John Parham, founder and former president of J&P Cycles, picks up the Don J. Brown Lifetime Achievement Award today during ceremonies at the 2012 Dealer Expo and American V-Twin Dealer Show in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Doubtless you know that J&P Cycles is the world’s largest aftermarket motorcycle parts and accessories retailer online, and John will be recognized at a luncheon today for his lifetime of dedication to the motorcycle industry — most recently for his efforts in creating the National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, Iowa, which is also home to J&P’s headquarters. That main location, as well as our satellite location in Ormond Beach, Fla., has both won numerous Top … Continue Reading

A little over a year ago we reported that long time staple of motorcycle journalism Cycle News had decided to close up shop after 40 years of bringing motorcycle news to the masses on a regular basis. Well they didn’t stay away for long and they have returned to reporting on the motorcycle industry and motorcycle racing in a big way. Leaving behind the traditional print publication that they were known for and moving to a digital edition. The new and improved Cycle News is a once a week digital publication that you can not only read on your computer but on your smart phone or tablet.

Each issue covers … Continue Reading

Every once in awhile you get a chance to make a difference in another person’s life. On October 4th we were called by a producer from the hit ABC television show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” and given such a chance.  The weekly television show takes a deserving family and rebuilds their house in a single week.  Last week, the ABC crew found itself in West Union, Iowa (about an hour and half north of J&P Cycles’ World Headquarters in Anamosa, Iowa) to surprise Audrey Gibbs and her six children.

Seven months after her husband died, Audrey had a brain aneurism that affected a quarter of her brain – leaving her legally … Continue Reading

Editor’s Note: Before we formally introduce our September winner — and that would be Mario Delgado of Milwaukee, Wis. — we should tell you that he and all future Readers’ Rides winners get a one-year membership in our J&P Gold Club. And that’s on top of just the incredible honor of the whole thing. So double congrats, Mario!

And for you folks who don’t happen to possess an award-winning bike, no problemo, because you’re still entitled to join the club any time you want. J&P Gold Club winners get up to 10 percent savings on discountable parts each day. They get up to 15 percent off on sales … Continue Reading

No need to call Ripley’s Believe It or Not, because it was a given that J&P Cycles’ 32^nd anniversary celebration and Open House would be an enormous success, drawing more than 25,000 visitors and loyal customers to the small town of Anamosa, Iowa, this past weekend. This two-day event was the largest party we’ve thrown to date, and we couldn’t be any more appreciative to our thousands of friends, fans and customers!

We had folks tell us they drove in from Canada, California, Florida, Washington State — and everywhere else — just to join in the two-wheel wonderfulness that is our open house. It was due to these multitudes … Continue Reading

As a product specialist for J&P Cycles, one of the benefits of the job is that I get the opportunity to talk to many different vendors on a daily basis. Recently I was talking with a vendor who provides us with oil and lubricants, and during the conversation we got a little side-tracked. This guy has been in the oil business for many, many years, so I figured he might know something about oil production.

I told him I saw a recent news report that said the oil spilled from that one well in the Gulf amounted to between 17 and 39 million gallons. That’s from one well! My question … Continue Reading

We’ve been talking about it for months here on the blog and it’s finally here – the 32^nd annual J&P Cycles Open House. Anamosa, Iowa, is the place to be this weekend as more than 20,000 motorcyclists from around the world converge on this small community for one of the biggest biking events in the Midwest.

If you’re in the area, you’ll have the opportunity to see Extreme Obstacle Rider Geoff Aaron, a 10-time AMA Trials Champion with more than 73 career National wins under his belt. The Daytona Harley Davidson Drill Team’s event is one not to be missed, and so is the ILL Conduct … Continue Reading

That time of year is upon us – at least for those of us in the Midwest – time to get our motorcycle gear together and get out on the open road. As motorcyclists, we are aware of the danger that comes along with our hobby and because of our hobby, the chance of an accident taking place is greater. Most of us don’t think about what we would do if they unthinkable happened to us or family members, but we should.

Organ donation is such an important topic and one that I am extremely passionate about. In early August of last year, I received a lung transplant. The unselfish … Continue Reading

The first of three fun-filled summertime motorcycle swap meets for 2011 is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. this coming Sunday, May 22, on the sprawling J&P Cycles world headquarters in Anamosa, Iowa.

J&P Cycles and “motorcycle swap meets” are pretty much synonymous because we have such a rich history with biker events. Our founders — John and Jill Parham — got the business off the ground 32 years ago. In fact, it was simple flyers highlighting motorcycle parts the couple had for sale at their makeshift swap meets that led to the very first J&P catalog. Today, the company is headquartered on a parcel of land the … Continue Reading

Anamosa, Iowa, might be considered small potatoes when it comes to municipalities, but we more than make up for it in style and attitude. While this portion of Eastern Iowa is called Grant Wood Country after the famous artist, Anamosa is more like motorcycle country. The home of J&P Cycles headquarters, people from across the United States and foreign countries make the trip to Anamosa to see where John and Jill Parham’s dream all began. Snuggled in the cornfields, J&P Cycles is 150,000-square-feet of two-wheel splendor.

Adjacent to J&P Cycles is the motorcycle-themed AmericInn Hotel that opened in June of 2009 with 50 guestrooms, including suites offering whirlpools, fireplaces, microwave … Continue Reading