The 32-year-old owner of Highland Cycles LLC said, “It’s been a dream of mine my whole life to do something I really like and get paid for it.” A year-and-a-half ago he opened an independent motorcycle, ATV and snowmobile service and repair shop on North Townsend Avenue, and hasn’t looked back.
“I love it more than anything I’ve ever done,” said the Oklahoma City native. “It’s my work and recreation.”
 Morgan Spradling opened Highland Cycles in Montrose a year-and-a-half ago. He calls the independent motorcycle, ATV and snowmobile service and repair shop his "work and recreation." (Joel Blocker / Daily Press) Advertisement |
However, his parents refused to let him own a motorcycle. “They even told me if I earned the money and bought one I couldn’t park it at their house,” he recalled. “I didn’t own one until 1994 or ‘95.”
Now his parents are supportive, “but they think I’m crazy to do what I do,” he said.
Spradling’s first summer job at age 16 was a gap checker for a title insurance company in Oklahoma City. “I was just an office gofer,” he said. “I wore a tie every day.”
He subsequently worked as a National Outdoor Leadership School instructor, professional climbing guide, carpenter, mechanic, and manager of a motorcyle shop in Gunnison. During his last two years of college at Colorado State University, he worked as a geographic information systems (GIS) intern for the city of Fort Collins. He holds a degree in natural resource management from CSU and met his wife, Ruth, in the program there.
Spradling credits his love for the outdoors to his dad, who is an attorney, and his mother, a recently retired environmental science professor. “All our vacations were spent out West in Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. It was a natural choice for me (to settle here).”
He said this area is “like Mecca” for riding. “It’s as good as it gets. It’s a combination of the type of terrain and the amount of land open to public access.”
He likes street bikes and dirt bikes. “If it’s got two wheels I ride it.” A 990 KTM Adventure dual sport is his favorite bike right now. He solo-raced a big, fast Honda XR 650R dirt bike in the Baja 1000 from Ensenada to La Paz in 2006, and rode with a five-person team last year. He plans to compete again in 2009.
Spradling enjoys relaxing with his family in his off time. “If I’m not hanging out with my family I’m riding motorcycles, even in the winter.”
His son Thomas, 2, may be headed in the same direction. His first words were “vroom vroom.”
• Be respectful of others, the writer and the subjects in the story.
• Be relevant. Keep your comments on point.
• See the guidelines for TalkAbout. Perhaps your comment is best for that community forum, available from the home page, instead of commenting on a particular story.
Comment posters are responsible for the opinions they express and the accuracy of the information they provide. We urge comment writers to treat this as a public forum where manners matter. We encourage a collegial, non-insulting tone. All readers comments must be approved by our staff before posting to the Web site. Be aware, in accordance with the Communications Decency Act and provisions upheld in judicial appeal, that you are responsible for comments posted on this Web site. Montrose Press is not liable for messages from third parties.
DO NOT POST:
* Potentially libelous statements or damaging innuendo.
* Obscene, explicit, or racist language.
* Personal attacks, insults or threats.
* The use of another person's real name to disguise your identity.
* Comments unrelated to the story.
Opinions, advice and all other information expressed in montrosepress.com's reader comments represent the individual's own views and not necessarily those of the Montrose Press. Montrose Press does not endorse and is not responsible for statements, advice or opinions offered by anyone other than authorized Montrose Press spokespersons.
Thank you for your comments!