Southwest Motorsports is a family owned and operated shop, where the atmosphere is very comfortable, friendly, helpful (not pushy) and more.  Our goal is to get to know our customers on a more personal level.  We sincerely strive to please each and every customer.  We offer nothing less than quality products and service.  Come see the difference between our shop and local dealers.  Our customers are treated right!

Southwest Motorsports owner has different definition of success

by Claudia Koerner - Sept. 13, 2008 07:00 AM

The Arizona Republic

For Dale Hodge, owner of Southwest Motorsports, success isn't becoming a millionaire. It means being able to work only one job and still provide for his family.

Hodge opened his Goodyear store in late May, offering full service and selling parts for dirt and street bikes, all-terrain and utility vehicles, and watercraft.

"We're a lot cheaper than what you would find at a dealer," Hodge said.

With the dealerships as his competition, Hodge said, his store stands out by selling aftermarket parts that let owners personalize their vehicles, and by building a relationship with customers.

"We want them to feel that this is their shop," said Hodge, who trades stories about recent camping and biking trips with customers.

Opening the store has been a dream for Hodge for five years. Although that dream is now a reality, the 38-year-old father of three continues to work construction jobs in the mornings as he grows his business. His goal is to eventually work in the store full time.

"This is my hobby and I've been doing this for so long, it's almost not like work," said Hodge, an Avondale native who grew up riding motorbikes in local riverbeds, and has been working on them since he was 10.

Hodge's family also pitches in at Southwest Motorsports. His wife, Rhonda, handles finances and managing.

"She's the one who keeps everything running," Hodge said.

When his parents, Bob and Mary, found out his plans, they offered to help the only way they could. They parked their RV, took a break from traveling and promised to volunteer for Hodge for a year.

"We told him that if he wanted to try to succeed in business for himself, we'd give him our time," Mary said. "It's good to see your kids do something they enjoy. That's what parents always hope for."

The store is expecting its busy season to start in October, when temperatures come down, making riding and trips to the dune more appealing. So far, Hodge said business is better than he anticipated.

"We're happy with what we've been doing," he said. "Come next month and it'll be nuts."

Hodge has relied on word of mouth. His roots in the area also have helped, he said.

"It's kind of cool opening up a business where you grew up at," said Hodge, who still lives in Avondale. "You know everyone in a small town."

Finding a location was one of the hardest parts about opening the store, he said. After going through three real-estate agents over two years, Hodge found what he was looking for on Van Buren Street, west of Litchfield Road, in Goodyear.

"Certain places would only let me do service and hardly any retail," Hodge said. "It was kind of hard to find a place that would let me do both."

Being off a main road helped one customer find Hodge's business.

Ron Castleberry said he saw Southwest Motorsports a few weeks ago when he was driving by to a different store in the same complex. Since then, he has been back for service on a boat engine, a generator and even a chainsaw. Castleberry said "quality, honesty and price" have made him a repeat customer.

"Trying to get an honest mechanic is pretty tough," Castleberry said.