Since 1974

/map-and-hours-for-our-dealership--hours The story goes that George Vetesnik Sr. was the parts and service manager at Bill Still Buick in Illinois for many years and had the dream of owning his own Buick store. He and his wife Elaine decided it was time to make the leap. With help of General Motors they chose Bristol Motors here in Richland Center. Bristol’s, primarily an auto dealership, also sold Honda Motorcycles. Being a family business, their oldest son George Jr. was eager to play his part. George Jr.’s passion for Honda and Power Sports and his natural ability in sales made him the natural choice Sales Manager of the Power Sports division. 

Power Sports popularity in the 1970s is far different than the crazy demand of today. There were few Honda Dealerships in Wisconsin, this location was one of the first in the state. Being a pioneer in creative marketing, George Sr. was quickly taking the dealership to places he never thought. The Power Sports division had grown to a size that the family had never imagined. George Sr.’s marketing prowess made their little dealership in Richland Center the destination for Honda Cycles in the Tri-State area. In six short years, the Vetesniks were selling so many Hondas they were forced to expand. By a stroke of luck, they were able to purchase the property directly across the street. 

Staring down barrel of fierce competition George Jr. knew that the key to biggest is being the best.  Jr. soon stifled out the competition one at a time, soon gaining the title of “Wisconsin’s Largest Volume Honda Dealer.” George Sr’s extensive experience in service was a crucial part of Vetesnik’s success. At that time, Honda dealers didn’t have service departments. They saw the opportunity and seized it. By the early 80s, they were selling thousands of Hondas a year. The Vetesnik’s youngest, Gregg grew up in the store, paying relentless attention to the example his father set for him of customer service. 

Gregg joined the family business as Service Manager in the 80s. Gregg took what was already a renowned Service Department and made it even better. Customers were not only coming from hundreds of miles to buy a new bike, they travelled hundreds of miles to service as well. 

Having grown so big, with the addition of more brands and larger inventory, they needed even more space. It was time for the power sports division to leave the shadows of the Buick dealership. And what better way than with a new name and a new location. 

In 1999, Vetesnik Power Sports was born, along with a state-of-the-art new facility. Having learned the lessons of a small dealership located in the middle of town, the decision was made to build a bigger dealership just outside of Richland Center. Space was no longer an issue—allowing off-road test drives, for both customers and our technicians. The Vetesnik passion didn’t end at Power Sports, the family wanted to share their love for boats as well. 

The family had the vision of Power Sports and Marine under one roof, a trend that has taken off rapidly. The facility has undergone massive remodels and expansion over the years, cementing itself as one of the most leading edge facilities in the industry. Sadly, George Sr. and Elaine have since passed. Carrying the family torch, Gregg’s son Garrett joined the family business in 2013. Like his father, Garrett spent his childhood working in the dealership learning the example set by his Grandpa, Father, and Uncle. 

In 2018 George retired from Vetesnik Power Sports of Richland Center. Vetesnik Power Sports is now owned and operated to this day by Gregg and Garrett Vetesnik.  Currently, we sell many of the greatest brands in the world–Honda, Yamaha, Polaris, Can-Am, Ski-Doo, Sea-Doo, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Tracker, Sun Tracker, Regency, Ranger, Nitro, Tahoe, Mako and others. 

Our enduring commitment to exceptional customer service and prioritizing our service department has been and will always be a fundamental aspect to our store’s culture. 

2024 marks 50 years since George Sr. and Elaine took the leap of faith. The Vetesnik Family and Employees are proud to continue the tradition of devoted customer service for another 50 years. 

Come experience the difference.

Vetesnik Power Sports "It's what we do"