About Early's Cycle Center

Sheldon Early

Owner & President

In 1938 Sheldon Early was born near Harrisonburg, VA. Also in that year Mr. C.L. Custer started selling Cushman motor scooters from his home. Sales went well until the coming of World War II when all Cushman production was taken by the military. The young boy was fascinated by anything mechanical, especially the Cushmans he saw running up and down the roads.

In 1946, when consumer production of motor scooters resumed, Sheldon's interest continued to build. He was finally able to purchase one in 1952. Starting a lifelong relationship with two wheeled motor scooters and cycles.

During the Cushman era (1946-1954) one of Mr. Custer's employee's was Owen Showalter. Owen became an expert in the repair and speed tuning of the Cushman scooters. Owen took an interest in young Sheldon and taught him the things he knew about the craft.

In 1954, Owen purchased the Cushman business from C.L. Custer. He hired Sheldon at the new "Cushman Motor Sales" .While Sheldon continued to learn the motorcycle business, he wore all three hats at the dealership. Sales, Parts and Service!

1957 saw the customer base changing. A line of full sized motorcycles was needed so the shop took on the British line "BSA". The shop was renamed "Dale Cycle Shop" and it became a hub for motorcycle enthusiast in the area. Sheldon got the "Drag Racing Bug' and he and Owen built several drag bikes. One of those bikes, a 50's BSA, has been restored and sits in the dealership today! The bike ran 110 mph in the 1/4 mile... fast for those days!

Sheldon and his restored '50's BSA Dragbike

In 1961, Sheldon purchased the business from Mr. Showalter and continued running it in addition to holding down a full time job at Shenandoah Manufacturing to make ends meet. His outside job, R&D and Tool and Die Making, continued his education in all things mechanical.

Then next few years went by with... acquiring Ducati in 1965, and another important event in his life... he met and married Kay Green. With her support, he was able to run the shop full time in 1967. Kay worked as a secretary at WLR Foods and supported the family with her salary. In 1967, they built a new store in the village of Dale Enterprise, VA. Japanese motorcycles were starting to get a lot of attention in the states so Sheldon signed on Yamaha. The shop continued to grow and expand, taking on Norton and MotoGuzzi brands. In 1971, Triumph, BSA and Norton were merged into one unified English motorcycle company. Triumph motorcycles were added to the line as the BSA brand name was being discontinued.

During those years, Yamaha grew and became more of a factor in the U.S. motorcycle business. Their sales had outgrown and eclipsed the British bikes and as the gas crisis came on, they continued to grow at a fast pace. 1973 saw another important event. Sheldon broke ground for a bigger, new shop on South High Street at the edge of Harrisonburg, VA.

The move to the new shop was completed in March, 1974. Yamaha sales exploded and in 1975, the shop discontinued the Triumph line, followed by Norton and MotoGuzzi in 1976.

The Yamaha banner is still proudly carried at the South High location today, some fifty four years after Sheldon started his career. Early's Cycle Center is Virginia's only "ProYamaha Dealer" and sells a full line of Yamaha Motorcycles, ATV's, UTV's, Power Washers, Generators, Part & Accessories, and a full Service Department. As of April 2015 we took on a new line of KYMCO in which we carry Scooters, ATV's and UTV's, Parts & Accessories, and a full Service Department.

At Early's Cycle Center we are powersports enthusiasts, and we are excited to help you experience the fun and adventure that a quality KYMCO, Star Motorcycles, SSR Motorsports, Yamaha powersports vehicle, Bennche and Beta vehicle can bring into your life! We are a powersports dealership serving the Harrisonburg area, offering the best in new and pre-owned utility vehicle and other powersports vehicles. Our friendly and knowledgeable sales, financing, service, and parts departments are ready to offer outstanding service at every point, from assisting while you're making your choice to ongoing maintenance and customization. At Early's Cycle Center, we value the opportunity to create a long-term relationship with our customers, and we do that by making sure to exceed your expectations.

Contact Us

Call us at (540) 433-2585 or come by today and experience our superior service and selection! We look forward to serving you!