NORTH MANKATO — With its origins as a service shop, Starr Cycle has evolved to become not only a trusted cycle repair facility but also a premier motorcycle and power sports dealer.
“My dad (John Zender) opened this business in 1990 based on his skill as a phenomenal motorcycle technician,” said Nate Zender, owner of the lower North Mankato shop.
“John and my uncle David were trusted by cycle enthusiasts from all over the state because they really knew their stuff. And maintaining the reputation for that foundational piece of Starr Cycle is important,” he added.
Illustrating the level of respect they command, Starr Cycle is the contracted service provider for the State of Minnesota’s fleet of training bikes used in the Basic Rider Courses.
With 360 motorcycles distributed among 26 training sites statewide, the state’s bike fleet keeps Starr Cycle’s technicians busy throughout winter months when they might otherwise be idle.
“From a customer service viewpoint, we have the right people here to take care of all our customers’ needs,” said Zender.
But if it’s chrome, color and power that start your engine, Starr Cycle has all the eye candy cycle-lovers could hope to find.
At Starr, expect to see an extensive new and used inventory of both two- and four-wheel products with names like Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, KTM, CFMoto, Husqvarna, Victory, NIU, Genuine Scooter Company and SSR Motorsports, among others.
And customers can be confident Starr Cycle staff know the products they’re servicing and selling, since Starr employees are passionate, knowledgeable cyclists themselves.
“We have really good staff that’s been together a long time,” said Zender.
Store manager Sam Miller personally favors the Austrian brand KTM; parts and service writer Shane Sandmeyer is a Kawasaki guy, though he recently bought his son a Husqvarna.
“I started riding when I was seven,” said Sandmeyer.
Miller, who advanced from mechanic to service manager to parts manager to Starr Cycle general manager, said, “I know it’s super cliche but if you do something you love, you don’t work a day in your life.
“There’s definitely something to be said for that. We’re here helping people with the things that make them smile, that help them have fun, that they enjoy as a hobby. Our customers are happy to be here, and so are we.”
Cycle community
An average motorcycle customer?
Zender says there’s really no such thing.
“The caricature of the vest-wearing, tattooed Harley rider is really rare,” said Zender. “Motorcycles appeal to a lot of different people for a lot of different reasons.
“We see families with four-year-olds shopping for their first motorcycles, 65-year-old women who started biking 10 years ago and are returning for a second bike, lifelong enthusiasts who’ve bought 20 bikes over time, people who want commuter scooters and retirees looking for bikes for bucket-list trips around Alaska or South America.
“You just can’t pigeonhole a demographic,” Zender continued. “We love hearing different consumers’ ideas for their unique two-wheel adventures, and our staff is really good at listening to what people are dreaming about and helping make that a reality.”
Mankato baker Tony Friesen is a Starr Cycle customer who rediscovered the joys of motorcycling in recent years.
“Over the past five years we’ve bought two motorcycles and three different e-bikes — UBCOs,” said Friesen of the electric adventure bikes that are growing in popularity.
“I took about 20 years off from riding, then bought a Triumph and really enjoyed that.
“One day I walked in (to Starr), saw my Victory High-Ball sitting there, fell in love instantly and traded in my Triumph.”
Zender confirms he’s been seeing some appetite for electric bicycles, scooters and electric motorcycles.
“It takes less power to move a lower-weight vehicle so you don’t need as much range and there’s less maintenance,” he said.
“And we also have ATVs and side-by-sides for off-road riding. Those are family-friendly and we’ve had a lot of new people coming in for those.”
Friesen said he appreciates the great communication and flexibility Starr Cycle afford him as a customer.
“It’s so nice doing business with local people,” said Friesen. “You can call and talk to the owner directly if you want rather than getting handed off from one person to another at a bigger place.”
Keeping in mind that motorcyclists are nevertheless a niche population—in 2018, polls by the Motorcycle Industry Council indicated that 8.02% of U.S. households owned at least one bike, the highest percentage recorded since such polling began — Zender and his dedicated staff strive to fill all their customers’ needs, from start to finish.
“We stock a full selection of riding gear — helmets, boots, gloves, leather jackets, off-road biking gear, goggles, neck braces for off-road competition riding, you name it,” listed Zender.
“And I’m a big advocate for new riders to get the necessary training because that contributes a lot to safety.”
Starr Cycle is supportive of the local riding community, with Zender mentioning their sponsorship of events for the Kato Cycling Club and New Ulm’s Flying Dutchmen Motorcycle Club, among others.
“We have a lot to offer the cycling community,” said Miller. “Online retailers are our biggest competition, but there’s a reason people come here to buy from us — knowledge and service.
“We care about our customers and want to help them know and understand what they’re buying,” Miller continued. “Building a customer relationship that lasts is important to us.”
Legacy on wheels
After graduating from Butterfield High School in 1994, Zender worked at Taylor Corporation in Mankato for over a decade, leaving the cycle and repair business to his dad and uncle.
“I was happy, had a good career, was married to Sadie and having our first child, and then dad told me, ‘You gotta come down and ride this new bike,’” laughed Zender.
One week later, Zender bought a KTM Super Duke. Soon after, he quit his job to join the Starr Cycle crew.
“My wife wondered, ‘What is going on with you?’ But that bike reignited my love for motorcycles — and it’s been a great choice,” said Zender, mentioning their 11-year-old daughter has a taste for riding dirt bikes.
“I love being a small-business owner, and I realize that, like our customers, you need things that make you grin, laugh and get your heart racing a little.
“We’re in the dream-fulfilling business.”
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