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

Forum Sponsor
riderschoice.ca

About Us — Four generations, one obsession | RidersChoice

The Riders Choice story: from Percy McBride's 1909 Toronto shop to four generations of the McBride family's obsession with motorcycles — premium gear, parts and a full service garage.
riderschoice.ca riderschoice.ca
"After a parting of the ways with other family members, John closed McBride Cycle’s doors in 2006 and opened Riders Choice shortly after."

I've heard a bunch of people theorize why McBride Cycle closed, but does anyone know the real story?

EDIT: Motorcycle community loses icon

EDIT 2: Wow, it's been 17 years???
 
Relax said:
I've heard a bunch of people theorize why McBride Cycle closed, but does anyone know the real story?
Click to expand...
The story I heard (no proof) was that Mrs. McBride (mom), the sister and John were equal partners.
John wanted to run it solo and Mrs. said no so they folded the tents, split the proceeds 3 ways and off they went.
 
TK4 said:
The story I heard (no proof) was that Mrs. McBride (mom), the sister and John were equal partners.
John wanted to run it solo and Mrs. said no so they folded the tents, split the proceeds 3 ways and off they went.
Click to expand...
.
 
Last edited:
AFJ said:
I seem to recall that John's sister and her husband set up one of the Dundas St. buildings as a high-end bicycle shop adjacent to the McBride motorcycle shop in the old bowling alley premises. This arrangement did not - as far as I heard - prosper sufficiently to satisfy all parties involved and so the business was wound up and closed down. John then set up Rider's Choice as a separate business.

Remaining British motorcycle stuff went to British Cycle Supply in Wolfville, NS and they still advertise on-line the occasional "finds" of NOS Royal Enfield, BSA and even Ariel parts from the McBride cleanout as well as new and recently produced parts for British bikes. The other source for British motorcycle parts is Walridge Motors Ltd., north of London, ON.
AFJ
Click to expand...
A buddy of mine in grade school used to ride a GT mountain bike with a McBride's sticker on the stem.
 
I purchased three bikes, 1975 S3, 1975 Z1 and a 1977 KZ1000 from Action Kawasaki. The shop was located on Weston Rd south of the 401.
Lang Hindle , Warren Milner {Honda Canada} and John Baylis (Yamaha Canada} all worked there at one time or another.
The two Action partners opened Action Honda in Mississauga. Both shops disappeared when the bottom fell out of the bike market in the 80"s

I remember Kelly's in Brampton.

Frank Mrazek had a shop on Lakeshore for a while.
 
Last edited:
Did anyone mention Ab's Harley Davidson in Oshawa? Across the road from the old Durham College. It's now a mini-plaza.

I spent more than a few dollars there over the years.

It was in the era before a Harley dealer needing to be a big flashy place. Ab's was a bunch of rickety old buildings held together with nails and duct tape I think lol. But they were a bunch of good guys in there.

I still remember after getting cut off by a cage and wrecking my first bike (an 83 Seca 900) I needed a new tank - I went in on a total whim wondering if they even knew where I should start looking - it was years before the internet was even a thing of course, so just hopping on eBay and buying one wasn't an option, and ordering a brand new one from Yamaha certainly wasn't in the budget. The guy said "hold on a few minutes", disappears up until the attic or something (who knows) and comes back holding the exact tank I needed, even the same colour scheme as my bike. I came back and spent about another $2500 of my insurance payout buying a flashy new HJC helmet, jacket, etc etc.
 
johnscruiser said:
McBride Cycle :( Bought my first bike there!

Brooklin Cycle is gone now too, I guess still exists as BCR (Brooklin Cycle Racing).
Click to expand...
me too ! a 1981 Honda cb 650
 
I'm sure..not one person on this board remembers Claisun cycle in Dundas
 
A good customer of his was what famous skater?
 
TK4 said:
Klassen actually, owned by Helmut Klassen a well known MXer in his day.
Click to expand...
I seem to recall that - perhaps later on - Helmut rode a goodly number of enduros, particularly the Terra Nova Enduro put on (still) each year by the Halton Off-Road Riders.
AFJ
 
  • Like
Reactions: TK4
It's Clasen, with a C. One of the 200 EXCs I had was previously owned by Elvis. Better that buying new, having a bike with low hours that was ISDT prepped and maintained personally by Helmut.
 
Last time I was at an event Helmut was at was the '17 Tour de Mud. He was still riding vintage enduros up until a couple of years ago (87 now).

AP1GczPAGYwDt-2k_D0sNVpULOh9egh2Pqch4-8XYK_uEpuendZJcOKYdQhpjR_fUP1ikC2ruDItcxGke7Ep6iJ0zdkMGrLlz4BgAhAULXMW_CNnMDi5ZoRsoi7Qiy2XROJDVHjyiMyH-JMmQrfEvjrAMGTZ=w1236-h927-s-no
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom