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Had an old shop in Texas City that for minor repairs ya could pull your bike around back, use the shop`s tools, and fix some things yourself----mark me down as one who misses the old shops----------------
Yeah, I can remember all the different bikes in the shop. Didn't know then that some of them would be classics and some would soon be disappearing from the market. Also remember the mechanic MAKING a part for my Triumph. Unimaginable to most folks today.
sorry to hijack the thread but, man i remember lawn darts. when i was a kid we (my uncle and i)would stand in one spot and toss them high in the air and see how close we could get to each other. still remember one heading for my chest, i jumped back and that think stuck me in the calf all the way to the hilt. oh yes, the good old days. funny Kolni, that happened at my grandparents house off of florin rd there in sac up there by you.
Old auto shops did too!!
True story..went to pickup something for the bike yesterday at the local dealer..the parts guy had to ask me the letters for a Softail Standard....whow....shaking head..
Not only do I remember it but I worked at one while in high school. In the very early 60's I worked at Peninsula Cycle Center in Palo Alto, Ca. Half the shop was a bike shop owned by a gentleman (and I emphasize gentleman) by the name of Cliff Anderson that worked on every brand of motorcycle that was brought in. The other half (owned by a fellow named Gene but I can't recall his last name) took care of foreign car repair. Unlike today, customers of both shops were considered part of the family and treated as such. Many of todays shops would do well to learn from the old folks.
There are still a couple of independent shops like thatdown here in the Daytona area.I usually goto one or the otherand hang on my day off.I'll even help out when I can.If you need to borrow tools to fix something outside it's no problem.If you need something smalllike a bracket,spring ,washers or whatever,you can't pay for itif you wanted to.It's always "here,don't worry about it,just take it,throw me a bone when you can",so naturally when a big job comes up that I might not be able todo myself,I'll bring the bike there everytime.
I don't think I've ever bought anything from an H-D dealer,not even my bike,until last summer.I noticed the cotter pin was missing from the nut on my rear axle.I was by the H-D dealer on Beach St. and I needed one right away so Iasked them for one.The guyasked "what kind of bike and what year"( LOL )and looked it up in the computer.I was like "I need a F@CKING cotter pin!! He went in the back and finally got one and charged me for it!A .49 cents cotter pin! Thank GodI had change anddidn't have to charge it (LOL)
I remember those days. The moco wanted that image gone and they pushed for the Nordstom look. Well, here we are. H-D cookie cutters,H-D dog collars, On and on and on..............
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I bought my bike from a shop in Huntley, IL (Randy's Cycle)that was like that. He sells all makes and models. Pleasant to deal with and knows what he is talking about.
My first years in biking(69-early 70s) was spent hanging around shops that specialized in dirt bikes. LOVED the new tire smell that was universal there. Also liked looking over the newest offerings as well as dreaming/etc. Bought my first European bike at one: A DKW from West Germany. Fine bike for the day.
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