Desert Dweller Motorcycles

What to ask a repair shop in Scottsdale, AZ

• 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.

Heat is the maintenance story here. Check tire pressure cold before every ride (hot pavement adds a lot), watch coolant and oil levels through summer, and expect rubber to age faster than the tread wears. Early starts beat the afternoon on the bike and at the shop.

Worth the ride from Scottsdale, AZ

• Taliesin West

  Destination

  Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home and studio in the Sonoran Desert foothills.

• Los Olivos Mexican Patio

  Food

  Four generations of Sonoran cooking since 1947, on the way north toward Cave Creek and the Bartlett Lake road.

• Cartel Roasting Co. Old Town Scottsdale

  Coffee

  Open from 7am, a few minutes from the start of the Beeline Highway run to Saguaro Lake.

All 5 places worth the ride near Scottsdale, AZ →

Riding here?

Make Desert Dweller Motorcycles 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.