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[sadunbar]

Who were the others?  spyder

Click Baldwin last year and Rudy Kutter about 10 or so years ago...  Rudy was in Minot, North Dakota - and had been at the San Diego dealer show.  Little old lady went thru a red light...

[weamdog]

Ride in peace brother, thanks for all you have done.

[spydglide]

Yeah, I knew about Click and them.......just wondering if someone else got it this year that I hadn't heard about.  thanks.  spyder

[Zekester]

Obviously a loss to his family and the motorcycle community. Thanks for all your contributions.
Ride In Peace!

Zeke

[hard10]

My father just notified me of this news. A terrible loss for the whole motorcycle community. RIP Bruce.
AJ

[hard10]

"Published by Cyril Huze July 30th, 2009  in Editorial.

brucerossmeyerJuly 30, 09, 3.00 pm EST. It’s with infinite sadness that I inform all of you that Bruce Rossmeyer was killed this morning around 11.15 am, local hour, near Rock Springs, Wyoming while riding his motorcycle with a group of 5 friends. The group was riding from Denver, CO to join this afternoon the yearly Hamster’s ride to Sturgis. Although the details of the accident are still sketchy, his riding friends tell me that Bruce Rossmeyer was the last of the group to pass a RV when this same RV went left in his lane.

Rossmeyer, a long-time Daytona Beach resident, was “retired” from the automobile business when he purchased in January 1994 his first Harley-Davidson dealership in Daytona Beach, Florida. It’s when I met him, his wife and children for the first time. Bruce wanted to do something fun in his retirement and we all know how hugely successful he became in the motorcycle business. Then, he followed with the addition of New Smyrna Harley-Davidson in 1997, Grand Junction Harley-Davidson in 1997, Ft. Lauderdale Harley-Davidson in 1998, Harley-Davidson of Pompano in 2002, and Aspen Valley Harley Davidson in 2002.  When the new Ft. Lauderdale facility opened in December 2001, the existing store turned into the police and fleet sales division.  In October 2005 he opened “Destination Daytona” in Ormond Beach, FL, the world’s largest Harley-Davidson dealership. Destination Daytona also includes an amphitheater, restaurants, bars, and a huge vending area where, like many of friends of the industry, I have displayed my bikes and parts. The total “Destination Daytona” encompasses over 150 acres.  Another South Florida dealership, Sunrise Harley-Davidson was completed by the end of 2006 in Sunrise.  In February 2006, Bruce purchased Southern Thunder Harley-Davidson located in Horn Lake, MS. He also owned 3 Harley-Davidson stores.

More important than the Harley-Davidson empire that he created, Bruce Rossmeyer was always supportive of all those, small or big companies, making a living in this business, with a special affection he had for all Custom Builders. In addition he was an extremely active communitarian and a huge benefactor of a great number of charities

He is survived by his wife Sandy, five children (Mandy, Wendy, Randy, Will & Shelly) all involved in his businesses, and seven grandchildren. My deepest condolences to all his family, associates and friends."

[T MAC]

My Prayers are with His Family.  When I visited his place in Ormond in February everyone I talked to refered to him personally - it shows the kind of man he was.

[BADBAGG]

Bruce will truely be missed. He has made a huge impact on the Daytona Bike events. When the city of Daytona tried to run us off, Bruce stepped up and built Destination Daytona. Thanks Bruce and R.I.P. My prayers go out to his family and friends.

[SBB]

The truck driver, Robert L. VanValkenburg, 73, of Rock Springs, Wy., slowed down and began making a left turn and Rossmeyer tried to pass him when they collided, the highway patrol said. Rossmeyer was not wearing a helmet and VanValkenburg's turn signals and brake lights were working at the time of the crash, the report said

This is strange.
Last year Click Baldwin tried to pass a car that was turning left.
He died also.
So sad.

 

[JoMo]

What a profound loss to his family and the biker community, my prayers go out to his family.

                             
                                                 Jo Mo NYC 

[BillH]

I never agreed with his marketing plan - "list plus an obscene $ - but I admire him as a marketing force.  Everybody knew him as the "Fatman".  I put forth that as much as we mocked him, a lot of us reveled in his success.

