Poole's Cycle

What to ask a repair shop in Hamilton, ON

• 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.

Riding season here has a hard stop. Before the bike sits, fill the tank and add stabilizer, put the battery on a tender, and get the ethanol out of the carbs if it has them. The spring rush at every shop starts the first warm weekend, so book the pre-season service in late winter, not April.

Worth the ride from Hamilton, ON

• Webster's Falls

  Waterfall

  Waterfall on the Niagara Escarpment, part of Hamilton's well-known waterfall trail network.

• Hutch's on the Beach

  Food

  Burgers and fish and chips on Lake Ontario since 1946, with a lot beside the beach strip and open until 10pm.

• Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area

  Viewpoint

  Half a day from Mississauga, and the way in is the climb up Appleby Line.

All 6 places worth the ride near Hamilton, ON →

Riding here?

Make Poole's Cycle 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.