Thursday, September 10, 2015

Cycle Hub - Cliff Majhor

I've heard quite a few Cliff Majhor stories here and there but there have been a bunch more with his recent passing. While I have mentioned the huge caches of Cycle Hub parts a few times over the years I didn't realize Cliff himself was even still alive. If you aren't familiar with the Cliff Majhor - Cycle Hub story Cycle World ran a nice piece several years ago. Obviously I never met Cliff but Bill Brown recently shared a story on Facebook that has to be the most "Cliff" Cliff story I've ever heard. Given it's PNW ties I couldn't resist passing it along.

Not sure who may or may not of heard but Cliff Majhor, AKA "the Sandy Bandit", owner of Cycle Hub, a Triumph dealership in Portland, died last week. Depending on who you would talk to he was either 85 or 88 or somewhere in between. He was a cantankerous SOB that was entertaining and knowledgeable but his mood could flip on a dime. Lots of stories and legends about the man that bought out the inventory of BSA/Triumph Duarte and most of TriCor. My favorite was the story of the kid that wandered into his shop for the first time looking for a rare Lucas tailight lense. Cliff brings a box out with two used ones and wants $150 each for the $50 items. The kid balks and Cliff takes one out and throws it on the floor and smashes it with his foot. He tells the kid he only has one left now and it's $300.

I really can't relate to Cliff's mindset but I also have no idea what sort of burden owning all the parts known to man might be. RIP Cliff. My Dad spent a lot of years in the Portland area. I'll have to ask again if he remembers the shop at all.

3 comments:

Carlo said...

I wonder if that's the origin of the story about the guy who heard Cliff had the "only new part left" for some model of motorcycle, tried to haggle the price down and Cliff took out a hammer and smashed it, telling the guy; "now there are none left". I can imagine how Mr. Brown's story might have grown with the re-telling.
I knew Cliff fairly well, and my own experience with him was that if he liked you, you'd get a fair price, but if you rubbed him the wrong way,, forget it.

Unknown said...

I visited Cliff several times over the years whenever I visited Portland. His wife was as tough and salt of the Earth as Cliff. I always bought a ticket shirt and sometimes a part or two. His collection of bikes was crackers and he had bales of new K70's. Cliff was up on what made things go and knew about every crack in the "System." By now he's dusted up wherever he's at!

Unknown said...

New Clif well. Bought several bikes from him. Worked some in his shop with him at night as I lived in house next to shop. He new English/ European bikes like nobody. His wife Sharon was as well versed as him and could go off on some guy and put him/her in there place. Was funny and intertaining to watch. Many great memories of them both

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