BMW's Oldest Dealership's Hap Poneliet passed away 8/11/10

[parkec]

"You do ride a motorcycle, don't you?"

Albert C. "Hap" Poneleit, 87, of Sarasota, passed away peacefully Aug. 11, 2010.

Hap's is currently the oldest BMW motorcycle dealership in the United States and one of the oldest Honda dealerships as well.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/heraldtribune/obituary.aspx?n=albert-c-poneleit-hap&pid=144651967&fhid=8480

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20100813/ARTICLE/8131013/2055/NEWS?Title=A-life-devoted-to-selling-cycles-or-riding-them-By-BILLY-COX

Haps BMW originated and is now the lead sponser of the Sun Your Buns Rally held in Venice Fla each November. http://www.floridasunbeemers.com/Rally.html


btw Hap rode his Goldwing trike with his walker attached to work almost everyday up until about a mobnth ago.

"You do ride a motorcycle, don't you?"

 

[parkec]

Just found this video on Hap's website.

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[tkbaker4]

What a wonderful tribute.
I never knew the man but he was obviously well loved.
Condolences to all family and friends

 

[darrylri]

Requiem in pace, Hap.

Not to take away from his achievements, but his shop is not the oldest BMW shop in the US. West Valley Cycle Sales in suburban Los Angeles is the longest running BMW shop. They picked up BMW in 1955. The shop will be celebrating 60 years in business later this year.

 

[naddy100]

I bought my first K-bike from Hap's.

It was a used bike. Long after I purchased it, there was a hiccup in the transaction. A lien hold hadn't been released on it. They took care of it promptly when I let them know.

Noel

 

[lmo1131]

I am standing by the seashore.
A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze
and starts for the blue ocean.
She is an object of beauty and strength,
and I stand and watch
until at last she hangs like a speck of white cloud
just where the sun and sky come down to mingle with each other.

Then someone at my side says, 'There she goes! '
Gone where? Gone from my sight - that is all.

She is just as large in mast and hull and spar
as she was when she left my side
and just as able to bear her load of living freight
to the places of destination.
Her diminished size is in me, not in her.

And just at the moment when someone at my side says,
'There she goes! ' ,
there are other eyes watching her coming,
and other voices ready to take up the glad shout :
'Here she comes!'

A Ship Leaves
Henry (Jackson) Van Dyke - 1852 - 1933

See you soon Hap...

 

[motodan]

Requiem in pace, Hap.

Not to take away from his achievements, but his shop is not the oldest BMW shop in the US. West Valley Cycle Sales in suburban Los Angeles is the longest running BMW shop. They picked up BMW in 1955. The shop will be celebrating 60 years in business later this year.

May be they left out, "oldest, east of L.A.".

Just couldn't let him have that last little bit of one-ups-man-ship...so goes it.

 

[1aretea]

I bought a GS and later a RT, when every there was a problem, Hap always made it rite. Most of the times Hap would come up to you and say thank you for coming in or is every thing OK ? For a while I was thinking who does this and why? Ah, the owner who really cares about customer. Just like Andy (senoir) of Andersons Sales and Service located in Pontiac MI.

 

[tinytrains]

Requiem in pace, Hap.

Not to take away from his achievements, but his shop is not the oldest BMW shop in the US. West Valley Cycle Sales in suburban Los Angeles is the longest running BMW shop. They picked up BMW in 1955. The shop will be celebrating 60 years in business later this year.

Yep. There is even a book being written about them. Still owned and staffed by the same family.

Condolences to the people at Hap's. They are a piece of BWM history too.

Scott

 

[dwestly]

As late as a few months ago, Hap was still spending time at his shop. It was a moving sight, to go into the dealership and see Hap with his walker, still moving around the floor. He will be missed...