Indian Motorcycle, an iconic American brand founded more than a century ago, is roaring into Colorado Springs.
Pikes Peak Indian Motorcycle, a full-service, family owned dealership that will sell and service new Indian bikes, is moving into the former Zio’s Italian Kitchen restaurant building at 6650 Corporate Drive, southwest of Interstate 25 and Woodmen Road on the northwest side.
The dealership — which also will market helmets, T-shirts and leather jackets, sell used motorcycles from trade-ins and service other makes — expects to open in late August, although its grand opening is targeted for Labor Day, said co-owner Lorenzo Ceballos. A retired, 30-year mining executive who helped develop gold and silver mines around the world, Ceballos now works as an industry consultant.
He and his wife, Veda, and son, Tito, will own the dealership; Tito will serve as general manager, while a daughter, Rochelle, also will work for the business.
The Ceballoses are motorcycle enthusiasts, Lorenzo Ceballos said. He and his wife ride 15,000 to 20,000 miles a year on their bikes, Ceballos said. Their son, meanwhile, attended the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute in Arizona, became a certified motorcycle technician and has worked in management at motorcycle dealerships.
“I’ve just always loved motorcycles,” Ceballos said. “We would rather jump on a motorcycle and ride cross country than jump on a plane. You can see the countryside. We’re definitely not city riders. As soon as we can get out in the country and ride the back roads and enjoy the freshness of the colors, whatever the state has to offer, it’s just neat.”
Ceballos, who’s originally from Basalt, said he researched Colorado Springs as a landing spot for a dealership. The area’s population of more than 700,000 people, solid household incomes and presence of several military installations all were appealing for motorcycle sales, he said.
The former Zio’s building, meanwhile, has strong visibility from Interstate 25, said John Schinkel, a broker with Re/Max Real Estate Group in Colorado Springs who worked with Ceballos on leasing the property.
In addition to sales and service, Ceballos said he hopes to turn the dealership into a gathering spot for riders and other people who might want to stop by; the dealership will include a cellphone charging station, coffee and other amenities. There’s at least one Indian Motorcycle riding group in southern Colorado, according to Facebook posts.
When he looked to bring a bike dealership to town, Ceballos said there already was a Harley-Davidson outlet — arguably the nation’s best known motorcycle name — about a mile to the south on Nevada Avenue. As a result, he turned to Indian, which he believes is “building a rock-solid motorcycle.”
