Widowmaker Custom Design & Repair

What to ask a repair shop in Durham, NC

• Do you work on my make and year? A shop that mostly sees late-model Japanese bikes may not want a 1978 twin, and it is better to hear that on the phone than at the counter.
• Will you mount tires I bring in, and what does that cost? Many shops will, some will not, and the ones that do usually charge more per tire than for rubber they sold you.
• What is the diagnostic fee, and does it come off the repair if I go ahead? Ask before the bike is on the lift.
• Appointment or walk-in, and what is the turnaround right now? In season a good shop can be two or three weeks out.
• Can you collect a bike that will not run, or do I need to arrange a tow? Some service shops have a trailer; most do not.

Humidity and heat are the maintenance story here. Corrosion on electrical connectors and fasteners shows up early, tires age in the sun even when they are not being ridden, and summer afternoons are for shade, not long stints. Riding season is long, so service intervals come around faster than the calendar suggests.

Other motorcycle repair shops in Durham, NC

• Knuckleheads Garage

  834 Junction Rd, Durham, NC 27703

Worth the ride from Durham, NC

• Cocoa Cinnamon

  Coffee

  Espresso and sipping chocolate in a refurbished 1940s service station, with the old forecourt for parking, on the way out toward Roxboro Road.

• Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area

  Mountain View

  Ride out for the view and take a breather at the top, and the road in is half the reason to go.

• Dame's Chicken & Waffles

  Food

  Chicken and waffles at a well-known Durham local institution that opened in 2010.

All 3 places worth the ride near Durham, NC →

Riding here?

Make Widowmaker Custom Design & Repair a stop on your next ride. Find a route that passes by, schedule a group ride with it as the stop, or see how 2 Wheels in Common works for riders.