Motorcycle repair rates in your area

Energy One

pknowles

RETIRED
Supporting Member
Just curious as to the hourly labor rates in your neck of the woods. Most shops in the Southeast,Virginia are just south of a hundred bucks an hour. I know most on here do the majority of their own repairs but just curious as to the rates in different areas.
 

Minuteman

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
The local guy I use when I do not have time is @ $68.00/hr. and is a certified HD mechanic. about 30 miles away they are getting $95.00/hr.
 

knothead

Second Chance Customs
Supporting Member
Yeah they get around 100 here too....i work on some for friends and older people that r on a fixed income just to help them out and keep them riding...i charge friends 50 plus parts...older people i just fix it and forget it...most off the older people is just oil changes
 

knothead

Second Chance Customs
Supporting Member
Lol i hear ya...i would do the same for u...lol i just had to fix 04 dt chopper this past weekend at the bike rally...he had the carb all jacked up...then i fixed a harley gear shifter also...wife was like damn everywhere we go u have to work lol
 

41bigdawg

Let the Big Dawg eat !
Supporting Member
Lol i hear ya...i would do the same for u...lol i just had to fix 04 dt chopper this past weekend at the bike rally...he had the carb all jacked up...then i fixed a harley gear shifter also...wife was like damn everywhere we go u have to work lol
Good to know you got my back...lol
 

Mastiff Rider64

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
I know one shop in Greenville is 125.00 on big dogs and 95.00 on HD's. They are a past big dog dealer and service center and same mechanic from then is still there. The shop I've been taking mine to which is a previous big dog service center is 115.00 an hour if you get the S&S certified guy (who was the big dog guy back when it was a service center) and 90.00 if you get the HD certified guy. And the place I used when my 117 blew he only charge 75.00 when he changed out my motor, trans and primary, but he had the bike 13 months to do it all.

Kinda sad that I've taken my bike to so many places, and heck that is not even 1/3 of the places my bike or bikes have been to.
 

Mastiff Rider64

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Find a GOOD tech, and stay with him/her. IMO, you will be rewarded in the long run.
John
Believe it or not I've not found one yet. Every place ive taken my Dogs to has screwed me in one way or another. From being blackmailed to pay an extra 8,000 dollars to get both dogs back to paying for work not done at all. Like now my bagger has been in the shop since before christmas to have new vfi tuned in and have primary orings replaced, yet i paid for this place to do this last year when i was having issues then brought bike home for a week notice it still leaking oil so took it back while riding it there it ran like shit so i told them i think the vfi tune is off, havent seen or hear from them since. Called a few times and have been told the machanic is still working on it...starting to think they broke or wrecked it and are trying to keep it till i cant afford the bill.
 

Minuteman

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Believe it or not I've not found one yet. Every place ive taken my Dogs to has screwed me in one way or another. From being blackmailed to pay an extra 8,000 dollars to get both dogs back to paying for work not done at all. Like now my bagger has been in the shop since before christmas to have new vfi tuned in and have primary orings replaced, yet i paid for this place to do this last year when i was having issues then brought bike home for a week notice it still leaking oil so took it back while riding it there it ran like shit so i told them i think the vfi tune is off, havent seen or hear from them since. Called a few times and have been told the machanic is still working on it...starting to think they broke or wrecked it and are trying to keep it till i cant afford the bill.
I would tell them you would like to drop by today and see a progress report on the bike and would like you to show and tell me what is your next step. Be nice but also insist for the meeting. Just my thoughts on this. One last thing you should be prepared to also pull the bike that day if you are not satisfied, pay the bill if the mention one and if it is high pay it anyway and then you may want to take them to court after another person looks at it for damages if that is happened or charges made and not preformed after another persons advise. Just my opinion.
 

Brent Herridge

Active Member
Sorry to hear of your problems. I had some bad experiences too. This COVID19 crisis sure puts you in a bind, but aside from that, tell them you're coming by to get the bike - finished or not.

They'll probably BS you about work they didn't really do, or slap it together quickly, so although you'll get something back, it's likely not what you wanted.

When that happened to me the second time I did the rest myself. There was more to do - fixing stuff those 2 shops had omitted or screwed up, and even shocks replacement after that, but I was fortunate and things turned out ok. I've done tire replacements since then too. A friend here in town and the invaluable help from the forum did it for me.
 

FrankBDPS

Well-Known Member
Reading these horror stories makes me glad I can do most of my own work not only on the bikes but most of the other stuff around here. So I quess my shop rate should be about a grand an hour.
 

Mastiff Rider64

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Sorry to hear of your problems. I had some bad experiences too. This COVID19 crisis sure puts you in a bind, but aside from that, tell them you're coming by to get the bike - finished or not.

They'll probably BS you about work they didn't really do, or slap it together quickly, so although you'll get something back, it's likely not what you wanted.

When that happened to me the second time I did the rest myself. There was more to do - fixing stuff those 2 shops had omitted or screwed up, and even shocks replacement after that, but I was fortunate and things turned out ok. I've done tire replacements since then too. A friend here in town and the invaluable help from the forum did it for me.
No doubt I could and can do some of the work myself but they are suppose to be tuning in my VFI which I can't do from home. So not sure what option I have besides get the bike and hope it runs this spring summer and fall? Not many places near by that even will touch a big dog or that has a dyno machine that it will fit on. And most places that say they do work on big dogs I've been to and got burned by. I may go by and talk to the machanic about bringing the bike home and maybe I can hire Shannon or Marky mark to come tune it it???
 
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