1989 - The Beginning
John Beldock wanted a new hobby and decided it was time to give roadracing motorcycles a try. A crashed Honda was purchased and resurrected as a racebike. Throughout that Summer, more damaged bikes were purchased to be sold at the races. This eliminated the need to rob regular paychecks to finance the season. That first season yielded a championship in the Novice class for John.
Demand for the rebuildable bikes at the races grew. John wound up supplying nearly 15% of the machines on the track from his garage at home. This went on for the next few seasons. The decision was made in 1993 to make motorcycles a full time job. Imagine the fun! John left college, much to the dismay of his parents, and Erico Motorsports was born (Eric is John's middle name).
The lease deposit for 4134 Garfield Street, Erico's first home, was paid with a credit card. The next year would be spent bootstrapping Erico Motorsports to a point where it could afford employees. Agreements were negotiated with various insurance companies to perform repairs and buy salvage directly, at contract pricing.
The first six years at Erico passed and realized steady growth, additional employees, and lots of fun.
1999
Fastforward to 1999, the first thing John does is ask Tai Offet to be his wife, and they are married in a small ceremony in Keystone, Colorado in April. Upon returning from their honeymoon that September, John was faced with a harsh reality. Erico on Garfield St. was full to the brim with used parts, motorcycles and employees and no room to move. The decision was made to purchase a new building, and John and Tai started the arduous task of locating a cool new home for Erico. It was a cold day in October 1999, when they first set foot in 2855 Walnut St. The 1930s warehouse had been used as a metal fabricating plant for almost 30 years. It was dirty, dark, and cold, but showed lots of potential! So the new home for Erico Motorsports was purchased and the month of December was used to paint, clean and move. Erico's real estate was now 4 times its previous size from 3,000 sq ft to 12,000 in just one month.
2000
 As Erico entered the new millennium, the scope of the business began to shift. The original focus had been selling used late model sportbike parts nationally, and largely on a wholesale basis. Now, for the first time, Erico began local advertising to build awareness in the Denver market. Retail traffic increased, as well as the amount of service work taken in. Once again employees were added to handle the additional business and John began to realize that the days of the small hobby shop on Garfield St. were gone. But the new challenges facing John and Erico were becoming more exciting with each passing day. In June of 2000, Erico was approached by Triumph Motorcycles as a possible new dealer for the Denver market. John was excited by the possibility of selling the original name in motorcycling. Triumph was poised to re-introduce the Bonneville in 2001, and all of the industry was buzzing with the news. By November 2000, Erico was full to the brim with shiny, Triumph Motorcycles and officially introduced as Denver's Exclusive Triumph Dealer. 2001 was now fast approaching, and to the surprise of everyone, the new building was packed and Erico needed more space.
2001
In January 2001, the building next door (an additional 6,500 sq ft) was purchased, but unfortunately the move-in date would be postponed until Winter 2001. Oh well the show must go on, and John and Tai were preparing to face a challenge much bigger than not being able to use the new building. On March 14, 2001, at 3:15 in the afternoon, Penn Sarah Beldock officially entered the world weighing in at 7lb 3oz. Enter the world of running a dealership, changing diapers, and late night feedings. It was also at this time, that Tai decided to quit her job at AT&T Media Services and officially join the Erico team as the bookkeeper, marketing director and den mother.
 The Summer of 2001 was crazy. Erico gave away a bike with KBPI radio station, the Triumph Demo Truck visited Denver, the annual April Fool's Party was a success with over 500 guests, and Erico sponsored the winning float at the Gay Pride Parade. Finally, when the dust settled in the Fall, John went to his first Triumph Dealer Conference, and to his astonishment received the award for best new dealer in the country, as well as best servicing dealer west of the Mississippi. But there was no time to sit on our laurels. Construction plans were underway for the new building; as a hole was cut to connect the two buildings making Erico Motorsports now over 20,000 square feet. The Erico website was also being updated to add an on-line shopping component and the new phone system was installed so everyone would have their own line, complete with voicemail.
2002
 As we entered 2002, the new sound-proof Dyno room was installed, along with setting up the new Service Department. The technicians love all the extra workspace. The biggest challenge that faced Erico in 2002 was the economy, but everyone worked extra hard to ensure Erico's continued success. Erico was made as visible as possible by ensuring a presence at several Denver events, such as the RV, Boat, and Travel Show, The Denver Grand Prix, October Fest and "Film on the Rocks" for "Rebel Without a Cause" at the Red Rocks Ampitheater and even a spot on the NBC morning news channel promoting the Bonneville. All our hard work has paid off as Erico by then ranked 4th in the country for Triumph sales.
As the 2002 season wound down, the staff at Erico was busily gearing up for capital improvement projects such as new lighting in the warehouse and re-paving the parking lot and front sidewalks - getting the shop ready to introduce the new 2003 Ducati lineup. John and Tai, as always, continue to strategize for growth as well as strategize for how to keep up with their busy toddler.
2003
Enter 2003, Erico Motorsports is very excited to announce themselves as "Denver"s Newest Ducati Dealer". Triumph and Ducati were an obvious fit. John was especially thrilled since his very favorite bike to ride is his Ducati 748. In fact, we needed to figure out a way to get John to stop "test riding" and start selling. The rubber on the Ducati tires had barely cooled down, when John signed an agreement with Moto Guzzi. The Guzzis arrived at Erico the first week in May 2003. The staff got really busy learning about all our new products. It was pretty thrilling. Then the icing on the cake was when Triumph announced Erico was the #1 dealer nationally in Triumph sales by the end of May 2003.
 In March 2003, Erico kicked off the season with a Daytona Party at Swanky's Bar & Grill. The bikes were lined up for several city blocks - it was a site to behold. As we geared up for Dyno Fest 2003, Erico built out "Café Racer", a new espresso bar for our customers" enjoyment. Nothing goes together better than espresso and horsepower! Erico also teamed up with Abate of Colorado to promote safe motorcycling and to give away a new 2003 Bonneville America. And probably the biggest change of 2003 was John officially cutting off all 14" of his hair and then Tai following suit. They make a pretty good looking clean-cut couple, if they do say so themselves.
2004
Enter 2004, Erico said goodbye to a big part of our history, as the Used Parts Department was sold to a "Any Sunday" a company based in California. The selling of this department was bitter sweet, as it was the catalyst for the beginnings of Erico Motorsports. However, the focus of the business had shifted to that of a new dealership, and the used parts department no longer was a part of the overall strategy. Also, the floor space was needed for the next phase of Erico. After 10 months of negotiations, Erico Motorsports finally became the proud owner of the Vespa Scooter line. Vespa's timeless design comes from an equally timeless company - Piaggio has been a distinguished innovator in the field of transportation for nearly 120 years. So, where there  once stood rows and rows of used motorcycle parts, are now rows and rows of shiney new Vespas and Piaggios ready for the Spring selling season. In addition to selling scooters, Erico is also helping to promote scooter safety by sponsoring the T3RG Safety School. T3RG uses the curriculum from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation for their BRC (BasicRider Course") and the ERC (ExperiencedRider Course"). They are also a contractor for State of Colorado's MOST (Motorcycle Operator Safety Training) program.
