Team K And G | VTwin Motorcycle Blog

Don’s Bio

Category : Team K and G

Bio-ShotName: Don Kopach

What position do you play on The K and G Team? Director of Media and Marketing – Long story short, everything you see on Facebook, Twitter,Pinterest, or Google+  I am responsible for. Yes, I actually do get paid to “play” on the internet. I am also in charge of maintaining the V-Twin Blog and the Metric Blog, which consists of product reviews and special interest stories,  as well as advice  collumns, industry news, and event news. My hat rack also includes one covering Sales Support Staff.

Where are you from? I was born and raised in La Porte, Indiana, and about 10 yrs ago I headed south to Bloomington, Indiana. South Central Indiana is a great place to ride a motorcycle.

Tell us about your family: Well to begin with I come from a family of 6, 5 older sisters, and NO I was not spoiled. Between Mom and Dads siblings I have 55 first cousins. Mom was a Registered Nurse so playing sick never worked well.  Dad worked in the Steel Mills near Gary. Our house was always the gathering point for all the relatives because it was right between Moms family and Dads, you never knew who would be downstairs when you woke up, having “Coffee and Rolls” as my wonderful Aunt Dragitza would say. After high school I got my first bike, a 76′ Kawasaki KE 175, a buddy owed me $20 and gave that to me instead. My first street bike came 2 yrs later  – a 1986 Kawasaki Vulcan 750. 3 bikes later I have a 2008 Buell Ulysses XB12X, V-twin power(103hp + 86ft lbs tq) with unbelievable handling – an Adventure Touring Bike.  After my move south, I met my wife, married, and we now have a young daughter.

What is your favorite quote/by whom/ and why? “Pain Heals, Chicks Dig Scars, and Glory – Lasts Forever” Shane Falco (Keanu Reeves) “The Replacements”  It speaks the truth, it isn’t really classy or very inspirational. Or “You’re gonna have to bust us all up”  a friend Chicago 1999 before a bar fight. It’s just a classic from the “King of 1 Liners”

What are you most proud of accomplishing so far in your life? Of course getting married and having a beautiful baby is tops, also on my list of accomplishments is founding The Midwest Motorcop Skills Rodeo (5 yrs strong), and having it televised for 2 of the years.

What is your Favorite place in the whole world? One single place is tough to call, how about top 3 – Ireland,  Bolongo Bay Resort St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and definitely wherever my friends and family are.

What is your favorite thing about K and G Cycles?     Being the newest member of The K and G Team, I would have to say so far the amount of products we have available is mind numbing. Working with team members that are on top of their game is a bonus not only for me but for the customers too. K and G Cycles has welcomed me aboard with open arms.

Jodi’s Bio

Category : Team K and G

We love to introduce all the members on the K and G Cycles team! Now that we have completed our move to South Florida, we have begun growing again. We are proud to introduce to you our newest team member, Jodi Lovejoy.

Name: Jodi Lovejoy

What positions do you play on the K and G team? I am a Product Specialist. It is my job to prepare new product information for inclusion in our shopping cart and to get the information, photos, etc. to the correct sub-categories so our customers can easily find what they are looking for. My work entails a ton of Excel spreadsheet time and a ton of time working on the back side of the K and G Cycles shopping cart. I guess you could say I am banished forever to the cyberspace backroom and warehouse!

Where are you from? I am definitely a Florida girl. I was born near Tampa, FL and raised in Melbourne. My dad worked in the aerospace industry and was a member of the team that designed communication system for the Apollo program. That means my dad was partly responsible for getting them where they were supposed to be when they were supposed to be there and making sure they were able to speak to mission control. Pretty cool, I think!

Anyway, I met my husband, Rob, and we moved to Bloomington, IN where we started our family. Our son, Clay, is off to diesel mechanic school so we decided it was time to head back to Florida. My husband is from Ft Myers on one side of the state and I am from Melbourne on the other side. It was George who gave us the idea of “splitting the difference” by moving to Miami. So, here we are right on the tip.

Tell us more about your family. My husband is an amateur bodybuilder and a personal trainer. As I said, our son is at diesel mechanic’s school near Indianapolis. At age 8, he started wrenching on a Yamaha 125.

