Our Story
Our Story began four generations ago and long before Ireland’s Motorcycles was established. It is very much a family tale with Son’s following in their fathers footsteps. And still to this day the Ireland boys are happiest with spanners in hand!
Our ROOTS.
Thomas Ireland was a mechanic in the village of Winkleigh in the heart of rural Devon. The average day could see him repairing anything from tractors to stationary engines giving a broad knowledge base. His son and shadow Colin went everywhere with him all times of day and night. It was inevitable that Colin would follow suit and at 14 years of age Colin moved to Braunton, North Devon to continue his apprenticeship as a car technician. Fast forward a few years Colin had not only become a proven mechanic he was married with two children and had worked his way up to become foreman for a multi site garage with workshops, vehicle sales and petrol pumps.
In 1971 Colin and wife Doreen formed Ireland’s Services a car and motorcycle garage repairing a wide variety of machines. From a young age Phil had a passion for motorcycles, with a group of childhood friends many hours were spent riding around Braunton Burrows and surrounding areas on old Bultacos and pretty much anything they could get their hands on. This taught Phil the fundamentals of off road riding and mechanics.
Throughout the 70’s Phil was proving himself riding scrambles and now working with Dad Colin in the workshop. Although Phil has a passion for cars and was good behind the wheel of a mk1 Escort motorcycles have always been his main love.
MORE HISTORY
The 80’s bought much change to this industry and the importation of Japanese machines saw a boom in the motorcycle market. Respectively the Ireland’s saw the small family business grow and now with a number of staff working along side became a main dealer for Kawasaki motors.
90’s/2000’s continued to see further change and growth for the business who at its largest held multiple franchises such as Kawasaki, Yamaha, Royal Enfield, Vespa, Piaggio and the largest selection Used Motorcycles in North Devon.
In 1984 Phil had his second son Tom who has been lucky enough to grow up with and work alongside his father and grandfather in the garage. Tom is now the third generation in the business learning his trade as a technician but currently taking care of the retail side of Ireland’s Motorcycles.
Very sadly Colin passed away in May of 2015 at 74 years old and left a legacy behind him, hundreds of bikers turned out at Colin’s funeral to pay their respects.
Today
Over the last decade Phil and Tom have reprofiled the business to a small but very experienced team just selling quality used motorcycles and supporting our local motorcycle community. We are fortunate enough that the majority of the motorcycles in our showroom have either been sold or maintained here previously. This gives us the confidence to supply you with first class used motorcycles and hope to continue doing so for another 50 years trading!
Meet the Ireland’s
As you can see our boys are lucky to have the skills they have as there was little hope in becoming a boy band…….
Phil Ireland
Who has just turned sixty is happiest when in the workshop head down building engines or working with 70/80’s classics. He has a set of skills only built over time and with experience, the sort of skills that can’t be learn’t reading it in books!
tom Ireland
Learn’t his trade in the workshop following the fathers before him but now runs the vehicle sales. Although he finds great satisfaction in customers enjoying the purchases from him he also loves to be out on the tools getting his hands dirty.
GET IN TOUCH
We hope you have enjoyed looking around our site and reading about the family history. Fingers crossed one of our beautifully prepared bikes has caught your eye or maybe you require one of our workshop services please feel free to get in contact.
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