John and Jill Parham

John Parham was bitten by the motorcycle bug at an early age. At the age of 16, he ran away from home for two days to get his parents to let him buy a 650 BSA. After buying it, he turned it into a chopper. He dreamed of owning his own motorcycle shop.

At a young age, he found a life-long partner in Jill who grew up just a few miles away in a nearby town. From the moment they met in January 1971, they rarely spent a moment apart. They married in September of 1973. Jill loved motorcycles, as well and wanted to see John follow his dream.

The journey began in 1975 when John partnered with his former high school science teacher to start D&J Cycles in Anamosa. During this time, John attended his first swap meet in Des Moines and made $300 for the day selling parts. In 1979 John and partner Don, parted ways, so John created J&P Cycles to focus on Harley-Davidson® parts.

Despite a few set backs, J&P Cycles got off the ground, and Jill once again supported John 100 percent when, in 1982 John was laid off due to economic reasons. She knew he could make J&P work if he could do so full-time. So, she took on the role as the sole source of steady income. That is until 1992 when she left her job in Cedar Rapids to officially take over as J&P Cycles Vice President. Jill has been a huge part in the success of J&P Cycles and she and John truly complement each other. While John has always been the one to look to the future and see new trends in the market and make the cash register ring, Jill is the one who keeps it all together, overseeing Human Resources, Accounting and the day-to- day operations of the business. She has supported John – 100% - every step of the way.

From the beginning, the No. 1 goal has been providing the best customer service in the industry. Despite continually changing times, John and Jill Parham have rolled with the punches and today, J&P Cycles is the No. 1 retailer of aftermarket parts and accessories for Harley-Davidson®, V-Twin Metric Cruiser, Gold Wing and Sport Bike motorcycles.

Today the tradition 100% satisfaction continues and J&P Cycles goes the extra mile to ensure that to their customers. In addition to customer service representatives, J&P Cycles employs trained motorcycle technicians who are available to answer any question – from replacing the tinniest bulb to assisting with a complete motorcycle build.

And, J&P Cycles is still reminiscent to our humble beginnings. We still produce a number of print catalogs for our customers, and have a great website displaying event more products and accessories in addition to information about motorcycle-related events. We also reach out to customers via social networks, including Facebook, Twitter and You Tube.

John and Jill are strong supporters of Camp Courageous of Iowa, a year-round respite care and recreational facility for individuals of all ages with disabilities. John also has a passion for antique motorcycles. As the President of the Board of Directors for the National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, he oversaw the move of the facility in the summer of 2010 to a 36,000 square foot facility that now displays more than 300 antique motorcycles from around the world.

Since a lung transplant in August of 2010, John has added advocate for organ donation to his list of passions. Through his networking with J&P Cycles and the National Motorcycle Museum, John is getting the word out via the web, video and brochure.

« View All Members of the Leadership Team