Joseph Boguslawski, who has owned Mr. Cycle Parts on Throckmorton Street in Freehold Borough for more than 30 years, is planning to close the business Dec. 31 and embark on a series of new adventures. JEFF GRANIT staff FREEHOLD — It’s leather. It’s chrome. It’s rubber. It’s years of memorabilia. And by Dec. 31, it’s gone.
After 32 years of serving the motorcycle riders of western Monmouth County and beyond, Joseph Boguslawski, the owner of Mr. Cycle Parts, 57 Throckmorton St., Freehold Borough, is closing his doors.
He compared his decision to close the business to the decision made by baseball player Cal Ripken Jr. to end his consecutive game streak at 6,632 games even though he could have gone on.
“I respect him for that decision,” Boguslawski said of Ripken. “He didn’t let it rule his life. He decided to step down.”
The business owner, motorcycle rider, racer and collector has decided it is time for him to be able to pursue all the other activities and work he has been doing all along, but with limitations placed by time constraints.
Boguslawski plans to travel and ride his motorcycle in events across the country and the continent. He also wants to spend more time going on mission rides for his church, Times Square Church in Manhattan, where he has been a member for 12 years.
Members of the church travel to various places, doing community outreach, spreading the word of God and doing charitable works, he said.
Boguslawski started his business while he was a student at Manalapan High School. At the age of 18, he opened the doors to Mr. Cycle Parts on June 1, 1977, with just enough money to cover the rent and a month’s security. The business was at 58 Throckmorton St. in a former hair salon.
Calling himself a “hard worker,” Boguslawski said he earned the money he needed to open the store by working at the Battleground County Club, Manalapan, and by helping his parents on weekends with their catering business.
“I started with four catalogs, posters and my own motorcycle in the window, which was at the time a 1977 Honda CR 125 Motocross Racer,” he said.
Gradually, customers came and that allowed him to add merchandise to the store.
In 1983 Boguslawski purchased the building at 57 Throckmorton St. that had once been the home of Barney’s Army and Navy store. He opened Grand Prix Leather at that location and sold mostly clothing and accessories.
In 1985 Boguslawski moved Mr. Cycle Parts to 57 Throckmorton St. and combined the two businesses. Mr. Cycle Parts has remained at that location ever since.
Boguslawski has been racing motorcycles since he was a youngster.
“I began riding when I was 10 with my friend Steve Olszewski,” he said, adding that the first bike he rode was a Honda 50 mini-trail.
Boguslawski knew at a very young age how he would spend the rest of his life.
He said he began racing motocross when he was 13 and became a professional motorcycle racer at the age of 16, traveling to events in several states.
He believes that his work ethic and the personal service he has offered his customers are the reasons they have kept coming back.
“I wanted to have a business that would treat people the way I wanted to be treated,” he said. “There weren’t people around here who were really serious about the sport or about customer service at the time.”
In addition to running a business he loves, Boguslawski has also amassed an impressive collection of motorcycles over the years. He has whittled his collection down to about 10 motorcycles now. He said he collection includes motorcycles that range from a 1951 Harley-Davidson Pan Head to an 1800 CC Gold Wing Honda Touring Bike that he has ridden to a Daytona, Fla., race and back.
“I have owned so many different bikes over the years from many different manufacturers that my collection looked like the League of Nations,” he said.
Boguslawski counts Freehold
Borough’s native son, rock icon Bruce Springsteen, as a customer.
“He comes in here incognito and we just keep the conversation on motorcycles,” he said with good-natured humor.
Another name familiar to many people is Malcolm Forbes, the late chairman and editor in chief of Forbes magazine, who Boguslawski had the opportunity to ride with on many occasions with the motorcycle club Forbes founded, the Capitalist Tools.
“The only regret I have in 32 years here is not being able to go on a ride in China that Malcolm invited me to,” he said.
That adventure would have taken him away for six months and he was not able to do that.
Now he can.
Rides in South Dakota and in Europe are on his “to do” list. He also intends to pursue his music and said he may try to break into voiceover work in the broadcasting field.
Boguslawski said every day in business was a memorable experience.
“You have to serve people no matter what,” he said. “You may get physically older, but you don’t have to grow older spiritually. Over the 32 years here, I have been totally blessed by being able to fulfill all the desires of my heart.”
He said that perhaps before he closes the business on Dec. 31, “some spirited young entrepreneurial person will come to take over the reins and continue the legacy of Mr. Cycle Parts.”