From their beginning, the Frizells have had great timing.
As America was about to fall in love with motorcycles, Ivan opened the region's first Honda dealership with brother Clyde.
"Yeah, we were in on it early," says Clyde Frizell. "When the craze hit…we lucked out, there."
His sister-in-law concurs.
"People were ready to buy," says Isolde Frizell, "you didn't really have to sell them. They sold themselves."
The place grew fast and southwest Iowa was soon buzzing with bikes. Greenfield native, Tim Foster, remembers. "You'd get 12-15 kids together and they all had Hondas and you rode around town in the Honda Pack," says Foster Isolde remembers the traffic the "Honda Pack" would create downtown.
"On the weekends, on Saturdays there were just dozens of motorcycles going around the square, the kids," she says.
Dick Van Dyke bought one while in town shooting the movie "Cold Turkey" in 1969. "He paid for it and the next day he was out there racing with the kids," Isolde laughs.
She says the Frizells rode the wave for 30 good years but in 1995 the time seemed right to step off. "We could see the writing on the wall…that it was not going to go on like it was."
So…they closed the door…and so it has stayed…for 30 years…until now. "We just never really threw anything away, basically," Clyde chuckles, walking through the maze of bikes and accessories. "You can tell that by looking!"
The place is still FULL of inventory.
"And here's some brand new engines," he points to a 10-foot stack of them. "A lot of those in boxes and crates…"
To a collector like Foster, it's like waking up in a dream. "I knew there was a lot of stuff, but I didn't realize how much and how good the condition was," he admits.
The Frizells think the time is right to auction it all off.
Wouldn't you know…vintage Hondas just happen to be in a red-hot revival. "I don't believe once it was delivered to Greenfield Honda it ever had any gas in the tank," Foster says, pointing to a dusty 1979 Honda Gold Wing, "nor did it have a battery put in it."
For collectors, that's Holy Grail talk.
The pristine bikes from the 60s and 70s will lead the way, but the whole lot could yield half a million dollars. "I don't know whether it's smart or luck or both," Clyde laughs.
Ivan passed away two years ago, but his wife and brother think he'd approve of the sale as it passes his passion onto new fans. "It's kind of hard," Isolde admits, "but it's just time."
And for the Frizells, that time has always been just right.
Source: PERFECT TIMING: Former Destination To Auction Valuable Inventory
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