ESTIMATES & inspection

Every estimate starts with a thorough mechanical inspection of the the entire motorcycle, not just what you brought it in for. During this inspection our mechanics will note any mechanical, cosmetic, or safety issues they find before any work is performed. Keep in mind that especially on older machines we are likely to find issues unrelated to why you brought us the bike in the first place. You are not obligated to have us fix any of what we find, but we’re still going to do that inspection because we care about your safety and because an obvious problem is often related to other, less obvious issues.

That inspection report is the estimate, and will include parts and labor estimates for everything we discover, including but not limited to whatever issue brought the bike to us in the first place. What you do next is entirely up to you. We’ll make a recommendation on which issues are highest priority, but what we do next is 100% your decision.

CUSTOMER updates

We want to earn and keep your trust, and to do that we strive to keep you in the loop every step of the way so that you know exactly what to expect. We see this as a collaboration between you, us, and your motorcycle.

We’re happy to contact you via phone, but we prefer to send status updates via email so that there’s a complete record of our communications. Email also makes it easy for us to send progress photos and keep track of decisions you’ve made regarding your motorcycle.

We’ll reach out to you:

• When your estimate is complete

• When work begins on your bike

• If we encounter any unexpected issues that were not covered in your original estimate. (We won’t do additional work without your approval.)

• If there are any delays in parts shipments

• If there are any delays from subcontractors such as for paint, powder coating, or upholstery work that we don’t do in-house

• When your bike is complete and ready to be picked up

Feel free to call us at (651) 645-1172 if you’d like an update on your project as well.

PAYMENT & pick up policy

• Parts up front. Once you receive an estimate and decide what you’d like us to do for your motorcycle, we require all parts be payed for in full up front before we get started. We will also order your parts immediately upon receiving payment to help minimize delays.

• 50% labor up front for estimates of $1,000 or more.

• 7 day pick up and payment window. Once we’ve let you know your bike is done, you have a full week to pay your balance (which you can do online), and pick up your motorcycle. Please note: after 7 days we will charge you $25/day in storage and late fees on bikes that have not been paid in full and picked up.

FAQs

HOW LONG DO ESTIMATES TAKE?

Typically, inspections and estimates are completed in 3-4 business days. Estimates are done in the order the bikes are received. Our goal is always to get each bike inspected and a detailed estimate created as quickly as we can. Please note: during busy times of the year, such as spring and summer, estimates may take longer than normal. Please be patient with us.

Once estimates go out, we ask that our customers make a decision about what they’d like us to do within three business days.

How long will it take to fix my bike?

We want to get you back on the road ASAP. Doing so will depend on three factors:

1. How many customers are ahead of you in line. We want to expedite everyone’s project, but we are a first come, first served business.

2. How much and what manner of work your bike needs. Simple fixes are faster than complex repairs.

3. Parts availability. Being able to locate parts, especially for vintage machines, is often the most time-consuming part of the project. Additionally, when we order parts, we have no control over how quickly those parts will be shipped to us. To make matters worse, recent delays and disruptions in global shipping operations has made getting parts quickly even more difficult than it already was. It’s not uncommon for a motorcycle to be 99% fixed and then have to wait days, weeks, or even months for a vendor to ship us the part we ordered for that bike.
   

More about PARTS

Please note that sometimes parts prices can and do change depending on the rarity of your machine, sourcing, and availability. If there is more than a small change in parts prices between your estimate and when we order the parts, we will let you know.

The ability to source vintage motorcycle parts is a big part of what keeps these machines on the road. When repairing a vintage motorcycle, many times parts are discontinued from the original manufacturer and must be located using aftermarket, overseas, and sometimes pretty inventive sources. Keep in mind that we are not a dealership. We only have indirect access to the OEM parts network, and there is no same-day parts delivery like in the auto industry.

Once you receive an estimate, it’s important that we receive payment as soon as possible in order to guarantee parts pricing and availability. Often times with discontinued or rare parts, we are able to track down that sole survivor, but we need to order it before it slips away. Once a part is ordered by Blue Cat, it is not always immediately shipped from the vendor, may be on backorder, or may have to be shipped from overseas. Expect a minimum of ten business days for most parts to arrive, but also be prepared for much longer waits. Sometimes a part order can take weeks, and occasionally months to arrive if it is particularly rare. Once all your parts have arrived we will put your machine back into rotation to be worked on as soon as possible. We want to complete the work on your machine and get it back on the road as much as you do!