DIY motorcycle shop. good deal? | GTAMotorcycle.com

DIY motorcycle shop. good deal?

Skyway6

Skyway6

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So there is a motorcycle shop here that is a DIY / education shop. Looks interesting. Would love to learn how to do the more complicated items like valve clearance checks.

"The Vancouver Motorcycle Collective is a shared garage space for two-wheel enthusiasts to become educated and work on their own vehicles in a safe and friendly environment. The shop is fully equipped with tools, lifts and anything you could need for general maintenance and repairs. Our main focus is education and training. All annual and semi-annual memberships include an online Motorcycle Technician Training Program, VIN Decoder, and access to thousands of service repair manuals. See the education page for a full description of course curriculum."

They having a membership sale now. Thinking about the yearly membership or 6 month. ($699/$399). Bonus is they are only a few blocks from home.

https://vanmotocoop.ca/
 
MotoMech said:
eh.... just get a cert mechanic to do the work. support your local shop man
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what a strange comment. There are several threads on this board about dealers over charging and that folks should do the small stuff themselves.
Seeing how the VMC is also a full service shop and is a few blocks from home i would be supporting a local shop.

I have a Yamaha Smax scooter in addition to the FZ07. The Smax calls for valve inspections every 3000k. Would love to be able to do that myself and save
the big bux the dealer would charge for this.

Was asking for opinions on whether the $699/$399 for 1yr / 6 month memberships is a good deal. Sounds reasonable considering the online motorcycle course you get.
Plus access to all tools in the shop and certified mechanics to baby sit your work.
 
Well to be honest with a username like MotoMech he may have a vested interest/point of view that isn’t aligned with the OP post.
 
Skyway6 said:
what a strange comment. There are several threads on this board about dealers over charging and that folks should do the small stuff themselves.
Seeing how the VMC is also a full service shop and is a few blocks from home i would be supporting a local shop.

I have a Yamaha Smax scooter in addition to the FZ07. The Smax calls for valve inspections every 3000k. Would love to be able to do that myself and save
the big bux the dealer would charge for this.

Was asking for opinions on whether the $699/$399 for 1yr / 6 month memberships is a good deal. Sounds reasonable considering the online motorcycle course you get.
Plus access to all tools in the shop and certified mechanics to baby sit your work.
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I'd say if you are in the city, and have nowhere to do the work yourself, and limited mechanical knowledge, then its a great idea.

My way was to start riding old junk, buy tools and repair it myself with the help of mechanically inclined friends.

Find a buddy that knows what they are doing. Buy them some beer, have them stand over your shoulder and supervise your work, and correct you as needed.

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk
 
Only you can say if it is a good value. How much are your annual maintenance expenses on your 2 bikes? How much do you estimate that you will save on labour if you did it yourself there? Do you have a home option alternative where you could instead spend $700 a year on tools, break even cost wise and own the tools for their lifespan?

It also sounds like a good way to meet other riders in your neighbourhood. But how big is the space, and do they put a cap on the number of members. It would not be worth its while if it gets too successful and you can never find the work space available when you need it. It sounds like it could have a lot of benefits if you fit the right criteria, but its worth asking a few critical questions before making the commitment.
 
Face said:
Only you can say if it is a good value. How much are your annual maintenance expenses on your 2 bikes? How much do you estimate that you will save on labour if you did it yourself there? Do you have a home option alternative where you could instead spend $700 a year on tools, break even cost wise and own the tools for their lifespan?

It also sounds like a good way to meet other riders in your neighbourhood. But how big is the space, and do they put a cap on the number of members. It would not be worth its while if it gets too successful and you can never find the work space available when you need it. It sounds like it could have a lot of benefits if you fit the right criteria, but its worth asking a few critical questions before making the commitment.
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If there's an education component that would add to the value.
 
Appreciate the comments and suggestions.
Going to stop by later today or Saturday to ask some questions.

Since i live in an apartment building with limited space to do repairs i had
been relegated to going to dealer for service work. While i trust my dealer, they are kind of expensive.
I would love to be able to do the work myself but would need to be shown
how the first few times.

The Smax while i do enjoy it. This 3k valve inspection can get expensive at the dealer. Just had the first service done at dealer and it was around $300
and that was without the valve inspection.

Full price for the year ($1495) would be a tough one to decide on. But at $699 it not too bad. Pretty close to what i would have to pay for a full service on both bikes.

The many threads on here about dealers overcharging or doing shoddy work / not doing the work at all got me thinking about doing it myself. Since bikes are pretty much only used 6months / year i am thinking the 6 month membership may be the better deal. Looks like it gives you everything the yearly does. At $399 it would be technically "free" after the first service on either bike.
 
That’s a crap ton of money.

