They have three track day instructors, an MSF dirt bike school instructor, three MSF street instructors, and most of the other employees either commute on bikes or have been on long distance motorcycle adventures. Most folks who come to work at the company are already motorcycle enthusiasts. “It keeps our people committed to each other and on the same team as we grow,” Stephens says. His “Meat Wednesday” (free employee lunch that’s evolved into a contest of food props and outrageous costumes), party lights in the conference room, and the annual Open House, all bring levity to the serious business of shipping motorcycle parts. While Twisted Throttle is a serious business supporting an efficient warehouse, fast shipping, and a massive catalog, Erik still manages to keep it fun. This spring they’re opening a customer café, completing Stephens’ vision of Twisted Throttle as a motorcycle destination for those traveling the east coast. They now host workshops and guest speakers-actively seeking out useful and fun reasons for customers to come by.
MR TWISTIT MOVIE
There’s a 4,500 square foot store a service center for maintenance, installations and tire changes and areas for outdoor seating, camping and training (with a 12-foot movie screen). There’s a service center across from the prototyping and sewing departments, as well as a photo and video studio. The new layout allows for quicker and more efficient operations, completing the feedback loop from customers to engineering. In 2010 Twisted Throttle purchased a 27,000-square foot building in Exeter, Rhode Island, and adapted it to meet their needs. Twisted, that attitude is the backbone of their 10-year run to an “overnight success.” We figure that if we build that kind of trust, folks will come back and seek our advice again and again.” According to Mr. “We also provide good advice so that they get the gear that’s right for their use and budget the first time. “I try to instill in our staff the idea of wowing our customers-to listen to their feedback, and build gear so that they only have to buy it once,” says Erik. And, they continue to develop more as problem solving opportunities arise. Twisted Throttle bought one, designed their own accessories, and had SW-MOTECH produce them.įrom there Twisted Throttle moved into making their own hard parts, and since 2011 have added Twisted Throttle Hard Parts (mounts and racks), Denali Adventure Electronics (auxiliary lighting), and Dry Spec Luggage (100% waterproof and submersible luggage). For instance, the KLR650 was not sold in Europe, so SW-MOTECH did not make accessories for it. Twisted Throttle also encouraged fitment for bikes the suppliers hadn’t considered. There were many similar compatibility projects. He persuaded companies such as Kaoko™ Cruise Controls and Barkbusters Handguards to tweak their designs so one could, say, use a throttle lock with a full-wrap hand guard. Soon after, V-Strom enthusiasts asked him to organize another group buy… then another and another… a year and a half later he quit his day job to dedicate himself full-time to Twisted Throttle.ĭistributing motorcycle parts was great, but early on Stephens was frustrated that so many cool products from different manufacturers didn’t work together. if he had a large enough order so Stephens organized a group buy. They told him they’d only ship to the U.S. In 2002 Erik was planning a motorcycle camping trip, but at the time the only crash protection and luggage available for his V-Strom 1000 was from European company SW-MOTECH. It’s serious business, but it’s also fun. Yet that’s the way it rolls at Twisted Throttle and with its founder and CEO Erik Stephens.
Or, companies leading the charge on technical support with the industry’s highest marks for resolving issues, along with requiring that all employees have their motorcycle licenses. There also aren’t too many companies whose CEO laughs at himself and the fact that he has (accidentally) set motorcycles on fire on more than one continent. There aren’t too many companies that hang a disco ball in their board room.
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