Motorcycles and news

Thunder Mountain growing February 15, 2006

Thunder Mountain Custom Cycles is expanding.Todd Erdmann, owner of Thunder Mountain Harley-Davidson and Thunder Mountain Custom Cycles, recently bought the former First Class Direct building and 23/4 acres of land near Interstate 25 and Mulberry in Fort Collins.

Increased demand for the company’s custom motorcycles has forced it to seek a larger space.

Erdmann plans to move the custom bike business from 5836 Wright Drive, at the Loveland-Fort Collins Municipal Airport, to the new location. The company’s new motorcycle set-up operations will be moved to the Wright Drive building.

Anticipating 40 percent growth in the coming year, Thunder Mountain is hiring nearly 40 additional employees — including engineers, quality-control personnel, marketing staff and commercial drivers — to deliver its custom cycles, which cost between $25,000 and $40,000, to dealerships across the country.

A recent job fair for factory assemblers drew 220 applicants.

The company hired 12 new assemblers to work at the new facility. It will hire six additional employees for its 20,000-square-foot Denver store, which opened in August.

Erdmann said he also anticipates 20 percent growth at Thunder Mountain Harley-Davidson, where 32 percent of the store’s motorcycle sales are to women — compared with the national average of 10 percent. The dealership will remain at 4250 Byrd Drive.

Thunder Mountain employs 112 people full time.