We have been motorcycle owners on and off for many years. Our first bike was a Yamaha YZ250 that we actually purchased from Team Yamaha. We nicknamed it
“The Beast”. It was definitely a powerful bike. I was afraid to ride it alone and almost fell off in the middle of a wheelie. Today, I am quite happy to enjoy admiring motorcycles more than riding them since the very first motorcycle I ever rode at age 15, I wrecked. The choice was either run it into a pond or run it into a plow. I chose the plow.

Favorite quote: Man plans, God laughs.

What are you most proud of accomplishing so far in your life? I’m very happy to say that I just celebrated my 25th wedding anniversary! Our kid is starting his life on his own and I live in one of the greatest cities in the world. I am exactly where I want to be even though it took a long time to get here. Life is good.

What is your favorite place in the entire world? That’s easy – on a cruise ship anywhere in the Caribbean. So far, my favorite island is St. Maarten, the French side. The Dutch are very accommodating but the French didn’t seem to have a word that translated to “no”. We had an incredibly wonderful time there.


What is your favorite thing about K and G Cycles? Kyle and George are amazing! Such fantastic people to work with and great a vision for the company that just pulls you in and gets you excited. 
You give it your best every day and are rewarded with great teammates and a commitment to a common goal.

Amber and Devani – The K and G Girls Just Wanna Have FUN!

Category : MC News, Sturgis 2011, Team K and G

K and G Cycles packs up “The Girls” for Sturgis!

Category : Fun Stuff, MC News, Team K and G

Although George and Kyle certainly would like to treat “The Girls” to the conditioned-air comfort of the travel bus for their ride up to the Sturgis Rally… they’ll have to settle for being strapped down back in the trailer!

Please don’t misunderstand. They sure love “The Girls” and want them to be treated with care. The safest place for them is tightly secured by the fuzzy cushioned tie-downs and enjoying the roomy space of their custom K and G Cycles double-decker trailer.

Okay, maybe you’ve guessed, “The Girls” we’re talking about here are not the ones who’ll be passing out goodies around camp at The Legendary Buffalo Chip. But this gang of four immaculate 1965 Harley Davidson Panheads will certainly be glad to show you some chrome as they’re sunbathing at the biggest party on the motorycle planet!

On Saturday, July 30th, the hardworking owner of K and G Cycles, George Marakas, spent some quality time preparing these bikes for their big trip. We’ll show you here the level of dedication to antique Panheads and Sturgis that comes from the heart of K and G Cycles.

Several years ago, George and Kyle had the opportunity to acquire a machine that any Harley enthusiast would be thrilled to own! “Gracie” is the birch-white, barn-fresh, completely original 1965 Panhead shown here. She was located out on the world-wide-web and almost immediately upon her arrival home, was entered in an AMCA show. She scored a whopping 99 points, in her first judging; highly unusual marks for a Harley of such vintage.

After this initial success with Gracie, George and Kyle were determined to expand their collection of Pans. “The Girls” now consist of Gracie and her three sisters.

Splendidly restored in blue, red and black, these bikes will all be on display at the K and G Cycles trailer near the Amphitheatre at the Legendary Buffalo Chip. We would love to have our gang of loyal K and G customers and friends come by to check them out. These bikes are all AMCA Winner’s Circle recipients and are a true testament to George and Kyle’s dedication to history and appreciation of the mystique of the Panhead.

If you get a chance to swing by, be sure to ask about the level of detail that goes into the restoration process on these bikes. Each component has significance and interesting anecdotes behind it. George knows them all by heart. When you get a chance to work with a company that supplies your motorcycle parts and accessories, be sure to pick one who cares as much about your parts as they do their own!

We’re so glad to have you joining us here on the blog, or in person at Sturgis! Either way, make sure and take advantage of our significant Sturgis Savings Weeks all during the Rally. We’re passing on deep discounts to all our customers! When K and G  Cycles, and the biggest motorcycle party of the year team up, it’s… kinduvabigdeal!!

Fast New Web Shopping Experience at K and G Cycles!

Category : MC News, Team K and G

K and G Cycles is proudly announcing our newly upgraded motorcycle parts and accessories online superstore! We have recently completed a head-to-toe upgrade aimed at bringing every K and G customer a superior online shopping experience. We value the time and energy you’re putting into scouring the web for the best prices on the best parts for your bike.  Now that you’ve found the great values at www.kandgcycles.com, the shopping experience is easier than ever!

