About Us

A close-up of a red dirt-bike.

Petersen Motors offers the newest Honda models. Our location is complete with service, parts, and sales departments. We will help you maintain your generator, lawnmower, motorcycle, pumps, snowblower, tillage or trimmer so that it runs for years. If it is having problems, we can diagnose and repair it! Schedule your service appointment today.

Petersen Motors, Inc., was started by our Father, Russell C. Petersen, in 1953 as a Studebaker and Packard dealership. Our original location was on West Pleasant Drive in Pierre. Dad always had a love of motorcycles and had many brands in the early days as a sideline - BSA and Triumph to name a few. He became one of the nation's early Honda motorcycles dealers in the early 1960s, but again, motorcycles were just for fun. Over the years the dealership sold Ramblers (American Motors), Dodge, Plymouth, and Toyota. In 1980 Dad sold the Toyota franchise to Harding Motors (now Gateway Motors) and concentrated on motorcycles and used cars. Probably the best long-term franchise he picked up over the years was Harley-Davidson® in 1979, although it was far from obvious at the time. That first year we received three (3) new Harley® bikes to sell - a silver Low Rider®, a tan Electra Glide®, and black Sportster®.

Things have come a long way. Mom and Dad retired in 1995, turning the business over to two of their sons, Russ Dulany and Ross Petersen. We remodeled and got out of the car business altogether.

A close-up of Petersen Honda's storefront with motorcycles lined up along the sidewalk.

Our dealership on a beautiful spring day.

A vintage image of owers Russell and Grace Petersent standing in front of the dealership.

Dad (Russell "Pete" Petersen) and Mom (Grace Petersen) out front of the dealership in late 1973 or early 1974.

Marty Fischer, American Honda Motor Company dealer representative presents Petersen Motors 50-year as a dealer plaque to Ross Petersen and Russ Dulany.

May 24, 2012. Marty Fischer (center), American Honda Motor Company dealer representative presents Petersen Motors 50-year as a dealer plaque to Ross Petersen (left) and Russ Dulany (right), second-generation dealership.

Petersen Motors is conveniently located near the areas of Philip, Selby, Gettysburg, Highmore, and Presho.