Even if I hadn’t done 95% of my maintenance myself I don’t think I’d have spent that much just paying shop rate for the work I did myself in the last 3-4 years total, much less a single season.

And even then you’re still spending the time and doing the work yourself for the most part versus just dropping it off and picking it up.

If you want to learn, buy a service manual, some basic tools, and work at home.

Just MHO.
 
Interesting concept and all prices are reasonable for the length of time or frequency of your repair history. Definitely a good thing if you are mechanical and have no place to work on your bike. But who can't find a lawn or driveway to work on your bike? So for that reason, that business will not have a sustainable clientele. I would never invest in it as an owner, but that is risk. Someone takes it and either makes it, or not. No one knows until you do it.
 
In a couple years of membership to that you could build a pretty sweet arsenal of tools in your own garage.

It's not like a car where a full size lift is pretty much necessary for any serious work, and the lift is costly and you need a tall garage etc. I could see a car garage membership making a lot of sense.
 
PrivatePilot said:
That’s a crap ton of money.
Even if I hadn’t done 95% of my maintenance myself I don’t think I’d have spent that much just paying shop rate for the work I did myself in the last 3-4 years total, much less a single season.
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Guess it depends on the bike you ride, how much it's due for work to be done etc.
Last year I would have spent easily $1k in labour for the work on my bike if I was took it to a shop. I just happen to have a garage.

johnnnw said:
In a couple years of membership to that you could build a pretty sweet arsenal of tools in your own garage
Click to expand...
Lives in an apartment building....


If it helps for comparisons sake, there is MotoRevere in Toronto and T's Cafe up near Barrie. Read up on all of them + reviews to get more info on how it could benefit you or not work out for you.

I like the idea and anything that teaches people how to do things for themselves. Whether or not it will actually save you money is another thing.
 
shanekingsley said:
Guess it depends on the bike you ride, how much it's due for work to be done etc.
Last year I would have spent easily $1k in labour for the work on my bike if I was took it to a shop. I just happen to have a garage.


Lives in an apartment building....
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I guess I am supposed to just magically know that... not mentioned anywhere in the OP.

Also with the education not even being included in the $699 yearly package that is just insanely expensive for some garage space.
 
johnnnw said:
....Also with the education not even being included in the $699 yearly package that is just insanely expensive for some garage space.
Click to expand...

Actually the education is included and the $700 is an introductory offer to go to $1500 whenever that promo (if it is) ends. So for some people like those moonlighting to work on bikes on the side, this would be a great deal. Where could you get a space anytime you liked (not mentioned if there is an upper time limit)? Imagine the cost of leasing an industrial unit for a year? I supposed that may be in the fine print (you can only work on the bike(s) you own.

Again the point is sustainability. Back 25 years there were places to fix your car and even DIY body shop places. They may pop up from time to time but never last, and as cars get more expensive the diagnostic equipment and training required are limiting even your independent garage mechanic. Solution is simplification (all electric) and likely 20 years off on a mass scale.
 
Skyway6 said:
So there is a motorcycle shop here that is a DIY / education shop. Looks interesting. Would love to learn how to do the more complicated items like valve clearance checks.

"The Vancouver Motorcycle Collective is a shared garage space for two-wheel enthusiasts to become educated and work on their own vehicles in a safe and friendly environment. The shop is fully equipped with tools, lifts and anything you could need for general maintenance and repairs. Our main focus is education and training. All annual and semi-annual memberships include an online Motorcycle Technician Training Program, VIN Decoder, and access to thousands of service repair manuals. See the education page for a full description of course curriculum."

They having a membership sale now. Thinking about the yearly membership or 6 month. ($699/$399). Bonus is they are only a few blocks from home.

https://vanmotocoop.ca/
Click to expand...


People all using the same shop to do their own repairs? Calling it a "collective"? Sounds like communism to me. Might be run by a bunch of revolutionaries.
 
^ yup

I'm guessing lots of cafe racers
hipster-bearded dudes

new members get a free beret

Van
they make TO look like Utah
 
I think this is a great idea. In years gone by I've wrenched bikes in cold dark sheds and wet driveways because I had no choice and couldn't afford the hourly rates at the bike shop. $700 would pay the shop rate to; swap a set of tires, 2 oil changes, a valve adjustment, fork seals. That's an average season for 1 bike for me. That still doesn't include the specialty tools, the training to do the work or the garage to work in.

I think this is a great idea, Good luck!
 
I think it's a great idea and I could live with the price, particularly if I didn't already have a workshop.

Men's hockey - $150 x 8 months = $1200
Thursday Night at Cheers - $200 x 12 months = $2400
Saturdays on the Course - $400 x 8 months = $2400
Membership at the Wrench Cub - $70 x 12 months = $700
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