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Werkstatt Motorcycle Repair
Rating Details »
Categories: Motorcycle Dealers, Motorcycle Repair, Tires [Edit]
Neighborhood: Mission3248 17th St
(between Capp St & Van Ness Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 552-8115
- Hours:
Mon-Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
53 reviews for Werkstatt Motorcycle Repair
This business is a Yelp Sponsor
5/22/2007
11/23/2009
Updated - 11/12/2009
Updated - 6/2/2009
11/16/2009
5/26/2009
3/12/2009
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Updated - 7/13/2009
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6/28/2007
One of the Business' Favorite Reviews What's This?
I love this shop. Jennifer and Marie are very helpful, friendly, and concerned more with the joy of riding than squeezing every last dollar out of their customers (i.e. Golden Gate Cycles).
When I take my bike there, they consistently try to save me money on the repairs. In fact, on two occasions, they ended up charging me LESS than the original quote. Like any repair shop, they tell me about other repairs I should get, but they aren't pushy about it.
Here's the bottom line: I trust Werkstatt for quality work and honest pricing.
After calling around to various Yamaha Dealerships and getting very unexcited feedback, I decided to go outside of Yamaha for service.
Recommended to me by MotoJava, I knew this place had to be good. I took my R6 into Werkstatt for its first service. Gina was the very nice person to help me out during the check-in. She offered to hang on to my helmet and gear while I went off to kill some time. Even though I didn't take her up on the offer, I appreciated the gesture.
They told me that the service would be completed on the same day. I somehow ended up in Redwood City during traffic hour, 45 mins before they closed. I called them and asked if it was possible to stay open for an additional 15-20 mins while I rushed back over there (by way of car).
The owner told me that she had to close up shop due to an event she needed to attend, and was somewhat short with me. I told her that I'd try my best to make it over there, but would understand if she couldn't stay.
A few minutes later, I received a call from Gina, asking me that if I could make the payment over the phone, that she'd be okay with waiting outside for me until I got there. I was ecstatic!
By the time I got there, 15 mins after closing, she was hanging out in front, waiting patiently. I thanked her GOD KNOWS how many times for her kindness and couldn't show enough appreciation. She went through a quick checklist of things they did and what I should expect riding after the first service.
Gina single-handedly earned Werkstatt the 5-Stars I'm giving. Great hire, great employee, great person.
I've been bringing my bike here for a few months now. I keep upgrading and modifying my bike. Everyone is great. Gina and Jennifer help me every time I ask. The shop has done some pretty tedious work for me and my bike looks and runs great!!!
If you want your bike taken care of, bring it here.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/24/2009
This a good place. I brought my FZ6 in for some upgrades, and now my bike rocks. Jennifer has been… Read more »
Jennifer and crew built the engine for my cousin's 1965 CB-160 race bike. He had nothing but good things to say - and this is the kind of thing Werkstatt excels at. Its is a rider's shop for sure. They are accomplished riders and racers and keep their skills sharp working and riding at the track. I think the first time I came in, my own naivete left me thinking it was all a bit cold, but in truth, I just didn't know the drill. Like any shop, they have an hourly service rate and usually have a basic time format for specific repairs. Compared to the numerous other shops I have had the pleasure of patronizing, I have more confidence in Werkstatt.
Tired of Golden Gate Cycles service dept (they do great work, but they have had plenty of my business), I stopped back in to Werkstatt yesterday to get a new chain and sprockets for my GSXR. Pretty straightforward. The new parts had to be ordered, so I took care to make an appointment instead of just leaving my bike overnight (duh). The chain and sprocket replacement is about a 45 minute procedure (at least for my model). Parts and service plus tax. The job was done quickly and carefully. Now that I have a better appreciation of bike maintenance I also have a greater appreciation for this shop.
