Phuket: As CEO of Power Station Motorsports, Eric Svensson is responsible for the commercial operations of Harley-Davidson of Bangkok and the newly opened Harley-Davidson of Phuket. But the 74-year-old's passion for motorcycles began more than 60 years ago while attending boarding school in Canada.
Svensson started boxing after moving from his hometown in Japan to Canada for school, but switched gears after a teacher allowed him to ride and repair motorcycles. Svensson was 13 at the time, and she was waking up early to ride the tracks before school started.
After years of training, he stepped onto the Daytona International Speedway track for the Daytona 200. It was his 1961, the first year the race was not held along the beach.
The ambitious 19-year-old finished second, just behind Roger Lyman, after an unfortunate bike stall. Mr. Svensson rode during a time in racing history when Harley motorcycles dominated the field. It wasn't until his 1970s that Japanese manufacturers really took the runway by storm.
“I've been riding so long and so often that it's become natural to me. The only thing that's going to stop me from riding is getting really old,” Svensson said. say. “Young riders these days just want to go fast and sometimes they end up in serious accidents. I know, I was that young too!
Riding is about understanding the feel of the bike and the road, so you can become the bike and anticipate changes in the road ahead. ”
However, in early 1960s Japan, predicting the roads was not important as most courses were off-road “scrambler” courses.
“It was basically a field course with roped roads, and not much! I grew up there, and bikes there were mainly used for transportation by young people. Today That's another story. I was lucky enough to be in Canada at the time and working on my teacher's bike in the garage,” he says.
During his professional racing days, Svensson rode Tohatsu 125cc and 250cc bikes, but his first motorcycle was a 1952 Honda 220cc bike.
“Riding, like anything else, takes practice, practice. I do it so often that I don't have to think about what I'm doing. It's just like walking,” he says. says. “What I love about riding is the sense of freedom and adventure. Every time I get on my bike, it's truly an adventure. I meet different people from all walks of life and it's a great way to ground myself and get back to my authentic self. That's what I like about Harleys. They're real. They're back to their true selves, and that's what makes them so interesting and grounded. I guess.”
Mr. Svensson founded Harley-Davidson of Bangkok in 2001 after serving as CEO of a successful furniture export company for 20 years. His original shop was designed as a garage to service his own bikes and those of his friends. However, it quickly grew into a center for motorcycle enthusiasts.
A true entrepreneur and serious businessman, Mr. Svensson leads a rather private life, when he's not busy working or hitting the road on his favorite motorcycle, a Harley Ultra Classic. I like to spend time with my family.
For the past eight years, Svensson and his 31-year-old son Kevin have worked together to make Harley-Davidson of Bangkok an authentic experience for riders.
— Isaac Stone Simonelli
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