Are you old enough to remember these motorcycle shops in To?

[Rob MacLennan]

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Rocket is still there ... although the address is on Oakdale Road. It has been there as long as I can remember. They're just not a Kawasaki dealer any more.

I bought my '94 ZX9R at Competition Wheels.

I bought its replacement, '04 ZX10R, at Cycle World West.

A number of the good folks in those shops from way back are still around. Robbie Meiklejohn (sp?) has always owned and operated Rocket - still there. Salesman at CWW who I bought the ZX10R from, Jeff Lowe, is now at Milton Honda. Ontario Honda had a fine racer and mechanic, Zaid Saleemi, who now operates Z1 Cycletech. Mark Ferreira went between several of the shops in the old days, including CWW, is now at Brampton Powersports, and is a really good mechanic.

Mark worked on my bikes at Brampton Cycle, Cycle World, Pro 6, and DPE Racing. The fact that he's at Brampton Powersports makes me wish that I was on a Yamaha, Honda, or Suzuki these days. Especially so, now that Kahuna is on the way out.

People seem to forget about Snow City Cycle. They're still around.

I remember when Brampton Cycle was farther west, over near Steeles and Dixie.

Bought my first bike from them in '84, at that location. I was young and stupid, and should have walked out when they went back on their original price. Later on I brought the bike (a Honda Elite scooter) back fro warranty replacement of the shock, which I ended up replacing myself when they screwed up and left me without a vehicle to get to work. My last experience with them was standing at the accessories counter looking to buy some over priced gloves, and being ignored by everyone in the place for 15 minutes. I never went back and was unsurprised when they closed.

 

[ddusseld]

Mark is a great mechanic and a very fast rider.

When Brampton Cycle was the only Ducati dealership around they were very arrogant. I remember going in to buy a bike and literally being ignored for an hour. Even after talking to people to let them know I was there to buy a bike. I had cash. They did not seemingly want to sell. I left... Only place I can remember that had such poor customer service.

Mark worked on my bikes at Brampton Cycle, Cycle World, Pro 6, and DPE Racing. The fact that he's at Brampton Powersports makes me wish that I was on a Yamaha, Honda, or Suzuki these days. Especially so, now that Kahuna is on the way out.

People seem to forget about Snow City Cycle. They're still around.



Bought my first bike from them in '84, at that location. I was young and stupid, and should have walked out when they went back on their original price. Later on I brought the bike (a Honda Elite scooter) back fro warranty replacement of the shock, which I ended up replacing myself when they screwed up and left me without a vehicle to get to work. My last experience with them was standing at the accessories counter looking to buy some over priced gloves, and being ignored by everyone in the place for 15 minutes. I never went back and was unsurprised when they closed.

 

[CafeRay]

Mark is a great mechanic and a very fast rider.

When Brampton Cycle was the only Ducati dealership around they were very arrogant. I remember going in to buy a bike and literally being ignored for an hour. Even after talking to people to let them know I was there to buy a bike. I had cash. They did not seemingly want to sell. I left... Only place I can remember that had such poor customer service.

try shopping for a bike today, anywhere, when you want to pay cash...lucky the salesman doesn't throw hot coffee in your face.

 

[Rob MacLennan]

Mark is a great mechanic and a very fast rider.

When Brampton Cycle was the only Ducati dealership around they were very arrogant. I remember going in to buy a bike and literally being ignored for an hour. Even after talking to people to let them know I was there to buy a bike. I had cash. They did not seemingly want to sell. I left... Only place I can remember that had such poor customer service.

I still fondly remember the time that Mark cut inside me in a corner at what seemed like twice my speed (only time anyone has done that and I didn't feel like I was about to die), but still had time to recognize who he had just passed and was waiting down the road.

And I was there for the 'Ducati incident', just like you were there for my 'take your box of parts and go home' incident at Cycle World West. Two events that if no one was there as a witness, no one would believ ever occurred.

 

[Stephen W.]

Last time I visited Competition Wheels on Warden around 1994, I was helped by the hottest salesgirl I'd ever met. How about Brampton Cycle on Torbram? The only place to buy a Ducati in the GTA. Also some short-lived downtown stores like Deliverance on Bathurst and of course Harley-Davidson on Front St. The motorcycle shop/garage is now an endangered species.

Speaking of shot live dealerships anyone remember HOJ Cycles? Sold Kawasakis and was part of the car dealership.

Mark is a great mechanic and a very fast rider.

