You could say motoring around is in Greg Robinson’s blood.
Just as Greg is the son of vehicle salesman Bud Robinson, Bud Robinson Motorsports is the offspring of Bud Robinson’s Used Cars and Trucks (now known as Bud Robinson’s Pre-Owned Supercentre), a well-known presence in the Sault’s vehicle dealership scene for many years.
“My dad’s been in the car industry for 50 years in Sault Ste. Marie. He was a Toyota dealer for 25 years, then wanted to take it a bit slower so he opened his used car lot in 1993,” Greg recounted.
Bud Robinson suffered a stroke in 2007.
“I used to be a financial advisor with a bank for many years, then I came in to man the fort while he was recovering. He never did come back to work (nowadays, Bud takes it easy, still enjoying golf), so I ended up purchasing the car business from him in 2008, and then we started growing more and more and expanded into motorsports,” Greg said.
Greg officially launched Bud Robinson Motorsports in 2015.
For Greg, expanding into motorsports sales was a natural step to take.
“I raced motocross bikes most of my life, four wheelers and snowmobiles are my passion, so it’s nice to do your passion for a living. I like driving toys and dealing with people.”
“I like cars because I’ve grown up in the car business, but motorsports is really my passion. Before I owned a motorsports store it’s what I did all the time in my spare time (riding motocross bikes competitively beginning at 18).”
Bud Robinson Motorsports specializes in off road motorcycles, competition motorcycles, street bikes, jet skis, Side by Sides, ATVs and all-related gear.
Greg said he’d “absolutely” like to add snowmobiles to his showroom at some point in the future.
While the business started off as a Kawasaki dealer, other manufacturers such as CFMOTO and Suzuki now sell their products through Greg’s motorsports business.
Hunters, fishers and families love Side by Sides, Greg said.
“A lot of people in outlying communities can drive them down the road. In the outskirts you can ride them or an ATV on the shoulder of the road, I know you can use them on Fifth Line and Sixth Line…in Thessalon you can even go to the grocery store with them.”
Side by Sides were invented by Kawasaki in the 1980s, to be used as a work horse and by the military, Greg explained.
“With a new generation, and with new technology, they’re now a play toy as well as a work machine.”
The vehicles come with mandatory seat belts, helmets must be worn, and, Greg advised “I recommend you wear goggles as well whether you’ve got a windshield or not. A stick or branch can come swapping in and hit you in the eye.”
Another motorized gem Greg has for sale is the world’s fastest production jet ski, the Kawasaki Ultra 310R, which can zip across the water at a speed of at least 107 kilometres per hour (67 miles per hour).
“Every single employee that works at the store rides some form of motorcycle, ATV, Side by Side or snowmobile, so we all know our products.”
Not only are they knowledgeable, but dedicated, Greg said.
“Skip MacKinnon (the store’s general manager) who worked for my Dad, he’s like my second Dad, he still rides a motorcycle…he’s a good guy, you can’t even tell him to take a Saturday off, he still comes in,” Greg chuckled.