Who is Ron Stratman?
By Dennis Martin
met Ron “RK” Stratman about 10
years ago while attending numerous
motorcycle events. I didn’t know
who he was or what he did for the
motorcycle scene. When you have
a conversation with him, you can tell
he doesn’t consider himself a famous
person. Most people would just see
an ordinary person that blends into a
crowd of other motorcycle enthusiasts.
Flip the collar tag over on that favorite
shirt you bought at a Harley-Davidson
dealership and more than likely you will
find that his name is on your shirt. With
a little research, you can find that he
is the founder of the largest H-D shirt
licensee business in the country. This
interview and article was long overdue
and I’m honored that Ron took the time
to talk with me.
I
At 78, Ron is a proven lifelong
motorcycle enthusiast and has been
riding Harleys since he was 15 years old.
His first motorcycle was a 1948 Harley
Seventy-Four. He changed bikes many
times over the years, but didn’t buy a brand
new bike until his 1977 XLR Sportster.
He got it at Widman Motorcycles for
$1995 and it is still in his garage. Since
then, his motorcycle collection has
grown, but that is for another article…
When Ron was growing up in Overland,
MO his father worked at Glidden Paint
Company on Gratiot Street in St. Louis,
MO and earned his 30 year pin. In the
50’s Ron, lied on a job application with
the City of St. Charles, MO by saying he
was 21 years old and he was only 15.
They hired him and his job was to sweep
the streets with a push broom behind a
water truck. He would hang out at the
City Club Tavern on main street in St.
Charles with his co-workers. That was
where he had his first beer. After that, he
worked at Steak and Shake for a while,
then as a house painter. By the 60’s
he was a painting contractor during the
week and still racing on the weekends. In
1969, Ron had a local print shop make
shirts for him. He sold the shirts out of
the side of his van at racetracks in the pit
areas, when he wasn’t on the track racing
Harley and BSA motorcycles. Once he
10 Thunder Roads Magazine® Colorado
figured out he wasn’t any good at racing,
he decided to focus on the shirt business
and get out of the painting business.
Being a painter he wasn’t able to travel
much and it was time for a change. So he
bought a trailer to sell shirts from at local
tracks like in Jerseyville and Granite City,
Illinois. One of Ron’s favorite things to do
was to see as many roadside tourist traps
as possible. This would allow him to see
the c