When Brampton Cycle was the only Ducati dealership around they were very arrogant. I remember going in to buy a bike and literally being ignored for an hour. Even after talking to people to let them know I was there to buy a bike. I had cash. They did not seemingly want to sell. I left... Only place I can remember that had such poor customer service.

I can beat that story. Two friends and myself walked in just as they unlocked the doors on a Saturday morning in 1995. My one friend and myself wanted to order a pair Ducati 916's while my other friend was looking for an in-line four 750. We all had cash to spend but couldn't get anyone to talk to us. After 30 minutes of chasing people a young dick head salesperson finally asked how he could help us. When I said I was looking for info on the 916 he pointed to a rack of magazines saying that I would get all the answers in any one of those. I said no I wouldn't because they were all American mags. He asked what I needed to know that wasn't in those mags and I said the price. No word of a lie he said, "If you have to ask then you can't afford one!" and he went back to reading a newspaper. The three of us stood there dumb founded in disbelief at his reply, then we walked out. One friend bought a brand new pick-up and an FZ750. The other but a crate fresh, 1 model year old Ninja ZX750R complete with alloy tank and flat slides, (ex Crevier back up bike). I purchased a 1990 US model RC30 and bad mouthed Brampton Cycle for three years.
At the January Super Show in '98 I ripped a strip off the then Ducati North America, Canadian Sales rep who in turn had a long talk with Kim the sales manager and part owner. He, Kim and I had a long talk and and Kim gave me a very humble apology. Later my wife work a deal with Tom, (the owner selling the business to Kim) on my '98 900 Final Edition. The wife and I always got first class treatment and great deals out front of the store but after my 900's first service we never dealt with the back shop again.

 

[AFJ]

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[Gary]

There were 2 Zdenos, the big one in Kitchener and the small one in Toronto on St. Clair and Jane. The small one closed down around 2005.

You must not know that the 1st store was in Hamilton? Ages & ages ago.
Ultimate Cycle has been at the former Zdenos location for many years.

Anyone remember Doug's Cycle in Hamilton? (on Kenilworth, later moved to Grimsby)
Bought my 1st brand new bike there.

 

[CafeRay]

As a kid, I used to ride my bike for almost 2 hours to drool at the Guzzis and Ducatis at McBrides on Dundas (I don't think they sold well at all).

This whole city is turning into nothing but cheap-*** condos

 

[CafeRay]

Sure enough, he had the correct pump shaft waiting there the next time I came in. I said how much? He said "How about $2.00?"
Those were the days.

AFJ

but back then, if there was an internet, we would troll on about that $2.00 ripoff.

 

[webb70]

I remember "No-Pa" Cycle, on Royal Windsor Dr. & Winston Churchill
Missisauga Suzuki, on Mavis & Dundas
Ontario Kawasaki, on Queensway & Dixie
Hurst Yamaha, on Queensway & 427
Pro-formance Cycle on Dundas near CWW (before he moved to Orangeville)
Parker Brothers when they were East of CW, then moved West of CW, then moved to Kipling
Just to name a few in the Mississauga area.....

 

[DemonPig]

in the 80s..those places were huge, and had so much stock they had trailers full of bikes.
Bikes were everywhere on the roads. We've turned into a nation of vaginas.

They had so much stock because they weren't selling any. Motorcycle market and new registrations died in the 80's as baby boomers focused on their families. Sales started picking up again in the 90's. So while there were still a lot of bikes on the road in the 80's, the market wasn't there anymore.

At this moment there are about 700,000 registered motorcycles, scooters and mopeds in Canada. While this may not seem as much, it is almost on pace with per capita numbers vs. California.

 

[basmn]

ok here is 1 for all the old farts....does anyone know were Lang Hindle had his first bike repair shop....????????? . Yes this is the hindle exhaust guy.....and what was his nick name back then and why.....

 

[RedDogDarren]

I remember them. But I was local to Suzuki Plus, Dougs Cycle Center, and Brutune.

 

[RedDogDarren]

ok here is 1 for all the old farts....does anyone know were Lang Hindle had his first bike repair shop....????????? . Yes this is the hindle exhaust guy.....and what was his nick name back then and why.....

Never knew it. But my friend did ride right to his house to pick up a can directly from him.

 

[Bobo]

It was in his garage,I think it was on Park Street in the Midland and Kingston Rd. area in Scarborough.I think his shop is in Port Perry now.

 

[busabim]

Since I was the OP, I am glad to see posts from people a bit older that use the forum. Thanks for all the posts about shops I forgot about.