As Erico geared up for the 2004 season, the dealership buzzed with activities. John geared up to ride the Moto Giro in Siciliy in May. In keeping with the racing theme, Erico offered Free Days at the Track with Ricky Orlando, 6th place finisher in the 2004 Daytona 200.
 2005
The 2005 season kicked off with the announcement of the new Scooter Rental Program. This new venture was launched with a brand new fleet of 49cc Piaggio Typhoons. This program was introduced with a print ad campaign as well as cooperative advertising through the Denver Metro Convention and Visitor's Bureau.
Another new exciting venture for 2005 was the launch of the new and improved Erico Motorsports website, www.ericomotorsports.com. Erico's website was in its 10th generation since the inception of the business in 1993. On April 24th, Erico Motorsports and Ricky Orlando Motorcycle School hosted a Tip & Technique Day at Second Creek Raceway. The event had 32 attendees and many more staff along for support. Much fun and learning was had by all and only one mishap by an instructor, not to be named (General Manager of Erico, Trip Miller) there were no casualties to report.
With season well in swing, the Beldocks managed to escape for a few days to New York City for the first week in May for the press launch of the new Vespa LX. The press launch included several cool functions. The first was a fashion show on Chelsea Pier 60. This show encompassed the work of the graduating class of Parson's Design School, as well as a special project initiated by Piaggio to design a proto-type clothing line for the scooter manufacturer. The next event was a Vespa Parade through the streets of Manhattan, which also allowed for the press to test out the new models. The weekend culminated with a cocktail party in SoHo to display all the new colors of the LX and the Parson's Project.
 June's highlight was Erico's participation in the first-ever, European Motorcycle Rally in Colorado. This event combined the first Euro Rally with a very special event sponsored to run all this summer at the Sangre De Christo Art Center in Pueblo, Colorado - "Full Throttle - Underground Art and the Motorcycle". "Full Throttle" took an intense chronological look at the history and development of the motorcycle culture, with 87 unique motorcycles gathered from public and private collections around the country on display to illustrate the progression of the development of technology. Being the largest European-only dealer in America, Erico was proud to be a sponsor of this amazing event. June also saw the addition of a two new positions at Erico, Web Designer and Internet Sales Manager. These positions have allowed Erico to ensure that daily updates are being made to our website, as well as a dedicated person to answer all sales-related emails. The end of June was celebrated with the annual company Picnic and the introduction of EMDUCDOO (Erico Motorsports Ducati Desmo Owners Organization). This new club had 32 people attend its first meeting and ride. And, of course, June also saw Erico's Fourth Entry in the Denver Gay Pride Parade, an event we all look forward to every year!
 The Summer seemed to be flying by as John Beldock took off on a 10-day motorcycle trip from Denver to California to attend the Moto GP. His route took him through some breath-taking scenery to include Bryce Canyon and Yosemite National Park. However, probably the highlight of the trip was watching Valentino Rossi pull onto the track in Laguna Seca for the first time. Upon his return from Moto GP, John quickly geared up for the 4th Annual Rocky Mountain RAT Club's Steamboat Rally. This year's rally had a record-breaking crowd of over 120 people. While John was busy in the Mountains, Tai was busy organizing the Alternative Ride for Mile High Mayhem (one of the country's largest scooter rallies). Erico's Alternative Ride was double in size from last year's rally, with over 75 scooters participating in the parade that wound its way from Applewood to Brothers BBQ in Downtown Denver, where everyone chowed on delicious BBQ. Erico's scooter presence in Denver has become very strong over the past year. The Erico Sponsored, SQREAM Scooter Club, just celebrated its one-year anniversary and is the largest scooter club in America with over 120 members. In addition, Erico also rented  some space to Casa Lambretta , a company that moved to Denver from Miami that specializes in the restoration of vintage scooters. Case Lambretta is a great compliment to Erico's modern Vespa business. History, once again, repeated itself in August, as John attended the Ducati Dealer Conference and picked up the award for the Best Dealer in the South West Region. Of course, in true Ducati style, the conference wasn't just all work. John brought along his riding gear and was one of the first in the country to test out the newly constructed Autobahn Country Club circuit. It is certain that John took full advantage of this exhilarating 2.1 mile, 15 turn course - an unforgettable experience.
Upon his return from Chicago, John will gear up to host the "Best of the Best" Ride. This is a very exclusive group of six Erico Customers that also happen to be CEOs of major Denver Companies. In addition to the ride, these CEOs will also be posing with their bikes for Erico's Spring Ad campaign to run in the Denver Business Journal. The end of August will brought the announcement of the Top 25 Companies in Denver. Erico Motorsports was nominated in the category of "Top Retail Store" and was in competition with American Furniture Warehouse. The staff at Erico got all gussied up to attend the awards banquet, although we didn't win, we sure did give Jake Jabs a run for his money.
 At Erico, in the good old days, we used to let out a big sigh of relief in October, because things would wind down and we would just hibernate until the Spring. But, that's just not the case anymore. 2005 proved to be a season that never ended. In November, we hosted the 2nd Annual Ronald McDonald Ride that raised over $5000 for the Ronald McDonald House (this time we didn't even have to ride in a blizzard), and we also joined forces with local artist, Colin Livingston, to commission a one-of-a-kind Vespa to be painted. This special two-wheeled work of art was auctioned off to benefit Project PAVE, an organization dedicated to helping kids break the cycle of family violence. November seemed to be the month of charitable giving, as we auctioned off an item entitled "Here's to the Ladies that Lunch". It was a unique opportunity for Pam Kalkus and five of her friends to scooter around Denver and have lunch in Cherry Creek North. The proceeds from this fun item went to benefit the Harrison Animal Hospital. The Fall is also the time of year for Dealer Conferences. First John headed to Arizona with Beth to golf and attend the Triumph Dealer Conference, then as soon as his plane landed, John re-packed his bags and headed to Italy with Tippie to attend the Piaggio Dealer conference. And the day his plane landed from Italy in Denver, he jumped in the car and headed to the Piaggio Corporate meeting in Denver. This meeting was significant as Piaggio announced it's plans to manage it's newly acquired lines of Moto Guzzi and Aprillia. Whew, we are pretty sure John needed a few days off after this whirlwind month.
December is the party month for Erico, as John and I host their annual Holiday Extravaganza. This year it was at the Broker complete with unending bowls of shrimp and ceaseless cocktails. The Holiday party is always time to celebrate all the year's accomplishments and look forward to what the New Year will bring.
2006
The New Year heated up very soon after the Holiday Party. First the Beldocks were featured in the Stapleton Front Porch, the Denver Business Journal and Entrepreneur Magazine. Then came the phone call from Dealer News letting us know we had been named to the Top 100 dealers in the country. So Tai, John and Max jumped on a plane to receive the honor of being the second runner up to the Top 100 Dealer. It was an amazing night to be recognized amongst our peers.
