A Fathers Day Tribute to Big Daddy

For Fathers Day this year we decided to make a tribute to someone that is a father to all of us here at Laidlaw's Harley-Davaidson, Bob Laidlaw. Bob is in his 52nd year as a harley dealer and if you have ever had a chance to talk with Bob you know that he has seen a lot of changes in the motorcycle industry and Harley-Davidson over the years. So take the time and read a little history about Laidlaw's founder, Big Daddy, Bob Laidlaw

Bob Laidlaw was born in 1931 the third of four sons in the Los Angeles area; he has always had a love for anything with two wheels. His first motorcycles were three Indians, a pony, scout and a war surplus shaft drive Indian. Buying and selling them got him his first Harley Davidson, a 1936, 61” knuckle head. At the time, it was the best motorcycle you could own.

While still in high School he bought, fixed and sold three other Harleys and got a job at a Harley dealership in 1947. After graduating he bought a new 1950 Harley-Davidson with 74” engine, it retailed for $ 995.00 (you could then buy a new 4 door ford or Chevy, no radio or heater for that price.)

Bob married Frances Palmer in 1951, they had two boys and two girls, and they now have thirteen grand children and four great grand children.

In 1958 at age twenty-seven, Bob, purchased what is now known as Laidlaw’s Harley-Davidson. He Paid $28,000 for the building and everything in it. He made a small down payment and a handshake agreement for the rest. The store sold twenty-eight units the prior year.

It was then when Bob saw his first Honda 50cc, he remembered critics thinking, “Honda will never make it with this thing!” It was a good time to get into the motorcycle business, by 1970 Bob was the top volume dealer two years in a row, and he sold hundreds of new sportsters for $1,895. Bob served as president of the Southern California Dealer Association and was on the factory dealers’ advisory board.

Bob remembered well his visit to the junior factory, “engines where assembled on the 3rd floor, assembly line was on the 2nd floor. The assembly line consisted of grey wooden carts with steel wheels that started with a frame, and were pushed by hand, from station to station until you had a finished Harley Davidson, the entire first floor was an office and in the basement the units were run, crated and shipped”.

When Bob first started working at the dealership it was pretty small, in 1963 they built a new location with about 10,000 sq. ft of space which was considered huge for the time. In 2002, the need for expansion came again and Laidlaw’s relocated to their current location in Baldwin Park. The building is 60,000 sq. ft and is run by Bob and his two sons, Brent and Jerry.

Bob has always enjoyed performance work and drag racing, he also goes on daily rides and still test rides bikes to diagnose problems. Bob jokes that after turning the responsibility of running the dealership to his sons, he still is at the dealership more than them.

For twenty-seven years he has also had several airplanes. He loves to fly and every now and then he will convince someone to go up with him, but he has few returning passengers.

Bob has been making his living with Harley Davidson for 62 years, 51 of those have been as a dealer. There have been hard times, but the last 20 years have been really great, hopefully the next ten years will be just as good.

He appreciates his friendships and one-on-ones he has enjoyed with all the Davidson family starting with William H. Davidson who was president in 1958. It has been a great ride, Bob feels very proud and blessed to be a part of the Harley Davidson family of dealers and the opportunity it has given him to meet so many great people.