Vallantine Motor Works

What to ask a repair shop in Seattle, WA

• 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.

Rain is the maintenance story here. Tread depth and chain lube matter more than almost anywhere else, brake pads go faster in the wet, and a rusted chain after a wet winter is the most common spring surprise. Shops get busy the first dry week, so book ahead of it.

Worth the ride from Seattle, WA

• Ivar's Acres of Clams

  Food

  Clam chowder and fish and chips on the Seattle waterfront since 1946.

• Kerry Park

  Viewpoint

  Space Needle, Elliott Bay and Mount Rainier in one view from a small Queen Anne hillside park.

• Victrola Coffee Roasters (Capitol Hill)

  Coffee

  Seattle roaster and cafe founded 2000, flagship roastery/cafe on E Pike St.

All 9 places worth the ride near Seattle, WA →

Riding here?

Make Vallantine Motor Works 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.