J L Detail Cycle — Local services in New York

Disclaimer: Rating is based on my personal experience (so YMMV, no pun) when I got a flat, I was too far from home to push the bike all the way back and had a dead cellphone. Yes when it rains, it pours! I could've easily been taken advantage of, but wasn't. In addition, when settling the bill I paid $20 more than requested. As I was leaving Jay got our of the shop calling me to tell me I gave him more than I was supposed to. After counting the bills in front of me, he gave me back the extra $20. I'm not sure many places I've been would have done the same. The mistake was mine and likely I'd have realized it too late.

What happened: After barely 500ft since leaving where I had parked, I felt the rear tire sway. Got off and saw I had a @#%! flat. Tried a quick repair (got tubes), but was no go. The small portable compressor I carry was no match for the large nail so I knew I would not make it back to Brooklyn on a over pumped tire.

I stopped at 8 different places including a bicycle shop. They were all sympathetic, but none when out of their way offering to help me patch the tube so I could at least get back home, despite being fully equipped and despite I said I would take full responsibility, do the job myself knowing they were doing me a favor. I understand, sadly in US too many lawsuits led to this. Each place let me use their compressor to re-inflate and be able to go a couple more miles. All for free but one (bicycle shop on Roosevelt Ave).

Eventually came across the Harley dealer on Northern Blvd. No help there! Won't go into details, but if I ever considered a Harley after this experience I am set to never buy anything remotely connected to that brand. Not only they didn't mention Jay's shop, but not even the Honda/Yamaha shop/repair located literally 3 blocks away! My karma repay them for that.

By sheer chance a mechanic who was waiting for a part and heard me asking for help, happened to work at Jay's. Once outside I explained my predicament and he offered to help. Since I had no options I followed him to the shop. Obviously I was skeptic as I knew nothing about it nor could check reviews. Fortunately for me I ended up meeting honest people who were willing to help not take advantage of the situation. I could've been easily turned away since it's not like I was there with an issue which could potentially mean working for a few hours and hence make a few hundreds from servicing my bike. Also closing time was approaching being past 4PM. Jay didn't turn me away. He started right away. Since he had no tubes that could fit he called the nearby Honda/Yamaha to check stock. They had it so I headed over to get buy it and bring it back to the shop while Jay took worked on prepping the wheel to replacement the tube.

As Jay went onto completing the repair, he sent me on a coffee run to a nearby diner. I initially found it a bit odd, but I guess that's part of being treated like family! ;P). I actually looked for a pizzeria the get a pie back when I went to the Honda dealer, but the only one I came across (Donatello) was closed. So was happy to go get the coffee and muffin for Jay and grab quick bite myself (he offered to buy by the way!)

I can't speak to the degree of know-how which others complained about, though it would surprise me that someone who stayed in business for over 25 years would survive this long if each bike that went in didn't get fixed. That said I work on my bike myself and I am always humbled by it. I know my KLR inside out and even then I keep learning. Through the years I learned that 1) the perfect mechanic can never exist, 2) one can only find more or less experienced ones, 3) relationships can't exist without honesty, 4) some fixes can be very elusive and at times the main cause can be being very difficult to find, 5) we all make mistakes.

With all that said I am very confident I am not making a mistake in saying that Jay is one of the most honest people I've met so far and I am very thankful we crossed paths when we did. Couldn't recommend him enough. Thanks again...

Dishonest. Typical salesman. Will lie to you with a straight smile

I purchased my first motorcycle from one of JL's customers that I was told was well maintained. I paid jay 500 to check it out and service it. He said the engine was good and the clutch was good. My friend, who has been driving riding for 20 years told me that the clutch is garbage. Basically they lied to make money off of me. They were expecting me to come back and do the clutch. The engine was tuned up and the front brakes were "replaced" because of the squeaking. I could tell when I got the bike back, that the brakes were not replaced. They had applied the brakes very hard a couple of times to make the squeak go away. Within a hundred miles the squeak was back.

Will sell you used tires and claims they have plenty of life. When friends tell me they are garbage. He sold me one of these 'used tires'.

When I brought my bike in for service . He called and said it needs a tire, I thought he was referring to the front tire which was ok/so so. When I pick up the bike I could not tell which tire was replaced. He says the rear tire was replaced. I could not tell because The old rear tire was in excellent condition. He tells me there was a crack... I don't think the tire was replaced. But I was charged for it. I tell him what about the front tire, he says oh I missed that . Then he puts on a used tire that was worse than the old one. ugh.

To top it off he asked me write him a good review. To negate some of the bad review he has here. Yeah OK.

If you complain about anything. He always has a good excuse. Or something to say about it. (he talks his way out of everything.) I don't trust his operation. He's a smooth sly typical salesman who happens to be a mechanic. I'm going to have to find another bike shop.

Update: 8/22/14 Had my clutch changed at a different shop. It rides like a different bike now.

So either JL knew it needed a clutch and lied to me, or they are...

One of the worst experiences I have had in my life, I strongly encourage anyone NOT to do business with these people. I wrote on Yelp an account of my experience, and here is a list of the reasons why Jay was extremely unprofessional and I will never return to them:

LYING. Jay will not tell the truth and also will not remember about his own lies, so you will easily catch him on them, creating and uncomfortable and infuriating situation. Examples of lies will be: Saying he will do something and then not do it Tell you the bike is ready when it isn't Tell you he paid a certain amount for a part or material he actually didn't - will also tell you about special paint, glue, materials... Claiming the job is harder that he thought thus he needs to charge you more for it, only to drop the issue after you confront him about it LACK OF SENSE OF TIME. He will tell you to come at a time and do NOT go by it. You will have to wait, come later or some other day, making the process as inconvenient as it can be. EXTRA CHARGES. You will need to do something on the bike, which he says he will do. Shortly after he will find other "issues" that need to be fixed and he will of course do it for you paying extra. HORRIBLE COMMUNICATION. On top of disregarding times set in advance, he will tell you one thing and then do another, change his mind on something and act upon it without telling you and make you confused with contradictory statements POOR DELIVERY. He will say your bike is ready and then you will find out it isn't. The job will not be done and you will have to bring your bike again to try to make him finish it. He will lose your original nuts and bolts and replace then with some others he will find in his messy work area.

I am currently filing a complain with the NYC Consumer Affairs office. I will do anything I can to beware anyone who considers doing...