Upon the return from Indianapolis, it was time to start marketing for 2006, and the first item on the list was promoting the new Triumph Daytona 675. Erico hosted an unveiling party with about 100 people in attendance. February was also a bitter sweet month, as we received the news that our General Manager of 6 years, Trip Miller, was leaving Colorado with his family and leaving his Erico family behind. It took about a month to say goodbye to Trip, because he had been such an important part of Erico's history and success.
The Spring marketing continued with the introduction of the Erico Scooter Street Team zipping all over Denver and handing out promotional material. Then Erico teamed up with Whole Foods to give away a scooter for Earth Day as well as hold Scooter Demo rides in the Whole Foods Parking lot for the Earth Day festivities. The SQREAM scooter club enjoyed a pizza and scooter tech night at Erico to help kick off their riding season, as well as make the announcement of the arrival of Erico Motorsports West. Erico West had been about 6 months in the planning and was opened on April 15, 2006. It is a Vespa scooter outlet as well as a wide assortment of used motorcycles.
A brand new event was introduced into the Erico marketing plan for 2006 - the West Metro Annual Family Fire Muster. This multi-layered event included a Vespa Giveaway as well as a presence at the Fire Muster.
Beth Maxim, Erico’s Sales Manager, and Jen Locicero, Art Director and DucDOO Club President, boarded a plane for the Motherland in the month of May. Their mission " attend the Ducati Club World Presidents Meeting in Italy. In addition to attending the meeting, Beth and Jen were wined and dined, rode the twisty roads of Italy on Ducatis, toured the Ducati factory and museum in Bologna and even attended the Mugello MotoGP. It was a trip to be remembered and further cemented Erico’s commitment to our DucDOO Club and the Ducati brand.
What does the Erico sponsored SQREAM Scooter Club NOT do? They go camping on their scooters, they ride up mountains on their scooters, they visit Corn Mazes on their scooters, and yes, they even ride Naked on their scooters. This club is the largest scooter club in the United States and it all started in Denver, Colorado at Erico Motorsports. Locally they have grown to over 175 members and Erico works hard to ensure the club’s needs are met. To celebrate their two year anniversary, Erico gave them an ice cream and pizza party after their big anniversary ride. It’s a great club and we look forward to many years of fun and frivolity with SQREAM.
Erico Motorsports’ official spokes model, Miss Nuclia Waste, tragically had her atomic scooter stolen in late 2005. Not to fear. A new GTS 250 Vespa was purchased and customized with a glow-in-the-dark flamed paint job. The scooter was unveiled at an Erico party, complete with dramatic music and pink and green party favors. Several members of the scootering community along with members of the press were on hand for the unveiling.
Erico Motorsports is a dealership that continues to push the envelope both inside and outside the two wheel industry. During election season, they decided to lend support to a political candidate running for the Governorship of Colorado. Erico held a political fundraiser that included a "Ride for Ritter". The candidate, Bill Ritter, rode a scooter with his supporters to Erico, where they hosted a reception to hear his views on the issues. Erico will continue to have their voice heard in Colorado. Their customers constantly remind them how much they appreciate our honesty and candor.
The 2006 Steamboat Rally was just as fun as in previous years. Erico’s Triumph customers always appreciate a long weekend in the Mountains to unwind, tell stories and eat good food and Erico loves supporting this event for the RAT Club. It is now in it’s 6th year and every year there are several new faces and lots of old ones. Erico continues to stay true to their very first franchise, Triumph Motorcycles. They believe their customers share and definitely appreciate the enthusiasm for the brand.
Sales Manager, Beth Maxim, hit a real home run this year when she set up a deal with a local builder in town. McStain Homes of Denver purchased a dozen scooters from Erico Motorsports and used them in a sweepstakes for people purchasing new homes.
The owners of Erico, John and Tai Beldock, were more than happy to put on their fanciest duds and grace the cover of the September issue of Dealer News. It was not only an honor, but also a great opportunity to share the Erico Motorsports story with their peers in the Industry. They received a lot of congratulatory calls from dealer friends across the country. It was a great experience and a piece they are very proud to display in the store and share with customers.
In addition to Dealer News, Erico was also featured in the May 2006 edition of Entrepreneur Magazine. This is a National Magazine devoted to small business owners and decision makers. The PR continued to flow for the Beldocks in 2006 with their annual article in Tim Coy’s Motorcycle Column in the Rocky Mountain News, a feature story in the Recreational Vehicle section and great story on scootering and gas prices in the Denver Business Journal. The free press in 2006 didn’t stop with print. The Beldocks hit the airwaves to discuss AmeriVespa on the "Italian Show" on KHOW radio as well as a visit from WB News. The WB actually filmed their morning show from Erico talking all about the upcoming AmeriVespa Rally.
Erico went back to its roadracing roots this year and put John Beldock back on the race track with Erico sponsored track days. These track days took place in Pueblo, Colorado at Pueblo Motorsports Park. Erico customers were treated to track instruction, test rides on Erico’s demo fleet, lunch and a fun filled day of riding fast.
The 2006 Cyclefest event was moved from Copper Mountain to Downtown Denver at Invesco Field. Erico was a main sponsor and set up a 10x60 Demo area that offered rides on Ducatis, Triumphs, and Vespa scooters. The event drew over 10,000 people in 2 days. The Erico staff had a great time showing potential customers the fun of owning one of our exciting European machines.
The Ronald McDonald House has always been one of the favorite charities supported by Erico Motorsports so they enlisted the help of Iron Butt Champion, Gary Eagan, to help raise more money for this worthwhile cause. An event was held which catered to Ducati customers, in which Gary Eagan gave a slideshow presentation about his travels on Ducatis. (See Attachment 94.) Next on the agenda was an event to cater to Vespa connoisseurs. Erico Motorsports invited author, Peter Moore, to fly from his home in London to do a book signing at Erico. His book entitled "Vroom with a View," tells of his scootering adventures through Tuscany.
The customers at Erico expect and get the best customer service in the industry. To this end, Erico has created Tech Nights for their customers. The service department stays late on Saturday nights, they bring in pizza, develop an agenda, and teach customers about what they should be doing to maintain their scooter or motorcycle. For example: How often do I put oil in my scooter? How often should I change the chain on my Ducati? The Service Manager allows for an interactive experience that is very worthwhile for the class and it instills great confidence in the technicians that work at Erico.
The staff at Erico is always busy trying to stay abreast of the latest technologies in the industry, attending dealer conferences and having fun building and maintaining their great team spirit. This past year, Scott Brown attended Ducati Certification in Daytona Beach, Ossy Cusolito attended Piaggio training in California and our Parts and Accessories Manager, Michael Minter, computerized the entire inventory at Erico. Instead of counting inventory, employees can now scan it into the computer and the job is so much faster and much more accurate. The Lifestyle Manager and Tai Beldock also recently flew to MAGIC in Las Vegas. This trip was to scout out new "fashion-oriented lines" that could compliment Erico’s Ducati, Triumph and Vespa clothing. Because of that trip, Erico is now a Paul Frank distributor and looking at other lines that they think customers will appreciate. But all work and no play makes the Erico team a bit cranky. So they always take time out for team building events. John and Tai Beldock personally take the time to go out with each team and spend some time talking and having fun. The Sales Team went bowling, the Service Department went to dinner and a movie (yes, of course it was Talladega Nights), the management staff had a BBQ at the Beldock’s home, and every quarter they gather together the entire staff for staff meetings. At these meetings they recognize great people, eat good food and talk about our goals for the upcoming months.
