While Richie Short has worked in the motorcycle business before, working as a service manager in that field was a new experience for him. Short grew up in Homewood, Illinois and worked in his home state until he accepted his current job as Service Manager at Honda of Michigan City, which he has now had for two and a half years.
“I’ve been in the after-market motorcycle business for about 10 years before I came here,” Short said. “Our General Manager, Katfish, asked if I wanted to come into this part of the motorcycle world with him. I thought it seemed like a good opportunity, so I decided I would come out here and jump into this world, and see how this end of the motorcycle business works.”
Moving to the service and management side of the motorcycle business was a shift for Short. He took on the challenge with a positive attitude, recalling how he felt when he was taught the tech side of motorcycles.
“Part of me feels crazy because I’ve got someone that is my son’s age teaching me stuff,” he said. “Everyone says I have a good grasp of things. I learn something every day and keep moving forward with it.”
Despite the challenges that come with learning how to function in a new position at a new location, Short said that he enjoys his job immensely.
“I get to meet a lot of interesting people, and I’m learning a whole lot about the motorcycle world,” Short said. “It’s been a really good educational experience. I’ve been learning a lot about the mechanical side of things and how to manage the service department.”
In the past two and a half years, Short has gotten to see the positive impact Honda has on Michigan City and the surrounding communities.
“We’ve got a lot of farmers who bring us their quads and things like that. We try to take care of our customers as best we can. We’re here to serve the community,” he said.
Short’s passion for his job extends beyond the education, responsibilities, and opportunities involved in the position. While he finds his duties gratifying, the work environment established by his fellow employees and the bond he feels are his favorite aspects of Honda of Michigan City.
“I’ve got a really good crew of people here behind me,” Short said. “We’re one big, dysfunctional family here. As close as we’ve all gotten, you’ve got to have that right click with your crew. We’ve always got each other’s backs if we need it.”
Working as Service Manager was not Short’s only “first” when he made the move to Michigan City. Short also bought his first motorcycle, a Rebel 250, which he chose because it is small, manageable, and not too expensive.
“You know, it’s just a little scoot-back-and-forth to work,” Short said.
In his spare time, Short enjoys walking on trails with his wife, playing video games, and going out for rides in the countryside.