We’ve always been known for low prices and the best selection anywhere. In fact, those things have been the core values from day one at K and G Cycles. In addition, our personal service is unmatched when helping you obtain the exact fit for your exact model of bike. Again, this has been a hallmark of K and G Cycles from the beginning. We believe that among the hundreds of thousands of choices, you should be able to easily find the part that’s perfect for your motorcycle.

Value and service go hand-in-hand at K and G Cycles… but we wanted MORE! MORE POWER that is!

As a company built by riders for riders, we truly understand the Need for Speed! To that end, our online superstore has undergone a ground-up rebuild including a massive engine overhaul. You will notice the difference in page-loading-speed on your very next visit, we promise! Your time is valuable, and no one understands that better than our hardworking crew. We want your shopping experience with us to sound like: Click, Click, Boom!

You will now be able to zoom through the over 200,000 parts on our site, as quick as you can click. Whether you want to find exhaust for your Sportster or tires for your Touring bike, you’ll immediately find the items you’re after. No waiting, no lag, just full throttle website horsepower from start to finish!

Not only have we loaded up www.kandgcycles.com with more top end speed, for super-quick search results; we’ve also added features for user-friendliness too.

For example, we’ve incorporated a Drag and Drop feature that you can use to build your bike one part at a time. Whenever you’re on a page with multiple choices, you can hover over any item and simply click and drag it to your cart on the right side of the page. This way you can easily get through your shopping experience without having to open lots of embedded pages.

Our Magic Zoom feature is coming soon and will allow you to see the details of any photograph on our site. You’ll know exactly what the items looks like, before you it’s arrival. Hey, we know that the look is just as important as the function, so be confident in your style by using our Magic Zoom feature.

Our web shopping experience includes a confidential and secure registering process, but that doesn’t mean it has to be hard! Our easy login with remember feature means that once you’ve visited and ordered, you won’t have to keep entering your login user name and password over and over.  Once and done, we’ll take care of the rest!

We’ve now implemented a killer new Facebook integration platform thatallows you to access our hottest deals and Peelback Savings directly through Facebook. You can easily see and order our current specials, or quick click to our online superstore. We love chatting with you at www.facebook.com/kandgcycles so hit us up there for biker news and information . We’ve got the greatest FB friends on the web, join us and you’ll agree!

The latest new feature of our website is less obvious, but believe us, you’ll like it! Our back-end system has received a robust upgrade that will allow super-fast processing. Our team of customer support agents can now retrieve customer, order and parts information in an instant. When you do need to call us for assistance, you’ll love the speed at which we can handle your important questions.

Whew! That’s a ton of new stuff. Take some time to check out all the speedy new features we’re bringing you at www.kandcycles.com! We work hard to earn your business every time you shop with us. Making that experience as fast and smooth as possible is just our way of saying thanks to you!

You are your own bike builder. Your ride expresses your unique style. So crank the throttle on our new hot-rod website while you pick the perfect parts to create your own custom look. Every time your vision and K and G Cycles come together, it’s … kinduvabigdeal!!

The Great Sturgis Vacation!

Category : Fun Stuff, MC News, Team K and G

$1000.00 CASH! A New Victory to Ride! New Gear for Two! VIP Treatment at the Legendary Buffalo Chip! THIS is the Ultimate way to Rock Sturgis!!

There is so much awesome stuff in this prize package, it took a whole website of it’s own to list it all! Visit the homepage of our giveaway at www.greatsturgisvacation.com

Our hardworking owners, George and Kyle Marakas, want you to have the chance to enjoy Sturgis as much as they do! Our company is growing and your chances to win are a lot better than one in a million, so get your entry in today!

With a package this comprehensive, we got a little help from our friends! K and G Cycles has teamed up with The Legendary Buffalo Chip, Victory Motorcycles, River Road, HJC Helmets & Hot Leathers to put together the best darn biker adventure on the planet!!!

…and the best part is how easy it is to enter!!

Every order of $49.99 or more placed at the K and G Cycles online superstore and completed between now and July 4, 2011 is automatically entered!!  Every order you place gives you another chance to win!!

Just like everything else at K and G Cycles…it’s kinduvabigdeal!!

Forward this page on to all your riding buddies. We’ll keep you informed with our blog, facebook page, twitter and especially www.greatsturgisvacation.com!

Why K and G Cycles??