One of the largest events in Erico’s history happened in July 2006, when Erico played host to the National AmeriVespa Rally. This 4 day fun-filled weekend drew over 600 scooters to the Mile High City and was lauded as one of the best rallies in the event’s 14 year history.
The 2006 dealer conferences allowed John to reward some of the staff for all their hard work. John and Beth, took off for the Ducati Dealer Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, for a look at the new product as well as a day of fun. They were able to ride the Ducati 999s at the fabulous new Miller Motorsports Park. Shortly after that, John, Beth and Dave Tippie, Assistant Sales Manager, got on a plane and headed to Sunny Miami for the 2006 Triumph Dealer Conference. In Miami, the team was awarded for being among the Top 5 dealers in the country.
In October of 2006, the Beldocks asked 14 customers to join them in the Hills of Tuscany for an unforgettable week of scootering, food, fun and friends. The trip began in Florence and traveled to San Gimignano to wineries, cooking classes and tours of ancient cities. The views from a scooter were amazing as the tour experienced incredible scenery from elevations that went all the way to the Mediterranean Sea.
Tai and John were only home for a week when they packed up their suitcases again and headed to Central America to join Piaggio Corporate to celebrate Erico being chosen one of the top dealers in the U.S. November in Denver is a good time to be in Costa Rica. The Beldocks were accompanied by the company’s top Vespa salespeople for 2006, Justin Watson and Douglas Evans. It was some well-deserved R&R.
The month of November also saw some staff changes as Beth Maxim left Erico and Eric Truman was promoted to Sales Manager. Ron Baird was also promoted from salesperson to F&I Manager and the most exciting change was that Erico finally had a new General Manager, Chad Ammons. Team Erico also got lucky for the third year in a row as the Ronald McDonald Ride was greeted by warm weather in November, making it yet another successful fundraiser for the kids at the Ronald McDonald House.
Erico Motorsports entered the realm of High Fashion in December of 2006, when they created Fashion Moto. In conjunction with Kevin Larson Presents, Erico staged a Euro Fashion Show complete with sexy models, techno music, Ducati and Triumph apparel, and over 300 people in attendance. It was cold outside, but inside Erico it was Hot, Hot, Hot as the models took to the runway.
2007
The end of December 2006 and into January 2007 brought some of the worst snow storms that Denver had experienced in over a decade. As the snow fell and the motorcycle industry shut down in Denver, the Erico Team didn’t miss a beat. Instead the staff banded together for the first Annual Erico Summit. The Managers worked as a team to put together a company-wide planning session that gave everyone an opportunity to give their input regarding company budgets, goals and training expectations. The Summit was held at the CTEK Center at Stapleton. The teams also took some time to have fun as they competed in tricycle races as well as creating original skits that were performed in front of the entire group. Of course, the Marketing Dept won the award for the most original skit, with their Erico Rap (E R I C and O 28th and Walnut is the place to go.)
By the time February rolled around, everyone at Erico was tired of the snow, so we decided to throw a party to make ourselves feel better. And what a party it was! Team Erico launched the new 1098 Ducati with lots of pomp and circumstance, Italian Peroni beer, and Justin Watson slowly pulling off the sheet that covered the new Superbike. The launch party was attended by several hundred customers who also needed help with their cabin fever.
Finally, spring arrived in Denver and not a moment too soon. The first order of business was to give the Denver Center for the Performing Arts a scooter to auction off to benefit their educational programs. The bonus to this donation was that the Beldocks got to meet the Neville Brothers at the auction.
The charitable giving didn’t stop with the Performing Arts Center. The next recipient of a scooter was the Denver Chapter of the American Red Cross. They used this scooter as a prize for their fundraising campaign. The management team at Erico attended the Red Cross breakfast, where we heard firsthand the stories of our local heroes. It was a very inspirational moment for everyone.
We finished off the month of March 2007 with a very successful display at the Denver Auto Show as well as the celebration of Penn Beldock’s 6th birthday. Time really does fly when you’re having fun.
In the beginning of April, Erico was featured in Tim Coy’s Saturday Ride in the Rocky Mountain News. (See Attachment 106.) The middle of the month gave Penn an opportunity to strut her stuff as the official Erico Spokesmodel at Mutts ‘n Models. This annual event in Denver allows local "celebrities" to take to the runway with their pets. Although, she had to borrow friend Nancy Levine’s 150 pound Swiss Mountain dog, they still were the hit of the show. As the Rocky Mountain News put it, "Penn and Bacchus stole the show with the poise of a seasoned professional". The benefit raised over $100,000 for the Harrison Memorial Animal Hospital.
The last day of April gave old and new customers a chance to test out their bikes on the track in Pueblo at the first of five Erico Motorsports Track Days.
At Erico we believe our bikes and scooters are not vehicles, but rather, pieces of art. That is why we created a partnership in 2007 with the Santa Fe Art Walk to showcase our models on balmy summer evenings during the local art walk.
Oh it was Ladies Night and the Feeling was Right. Instead of Beer and Hotdogs, the ladies were treated to chocolate and wine. Everyone in attendance listened to Bev Brinson, Editor of Scooter World Magazine, give a presentation on her scooter adventures through Italy and Indonesia. The staff at Erico was also on hand to present the features of some beautiful ladies-only gear. But the piece de resistance of the evening was an oil change by our Art Director, Jen Locicero.
Frontier Airlines and Erico teamed up in May 2007 to auction off a Vespa LX50 on Frontier’s frequent flyer "Frontier More Store" website. This online store allows frequent fliers to trade in their miles for fabulous gifts. The Marketing Director of Frontier said that the Vespa received more bids than any item they had ever carried in an auction.
Denver has become known as the home of some of the best scooter rallies in the country, so when Mile High Mayhem scooter rally decided to call it quits, Erico quickly stepped in and without losing a beat created Colorado Chaos for 2007. The inaugural event was a weekend filled with rides and parties and scooter camaraderie. Many of the major media outlets in Denver covered the event and the people of Denver were delighted to see over 100 scooters zipping all over the City for the entire weekend.
In keeping with our theme of never being bored, Erico announced the addition of Aprilia to our Exciting*Exotic*European lineup. The Italian motorcycles and scooters made perfect sense for the dealership. To properly announce the new addition, Erico invited the Aprilia Demo Truck to Denver for 2 days of demo rides on all the latest models of bikes and scooters.
The month of June 2007 was devoted to publicity and shameless self-promotion. Everyone in Denver got a taste of Erico as Vespa and Piaggio scooters were positioned throughout the Cherry Creek Mall on display for every to see. And not only did people see the scooters, they were also given a chance to win an LX50 along with a trip to Italy compliments of Bella Italia Tours. It was the perfect summer promotion.
