See See Motorcycles and Coffee | Portland, OR
We first met Emily George and Tori Drake at Babes in the Dirt. After spending a weekend camping and riding dirt bikes we became fast friends. These two awesome women run See See Motorcycles and Coffee in Portland, Oregon. See See has been a huge supporter of Atwyld since day 1 and we are thrilled to feature their shop and learn more about team See See.
What is your name?
Emily George & Tori George… or I guess Tori Drake now.
What is your position at See See?
I do the buying, and manage the retail & ecommerce side of See See. Tori manages the cafe, and takes on the marketing side of things as well.
How long have motorcycles been a part of your life?
Motorcycles have been a part of our lives for the past 15 years. Our mom was pretty freaked out when we both started riding, because our brother was in a pretty serious accident not long before, but instead of forbidding us to do it, she secretly got her endorsement and a Honda Rebel to overcome her fears. She and our dad take trips every year now on their motorcycles.
What is it about riding that you love so much?
The fact that it feels like a vacation every time I get on a bike.
Is there a type of riding that you have not tried that you are interested in?
I think hillclimbing would be a blast. I’ve only tried little ones, but haven’t worked up the courage to try a real one yet. Soon!
Tell us what kind of bike or bikes you have in the garage currently.
I currently have a DR650, a Harley Sportster, a Honda NSR, and my newest and most favorite addition a KTM Freeride 250.
What are your goals as a motorcyclist?
To pop wheelies, at noon and midnight.
How did See See start? Where did the idea come from?
See See started as a place to hang out that didn’t have the feeling of a dealership or pretentious bike shop. We wanted a place that felt inclusive to everyone that walked through our doors, no matter what type of wheels they came in on.
Who are the founders/team members?
The founders of current day See See are Thor Drake and George Kassapakis, and running the joint are Tori Drake and Emily George.
What made you want to start See See in Portland specifically?
See See was started in Portland, because that’s where our home is, and it made sense to start a motorcycle shop with a cafe in a town that has rain like 75% of the year.
What would you say is See See all about?
Our smiley face logo pretty much sums it up. We’re all about fun and having a good time.
What does the name mean?
See See is a play off a motorcycle’s engine size (cubic centimeters or CC), along with our face logo, where the two CC’s are in the eyes, as you can see.
What do you look for when you bring a brand in to your store?
We like to carry brands that offer something new to the riding world, and that looks hot! We also try to find brands that aren’t super mainstream, something that you wouldn’t find on big motorcycle superstores.
What is the hardest thing about starting and running a business?
Work never stops!!!!! And you’re the last to get paid.
What is the most rewarding part of starting a running a business?
When it becomes successful, its super rewarding to see that all your hard work has paid off. You’re creating something in your community that employes others and hopefully adds some good to this world.
What is your take on the current state of the motorcycle industry as a whole? Any key shifts standing out to you? Anything you are super excited or not excited about?
A lot of breaking away from mainstream in the Motorcycle world, which is exciting because thats a big reason people started riding bikes in the first place.