Since 2002
>> In the beginning...
COMPANY - History
The Service Pavilion first started out late summer of 2001
as the Arai Helmets Service Pavilion.  The idea was brought
to life by Robert through many experiences working with
Arai helmet owners, racers and potential customers.  

The first time the pavilion was unveiled was at the 2001
AMA Superbike race in Alton, VA at the Virginia International
Raceway.  The reception was tremendous!  The fans and  
consumers of Arai products were in amazement.  It was a
very successful weekend for everyone.  Specialty fitting,
technical services, warranties addressed, questions
answered, very rare Arai apparel for sale, and even some
surprise autograph sessions from Eric Bostrom,  Tommy,
Nicky, Roger Hayden, Jake Zemke, just to name a few.

Well with that huge success, the decision back at Arai HQ
was to continue this service on the road over the winter at
the Cycle World International M/C Shows all of the USA.  
And the momentum just continued to build.  By the end of
February 2002 the decision to take it on the road to the
AMA Superbike Series was made.  And more success in
many ways no one had expected.

BY the end of the 2002 racing season Robert had some job
offers to move elsewhere in the industry.  But he also had
shown signs of wanting to go independent and possibly
carry on the “pavilion torch” on his own.  And the decision
was made.  The Service Pavilion” was made its own entity
from Arai Helmets.  

Everyone at Arai was in full support of the move.  It was the
best for everyone in every possible scenario.  So on
October 1st, 2002 THE SERVICE PAVILION was born!
I had spent 99% of the 1990’s working on and racing motorcycles.  Trying to build
my own professional career in racing with the support and help of my family and
close group of friends in the motorcycling community.  I had many successes and
gains.  I had some set-backs and losses.  But would do it exactly the same way I
think again. There is nothing I can regret or question that I can think of.  

Well I guess we’ll start this off by taking you back to Fall of 2000.  I was in Portland
Oregon riding a brand new bike on a then called “SuperTracker” race bike built
by Richard Pollock from Poway, CA of MULE Motorcycle. (I will try and find some
pictures of that amazing bike and post them here in the future)  I was having a
really good day on the track.  The new bike was working really well, the lap times
were fast!  But late in the one practice session I was involved in a horrific crash
from what I was told.  I do not recall a lot of that situation.  

(I was also wearing a helmet cam for Trident Films that day.  I have some of that
footage in my possession, and I will try to possibly share that with you all in time
as well here on the website.)

But I was injured.  From that weekend all 6 of the riders survived the crash but 3
of us never made a return to professional dirt track racing.  Me included.  I spent
the next 12 months in therapy and rehabilitation.

Now we are in February 2001 A.D.  I was just about to take job that I was offered at
Howell’s Harley Davidson in New Kingstown, PA.  Jim and Gwen Howell had been
a big part of my professional racing career through the 90’s and are like family to
me to this very day.  When a phone call from Brian Weston (Director) of Arai
Helmets Americas was received.  All said and done, I went to work for Arai.  So
over the next year and half I was led over a very steep learning curve
experiencing the many facets of what goes on within a company such as Arai.  I
was brought in as a technical and racing service representative.  What I learned
and experienced was amazing.  Learning from Brian with his almost 20 years of
working around Arai helmets with his father Roger Weston and Bruce Porter was
priceless.  And also his continuous developments with Arai Helmet Japan in the
product and consumer support was something I could never learn any other way,
then getting to watch and listen to Brian.  Looking back on that all was a truly
awesome experience!
>> Sidenotes from Robert...