Not only was Erico giving away scooters in June, they were also giving away FREE gas. Erico teamed up with ALICE radio station to create a publicity stunt at the Circle K gas station on I25 and Colfax. For two hours, Erico employees filled up the tanks of all scooters who pulled up to the pump. The best part of this promotion was the last customer of the day, Mayor John Hickenlooper. (See Attachment 119.) The month of June would not be complete without Erico’s participation in the Gay Pride Parade. This annual event showcased our SQREAM Scooter Club. The SQREAM Scooter Club has been very busy in 2007. The rode to the top of Lookout Mountain on New Year’s Day (Brrrrr), as well as riding Naked on their Annual Full Moon Ride. 2007 marks the 3rd Year Anniversary for SQREAM, and they celebrated in style with a party at Hamburger Mary’s. The culmination of this year’s scootering season was SQREAM’s 10 hour ride to Steamboat. Yes, they rode over Trail Ridge! This is a club with lots of heart and Erico is proud to be their sponsor.
As people pulled up to Erico Motorsports on the evening of July 27th, they were greeted with a motorcycle stunt show. They saw graffiti artists beginning to illustrate a mural. The word "Ducati" could be seen, but the final product was still a mystery. Hip hop music poured from the building and when guests stepped inside, they saw The Flobots performing live on stage with hip-hop dancers busting out old school breakdancing moves. There was tension in the air as people waited, some patiently, some not; for the Erico crew to bring out the next Italian Masterpiece from Ducati - the bike that won an award for being the "Best in Show" at EICMA - the Hypermotard. The graffiti mural was taking shape and you could now see the unmistakable outline of the Hypermotard. People were bidding on the piece with the intent to donate the proceeds to Project Pave, a local charity formed to empower youth and to end the cycle of relationship violence. The band started playing The Final Countdown and the Hypermotard emerged from the foggy darkness, amid bass pumping and lights flashing. The crowd was thrilled to hear the motor revving; to finally see, in person, that the bike not only lived up to the hype, but exceeded their expectations. The graffiti piece was complete and the lucky winner had contributed $4,000 to Project Pave. Everyone left excited, and happy to have been witness to Erico's Urban Assault.
The weather in Denver in August was still cooperating, with temperatures in the high 90s, so it was full-steam ahead. We created a promotion with the Denver Regional Transit Authority that encouraged people to take the bus or train at least once a week. The program was called Ride Smart Thursdays. This promotion allowed people who committed to using public transportation an opportunity to win a Vespa. Erico’s signage was inside 88 local buses and trains as well as radio, television and print advertising. It was a great partnership between two companies committed to alternative forms of transportation.
In early September, we opened up our new Ducati showroom, the first of its kind in North America, with a party celebrating "All Things Italian" " Italian food, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and even Italian gelato. The new showroom incorporates vintage Ducatis into our urban décor, surrounding the new Ducati models. Ducati clothing dresses up mannequins and parts displays are also found interspersed with the bikes, creating a unique shopping experience. The Denver Business Journal published an article about the showroom design.
Sometimes at Erico we even surprise ourselves. Never in our wildest dreams could we have imagined winning one of the Mayor’s prestigious design awards. But once again we made history as the first motorcycle dealership to ever be recognized. On October 16, 2007, the Erico gang pulled up on scooters, motorcycles and full leathers to the awards ceremony, we certainly turned every head. But none of us wanted to miss an opportunity to see Erico being recognized by Mayor Hickenlooper. Especially since our Mayor has made his mark nationally as the Mayor who rides a scooter.
There were seven categories, including Reclaimed Splendor " innovative reuse of a building or space, Buildings that Beckon " engaging a distinct relationship to the street, Wicked Little Details " creative use of common building materials, Density by Design " context sensitive infill that advances housing and employment density, Home is Where the Art is " reflecting the style and personality of the owner while reflecting neighborhood fabric, It Ain’t Easy Being Green " following the principals of environmentally sensitive design and Wildcard " any gesture that makes Denver interesting, provocative and memorable.
It couldn’t be more fitting that Erico was recognized in the Wildcard category. As the Mayor said when he announced the awards, "Erico Motorsports is the coolest thing on two wheels! It’s a clever re-use of an industrial space". We like to think that we saw a space that yearned for a second chance, and helped it shine again, like it did when it was first built over 77 years ago. When we look 2855 Walnut with her new display windows, clean brick and new paint, it feels like she is smiling at us and saying thanks for a job well done.
The purpose of the Mayor’s Design Awards is to celebrate design in myriad forms: bold and humble, gritty and polished, contemporary and traditional. We are honored to be in the company of so many other people and businesses that value good design and want to continually improve the landscape of our fine city.
October was also a great month for Erico Master Technician, Ossy Cusolito, to pack his bags and head to Bologna, Italy. It was here, in the land of Ducati, that Ossy received a week’s worth of intense training on the Desmosedici. This bike wasn’t due to arrive at Erico until 2008, but we wanted to be ensure we were ready for it’s debut.
Of course, November wouldn’t be complete without the 4th Annual Ronald McDonald Ride. This year was exceptional as Ronald himself rode in the ride, Mayor Hickenlooper was on hand to give the ride a royal send off and over 200 scooters participated. This event only continues to give more and more to an incredibly worth cause. Erico also got into the publishing business in 2007, with the introduction of the first ever E3 Magazine. (E3=Exciting*Exotic*European). This magazine showed up on the mailboxes of over 10,000 Erico customers and was a welcome relief to those of us dreaming of riding on hot, sunny days. John Beldock also managed yet another trip to Milan, Italy, for the International Motorcycle Show and some time spent with Ducati dealers from around the country. November also saw the birth of The Denver Scooter Club, with their inaugural ride on November 11, 2007. The month did, however; end on a bittersweet note, as the last sale of the season was held at Erico West on November 24, 2007, and then the doors closed forever. This location was taken by RTD to make room for the new West Corridor Lightrail.
2008
The New Year, 2008, began with the Erico Motorsports Summit. This is the time of year when the team plans for next season, including budgets, event planning, new model introduction and of course food and some fun. This year’s Summit ended with bowling and beers at Elitch Lanes, and a toast to the upcoming season. New years bring new beginnings, as Tai Beldock finally hung up her Air Force uniform after twenty years of service to her country and to celebrate she and John jumped on a plane and headed to Hawaii with a group of Piaggio dealers. The trip was to recognize Erico’s efforts as one of their top dealers.
The Beldocks’ plane had barely landed from Hawaii, as they once again packed their bags, heading this time to Indianapolis. Hawaii is definitely warmer, but for Team Erico, Indianapolis was on fire. We couldn’t believe our ears, when Dealer News Magazine announced that Erico was the #1 Dealer in the Country at the Top 100 Awards. There were shouts of joy from our table as we ran to the stage to receive our award. It was a moment that Tai and John had been dreaming of for many years.