I am going to have Werkstatt do the full valve adjustment soon. I have confidence that they know what they are doing. I also know exactly what that entails and understand why it costs what it does. They know their way around a bike, and it really helps if you do too. Just like with cars, if you are not familiar with the mechanical aspects, you feel confused and intimidated. I suspect people assume that since bikes are generally cheaper than cars, repairs and parts should be too. Not true. Taking the effort to familiarize yourself with the machinery and the likely problems your bike will have gives you the power to make informed decisions about the the nature and value of maintenance and repairs, and about the worth of parts and labor.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/23/2008
So before I went to get my master cylinder repaired (believe me I tried to do it myself) I did some… Read more »
AWESOME !!! they custom fit my Yamaha R6 in one day parts came the next day the work was done and they were so helpful every step of the way.
very knowledgeable will remain a customer for good
These people almost killed me back in September 2008. They charged me over $800 for a full service, but when I drove away the brake calipers hadn't been tightened up adequately leaving me without full braking action.
When I phoned up to complain, the proprietor listened but didn't really say anything helpful. I later found there were a bunch of other discrepancies. For example:
The shock absorber was upside down.
A length of old fuel hose (which was being replaced) was left wrapped around the swinging arm. The replacement fuel hose doesn't seem completely fuel-tight; the machine still smells of gasoline, suggesting some is still seeping out.
The wrong rear tire was fitted, meaning I had the trouble and expense of replacing it sooner than I should have needed to.
The work was generally not well done for the price.
I am assured that staff changes and working practice improvements will make complaints like this a thing of the past. That would be good as they seem like nice people and for $800 I expect work of the best quality.
I am trying to figure out what people like so much about this place. I think it's the people who are a bit snobby about their bikes who like Werkstatt. It figures - The owner, Jennifer sure is a snob.
I took my 1989 beater bike in to see if coould easily be repaired, and be "one less car" on the road. Jen told me it would be around $700 to rebuild the carburator. When I asked if it were possible to just put a used one in, she laughed in my face!
Now, I am not one to sit back back and take this outright rude treatment, so I told her, "Don't laugh at me, lady. I am not the aficionado that you so proudly tout yourself."
If you good work done by good people, go elsewhere.
Comment from Jennifer W. of
Werkstatt Motorcycle Repair
5/4/2009
Hi Alyx, I'm sorry your bike was not fixable for a…
More »
If this review was based solely on the quality of the work done on my bike, it would easilly be a 4 or 5, however Werkstatt's Customer Service and Internal Procedures takes it down to a 2-star experience.
I brought my bike in a couple of weeks ago to get a problem with the tail light repaired and the cooling system checked. I agreed to a full tune-up and some other work to the tune of over $700.
After a week of waiting for them to get some parts, I was told the bike had been test-ridden and was ready. Upon arriving at the shop, I found that they had done all of the add-on work, but had failed to fix the tail light issue.
The mechanic had diagnosed the problem, but didn't tell anyone about it, and the shop managers hadn't checked the paperwork, or checked the tail light during the test ride. I had to head back home, wait another week for the part, and then haul into the city to pick the bike up.
Had they triaged the bike when it was brought in, they would have identified the need for the part. They did not, and it resulted in an additional delay of a week. This is unfathomable.
Also, they replaced the ignition switch and did not key the switch back to the old key, or re-key the gas tank to the new key. As a result, I've got to carry around two identical-looking keys for two different locks. That's just poor attention to detail.
There was little-or-no effort made to make amends for my lose of time, or additional trips to the city. That's just poor service orientation. I guess the feeling is, as long as they can get you for one big-ticket repair, they can afford to burn you, as there will be more potential one-shot customers lining up behind you.
That said, the bike runs better than ever, and I'm very happy with the quality of the tune-up work. If these guys improved their internal communications (which seems to be a running complaint among the folks that have issues with them), or at least seemed like they cared about their poor performance, I would be happy to give them another shot.
