By LEWIS SPEARMAN
HUMBLE – One of the largest volume dealers in North America for the worlds fastest factory motorsports products is expanding to Humble; bringing value, low prices, innovative engineering acquired through years of racing experience and first class service.
The Coble family already has the number one volume dealer in North America selling Kawasaki, Snapper and Massey Ferguson products at Highlands Tractor Kawasaki, located on Main Street at Wallisville Road in Highlands. That location is known through out the state, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. The success of that store (founded by R.C. Coble) is partially due to being able to purchase your product at excellent terms and prices, getting it serviced correctly the first time and being able to buy a trailer to haul it away on at the same location.
The new location, off the frontage road a quarter mile before FM 1960 from Highway 59 North, 19322 US 59 North, was designed for visibility, accessibility, convenience, enjoyment of customers and the people working there. Elements that made the original store a success are brought to a thriving crossroads.
What motivates a successful storeowner to take the risk and expense of opening a new location?
Humble is a great community, bottom line – it is growing for a better tomorrow and we were excited to become a part of it. Humble and northeast Houston deserve their own Kawasaki dealership., said Mrs. Casey Coble the newest addition to the Coble family and the best looking in general opinion.
Keith Coble, who started as a mechanic at his fathers original location responds, Well, Highlands is my roots but Ive always wanted to have a stand alone motorsports dealership on the freeway. Knowing about the northeast Houston communitys focus on improvement, I just couldnt help myself. Besides having been a Kawasaki dealer for fifteen years, I have never seen as much demand as I have now. They decide a couple of years ago to compete against themselves for better and better products.
The challenges of opening a new location in what was a 12, 000 square foot store and converting it into a model showroom for motorcycles, jet skis, all terrain vehicles, and the Kawasaki developed, Mules were extensive. Casey Coble implemented the technological, business organization and paper structure – adding aesthetics as needed to the now attractive interior. The couple decided to hold their personal lives behind the development of the new store, it means sacrificing days off and working incredible hours per week. Keith coordinated the establishment of air-conditioned showroom, service and mechanics department, a fully stocked parts department, extending the lighting and re-surfacing the storefront. Years of experience in getting the product ready for the customer lent improvements in the ergonomics of getting the product quickly into service so the product can be in the customers hands faster.
Kawasaki boasts dirt bike of the year, superbike of the year, the new trans utility vehicle, the uniquely powerful 250 horsepower jet ski according to market comparison publications. Everyone in the store (including 2003 Street Bike Drag Racing National Champion, Jeff Peck,) will tell you that research and development is the keystone of the Kawasaki brand, developing two new motorcycle models each year.
Casey explains, Kawasaki is dominating the product market right now. That is the prime motivator for us to come out here and put it all on the line. They are throwing superbike of the year in the trashcan and replacing it. What did they get with that? Superbike of the year – again, and that isnt yet good enough so they go back to the drawing board to make it even better. Its a philosophy for market domination.
The new store has a complete line of new Kawasaki Motorsports products available and parts in stock. Generally, the best inventory available would be at a new location.
Weve got a line of motorcycles we can get out for $3500 to $3600 up to real nice cruiser bikes for $7300 to $7400 with drag bars, custom wheels that come right from the manufacturer that way. I have the 2053 c.c. Vulcan, the biggest, baddest cruiser there is loaded – saddlebags, windshield running boards and chrome everywhere for about $14,500 where everybody expects to pay $18,000 for similar models. Im putting out the quality, dependability and speed that Kawasaki is known for throughout the world. says Keith.
Hunters can find all terrain and Mules built for their needs here. Keith Coble has several Boone and Crocket racks on record and has designed vehicles from hunting weekend after weekend in the field to maximize their potential in rugged terrain.
My Trans 4 is the ultimate hunting machine in my opinion, I would like to invite Houston area hunters to come out and see it for themselves, Keith adds. I use mine for everything, why would you go out and bang up a $50,000 diesel truck when you can get everything you need done in a machine designed to take it and is quiet. I dont care how tough the pulling gets even on sharp rocks; it is a vehicle we use all year long. We do landscaping we work horses. It is versatile.
Keith is partners with Highlands Motorcross Park so his customers can have a challenging track on which to practice and race and has raced since he was 17 years old. He follows the professional motorcross circuit and can detail the engineering developments to produce the KX 250.
He adds, It isnt just speed that will get you across the finish line it takes reliability and dependability. The reason Mr. Stuart dominated the motorcross track this season goes back to the research and development done by Kawasaki. They have the engineers that not only do motorsports, the also make heavy equipment. I am sponsoring six dragracers now including Gilbert Coronado, we had a X 14 here that sold the second day we put in on display. Every spec on that bike was learned at the racetrack.