It is kind of sad that all of these shops are gone except for Rocket ( 1978 in current location) and Snow city.
Im surprised that the out of town stores didnt survive either with the lower overhead

It takes an awful lot these days to stay in ( bricks and mortar) business and the banks sure are not as forgiving as they used to be...

BB

 

[Rob MacLennan]

There are two things that it definitely takes to stay in business these days; stock and knowledgeable people. As the brick and mortar shops try to keep up with the internet model both of these suffer, due to attempts to cut costs. To me, this is the wrong way to go. You will never match internet pricing, so you need to do what you do well, better.

 

[busabim]

There are two things that it definitely takes to stay in business these days; stock and knowledgeable people. As the brick and mortar shops try to keep up with the internet model both of these suffer, due to attempts to cut costs. To me, this is the wrong way to go. You will never match internet pricing, so you need to do what you do well, better.

Agreed, as I have done retail consulting and the most important parameter to address is customer service. BUT, people will only pay so much for it at the bottom of the market. Why, call it the China effect. it has permeated all businesses and service models. NO industry is exempt. "When everyone is on welfare, Dollar store products will not seem so cheap" ( my quote)

If you sell a premium product, you can build it into the overall structure in pricing. If you sell what everyone else has, good luck in B+M stores today without a very serious plan...

Discretionary products like powersports will continue to suffer decline in new sales as more items compete for a declining value base....

BB

 

[bitzz]

There is more to the demise of the motorcycle repair shop than customer service. The whole landscape has changed since the sixties or seventies.
Not just motorcycles, cars, trucks and buses too.
Back in the day every shop would have a guy that more or less just rebuilt motors. When was the last time you heard of a shop rebuilding a motor that wasn't warranty?
The cars, trucks and motorcycles built today are miles ahead of what was available back in the day. Tires are better, brakes are better, quality control is MUCH better and with CAD/CAM and CNC the parts today are uniform in quality and made to a MUCH smaller tolerance. (Early Ducatis had hand assembled motors, each twin motor took about 8 man hours to assemble. They HAD to be hand assembled because the tolerances were whacked, hence every round or square case has dozens of shims on the crank and transmission shafts. That would be considered ludicrous today )
The introduction of computer controlled and computer diagnostics had their part in the downfall of the business too.
Back in the day every shop KNEW that for every unit sold there would be "X" amount of dollars spent on service and maintenance, today that figure is MUCH MUCH lower. Today is not a problem to get 100,000 km out of a bike with just regular maintenance. Try that with a 1972 Norton.

Yeah I remember a lot of these older shops, and a lot of the GOOD mechanics. Most of the "GOOD" guys have either died or gone on to other things. Half of my friends are bike or car mechanics, and ALL the good ones are no longer car or bike mechanics.

Yep Zaid is good, he learned most of what he knows from apprenticing/working with Rick Andrews. Rick was a motorcycle GOD. (Way back when I had an air conditioner condenser that leaked. I can weld snot to bubblegum but there was no way I could do this. Rick can weld this for me, off to Ontario Honda. Rick says he can do it but it will be expensive. I tell him to replace the part is about $700 so if he can weld it for less than $700 we're good... Sooooo HOW MUCH RICK? he says it will be expensive. Me and the kid spend the afternoon at the beach and then go pick up the condenser. Ok Rick, HOW MUCH? He says "I tolds you it would be expensive... so give me $70" He argued for half an hour but finally took $250. I met Rick at Mosport a couple of weeks later and when I returned to my pit there was two hundred dollar bills taped to my fuel tank. Thanks Rick).
I don't remember what Lang's first shop was called but I know he worked for Rocket before that (there is a very funny story attached to Lang and Rocket and the start of Canada Superbike. If you're talking to Lang ask him about it)(Wasn't he "Lang.the prang")(I have the first and second two into one exhaust for a Norton Commando that Lang made. As far as I know the ONLY two into ones that Lang ever made for a Norton Commando).
Any dirt bikers old enough to remember when the Anderson brothers raced for Reg Rodare. The smaller of the brothers (Clint?) was about 6'6". Watching those two giants flying around on little bikes was hilarious... but they won races.
Yeah, I'm old enough to remember, but then I'm old enough I just can't remember.

 

[basmn]

It was in his garage,I think it was on Park Street in the Midland and Kingston Rd. area in Scarborough.I think his shop is in Port Perry now.

incorrect... Hindle has his first motorcycle repair shop on Dundas st west just north of Annette st. At the time I believe he was racing in the superbike class and his nick was SPINDLE HINDLE... because he crashed so often. He started his exhaust business after that at his home in Scarborough......

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