The owner of the shop, Jennifer, is great. Too bad she hires some real losers. She quoted me a price for repair, then she leaves for Germany. The guy she leaves in charge calls me and tells me Jennifer's quote is too low. i remind the guy Jennifer owns the shop. The guy starts yelling at me telling me Jennifer only knows R bikes, (i've got a K bike), and he's in charge while Jennifer is out of town, and he not "going to work for nothing."
So I tell the idiot no thanks, and take the bike to SF BMW, and they do the work for LESS THAN JENNIFER'S QUOTE. The problem was something to do with the drive shaft, which SF BMW says is the same on both R and K bikes. So it turns out Jennifer does know what she's talking about, too bad she leaves her company in the hands of guys who undermine her while she's gone.
Achtung Baby!!!
They really do mean German precision for your Japanese bike (or any other bike).
Ive just recently purchased my 96 Kawasaki ZX-11 3 months ago. I took it into Fremont Kawasaki immediately after for a post sale safety inspection. After a not so good experience there, I was on the look for a new shop. I found Werkstatt in SF. After speaking with Marie there (the shop manager), I knew their years of shop and race experience really shined thru to the average joe customer, like myself. They truly know their stuff. All of them have foreign accents and at first it gives you a sense that theyre too busy, but once you talk to them and get warmed up to them, they truly do have a friendly demeanor.
They did a full service tune-up (check there website for details). Put on custom made steel braided brake lines. Fixed the charging system, fixed the steering bearing (something Fremont Kawa couldnt figure out). And a few other misc things. I got out of there for $1024. They are not the cheapest, but are very competitive. Dannel, the head tech, was also very friendly and knowledgeable. They both took the time to explain things to my ignorant self and without arrogance. Jenifer, the owner, also was involved with my bike as she kept me informed of the status. All of them are very friendly and professional. They recommended things that I needed in the future. They suggested against some of my ideas and made it clear as why I shouldnt do those things.
The shop seemed organized. The decor was nice. Being able to store my gear there was accommodating. The neighborhood, well, just make sure you have your johnny-B-good stick with ya and try not to step in the urine from the hooker taking a pee behind the van. The free Bart ride back was nice and thank goodness it was just 2 blocks away (16th St\Mission).
After riding a 100 miles now- theres a huge difference in my bike. The steering is a lot more solid. Im getting a lot more power in all ranges. The exhaust is a bit louder, but sounds a lot meaner. Overall my bike is running Great.
I needed a part for my bike that made it completely impossible to ride without.
They noted when I arrived, in the course of conversation, that I was getting a good price for such-and-such a reason.
I saw that they were up for the best motorcycle repair joint according to some reader poll.
However, the part was late in arriving. When I called the day of, they told me it didn't come in for whatever reason. It was like a mystery. Every day that I couldn't ride was a bad thing. The apology was only after I complained, and didn't seem very heartfelt.
I'll probably try somewhere else. I don't really give extra points just because a place features lesbians or women or whatever. I care about speed, reliability, and price.
I took my CB750 in for a service in about 2001, so it was quite a while back. But, I haven't forgotten what terrible service I got. They took longer than I was quoted on my bike and then when I got it back the forks were loose!! I told them it felt funny and they didn't take it for a ride, just said it was okay. I tried again and rode around the block, I barely made it back. (They were so loose I could barely turn)
I was very unhappy with the service and the attention I received.
My 2007 Kawasaki ZX-10R stopped running abruptly in Santa Cruz on a Sunday. Mark from CC Rider got "Candy" towed up to Werkstatt as I live in south City and wasn't familiar with any of the Santa Cruz shops. I heard Werkstatt was a reputable shop, but to put it simply - they were amazing! I was treated like I was an old, steady customer.
Jennifer and Marie, logged me in on Tuesday morning, took the details and said they would call me with an estimate. Later that same day, Marie called back and said the battery was completely dead and the stator was fried. I got a call back on Friday that the part came in and the bike was on the rack being serviced. I was able to ride home later that day, "Candy" running like a top.