I wouldn't want to be him, but I stand in awe in regard to his success in the industry.

My condolences to his family and loved ones

It will be a long time before we see another "Bruce"

Bill

[PR3VS56]

Ride safe guys.  I gotta admit, I'm at the first overnite on my ride to Sturgis (& seeing/meeting some of you in Deadwood) and not riding my safest today.  Splitting lanes & got REAL close (TOO close) to a large van in the process.  I'm excited about the trip, and just not riding my safest.  This is a good reminder to me, and hopefully to all of you too.  People are NOT looking for us.  I passed several people on their cellphones, another with ipod earbuds in her ears.  Ride safe guys...... and so will I!!!

[2UP3DOWN]

Sad news indeed...   I live just a short 30 minutes from Destination Daytona and regualary ride to the Ormond Shop.  What an amazing store and event location. Bruse will be missed very much 'round here.

Prior to Destination Daytona being built folks spend the majority of their time during Bikeweek and Biketoberfest festivities down around main street. Once Destination went on-line with it's surrounding Bike builders, shops, resturant, concert stage in the same complex, the dynamics of the two yearly events took on a whole different shape.

Personally, I spent the majority of my time and $$$ up in Ormond 'round his dealship, Iron horse and Broken Spoke...  Just laid out much more open and lot's more to see and do IMHO.

His vision was amazing and he really left quite a legacy behind...

Our condolences go out to his family and closest friends.  Rest in peace Bruce.

 

[sadunbar]

Ride safe guys.  I gotta admit, I'm at the first overnite on my ride to Sturgis (& seeing/meeting some of you in Deadwood) and not riding my safest today.  Splitting lanes & got REAL close (TOO close) to a large van in the process.  I'm excited about the trip, and just not riding my safest.  This is a good reminder to me, and hopefully to all of you too.  People are NOT looking for us.  I passed several people on their cellphones, another with ipod earbuds in her ears.  Ride safe guys...... and so will I!!!

A very timely post...I am glad you have the stones to say what you did...

I caution all of my friends going to Sturgis, especially those going for the first time, to be careful to not get caught up in the excitement to the point of riding carelessly.  Sturgis is full of every type of rider - from very skilled to barely capable of riding.  Don't trust anyone - look out for number one like you never have before.  Don't assume all those bikes in the canyons coming at you are going to stay on their side of the yellow line...  I have been to Sturgis 15 times.  My 2nd trip I witnessed 8 fatalities in 6 separate accidents.  It was incredible - we almost left and went home early.  We had the horrible misfortune of continually being at the wrong place at the wrong time.   All but one was rider error on someone's part - and mostly the one that caused the accident didn't end up being the one killed.  The one that wasn't rider error was a deer.  The worst one was on the bridge at the dam for Lake Pactola.  Someone looking at scenery crossed the centerline and drove head on into a pack of bikes stopped to turn into the visitor center.  An older couple was killed in a most gory manner...  Something I hope to never see again..

So everyone, have fun, but please ride smart and ride defensively!

[invinci]

I second that, ride very defensively while in Sturgis for all of the reasons listed, as well as DWI riders at night. On my 1st trip there,'98, on my very first night, I was hit from behind while riding out of Spearfish Canyon by a DWI rider (with a BSR) trying to pass my group on the right inside lane while going waaay to fast. I was leading a pack of 6 bikes and the DWI rider couldn't hold the turn through the dark and very twisty road. He hit me in the right side rear, knocking the bike out from under me.. I slid 200 ft (SD state police) into on coming traffic with my bike laying on top of my right leg.. which might have saved me as we (my bike and I) slid instead of tumbled down the road at 50-55 mph.. I actually got out of it pretty f'n good all things considered (glad it chilled out at night and i put my leather on!!!), and lucky there was no on-coming traffic. The DWI guy and his wife were not so lucky, they lived but were in pretty bad shape.. If you can avoid it don't ride at night, IMO. I've been back several times since then, a little hard-headed i guess, but I seldom ride the bike late night.. Other than that it's a blast!!