They say that March can come in like a Lion, and for Erico, it is truly roaring. First there were hundreds of people on hand to congratulate Randy Randolph on the purchase of his new DR16. Not only did everyone watch the Daytona 200, they also celebrated John Beldock’s 42nd birthday and watched as Randy rode away on the Desmo. The following weekend saw a contingent of scooters riding in the St. Paddy’s Day Parade as well as a Vespa being auctioned off to benefit National Jewish Hospital, compliments of Erico. It’s just the beginning of season, but already the energy is flowing. Next month Denver will be introduced to "Vespa Man" and Erico Customers will see the second edition of the E3 magazine as well as a total redesign of Ericomotorsports.com.
April 2008 was full throttle as Erico started off the season with our first track day at Pueblo Motosports Park. Shortly after that, we invited approximately 400 of our best friends to attend 2008 Fashion Moto. This year’s fashion show was the biggest and the best yet, complete with a guitar solo, a drag queen and lots of bikinis! Erico was also honored once again in April at the 2008 Denver Chamber of Commerce Awards as a finalist for Top Small Business in Denver. It was the first time that a motorcycle dealership had ever been recognized and Team Erico was very loud and proud at the awards luncheon.
The first ever Scooter Scavenger Hunt took place at Erico in May, as eight teams vied for a check for their favorite charity. The team had only 2 hours to find such valuables as a Micheal Jackson Thriller album, a toilet seat, and our favorite--a Farah Fawcett Poster. The winning team gave a $250 check to the Urban Peak compliments of Erico Motorsports. Urban Peak provides assistance to youth that are homeless, runaway or in at-risk situations. All of Erico’s Ducati customers were very excited for the unveiling of the new Ducati 696, so we chose to really show it off in style. Team Erico flew in Genevieve Schmitt, nationally acclaimed female motorcycle journalist, to give a talk on Women and Motorcycling for our Ladies Night. Of course there was plenty of chocolate and wine on hand for the ladies. And for the topper of the evening, the doors opened to the gentlemen at 9:00 p.m. and Genevieve rode in the new 696 for everyone to ohh and ahh over. The final event of the month of May was the Mask Project, a prominent fundraiser in Denver that happens every other year to benefit Denver Hospice. Erico not only gave them a bright new Vespa to auction off, we also created a one-of-a-kind mask that came with the scooter. The package brought over $10,000 to the Denver Hospice project.
June at Erico is always very busy and 2008 was no exception. All the usual suspects occurred such as the Gay Pride parade and the Auto Mezzi. The June Gas Giveaway was especially monumental as gas prices rose over $4.00 a gallon and Erico was right there to relieve some pain at the pump. The beautiful June weather also kicked off the scootering season with the Second Annual Colorado Chaos scooter rally. The theme of this year’s rally was "Fired Up". The proceeds from the Rally benefited the Denver Firefighter’s Association to the tune of $2500. There was hot food, hot rides, and hot Summer nights"the best Chaos Rally yet!
Ah the hot days of July where the temps soared above 100 degrees. Erico once again showed its community support at the Denver Polo Classic. We donated a new Triumph Bonneville to benefit children in need. The Bonneville shared the field with the polo ponies and helped to raise $8500 for the Denver 20-30 Foundation. Right after that event the Beldocks took off for some far less "fancy" territory as they headed up Pikes Peak to watch Davy Durell race the Aprilia SXV550 to victory in the name of Erico Motorsports. After the big win at Pikes Peak, John and Tai took off for Gunnison to attend the EMRAT Rally. This was the first year for the Rally to be held in Gunnison. The pack had a great time, riding in the hills around Gunnison and topped off the weekend with an awards dinner at The Trough. One of the more spectacular rides of the weekend was a quick breakfast trip to Crested Butte.
 The Fall of 2008 took its toll on the Country as we were inundated with campaign ads and the falling stock market. Team Erico, in an effort to always keep a positive attitude, decided to throw a really big party. The Ride/Party was entitled "Scoot the Vote". The event took place on the last night of the Democratic National Convention, which was being held in Denver. The non-partisan ride scootered throughout Denver spreading our message of fun and patriotism, and of course ended up back at Erico for food and drinks. The crowd watched on the big screen as history unveiled itself with Barack Obama’s acceptance speech as the Democratic nominee for President. The party reminded all of us that good friends and good riding can really make a difference!
As August came to a close Erico celebrated the 4th Anniversary of the SQREAM scooter club as well as an end to yet another great riding season. Things were pretty quiet all over the Country for the next few months as we waited in anticipation for Election Day.
September proved to be even hotter than August as Summer lingered and Chad and Angie took off to attend the first ever Moto GP race in Indy as well as the Ducati Dealer conference. The SQREAM scooter club took advantage of the extended Summer and rode to Estes Park for the longs Peak Scottish Highlands Festival. They all looked great in their kilts! And of course the season wouldn’t be complete without the SQREAM "full moon ride" although this year they allowed more "modest" riders to wear PJs. The motorcyclists also made to sure make that last ride of the season all the way to Pueblo to attend the last Erico Track day of the year.
We all awoke on November 5th to the news that Barack Obama was our new President. Although, he doesn’t ride a motorcycle or a scooter (yet), we are hopeful that our Country is moving in a new direction. Keeping with the theme of "change" the Scoot for Toys ride made a big change and rode out to the new Ronald McDonald House in Aurora. This was the 5th year for the ride and was the biggest yet with over 200 scooters in attendance and $4300 donated. The riders also filled an entire room at the Ronald McDonald House with toys and supplies to help make the Holidays a little brighter for the families staying at the house.
 In December the Beldocks took off for a much needed and anticipated trip to Ecuador and the Gallapagos Islands. Upon their return they watched the New Year’s fireworks going off over Denver and hoped that the year would bring change and hope to people who were suffering across our great country. And in true Erico fashion the New Year brought change even quicker than expected. New Year’s day was the annual SQREAM ride up to Lookout Mountain and a week later on Jan 10th, the new member of the Erico familiy arrived, Lucy Beldock. Lucy is a rotweiller and the official "dog" of Erico. She is a pretty big girl but very loving and always has a little something to contribute at staff meetings.
2009
The first official event happened on January 9th when Erico unveiled the new Ducati 1100. The crowd was large and you could tell that everyone was "itching" for Spring to arrive. Planning was also in high gear for the 3rd Annual Colorado Chaos scooter rally, as the committee had their first meeting at the end of January. The theme for the rally was chosen to be GO GREEN, and the committee got busy looking for sponsors and planning the weekend’s events.
In February President Obama announced his economic stimulus package that he signed into law at the Denver Museum of Natural History. One of the components of the package was that if you purchased any new scooter or bike over 49cc in 2009, you could deduct the sales tax from your 09 income tax return. Team Erico got busy letting all our clients know about this great deal. We also made sure that our Scooter folks knew we were thinking about them by creating a "Supersize Your Scooter Clinic". This clinic was designed to let scooter riders know about all the cool stuff they can do to enhance their scooter’s power and performance. Erico also teamed up with the Colorado Lottery and the Stapleton community to do some fun scooter giveaways. All the businesses in Denver were looking for ways to creatively attract customers and using scooters was a perfect tie-in to the Spring season.
