BUSINESS
The rumble of engines across the Hill Country will mark the grand opening of two new businesses dedicated to keeping motorcycle riders on the road.
Kodlin USA, a motorcycle parts dealer cofounded by Holger Mohr, and Evolution Performance, a motorcycle repair shop owned by Don Robinson, are separate companies that will now operate side by side on Hunter Road, right between San Marcos and New Braunfels city limits, working together to support the local motorcycle community and each other’s businesses.
The companies will be hosting a Grand Opening celebration on March 26, starting at 4 p.m. in the parking lot of their new storefronts on 6420 FM 1102.
The date they chose is strategic because it precedes several big motorcycle events happening in the area: The MotoGP races, The Harley Davidson Bagger World Cup, The Handbuilt Motorcycle Show and Fandango. There will be no shortage of riders in the area in addition to all of the industry experts and brand representatives, which Mohr and Robinson have invited to the Grand Opening. There will be plenty of knowledgeable folks to answer questions and motorcycle wares for one’s shopping pleasure.
For the event, Kodlin USA parts and custombuilt bikes will be on display, as well as a variety of other show bikes, and local and industry vendors will be on site. Robinson will be performing Dyno Pulls on bikes at his shop, which involve test runs on a dynamometer to measure a motorcycle’s power and torque.
“It’s just gonna be a fun day with cool bikes, music, good food, a lot of products, and just a good time,” Mohr said. “You will get to see people, brands and bikes that you normally wouldn’t see at just any other event in the area.”
Robinson added that the event will “definitely stand out from the crowd” and is not just a typical “bike night” but more of a rally.
With decades of riding experience and careers built around motorcycles, the two men are well-positioned to help cultivate and support the local motorcycle community.
Mohr got his first motorcycle at age 16 and began working in the motorcycle industry at age 20 in Germany, where he grew up. He worked for a distributor of motorcycle aftermarket parts and became the President of the company by age 23. He later became the CEO of the parent company in the United States, but he left the corporate world to co-found Kodlin USA in 2020.
Robinson grew up around dirt bikes and ATVs, and his father was an engineer who encouraged mechanical skills. He actually initially disliked motorcycles until his father bought a Boss Hoss, which had a corvette engine; At that point, he was hooked. Robinson became the youngest Boss Hoss technician in the world at 16 years old. He worked at a shop in Miami for ten years, then started his own shop in 2020, which he re-named Evolution Performance in 2021.
Although they operate as separate businesses, the two companies work hand in hand, with Kodlin USA designing and supplying the parts and Evolution Performance installing and tuning those parts.
Kodlin USA designs high-end aftermarket motorcycle parts, blending German engineering with American style, and distributes more than 200 products worldwide through its website and global partners.
“What is great is if somebody does come in here, and they do love our products, and they do want somebody to put them on their bike — That’s when we send them over to Don,” Mohr said.
Evolution Performance is a full-service motorcycle shop specializing in engine builds, dyno tuning and performance upgrades, while also offering repairs, parts, customization and general motorcycle services. If a bike needs parts, Robinson can procure them from Kodlin USA right in his back yard.
“I was installing parts from his company before I ever even spoke to him before on the phone,” Robinson said. “They’ve had innovation on new things that you know were first of their kind, and they continue to be that way.”
Though Robinson said working on Harley Davidson is in his “blood,” he will repair any type of bike at any age and encourages all riders to stop in.
Check out the grand opening of both businesses on March 26, and shop parts at KodlinUSA. com
Pictured is Holger Mohr with one of the custom bikes made using parts from his company Kodlin USA. Daily Record photo by Shannon West
Pictured is Don Robinson, owner of Evolution Performance, a motorcycle repair shop set to open in the area. Daily Record photo by Shannon West
