New motorcycle shop opens in old Zylstra space

A new Elgin-based motorcycle, ATV, snowmobile and personal watercraft dealer has a long road ahead of it, but it's prepared for the ride.

Kane County Motorsports recently opened its new, 17,000-square-foot showroom at 920 S. McLean Blvd., the former location for Zylstra Harley-Davidson, which is now located in St. Charles.

Frank Mininni, general manager for the Elgin location and its sister store, Woodfield Motorsports in Hoffman Estates, said success won't come overnight.

"It's one of those things where it's going to talk some time to build up," Mininni said. "Nobody knows if we exist. It's going to take some time before people recognize that we're a player."

To that end, Mininni and his staff have renamed the month "Bike-tober" and have organized a variety of events, raffles and heavy discounts.

Mininni said street bikes and personal watercraft sales are the bread and butter for the Hoffman Estates location, but it's too soon to tell what Kane County customers will focus on.

One plus, at least on the ATV and snowmobile side, is the more rural surroundings and proximity to Wisconsin.

The Elgin location opened in August. Coast To Coast, the parent company for Kane County Motorsports, bought the locally owned Aero P.A. dealer and changed the name, but its 5,000-square-foot showroom at 1909 Larkin Ave. was too small.

"We bought the business and the assets, but the building it was in wasn't conducive for business in this day and age," Mininni said.

For details, call (847) 742-2453 or visit kanecountymotorsports.com.