BROTHERS AND co-owners of Pioneer Equipment Co. Inc., Parker and Morgan Smith, cruised past the north end of the Winchester square. Their coupe dipped below the Boulevard bridge, and as they whirled into the parking lot at 502 First Ave. E., Morgan twisted the knob on the transistor radio so “The Fab Four” no longer rattled the wire speakers. They had just returned from Kentucky, and something “far out” was about to happen.
Just five years earlier, in 1959, Parker had purchased the Sportsman Center from local businessman A.C. Petty and had been selling sporting goods, boats, and boat engines. His brother joined him in 1962. Whispers swirled through town about the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) creating a lake in the Elk River Valley, so whether a customer was a “cool cat” or a “square,” their business was sure to thrive.
Being deeply rooted within the community and wanting to ensure more variety for their valued customers, the brothers traveled to “The Bluegrass State” in 1964 to set up dealers with the Pioneer chainsaw line. As they shared details of their new chainsaw partnerships, an enthusiastic employee, Joe Patterson, spoke up. “We’re now in the Honda motorcycle business, and I think it’s going to take off.”
It turns out that Patterson signed them up to sell Honda motorcycles while they were out of state. Jeff Smith, the current owner, calls this “a twist of fate.” He said, “Back then, to become a Honda motorcycle dealership, all you had to do was purchase three bikes, a sign, and a few parts. Joe was right about the business taking off. He went on to launch several successful businesses here in Franklin County, but his leap of faith helped spark our journey. Things have been uphill ever since.”
When the TVA condemned their building due to Tims Ford Lake, the dealership moved to the corner of the boulevard and the bypass, where Citizens Bank sits today. The 1970s ushered in an era of hip-huggers, bell-bottoms, and a generation that craved motorcycles.
“Pioneer picked up Spanish-built Bultaco Motorcycles. We developed a flat-track racing team sponsoring guys like Terry Poovey, Mike Kidd, Mike Gerald, and Guy McClure. Parker worked closely with the Bultaco factory and was instrumental in developing their Astro production racing bike. This model sold for several years until Bultaco closed its doors in 1983,” Jeff recalled.
The mid-1980s brought growth, and Pioneer moved to its third location on Decherd Boulevard. “They sold Honda motorcycles, Challenger bass boats, Sylvan pontoon boats, Yamaha outboard motors and jet skis, and Verizon cell phones,” Jeff said.
Someone approached the brothers in 2002, eager to purchase the dealership. Jeff said, “Knowing my passion for the business, they gave me a chance to put together an offer. It wasn’t a simple one-page proposal — I spent months crafting a full business plan, including sales projections and cash flow analyses. In the end, my plan won out. I officially joined the dealership in mid-2003 and purchased 50% from my dad the following year.”
It wasn’t long before Verizon became a stand-alone store, so now Jeff and his uncle owned Pioneer Motorcycles and Pioneer Wireless.
“In 2007, my uncle sold 50% of his business to me,” Jeff said. “In January 2021, Pioneer Motorcycles moved into its fourth building, located at 962 AEDC Rd. We received recognition in 2024 for 60 years of sales and service as a Honda motorcycle dealer. We are currently the oldest Honda dealer in the Southeast.”
Motorcycles have always filled the spaces in Jeff ’s life for as long as he can remember. “Growing up with a dad in the motorcycle business meant I was riding by age 5 on a track my dad made around the yard and through the woods. By the age of 8, we were flat-track racing with others in the community and spent lots of weekends on the road going to races. As I got older, I helped assemble new vehicles for the sales floor and worked in the parts department.”
When Pioneer began selling Honda motorcycles, there were about a dozen models. “The 1970s introduced three-wheelers, the 1980s brought four-wheelers, and by the 2000s, side-by-side vehicles were gaining traction. Each decade seems to usher in a new category — and with that growth, we’ve outgrown several buildings. Many dealerships today are owned by large corporations. We’re still a family-run business built on local relationships and decades of expertise. When you walk into our shop, you’re greeted by familiar faces — neighbors — not out-of-town employees. We treat our customers the way we’d want to be treated ourselves.”
After six decades of exceptional customer service, something amazing now happens. “Every week, someone tells us, ‘I got my first motorcycle from Pioneer.’ We’re now serving third-generation riders. And nothing shows Honda’s product durability better than a customer coming in for parts to fix the dirt bike they rode as a kid so their grandchild can ride it next.” GN
For more information, visit: www. pioneermotorcycles.com or follow their Facebook or Instagram pages at Pioneer Motorcycles.
