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05/04/2006 - Firstline motorcycles

Mac retires from Firstline Motorcycles!

FIRSTLINE MOTORCYCLE LTD'S legendary Mac Graham-Clare is finally to be put out to pasture by his son Steve at the ripe old age of 74. Mac formed Firstline Motorcycles in N11, New Southgate, back in February 1976 thanks to the generosity and encouragement of his great friend Alan Hemmings.

Mac recalls: "Alan was my arch-rival in the rallying world and was the hard-man of Motorcycle City, later to become the largest bike dealer in Europe. He offered to loan me £20,000-worth of used bikes to stock my business. All of this was at a modest rate of interest and I have to admit some of the bikes looked like they’d been used as Queen Boadicea’s outriders, but Alan was and still is a great friend to this day!"

Much has changed for Mac over the last three decades. He says: "Looking back over the years, one of the more noticeable changes must be the presentation and professionalism in the motorcycle trade. A great deal of credit must go to the manufacturers and in particular Honda, who by raising their profile, gave their dealers the welcome support to follow suit."

"Gone are the days of Eric Sulley - ex-head of Honda UK - whose policy was to ‘stack ’em high and sell ‘em cheap.’ But we did join in, our one claim to fame was to sell 260 new bikes retail during the 10-day Earls Court Bike Show in 1982! I now leave the hot-seat with many happy memories, including those from numerous incentive trips around the world and from the cut-and-thrust of those exciting times over the last 30 years."

"Thankfully, I now don’t have get up at the crack of dawn to beat the school run and can now fall out of the 19th hole at whatever time I like. I’d like to thank all my friends at Honda and all my friends in the trade. It’s been great knowing and working with you all and I hope Steve continues doing likewise."