Category : Team K and G

At K and G Cycles we know you have a choice of vendors, we just want to earn your business! This company was born from the idea that v-twin motorcycle parts should be easy to locate, fit right the first time and be available at the lowest possible cost to our customers. We don’t think that is too much to ask, so that is what we deliver!

So, why K and G Cycles for your vendor of choice?

  • K and G Cycles is an industry innovator in selection, service and support.
  • We believe in building our reputation one sale and one customer at a time.
  • We work hard to bring you the best selection at the best price every single day.

K and G Cycles® has grown phenomenally since its opening in 2007 due to the loyalty of its customers, the hard work of every single K and G employee, and our understanding of what motorcycle parts and accessory shoppers want from their online store.

With customers in over 50 countries worldwide, K and G Cycles is an innovator in both online shopping and customer support. First to offer Skype for customer support, K and G Cycles is constantly employing state-of-the-art technologies intended to make every shopping experience for each customer unique, enjoyable, and efficient.

Our mission is simple: to earn your business every time you shop.
If we work hard enough, there may be plenty of laurels to rest upon, but we never will rest upon them. We think our customers are kinduvabigdeal!!!

“Impressive customer service. I can’t wait to tell all my riding buddies about you, as well.” Rob, FL

Kyle and George Bio

Category : Team K and G

Our hardworking owners George and Kyle Marakas are truly passionate about motorcycles. You’ll find out how true this is the more you become familiar with K and G Cycles. Here is a short background story with excerpts from an interview they did with Bikernet.com

Kyle is a native Kansan. She has an identical twin sister plus another sister and brother. She grew up in Newton, KS where her father was president of a small bank owned by her family. She graduated from University of Kansas in 1982 and went into the children manufacturing business. Now, she and George manage five children from her hard work and one from his. Six kids ranging in age from 35 to 18. Now, let’s not forget to mention the two grandchildren – 2 years and 1 year.

Kyle began working for Topeka-Harley Davidson as manager of motor clothes in the late 1990s and retired to become a domestic goddess when she and George got married. She is a great rider but has become quite comfortable in the cushy seat on the back of our 2007 Screaming Eagle Ultra Classic. After she left Topeka Harley, her identical twin sister took her position as head of motor clothes. It took months for the customers to figure it out. Now, just for fun, Kyle will drop by and spend a few hours helping her sister, Anne. It drives the customers nuts and makes for some great stories.

Kyle’s parents forbid her from riding any motorcycles during her youth except for a stolen moment on a motorcycle with her friend, Charley. Her first ride was at age 38. It was a 1992 Springer Softail with apes. Then on to a 2002 Road King which she dumped looking at Christmas ornaments in someone’s front yard and the guy behind her was so happy that he didn’t run over her head that he gladly helped her pick up the bike. His biggest mistake was telling her that the Road King was too big for her. Out of spite, she rode the bike home, then jumped in her truck and drove to the hospital. Kyle really doesn’t take well to such comments.

George was born in South Chicago and raised everywhere from his birthplace to Southern Ohio. As a young man, he did a stint in the music business working as a sound engineer for major acts such as Edgar Winter Group, Emerson, Lake, and Palmer and Ray Charles.

From there, George got hooked on computers and worked in the banking and real estate area. His highest position in that realm was as CEO for a real estate management company in Miami. He left that world in 1992 to pursue his doctoral degree in Information Systems. Since graduation in 1995, George has been on the faculty at University of Maryland, Indiana University, and University of Kansas where he is currently a Full Professor with tenure.

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George’s first bike was a 1971 Honda 450. He eventually made it into a Honda 750 and from there into a series of used Sportsters. George then went for about 26 years without riding and then got back into a sound mind and starting riding again in 2000. That ride was a 2000 Road King. Today, Kyle and George have (4) 1965 Panheads (3 fully restored and 1 completely original), a 2006 Deluxe (highly customized), a 2007 CVO SE Ultra, a 1995 Gilroy Indian, and a custom in progress that came from Kyle’s 2004 Dyna (it won’t look like it when they are done, however).

In 2006 Kyle and George formed K and G Cycles. By 2007, they became VTwin, MC Advantages, and Mid-USA dealers. One day it dawned on them that, they represented over 70,000 motorcycles parts with those combined product lines. The information systems professor in George took over, and he mapped out a business plan and a web site that is now K and G Cycles.

