one to fit just right in my tank bag. The other map is one of the most valuable books I own: Roads of Oklahoma. This is a large format paperback atlas made up of USGS maps of Oklahoma. Each page is about 12 miles wide, so it gives you great detail of the landscape. It's easy to locate where you are by looking at the large state map on the back. The state is divided into segments and a big red number indicates what page you need to turn to.
Unfortunately it's not easy to find. It was originally published by Shearer Publications, but was recently acquired by Mapsco. Hopefully that means they'll be a little more plentiful soon.
A similar publication is offered by De Lorme. The Oklahoma Atlas & Gazetteer is quite similar. The main difference is DeLorme opted for topo maps, which I find a little harder to read. And locating the adjoining map above or below is more difficult because the small text is printed within the map itself, not in the margin like the R of O. But this book is much easier to find and available for many other states.
Either one is well worth bringing along on your next ride.
More of our favorite books, videos and gadgets...
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Published by Rex Brown
on Saturday, March 15, 2008 at 11:31 AM.
