The Story

     A kid’s dream of being a mechanic and having his own shop became a reality in November of 2015 when Frank “Kiko” Salazar opened the doors to Salazar’s Cycle Shop in Westmorland, CA.

     As a kid, Kiko learned to turn wrenches watching his dad work on bikes. This was in the 80s when the ONLY bikes on the road were death trap contraptions, with crazy stretched and raked frames, open chain or belt primaries, hand shifting, foot clutch machines, years before the luxurious push button bikes flooded the scene. A time when you had to know how to work on your own bike or your ass would stay stranded on the side of the road if something went wrong, an era of real bikers. The Salazar home was the hangout spot for local bikers. It didn’t take long before Kiko knew he wanted to ride.

 Frank's dad Saul on his 1967 Shovelhead

 Saul and Sally on their way to Laughlin on their 1979 Shovel Head.  Saul and Joe giving the shovel a new paint job.

    In 2000, at the age of 18, Kiko bought his first bike, a 1980 Harley Davidson Shovel Head. Kiko immediately began to customize it and after some extensive modifications, “Krazy Horse” was born.  

 Krazy Horse in 2005

 Krazy Horse in 2008 at Hawg Wild in Imperial. Photo by: Tom DeRoiser

 Photo by: Tom DeRosier

 Photo by: Ricardo Avila

     Kiko enrolled in the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute of Phoenix in 2004 to become a certified Harley Davidson Mechanic. His first job as a certified HD Mechanic was at a Harley Davidson dealership in Arizona, where he worked for a few years before returning to the Imperial Valley. After years of contemplating the idea of having his own shop Kiko finally decided to go for it and began the paperwork to open Salazar’s Cycle Shop. 

      It took months of searching for a building and trying to find ways through the roadblocks set up by the City of Brawley AND Imperial before Frank realized it just wasn’t going to work. It seemed as if these local Cities didn’t want new businesses, much less a motorcycle repair shop. Fortunately for Frank, Westmorland rolled out the red carpet and graciously accepted his business. He found the perfect location, right on the Main drag in the Gateway City of Westmorland where travelers passing through could see the sign and stop by for repairs, parts, a shirt, or even just to say hi and check out the shop. With the help of friends and family the building was renovated, banners were hung and the new Home of the Angry Roaches was open for business...