Bytown Motorcycle Repair

What to ask a repair shop in Ottawa, 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.

Other motorcycle repair shops in Ottawa, ON

• Richmond Motorsports

  3835 McBean St, Richmond, ON K0A 2Z0

  (613) 838-9996

Worth the ride from Ottawa, ON

• The Wellington Diner

  Food

  Breakfast, burgers and poutine from 7am daily, minutes from the Parkdale exit of 417 and the Ottawa River Parkway west.

• Major's Hill Park (Parliament Hill overlook)

  Viewpoint

  Ottawa River and Parliament Hill views from a downtown park.

• Mill of Kintail Conservation Area

  Destination

  A 62-hectare conservation area near Almonte with about six kilometres of trails along the Indian River and the R.

All 8 places worth the ride near Ottawa, ON →

Riding here?

Make Bytown Motorcycle 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.