Trev Deeley Motorcycles

I know I already spoiled the surprise in a post earlier this month, but I got to meet up with Ryan Bolding, Shop Supervisor at Trev Deeley Motorcycles a couple weeks back, and he gave me quite the tour of the place. I didn't know what to expect heading down to check out one of the very first Harley Davidson dealerships in the world (and the very first Honda motorcycle distributor in the English speaking world), but needless to say, it was unreal.

I was expecting to see some old grumpy dude walk through the door, squeeze my hand half to death and give me a 5 minute tour of the service shop. It wasn't like that. First off, Ryan was rad. Second off, he didn't try hurt me or my hand. Third, he knows his shit, and 'Deeleys' is running a tight ship down there. I was there for over 2 hours, so no matter how much I write in this blog, I won't fully be able to explain how great the shop and entire facility is.

He started out showing me a bit about the system they have that keeps their workflow organized. They leave little room for error, and you certainly won't have to call them up to remind them to pull your bike out of the back to get it done. Bikes that need work get priority, and they even have a quick service center for bikes that need small maintenance or upgrades done last minute, as well as seasonal storage availability. They have a detailing bay, where bikes are cleaned before they go out, and they never give a bike back to its owner without making sure it's been for a test ride, and is safe. Dealing with motorcycles, safety seems to be the main concern at the shop.

While I was there, I was lucky to get to see some of the 'Dyno' process being done. The Dynometer they have in the shop is quite the machine. Fully enclosed, sound proofed, with viewing glass, and the customer was standing right there while the work was being done. It was awesome to see this guy watching his bike get tuned right before his eyes, and he was quite passionate about it. The Dyno-Tech did a great job and the customer was happy. Very rad to see these interactions going down. It was also pretty cool to see there is a legit machine shop in the back, where they actually do a fair amount of metal work on site. These guys aren't just ordering parts and slapping them on to your bike, they do real work.

Ryan walked me around the entire shop, which was pretty nice of him to do, considering he's currently using a crutch to get around after a broken femur from a non-work related accident. We talked a bit about about how he got into motorcycle mechanics, and what it's been like starting out at Deeleys, though it's not where he got his first start. Believe it or not, they are just like any other shop out there. They don't care what piece of paper you have in your hand that says your qualified to be a Harley Davidson mechanic, because the mechanic stuff can be learned by anyone. They care about weather or not you are passionate about motorcycles, if you have a desire to learn, and if you are going to be a good addition to the close team they have going. It wasn't always easy for Ryan either. The first few seasons we're hard for him being at the bottom of the totem pole, but he has stuck with it and worked his way up over time to get where he is as shop supervisor.

To be completely honest, for a bit I forgot I was on a tour, and forgot I was there for the purpose of writing a post about the service shop for my blog. I felt like I was being shown around on my first day of work, and when I snapped back into reality, I was a little bummed that I would eventually have to leave this place and go back to my unexciting job as a Production Assistant in film & television. I would much rather be learning about bikes and hanging out with the rad crew at the Trev Deeley Motorcycles service shop. Anybody who gets the chance to work there is lucky, and anyone who gets there bike worked on at the shop can sleep easy knowing their bike is in good hands.

After we walked around and checked the shop out real good, we had a seat at Ryan's work station, and just had a rad chat, about bikes, our childhood riding experiences, family life, and everything in between. It was pretty cool, getting to chat about old bikes, and choppers, and our mutual love for dirt bikes. I had a blast. Since Ryan has an injured leg at the moment, it's been a perfect time for him to get some stuff done on his personal bike (I believe it's a '49 EL), during whatever free time he can find in the shop. I'm glad I got to catch it while it was there, and he was kind enough to let me snap a few pics. It wasn't the only legit chopper in the shop either.

Thanks for the tour Ryan, and Happy Holidays to you and your family, and everyone else at Trev's!

Cory - The Great North ---- Currently listening to: The Wild - Party 'Til You're Dead