50 years and counting for Moncton motorcycle mechanic: 'He means a lot'

For 50 years, Brian Stuart has been coming to work to do what he loves.

The master mechanic for Harley-Davidson of Moncton started assembling and repairing motorcycles back in 1974.

Stuart has been with the same family-owned company ever since and he's their longest-tenured employee.

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“I enjoy the people. I enjoy the bikes. I enjoy the people I work with,” said Stuart.

The 72-year-old does a lot of electrical work, tune-ups and general repairs on Harley Davidsons at the shop on Main Street.

Now semi-retired, he has slowed down a bit and does get assistance from the other mechanics who are decades younger than him.

“They're like brothers. They'll help you out anytime. I help them out. I kind of get them to do the heavy work now and moving bikes around and stuff. They don't mind doing it,” said Stuart.

Sales associate Blaine Mollins has worked with Stuart for 24 years.

“Brian is the company,” laughed Mollins. “He means a lot, that's for sure. He's very well respected through the community, especially the biker community. They all rave about him.

Mollins said Stuart has an eye for tuning.

“That's what he's known for. He's just a problem solver. He's a smart guy,” said Mollins.

It all started on the Salisbury Road in the 1970s at Toys for Big Boys, where Stuart worked the better part of 49 years for the Northrup family.

He moved to Harley-Davidson when that location opened a little over a year ago.

Toys for Big Boys and Harley-Davidson of Moncton owner Larry Northrup has known Stuart and his twin brother Bill all his life.

He said Stuart's longevity and dedication mean everything to him.

“Having people, the loyalty, is huge. And having a lot of long-term employees here has been something we pride ourselves on. Just because it's so nice to have those faces when somebody walks through the door,” said Northrup. “You're only as good as your people.”

Northrup said Stuart’s knowledge of motorcycles amazes him.

“The diversity that he's learned over the years and what's he learned from the different product lines has been amazing. Everyone here and every technician has learned something from Brian,” said Northrup.

Riding has been a lifelong passion for Stuart.

He used to attend bike meets in the United States and competed locally.

“I actually ice raced on Jones Lake for a few years. Crashed and stuff, but I'm still here,” said Stuart. “It's kind of a sickness. It gets to you after a while and you can't stop it. I still enjoy it. I don't ride as much as I used to because I have arthritis. It’s kind of hard on the old body.”

He's down to four days a week, he doesn’t work during winter, but he isn't ready for full-time retirement just yet.

“I've enjoyed it. I still enjoy it and I'm still grateful that I can do it,” said Stuart.

And so are his fellow employees and customers.

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