They processed my extended warranty without a fuss and I even bought a T-shirt before I left. BTW, their shop rate is significantly cheaper than my regular mechanic, who might not be my regular mechanic much longer.
I took my EX-650 in about a month ago to have a long overdue (by 3k) service. Being a complete and utter fool when it comes to mechanical concepts, I hadn't touched any part of my bike. Not even with a barge pole. So it needed some tender loving care. Which is what it got.
I walked in without an appointment and Jennifer was able to take my bike in on the spot (after checking she could get my parts of course). It was ready by the end of the day. And boy... it felt like a new bike (I actually checked the scratches on the side to make sure I had picked up the right bike) - the guys at Werkstatt did an amazing job... even fixing some of the fairing damage (yes yes I stacked it) and giving it an all over polish... tho I promptly ruined it by riding through the bug farm that is Sacramento.
I highly recommend Werkstatt, the staff are great, the work is great... what more can you ask for?!
These guys are great. When they want to be.
There are a number of good shops in the city that are run by people who just love to work on bikes. And none of them are robots, so I imagine they all have a customer or two who is unhappy. It's hard to treat every bike like its your brothers, and at the end of the day you gotta pay the bills. (And in SF that is no small feat).
I am a newbie. I have worked on cars before, but this is my first bike. I bought it from a friend, and decided to get a tune-up, since it was due for the 17k work. Werkstatt is close by, and people say good things. I take it in for a full tune-up including valve adjustment.
While its up, Jen tells me that the brake pads are rusted, and need to be replaced, and the calipers are about to lock up, need to be rebuilt. This, even though my "friend" told me the pads were basically new. Who do I beleive? Well that is actually a toss-up. Total work is like $1000+.
What do I then do with my newly tuned bike, I drop it behind my house and f'up the clutch. (Who's a newbie? This guy) I tried to figure it out myself, but couldn't. Well, it was a weird one, but they fixed it. $200+. I was super curious, so the mechanic explains the clutch basket got grooved. Huh? Oh, but wait, he was into it. Best part was he goes and pulls the office doorstop (an old clutch basket) and explains the whole thing to me. That was awesome. Yup, they love this work.
Then the clutch switch starts to go, and I do what every other SV owner eventually does. I short it. Well later that day, at the end of the longest day ever, I go to start my bike and it won't start. I drop the thing on my foot I am so pissed (long story). Tow it to Werkstatt. Jen informs me of the standard $120 diagnostics fee. I guess can understand. Oh, and it's the ignition fuse. Really? A fuse. I bet you knew that when I brought it in. I bet you knew I did something stupid with my clutch switch and blew a fuse. I hope you know I just spent $1300 in the shop in the last 10 days. Maybe you could help a fella out? Maybe not.
All this, and two weeks later, I discover the oil leak. My friend eventually fesses up that the bike has had a very small oil leak for a year. Did no one see this? Do you think with a full tune-up you might have noticed? It does kinda pool on the bottom of the crank case. Am I asking a lot? Its like a couple of drops a night, but it's apparently enough to cover the trailing arm in gross. And I'm sure my chain is not thrilled about it either.
I have been to bicycle shops (especially in SF) where you're either one of the elite fixed gears, or a mortal. The same with computers, guitars, classic cars, even clothes. Moto shops, however, don't seem that bad. That said, I can see that one might "phone it in" with an oil leak on a '97 Nighthawk, when you have a full racing dyno in the back. You would rather be tuning the torque curve on a speed bike, or even tinkering with a 70's BMW, over patching up some 20 year old commuter which has neither vintage cache or a hope of seeing the track, (or even being clean).
They are a sharp crew, and they love the work. I believe it. But like any job you love, sometimes it's love, and sometimes it's just a job. I may not be a total motorcycle fanatic, but I do care about my bike. Let them know that and then maybe they will too.
I recently bought a bike from Jennifer at Werkstatt under the agreement that I'd have the weekend to test it out and return it if I wasn't satisfied. Ultimately I decided that it wasn't the bike for me and Jen took it back without hassling me.
I don't know many places that would have been that cool about a) giving a trial period on a used bike and b) allowing you to return it with nothing really technically wrong with it.
Jen was really cool and helpful throughout the process and I'd happily go back here again.
5:45pm, Thursday.
My bike wouldn't start (battery issues), so I had my friend bump-start it for me (I have ways to learn). I have not eaten anything the entire day, and got tired at work. I was hurrying, because they were about to close (and there was no way that I would get a similar break from my job in the near future). Unlike most (should I say, normal?) people, I don't act down, tired, or terrified in this situation - I get incredibly energetic and become absolutely overwhelming. So I came into the shop, and two minutes later Marie and Jennifer are wondering what terrible evil have they done in their previous lives to witness this.
Nevertheless, with me talking two miles a second, running around and not being able to concentrate, they still figured out that my bike needed to get a full tune and that certain stuff should not be done, because I like to wrench too. Whoo. Take a breather. I think I need a full tune too.
I had talked to Jennifer on the phone a couple of times while my bike was being worked on. I did misunderstand a couple of things, but was happy about what was being fixed. They genuinely tried to save me money and make sure that I would leave happy.
Three weeks later I had my iron baby back. I kept my cool the entire time I had to wait around (days off are really great to slow down). The whole shebang grew a grand worth of a hump, but it was worth it because my fuzzy is the happiest fuzzy there was, is, or ever will be. It has not tried to fuss up to me about anything ever (except my own idiotism) since I brought it back from Werkstatt.
Just picked up my moto last night. I needed a real mechanic to repair a part damaged during my own work. When I called up to make an appointment, they were realistic about when they had time.
When I brought it in I spoke to everyone in the shop front and back-Jennifer(founder), Marie, and a mechanic. Everyone is super nice. They stuck to their estimate. Did a good job. A few years back I had them service another bike and that was done well too.
You might not have a motorcycle, maybe your friend does. let em know about the local shop that'll do good work.
(pretty sure it's Die Werkstatt, not the reverse, as listed here on yelp)
They know a lot about bikes but are unorganized as a business. It took them 3 weeks to replace a fuel pump which would be a day or two at the most for most shops. Also, every time I called to check on it I got a different story of the problem depending on who picked up the phone.
Their prices are slightly higher than most others so I would not recommend them unless you have a racing bike needing a major and complex repair and you have several weeks to wait for it.
I used to bring my motorcycle wheels here to get the tires switched out. They were cool with me bringing them in loose.
The ladies working the front are kind of mean at first, possibly cuz they knew I was doing my own wrenching and changing tires might be a waste of time for them. I am scared of mean, European women who are taller than me. Once I started coming regularly they weren't mean anymore.
I stopped going here ever since I met Way + Sang. Werkstatt is kind of out of the way for me, too. It's a good biz, tho.
I think I blew $850 at this shop before I gave up and enrolled in the city college motorcycle repair course. After all of their work my bike would kinda stutter at a certain rpm range and have a hard time accelerating from a stop on a hot day after riding. Jennifer essentially blew me off saying something about it not being a very high performance bike and I couldn't expect that much. After enrolling in the city college course (great class with Lisa Duke) I had the chance to go through the bike and check out there work. I was blown away at how sloppy the job was. Every time we dug deeper into the bike things they had supposedly "fixed" kept coming up. Just attaching the air intake boots completely did a lot to help how the bike ran. You'd that would just be standard... must cost extra at Werkstatt. The valves were also not adjusted as they should have been. There was more, but it has been a few years and I've moved on to other bikes, which will never see the inside of Werkstatt.
The real issue with my experience at Werkstatt was how they didn't stand behind their work and tried to make me feel like a chump for asking them to.
Just got a new set of tires,Pirelli Diablo IIIs, and I couldn't be happier. They made an appointment for me (which I broke) and Marie and Jennifer were very accomodating to reschedule.
In and out in less than 1 hour, and it was cheaper than the "cheap" tire places in town. This is a motorcyclist's bike shop. I shall return...
As a Woman I highly recommend the Werkstatt.
I'm a costumer for more than 10 years and was never disappointed.
Jennifer the owner always gave my good advise how to maintain and take care of my bikes. I always had the feeling she is going out of her way to help in any way she can.
Keep up the Good work.
I haven't been to Werkstatt for a few years, since Robbie was there. I didn't know Marie is there and the shop manager. Werkstatt is in good hands.
5 stars for Marie and Jen!
Yeah, be careful going here. I used to go here for years because it was woman-owned. Woman-owned sometimes is a bad idea if woman-owned isn't professional about money and all. They're cute and all, and I tried to support them for years, and I hate to say anything bad about 'em, but truthfully this is bike shop more for the masochist side of the S&M experience. Everyone in the reviews here is right about always leaving any bike over night and getting hammered with prices even though you might get a scattershot job UNLESS you have a good relationship with one of the mechanics they've hired (and often lose because they treat their mechanics a little dodgy, too).
They're funny about money at this shop, so go here if it isn't that important to you, and you love a little stylish bad-girl attitude with your day.
But if you plan on actually riding your motorcycle anywhere outside of pushing limits, beware. Add towing prices to your ultimate cost.
If you love this kind of German affection, make a day of it: after you drop your bike off, go over to Joseph Schmidt chocolatier for a little more abuse. Then go to Rainbow and try and ask a question about a product's availability. Or get a tattoo from Idexa (nee "Indexa" from the San Francisco Lesbian porn movie where they dressed up like Nazis and dripped candle wax on the midget lesbian).
But for me the 'nineties are over. People with real salaried jobs are the only ones who indulge in "goth" in their free time anymore. Despair has gone Disney. Like Disco Duck.
This is the kind of shop that will fix little things that you don't even ask them to fix and not even charge you for it. I brought in my bike to have the breaks bled, and without saying anything they put a new screw in to secure my turn signal housing (which was previously held on with electrical tape). Sounds insignificant, but most shops could care less.
Another thing - if you have an older bike you can bring it into these guys and they'll gladly work on it. I've run across many places in SF that turn their nose up at bikes like mine - too hard to get parts and too old for the "NOZ-guzzling crotch rocket" image they want to convey. not werkstatt - their image is "real" and that's why they will hands-down continue to get my business.
my first visit was a little bumpy, but ever since then werkstatt have been awesome. upgrading from 3 to 4 stars :)
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/16/2008
+'s = they'll take a look at your bike immediately. most other repair shops i called had a week… Read more »
I've been to Werkstatt a couple of times in the past two years. Like others have noted, these folks are straight shooters, no BS. They are not cheap but they are fair. The shop rate is $79/hour. I got a mid level tune up for around $420 including:
Change Air Filter
Change Brake Fluid
Bleed Brakes
Change Clutch Fluid
Change Oil & Filter
Change Coolant
Lube & Adjust Chain
I got the bike back and was pleased with the work. The best part was that they noticed a nail in my nearly-new rear tire and plugged it! I've not found many bike shops that will do that. That saved me about $190. Very fair indeed!
I came here after being frustrated with Subterranean. My battery kept dying on me and Sub just glanced at my bike and gave it back saying "it looks fine."
Werkstatt, however, actually put some effort into figuring out what was wrong. After not being able to reproduce the problem in the shop, they told me to call the next time my battery died, and Jennifer came out to my house to take a look at it. The problem ended up just being a bad (though new) battery, but the point is that Werkstatt actually really cared about fixing my bike and went to lengths others wouldnt to solve my problem.
