vintage Motorcycle service
If you are looking for service, repair, restoration or custom fabrication, City Garage works on all makes including BMW, Moto Guzzi, Benelli, Ducati, Laverda Matchless, Ural, Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Harley Davidson, Velocette, Vincent, Triumph, Ariel, Norton, BSA, Husqvarna, and more. We regularly service and maintain everything from already restored classics to original-condition vintage motorcycles If you have a motorcycle other shops wont work on please give us a call.
In with old…
You have a motorcycle you rode in college or maybe its the first motorcycle you really loved and want it back to like new condition. Maybe its a little rusty or has been sitting in the corner of your garage. No matter the condition, we can repair or rebuild it.
In Progress
Service, Repair or Restoration
No matter what you decide, City Garage can help get your motorcycle running. We are a full service shop including engine rebuilding, cylinder head work, fabrication, paint and wheels. Our services also include chrome plating and metal polishing, upholstery, and suspension work.
Out with the new…
From basic services to partial and full restorations we can help get your motorcycle back on the road or become the next show winner. Give us a call at 661-294-5045
GUIDE TO VINTAGE BIKES
There is nothing like the feeling and sound of riding a vintage machine. However, there are a few things to keep in mind in regards to the maintenance and upkeep of a vintage motorcycle. Knowing these factors beforehand can help prepare you for what to expect as caretaker of an old machine. It’s important to know the limits of your bike and how much fuss and expense you’re willing to put up with.
Your vintage motorcycle is, by definition, old. Be patient. Be careful. Be kind.
Your bike’s parts are also old. Some of them decades old. Unless you replace every component, you will always have something wearing out.
It’ll cost you money. It’s going to need parts. It’s going to need maintenance work. It’s going break down. There are no free rides on old bikes.
Not all old bikes are created equal. Many older Japanese and European motorcycles were brilliant, instant “classics” when they were released. Yet just as many had significant faults. Is that a CB650 you’ve got there? We’re so sorry.
Parts can be challenging. Some bikes are relatively easy to get parts for, while others are just impossible.
Ethanol bad! Today’s fuel can contain as much as 15% ethanol, along with other additives that can cause trouble in older bikes. Modern fuel can cause carburetor problems if left sitting for more than a couple of weeks. Stabil® added to the gas tank is not enough. Float bowls MUST be drained to help prevent the clogging of the jets and passageways inside your carburetor. And no, Seafoam® is not the answer. Seafoam® is almost never the answer.
Our friends at Blue Cat Motorcycles in St. Paul, MN allowed us to "borrow" this Guide to Vintage Bikes. If you are ever in the St. Paul area go by and see Ryan and the gang.