Erico Motorsports coined February 2009 as the month of Speed as we hosted  "Danny 4 Walker" for his "Totally out of Control" seminar. This evening was attended by 60 enthusiastic Erico riders who wanted to learn more about ways to improve their riding. This Clinic was designed to give Erico customers a taste of Danny’s American Supercamp. Not only was Danny informative, but also thoroughly entertaining. Danny’s self-deprecating sense of humor kept the audience laughing, yet allowed time for people to experience the excitement that is Americn Supercamp. Danny’s school provides the opportunity learn what a motorcycle feels like when it is out of control"at a slow reasonable speed. He showed videos of body positioning as well as provided techniques that Erico customers could apply to their everyday street riding.
The next "speedy" seminar was for our scooter enthusiasts as Erico sponsored "Supersize your Scooter". Team Erico's Service Department showed our customers all the custom parts available that would allow their scooters to keep up in Denver traffic. In addition to speed, the P&A department unveiled all the newest scooter riding gear and the marketing department gave away fabulous door prizes. After it was over, several Erico customers ran to the Service Department and made appointments to have their scooters "Supersized".
March always comes in like a Lion and this year was no exception when Erico played host to the Daytona 200.  This year's party featured a set-up presentation by our Service Department on the Ducati 1198 and the Triumph 675, two very hot race bikes. Not to be outdone, our P&A department raffled off a new Ducati leather jacket and the rest of our staff entertained the crowd with drinks and food and lots of noise during the race.
May was rather mild in Denver, but the new High Plains Raceway was sizzling hot, as Team Erico took to the new track for the first track day of the season.  Ricky Orlando was on-hand to help with riding tips and John Beldock couldn't have been happier that once again there was a racetrack in Denver. High Plains wasn't the only thing to celebrate in May, there was also the unveiling of the Ducati Streetfighter. The theme for the party was "We're Bringing Sexy Back" and Erico did just that with sexy dancers, sexy music, great cocktails and a crowd that was ready to witness a very sexy new bike. The Streetfighter lived up to expectations and beyond. Erico and Ducati always deliver and this was no exception. The party was attended by over 200 people and the music went on well into the night.
Erico instituted a new campaign in May called "Erico Gives Back". The idea was to help someone who had been affected by the economic recession by giving them a new scooter to help with their transportation needs. We solicited and received hundreds of stories, all of which we carefully read and thoughtfully considered. It was one of the most humbling experiences of our lives.
 Reading these stories have made us laugh, made us cry and made all of us appreciate the little things in our own lives. We chose a winner and surprised him with his new Fly 50 on May 8th complete with a reception at Erico.
 The month of June is always one that requires months of advance planning. The steering committee for the Colorado Chaos scooter rally starts planning when there is snow on the ground and our scooters are safely tucked away. It takes a lot of time and preparation to pull off this amazing event every year. The theme for 2009 was Go Green. This year's Rally raised $2500 which was donated to the Denver Urban Gardens. One of the highlights of the rally was the city ride that went to the several of the urban gardens around the city. On this ride our scooterists learned about composting, planting and how to get involved in urban gardening. Once again, ERICO Motorsports and SQREAM brought together the community to not only have fun, but also created a weekend of camaraderie and great riding.
The dust had barely settled from the Scooter Rally when Erico decided to once again Give Back to the community with a Free movie in Cheesman Park.  We sponsored The World's Fastest Indian on the big screen. In addition to a free movie, Denver was also given a special screening of the new Triumph Thunderbird. There was also volunteers on site from Denver's Road Home. The Erico gang was collecting donations for this important charity. Denver's Road Home is an initiative to assist the homeless population of Denver. Everyone who came to the movie were more than happy to help out this important cause. It was a beautiful starry night in Colorado, as we all watched the movie and ate our picnics. In fact it was all perfect, until three minutes before the movied ended the sprinklers went off in the park! However, John Beldock saved the day and road the Thunderbird on top of the Sprinklers, so we could all finish watching the movie.
 July at Erico has two important traditions, the first of which is the RAT Rally. This year's rally headed back to Gunnison for more beautiful Colorado riding and story swapping amongst old friends. The second tradition is the Pikes Peak Hill Climb. Erico sponsors Davey Durell in this crazy race up the mountain and once again Davey pulled through with another first place win on his Aprilia.
Erico joined forces with Elway's Restaurant in August and became a sponsor of their Wednesday night concert series. Team Erico had alot of fun listening to music and talking about motorcycles. Several Erico customers also rode down to the concert series. It was great to see so many Ducatis lined up and outnumbering the Harleys!
2010
It would be no surprise to anyone that 2010 was the year of change for Erico as our team strategized to beat the recession. Everyone at Erico pitched in and wore several hats in order to keep the dealership profitable and efficient and for their efforts we were able to finish the year strong. Erico Motorsports is poised to enter 2011 with more efficient systems and a stronger-than-ever can-do attitude. Thanks to everyone on the staff for their efforts, ideas and hard work, as we take one last look at the highlights of 2010:
Steve Michelson attended Level 2 Ducati Training, Ossy attended Ducati Level 3 Training, while Chris Irvin attended the Triumph and Rev IT! Clothing Shows. Even though an emphasis was put on training this year, there was also an emphasis put on fun such as the Annual Daytona 200 party at Downtown Denver's Wicked Garden. This event always features a birthday cake for John Beldock as he gracefully enters his forties. March was also the month of our "Get Ready for Spring" Scooter Clinic, that hosted over 60 eager scooterists.
 This year was the first year for Denver to host the Women in Motorcycling event at the Museum of Modern Art. Erico was pleased to participate in welcoming author and avid rider, Suzanne Ferriss. Suzanne's presentation allowed all of us to see the motorcycle's wide reaching influence into history, literature, film, fashion and design. And in keeping with our artsy theme, Erico was also asked to participate in "Doors Open Denver", an event that showcased unique spaces and buildings throughout the city. This event brought many people to Erico for the first time, and also made us finally do some research on our building's history. 1926 was the year that Victor Blanc, a prominent French Chemical Assayer, built the original building at 2855 Walnut Street on the site of the Sunshine Coal Company's coal yard. That original building, built for a whopping $8000, now houses Erico Motorsports' Lifestyle Department. There must have been some precious compounds at work here if the original walk-in vault, still standing strong in the office basement, is any indication. The 6500sf barrel-roof addition containing the current motorcycle showroom was added in 1947 by Larsen Transfer and Storage to provide indoor dock space and was later used (1970s onward) as the production facility for Allyn-Howard Manufacturing to do steel and iron fabrication. Erico's Sales Loft was their machine shop. When John and Tai Beldock purchased the building in 1999, they had the vision to turn the facility into retail/event space. Oh, the parties thrown here! After a thorough power wash of every square inch of brick, steel, and wood, the transformation began. Over the next ten years, Erico Motorsports would help transform Walnut Street and pave the way for others to join in the re-birth of this gem of an urban neighborhood. Erico Motorsports' adjacent Service building was once the site of the Joslin Dry Goods Company warehouse. Joslin's had converted the existing Sleinger & Co. Exchange Livery Stable into their warehouse site in 1902. Behind Erico, on 29th and Blake, stood the "29th Street Primary School" from approx 1870 to 1920; one of Denver's first public schools.