They never expected the great response that was received from the market, and now George is working two full- time jobs until  he can afford to retire from one. With K and G Cycles in full swing, Kyle and George are immersed in motorcycles morning, noon, and night. They think the K and G customers are kinduvabigdeal and they wouldn’t have it any other way!

Kevin’s Bio

Category : Team K and G

Our team is full of quality team members trained to help you get the parts you need at a price you’ll love.

We’re proud to introduce you to the Operations Manager of Team K and G Cycles, Kevin Plummer. We caught him for a quick minute to find out a few of his details!

Your Name:
Kevin Plummer

What positions do you play on the K and G Team?
Director of Operations

Where are you from?
I was born and raised here Bloomington, Indiana and have in and around this area all of my life.

Tell us a bit about your family.
I have Been married for 24 years, I have 1 daughter, and two granddaughters.

What is your favorite quote, by whom, and why?
“Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?” -  George Carlin

What are you most proud of accomplishing so far in your life?
Being a good person, a good husband to my wife, a good father and role model to my daughter, and granddaughters.

What’s your favorite place in the entire world?
Key Largo, Florida – nice place to relax and be with friends.

What is your favorite thing about K and G Cycles?
That we are on the cutting edge of technology.  Offering our customers great customer service and treating all of our customers how we would want to be treated as customers.

Do you own a motorcycle?
Yes, I have a 2008 FLHTCU that I purchased in the early part of 2012. 

2008 Harley Davidson Ultra Classic

2008 Harley Davidson Ultra Classic


 

 

Tom’s Bio

Category : Team K and G

Do you ever wonder if there is a real human being on the other end of your online parts order? Here at K and G Cycles, you can be sure there is. Most of the time, Tom Vaughan is handling your questions and matching you up with the items you need for your bike.

In between phone calls and all his other duties, he had a chance to answer some questions for us. Here they are!

 

 

Your Name
Tom Vaughan

What positions do you play on the K and G Team?
Customer Support Manager is my title but it goes way beyond that.  I handle the shipping and receiving as order placement with the various vendors.  There is always some IT work that needs done so I get my share of that as well.

Where are you from?
I grew up in West Central Iowa (About 60 miles from Omaha, Nebraska) and moved all over the country until 1991 when I moved to Indiana and stayed.

Tell us a bit about your family.
I grew up in a home in a very small town (we had 26 in my graduating class).  I am the oldest of 4 kids.  My dad was a meat cutter at the Oscar Meyer Plant there for 20 Years and was also the “Best Mechanic Around” He Drove and maintained Super Modified Stock Cars way back before NASCAR was a big deal so I grew up with a wrench in my hand.  I learned mechanics at a very early age and just loved to take things apart.  I had some trouble at first putting them back together but when I finally succeeded my dad was really pretty proud.  I joined the Air Force after High School and decided I wanted to be an Aircraft Mechanic and from there to Aviation Maintenance School and then on to the airlines where I spent 20 years as a mechanic, and finally a Maintenance Manager for the airline I was working for.  My first ride on a motorcycle was when I was about 12, I hopped on my buddies 125 and promptly balled myself up.  Being the person I am I continued to ride and the first bike I owned was an 850 Suzuki, great bike.  I got married and had kids so there went that.  I got a 1200 Gold Wing later on and was hooked.  After a back injury I was sidelined and I sold that when the kids wouldn’t stay off of it and kept knocking it over.  I just couldn’t pick it up myself anymore.  I have since healed and am really itching to get back in the saddle.  As a mechanic I would love to find a “basket case” and build what I want, it just hasn’t happened yet.

What is your favorite quote, by whom, and why?
Have fun while you’re alive, you’ll be dead a long time.  I don’t know who wrote it but it stuck.

What are you most proud of accomplishing so far in your life?
I don’t know.  I raised a family, happy and healthy and we get along.  I guess that’s pretty big.

What’s your favorite place in the entire world?
Haven’t found it yet.  I keep finding better places.  I love wild and rough country so anywhere like that will do.

What is your favorite thing about K and G Cycles?
I think my favorite thing about K and G is that fact that I have been part of it since it was born and have had a hand in every part of it at some time.  It changes and grows and sometimes just makes you madder than hell but that’s part of it too.  I like being able to change and grow along with it.