I've since gone back for little things as well as a full tune up and couldn't be happier. I went in for a replacement clutch lever and she even installed it for me there on the spot and just charged the cost of the part. They recognize me when I come in, and it's so nice to feel welcome by the people I trust with my bike.
I'm never going anywhere else.
I will only ever take my bike to them for repairs, or advice, or for anything else.
Let's take motorcycles out of the picture...
I went their once and they gave me pizza because they had pizza there for lunch (this isn't a usual thing for them so don't show up looking for pizza...I lucked out).
Months passed between visits and I went their again - they remembered my name. I liked Werkstatt, but when you walk into a repair shop after 4 months and a six foot two German chick says, "Hello Ryan." you fall in love...with the shop.
Daniel, the repair guy, was awesome with advice... I can ride up to the door and Daniel will stop what he's doing and help you.
Basically, there is a reason why everyone gives it 5 stars. There is no place like Werkstatt. Period.
Also, they tried to save me money. I was lazy and got my oil changed by them and Jennifer and Marie scolded me for being lazy and that I should do it myself because it is cheaper. They said they appreciated the money but come on, boy, change your own oil!
Why go anywhere else...
I really appreciate the people at the Werkstatt. I bring my all my bikes (a Ninja, a Beemer and a Vulcan) to them and I have never found a reason to complain. The price is honest and the service is without a doubt A-1. I really feel that my bikes are in good hands and I don't get "ripped off" like some "parts swappers" do. Most other places I tried broke something else in the process of fixing the original problem or the estimate is quite a bit lower then the actual price tag - not so with the Werkstatt.
I read in quite a bit of reviews that the "ladies in front" seem unfriendly -- frankly I think that may seem true at first, but once you get to know them they are the nicest people in the business. Don't forget that they are not just sales people or service managers they own the joint and know what they are doing. Maybe that seems intimidating to some of us...
I find it comforting to be treated with honesty and frankness sometimes - hey, thats why I am bringing my bike's to them:)
I can't really say much about the service, or their punctuality, but that's not really the point of Werkstatt. Lets be real, it's a german cycle shop, run by hardcore german broads, in a sketchy ass shop on some alley in the mission. If you drove by during the hours that they were closed, you wouldn't even be able to tell that it was a cycle shop because of all the window grates and rolo garage door. That's exactly what it's supposed to be! I wouldn't exactly recommend taking my bike there to be serviced, but I'd definitely go in for a new tail light (or something small like that) just to converse with the two chicks who you know are probably carrying knifes in their boots!
As far as the service goes, I love how every problem (in their opinion) is solved by leaving the bike over night and letting them take care of it. You could have a broken foot peg and they'd come out, look at it, and say, "yeah it looks broken but we can't tell for sure. We'll have to bring it into the shop."
Most of you by now are wondering why I gave Werkstatt 4 stars, well so am I. I guess it just has to do with the fact that Werkstatt is exactly what they want it to be! You may not like it, I may not like it, but they love it. And THAT'S why it gets 4 stars!
I have been going to this workshop to get top rate service on my Nighthawk 750 for the past five years and have had almost no problems with the service and quality of work provided to me. They do all of my tune ups, insurance repair work, and emergency fixes. The problems that have arisen have been very minor and correctable by simple return visits (turn signal light not functioning and one time the speedo light went out after a service, both were fixed at no charge on the spot).
I find the owner Jennifer to be very friendly, knowledgeable and enthusiastic about working on and riding motorcycles. She is definitely committed to the sport of motorcycling and knows the importance of proper maintenance to keep one's ride safe. Both Jennifer and Marie are full of good tips to economically maintain a bike and keep it in top shape.
The mechanics have also been willing to come out and discuss what they have worked on and been able to answer all my questions with out pushing expensive and unnecessary work... how often do you hear a mechanic say "don't worry about that little sound from the brake, its still fully functional and safe, the rotor is fine and will last a couple more years at least." Other mechanics might have pushed for an expensive repair for a safety concerned rider like myself but he didn't, he was right about the rotor, and I appreciate the honesty.