As usual, racing is a prevalent theme at Erico, but this year it played an even bigger role as John Beldock returned to the MRA after a 10 year hiatus on his Aprilia RSV4 Factory. We were all very proud of the Chief's strong finishes and even more excited to have him in such a good mood all the time! Erico also continued its tradition of Track Days at the new High Plains Raceway as well as welcoming Ducati racer, Doug Polen, for an intimate evening of autograph signing and tire kicking. We also appreciated sharing our enthusiasm of the sport with fellow Denver Racers at the newly established Bike Nights at the Walnut Room. Nothing goes together better than race fuel and pizza!
Erico's scooter enthusiasts were ready to rumble this Spring with a series of fun events. It started with a debut at Erico of the Mods and Knockers documentary; a short film about a local all-girl scooter club. Then SQREAM Scooter Club moved right into planning their Annual rally, Colorado Chaos, which raised over $1000 for the Greenway Foundation. And the season finished strong with a scooter ride to Yellowstone National Park, yes it's true they rode to Yellowstone on scooters!
 Erico's party reputation did not disappoint in 2010 as we launched the new Multistrada 1200 in true style, complete with a marching band and a flaming-baton twirler. One of Erico's favorite people, Jerry Pokorny, was on hand this year to regale the crowd with his Tales of Speed from the Bonneville Salt Flats. Jerry's presentation on his racing at the Salt Flats, complete with custom-built race bikes on display, was a real treat for Erico's die-hard race fans.
Denver's winter had a very slow start in 2010. We didn't see snow until December 30th, so the roads were clear for riding almost to the very end of the year. This allowed for Paulo Pirozzi to visit Erico during his round-the-world trip. Paulo and his Ducati "Lydia" stopped by Erico to say hello to our local Ducati riders and we welcomed him in true Erico style. Paulo was shown Denver on a Banjo Billy Bus tour that took him throughout our beautiful city. In addition to Paulo's visit, Erico also hosted, on that same day, our annual "Scoot for Toys" ride. This year's ride was organized by SQREAM Scooter Club, which allowed Tai to take a break from her duties and simply enjoy the event. The roads were clear and the weather was perfect for riding the new route which led us to our old friends at the Ronald McDonald House, where we delivered over $1000 and cash and a truckload of toys.
 2010 was a year of hard work and some of our staff took a much deserved break. Ron ventured all the way to Africa to go on safari and marry Hillary, the love of his life. Justin went to the motherland, Italy, for the very first time and the Beldocks went all over the Mediterranean to such faraway places as Egypt, Turkey, Italy and Greece. And for an ending to a great year, Team Erico gathered together to ice skate (yes, we ice skate) and share a meal and few too many drinks, reminisce about the year and look forward to 2011. We would be remiss if we didn't mention how lucky we all feel to have Viva as our new shop dog. She brings a smile to everyone's face and is always ready with a kiss and wag. Once again, thanks to Team Erico and all our great customers for making the dream possible.
2011
 The years started off with about 350 friends on Facebook and will end with 820. In January with snow on the ground in Denver, John and Ron headed for the Triumph Dealer Conference in sunny Scottsdale. The anticipation was really building for the introduction of the new Tiger 1050. Not to be outdone, Ducati unveiled the Diavel, their introduction to the cruiser market. Erico unveiled the Diavel Devil to our customers with our typical pageantry, complete with the bike being ridden in by the Devil, the Denver Cupcake Truck and a giant indoor seesaw to simulate the ride of your life. This was definitely the party of 2011. This year Erico also welcomed back one of our own, as Matthew Lindelow came back to work as our Service Manager.
Erico continued its tradition of Track Days by hosting two track days at High Plains Raceway; as well as participating as a sponsor in the 2011 Pikes Peak Hill Climb for Ducati National. In conjunction with the Pikes Peak race, Ducati corporate also bought the Ducati Experience Truck to Colorado, where Team Erico helped lead test rides and introduce new riders, and old, to the excitement of Ducati.
 The theme for Colorado Chaos 2011 was wind, and we made sure that everyone was able to ride like the wind. It was a rally to remember a ride to the National Wind Technology Center. There were also awesome prizes for a scavenger hunt to find such objects as a whoopi cushion, an airhorn and even an oxygen mask. Once again, our amazing scooter club, SQREAM, raised over $4000 in donations for National Jewish Hospital.
 The Spring at Erico came early with Sunny days and bike nights, the EMRAT annual ride to Gunnison and our new Moto GP viewing series at the Blake St. Tavern. Team Erico also celebrated the marriage of our lead scooter mechanic, Jason, to his beautiful bride, Becky. The reception was held at Erico and it was a kick ass evening.
 Toward the end of season, John and Ron headed to Miami to the Triumph and Ducati dealer conferences, while Team Erico stayed home to get ready for our annual pumpkin carving contest. The first snow hit Denver on October 26, and John was finally ready with the new Erico four-wheeler. For the first time in Erico history, the boys didnt have to shovel the parking lot!
In keeping with the spirit of ensuring our customers know how to care for their expensive machines, Erico put on an in-house clinic called Motorcycle Maintenance 101. We had over 100 riders in attendance as the Service Team covered the basics of tire pressure and fluid levels as well as how to get the most performance out of your bike.
 The month of November brought us another important anniversary, as Justin Watson turned the 8 year mark at Erico Motorsports. We are really proud to have Justin as a part of our team, his knowledge and customer service is what makes Erico such a great place for our customers.
 Of course November 2011 wouldnt have been complete without the 8th Annual Scoot for Toys ride. This years ride raised $2000 in cash and a fire truck full of toys for the kids at the Ronald McDonald House. There were over 100 riders in attendance and the weather was 60 degrees and sunny. It was a glorious ride, and Ronald was really happy to be riding in a bright red, shiny Fire Engine, courtesy of Rocky Mountain Fire and Rescue. This years lunch sponsor was Ericos new neighbor, Jakes.
The end of 2011 also saw Erico switching to a new dealer management software in order to better meet the needs of our customers. Lizzie promises to make our systems that much more efficient, giving our team more time to focus on customer service.
 In December, Team Erico bade goodbye to 2011 with a holiday party at the Mercury Caf, and toasted to a healthy and happy New Year. In addition the Beldocks departed for their first trip to the Holy Land.
 On a sad note, Erico lost one of our own this year, as we wave the checkered flag for Jim Dillard. Jim was not only a father and friend to everyone at Erico, but also the founder of Vintage Motos Vintage Motos is the motorcycle museum located one block south of Erico on Walnut Street. We will all miss Jim and the excitement and enthusiasm that he brought to our community.
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