New motorcycle shop offering powerful vehicles to explore Quad Cities’ surroundings.
“I think people were looking for alternate ways to stay active and be entertained, with so many other options impacted by the pandemic. Powersports vehicles provided the perfect alternative,” said Gina Marra, vice president overseeing Parsons Powersports operations. “We look forward to building on that success as well as introducing the GO AZ Motorcycles experience to the Prescott Valley riding community.”
GO AZ Motorcycles, an Arizona-based Powersports group founded by American entrepreneur, philanthropist and Powersports enthusiast Bob Parsons, has acquired Star Island Motorsports from proprietors Gary Hangeveld and Scott Walz. Walz is staying on as general manager.
Marra started riding when she was 5 years old and later started racing motocross. “I understand the energizing feeling you get when you’re on a bike. It can truly be life-changing for people. Mr. Parsons is a motorcycle enthusiast and launched GO AZ Motorcycles in 2008 to provide the riding community with the absolute best customer experience possible. I shared Bob’s vision and passion for powersports and am proud of the reputation we’ve established in the riding community.”
Marra said their dealerships are event-centered. “We’ll be hosting events, rides and workshops. The vast majority of our staff are active in the motorcycle and/or UTV/ATV community,” she said. “Our dealerships also partner with local charities and community service groups when hosting events, providing an opportunity for those groups to raise awareness and donations for their cause.”
After being involved in riding as a youth, she started working for a dealership in her home state of Michigan. “These days, I’m more active on the trails in my UTV. Arizona has such beautiful terrain and so many trails where you can get out,” she said.
With the opportunity for year-round riding and the growing population across Arizona, the owners believe there will be a continuing increase in demand for motorcycles and UTVs/ATVs. “What we see with both motorcycles and side-by-sides is that once a customer gets into the lifestyle, he or she attracts other friends and families into it. The side-by-side market in particular is really exploding as people realize how much fun these vehicles can be and the types of adventures they can share with friends and family.”
GO AZ Motorcycles promotes safe riding and the wearing of proper gear. Mara’s biggest safety concern is inattentive drivers. “I can’t emphasize enough how important it is for people to pay attention and be aware of their surroundings. Stay off the cell phone and keep your eyes on the road,” she said. “We’re very proud that our Scottsdale and Peoria stores are the sole retailer for Alpine Stars Tech Air gear, which is basically an airbag riding jacket. All of our GO AZ Motorcycles stores carry a wide range of safety-related riding gear. We also offer a number of workshops and seminars on safety-focused topics.”
Parsons is also a motorcycle enthusiast who rides a variety of motorcycles and founded GO AZ Motorcycles 13 years ago with the goal of providing the Arizona riding community a better experience than they would find elsewhere.
“Everything we do every day is geared toward providing customers with the best experience we can possibly provide,” Parsons said. “We’re extremely excited to be in the Prescott Valley market and are looking forward to building on the success and reputation of the dealership.”
GO AZ Motorcycles also has stores in Flagstaff, Cottonwood, Scottsdale and Peoria, along with the largest Harley-Davidson dealership in the world in Scottsdale.
The Prescott Valley shop will continue to represent Polaris, Can-Am, KTM, Honda, Suzuki and Kawasaki, with immediate plans to add Speed UTV to the dealership’s lineup as well. GO AZ represents 21 brands.
Parsons and Marra have focused on expansion in Arizona, a market they say is largely unaffected by the seasons. Since opening the Scottsdale store in 2008 and spending their first few years purchasing and consolidating top manufacturer bands, the duo added Harley-Davidson in 2011. The Flagstaff store opened in 2019. The Cottonwood store opened in 2015.
“The GO AZ motorcycles team thrives on the challenges presented by expansion and enjoys the opportunities that come with it,” Marra said. “We’re extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished with the more recent acquisitions in Flagstaff and Cottonwood – the growth it’s provided the staff there and the enhanced experience it’s afforded the powersports community. We are anxious to do the same in Prescott Valley.” QCBN
By Stan Bindell, QCBN
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