Brian Heney, President at Kelly’s House of Harley Davidson in Billerica
Where he works: A two-story showroom and service station loaded with hundreds of Harley-Davidson motorcycles and gear. “I live in playland all day. I can take out any bike I want and go for a ride at lunch. And when little girls run around the store with Harley gear on, that’s the cutest thing in the world.”
His bike: The FLSTC, a 2003 Heritage Softail Classic.
Common reaction after seeing Heney for the first time: “Look at this yuppie kid. What does he know about Harleys?”
First day on a motorcycle: “I was 17, and I just had my wisdom teeth out. I went to the local shop and started up a bike outside. It jumped toward the showroom window, so I leapt off it, yelled, and popped the stitches in my mouth. Blood poured all over my face, but I bought the bike, then hid it from my mom for five years because she didn’t approve.”
What Mom thinks now: “She approves.”
Toughest part of the job: “Getting our Hog members to understand that I’m just a normal dude. When I took over the shop, I attended a Hog chapter meeting where everyone was in leather. I don’t look like a motorcycle guy, but I gave a speech about the store, and people looked at me like ‘what just happened?’ It was awkward.” -By Jack Morris