March 5, 2007
King of the road | A chat with Larry Jobe, founder of Maine Coast Motorcycle in Thomaston.
Founded: April 2006
Employees: One, plus one part-time and one freelance
Startup costs: $30,000
Projected revenue, year one: $40,000
Projected revenue, year two: $60,000
Contact: 866-439-2453
PO Box 253, Thomaston 04861
www.mainecoastmotorcycle.com
What does your company do?
We teach people to ride motorcycles confidently and safely through a controlled environment. The other thing we do is offer guided tours of Maine, New Hampshire and Atlantic Canada.
Where did you get the idea for this?
I retired from the Coast Guard in 2005, and I wanted to do something I liked to do, which was ride motorcycles. I got instruction to be a certified motorcycle safety instructor and I saw a need for that. I put two and two together and came up with this.
How did you learn about running a business?
I got in touch with a SCORE representative and talked to them. I've also been to several classes with [Coastal Enterprises Inc.] in Wiscasset. Am I qualified to run a business? I don't know. But I'm doing it.
How did you get startup funding?
We cashed in some investments and we had some savings that we used.
What has it been like so far?
Slow starting. I had a knee surgery last year, in May, so I couldn't get started until August or so. I did one tour, and it had five people on it. [Before then,] I spent a lot of time doing research. I talked to some friends of mine on the West Coast who do this, and I got a lot of information that way, to find out what people need as far as motorcycle training.
For the guided tour side, I went on a guided tour in Germany and Austria, and then when I got back here I did some more research and found out what is involved with putting together a tour.
What is a tour like?
I get the customers together, and we have a pre-ride brief each day, to talk about where we're going, and then we ride. You either use your own or rent one from a place here. It's pretty basic really. I took care of lighthouses from Calais to Port Clyde when I was in the Coast Guard in Southwest Harbor, so when we do the lighthouse tours, I get to share some of the history.
What about safety?
As an instructor I have to be CPR and First Aid qualified. And I took basic motorcycle accident scene training and motorcycle accident scene management. I have two cell phones that I take with me, and since we're near the coast, I take a marine VHF radio, just in case, and also a CB. Then we have the follow-up car, and there's more stuff in there, too.
How long do the tours last?
Last year they lasted from three to seven days. This year I'm going up to Atlantic Canada, in Cape Breton, and that one might last for seven to 10 days. I'm going to try to do three trips this year, in August, September and October.
How much do you charge?
Anywhere from $200 to $300 a day. It depends on what the accommodations are.
When are you starting classes?
I do the permit classes in Rockland, at an extra room at the Penobscot Bay Chamber of Commerce building, and that is scheduled to start the second to last week in March.
What do you do when you're not teaching or touring?
Planning for the season basically. When the weather breaks and it's nice out, I will go on the trip in advance, probably in late May or early June. I do this without GPS, so I've got to know where I'm at.
It seems like some people would just want to relax after retirement.
Well, I'm 49, and I retired at 48 years old, so I still have a few good years left. I'm not retired ˆ I'm semi-retired. When I was standing watch on some of the ships that I've been on, in the Coast Guard, you get a lot of time to think. And I thought, "What would be something that I would like to do, and if I couldn't get paid for it, what would I be okay with?" And I thought about it and thought about it, and I like riding motorcycles. It just kind of happened that way. I mean, I'm not a good enough musician, so that didn't work!
New Entrepreneurs profiles young businesses, 6-18 months old. Send your suggestions and contact information to editorial@mainebiz.biz.
Employees: One, plus one part-time and one freelance
Startup costs: $30,000
Projected revenue, year one: $40,000
Projected revenue, year two: $60,000
Contact: 866-439-2453
PO Box 253, Thomaston 04861
www.mainecoastmotorcycle.com
What does your company do?
We teach people to ride motorcycles confidently and safely through a controlled environment. The other thing we do is offer guided tours of Maine, New Hampshire and Atlantic Canada.
Where did you get the idea for this?
I retired from the Coast Guard in 2005, and I wanted to do something I liked to do, which was ride motorcycles. I got instruction to be a certified motorcycle safety instructor and I saw a need for that. I put two and two together and came up with this.
How did you learn about running a business?
I got in touch with a SCORE representative and talked to them. I've also been to several classes with [Coastal Enterprises Inc.] in Wiscasset. Am I qualified to run a business? I don't know. But I'm doing it.
How did you get startup funding?
We cashed in some investments and we had some savings that we used.
What has it been like so far?
Slow starting. I had a knee surgery last year, in May, so I couldn't get started until August or so. I did one tour, and it had five people on it. [Before then,] I spent a lot of time doing research. I talked to some friends of mine on the West Coast who do this, and I got a lot of information that way, to find out what people need as far as motorcycle training.
For the guided tour side, I went on a guided tour in Germany and Austria, and then when I got back here I did some more research and found out what is involved with putting together a tour.
What is a tour like?
I get the customers together, and we have a pre-ride brief each day, to talk about where we're going, and then we ride. You either use your own or rent one from a place here. It's pretty basic really. I took care of lighthouses from Calais to Port Clyde when I was in the Coast Guard in Southwest Harbor, so when we do the lighthouse tours, I get to share some of the history.
What about safety?
As an instructor I have to be CPR and First Aid qualified. And I took basic motorcycle accident scene training and motorcycle accident scene management. I have two cell phones that I take with me, and since we're near the coast, I take a marine VHF radio, just in case, and also a CB. Then we have the follow-up car, and there's more stuff in there, too.
How long do the tours last?
Last year they lasted from three to seven days. This year I'm going up to Atlantic Canada, in Cape Breton, and that one might last for seven to 10 days. I'm going to try to do three trips this year, in August, September and October.
How much do you charge?
Anywhere from $200 to $300 a day. It depends on what the accommodations are.
When are you starting classes?
I do the permit classes in Rockland, at an extra room at the Penobscot Bay Chamber of Commerce building, and that is scheduled to start the second to last week in March.
What do you do when you're not teaching or touring?
Planning for the season basically. When the weather breaks and it's nice out, I will go on the trip in advance, probably in late May or early June. I do this without GPS, so I've got to know where I'm at.
It seems like some people would just want to relax after retirement.
Well, I'm 49, and I retired at 48 years old, so I still have a few good years left. I'm not retired ˆ I'm semi-retired. When I was standing watch on some of the ships that I've been on, in the Coast Guard, you get a lot of time to think. And I thought, "What would be something that I would like to do, and if I couldn't get paid for it, what would I be okay with?" And I thought about it and thought about it, and I like riding motorcycles. It just kind of happened that way. I mean, I'm not a good enough musician, so that didn't work!
Interview by Kerry Elson
New Entrepreneurs profiles young businesses, 6-18 months old. Send your suggestions and contact information to editorial@mainebiz.biz.
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