In summary, I do all of my repairs and maintenance here and will continue to do so. I've developed a history with the owner and the mechanics, they know my bike, they know me and I am a very satisfied customer.
Eric R.
Pro
Although the mechanics referred to my old POS nighthawk as the "Night Chicken", I found them very trustworthy and knowledgeable.
I sold my 2001 BMW F650GS to them over a year ago, since I needed the money to finish school. They had become the only shop I would go to to get work done on it for the 5 years or so that I rode it, in part, because their shop rate is so much more reasonable than the BMW dealership (under $80 at Werkstatt vs about $100 at BMW). Although I've read some people complaining about attitude, I always found them friendly and down-to-earth. Jennifer, the owner, can be a bit too direct for some folks, but I found her opinions to be helpful. Daniel is an excellent mechanic, and was honest with me about what I needed and didn't need done on the enduro. The one big problem is that they are a small shop, so the volume of work that comes in sometimes outpaces their capacity, so you might have to wait on the turnaround time, but some things, like reliable and reasonable service are worth the wait..
so im rereviewing werkstatt. why? cause they made me fall in love with riding again.
i really dont know shit about riding. i CAN ride, but not well. i know theres two wheels, an engine and gas goes into it. thats about it.
i brought my old 250 ninja way back when and they treated me right.
i brought my r6 and aske for a tune up and they treated me right again.......... BUT this time they did something that totally changed riding for me.
you see, the first time i rode out to tomales bay with my buddy hodaka, i was tired as fuck every 10 15 minutes. had to stop, my arms hurt like hell, as my shoulders. i thought it was because i moved up to a 600. ehhh i just wrote it off as im not in shape any more.
the folks at werkstatt readjusted the suspension to my weight. DUH!!!!! the guy i bought the bike from is like twice my weight.
riding is SOOOOO much better this way. i can ride all day without any problems.
thanks werkstatt!!!!!
hey and lookie here, kevo likes them too. sounds good to me.
my bike ran when they finished with it, so that's worth two stars.
sadly customer service is not a priority, nor is efficiency, so two is all they get.
i don't need a racing machine, i just need my bike to get me from point A (home) to point B (work), and be reasonably fun to ride. apparently i am not the demographic werkstatt caters to. they invariably make me feel like i am inferior for asking 'stupid' questions, or not knowing much about working on bikes. this makes me crazy, since that's what i'm paying them for. my favorite experience was when i tenatively suggested a diagnosis based on my research and observations, was treated like an a-hole for presuming to know my own bike, then told later the problem was exactly what i'd thought.
since i use my bike to commute, when i take it to the shop, i need to know WHEN i will get my bike back. i have never had them finish any job in one day, even with an appointment and early am drop off. twice they called me 15 min before closing time (on the 2nd day) to tell me my bike was ready to be picked up, once ON A FRIDAY. i work across town, and my wheels are in the shop (!), how am i supposed to get there- with helmet- in that kind of time frame. and then i was given attitude when i couldn't make it!
let me say that if i felt i was getting great work, or a great deal, i would be ok with putting up with a bit of attitude. but i don't think i'll give them the chance to win me over- there are other shops around w/ better hours and more personable staff, who will at least pretend they care about my business.
Great shop staffed by some of the most fabulous people I have ever met. Smart, beautiful women who know bikes...and you think heaven isn't a place on Earth?
Pricey, but service is really great. Honest enough to help save some money on non-emergency work.
There's a lot to be said for mechanics who will talk to you without condescension, remember you when you come in, and do what they say they will without hassles. If you're technically inclined, they're happy to discuss the details with you.
(Also, should you need to stock up on crack or used syringes, or have a lot of spare change you don't want, the people loitering around the street near there will totally help you out :)
