Motorcycle Works Ltd

I recently took my BMW r90/6 . Tom is by far the most helpful and knowledgeable mechanic I have met. To keep this review short I will end it by saying he is the only mechanic I will be taking my r90 to in New York. more

My BMW R1150R needed a tune up, there is not a lot of places where to take a bike like this and espect honestty and good work, this guy is been working in motorcycles for more than 35 years and he has no problem explaining what the problem is,all original parts,and my bike rides like new.\r Thanks Tom. more

Dishonest, arrogant and annoying. Do not go. more

I had the opportunity to have Tom work on my bike and give me a complete full service to start my season off on the right foot problem free. I ride and own an R1150R which I had previously utilized the services of another shop (that shall remain nameless) in the bronx through the reference of a friend. This was my first mistake. I had already been referred to use Tom by a very trusted source but from the hearsay I was told about Tom, I shied away and didn't give him that initial shot. Well needless to say, the experience at the other shop was horrible and so I gave Motorcycle Works a shot. BEST DECISION EVER and here's why: Tom actually knows his stuff. When it comes to repairs and service on these late model BMW motorcycles, he's as sharp as a needle. He has no problem explaining the issues, your options and the solutions for addressing your issues fully or in stages. Bottom line though, you purchased a BMW, its going to cost, you know what your getting into in owning one and if you don't, do your homework. Tom is a straight shooter and gives it to you like it is which I truly appreciate. If something is bad, he tells you. If its on its way out and you still have time to say, work that in on the next service, he tells you the truth. So many shops glaze over what is actually going on and give you the general scope minus the details which as the owner takes you literally out of the drivers seat for making decisions on how you many want to proceed with your bike's service. If you are not looking for a mechanic that tells you the truth, does top quality work to which I would call dealer quality with out the dealer baggage, willing to inform you about your bike so that you have fewer issues at your next service, then keep going to whomever your using now. If you want those attributes in your mechanic and would like to preserve the life of your motorcycle then Tom and Motorcycle Works Ltd is your new destination. This is a sincere review from a very satisfied customer actually looking forward to his next service. I hope this helps any of you out there on the fence trying to decide where to take your bike next. Best of luck, hopefully see you on the road! more

What a great experience. Having searched for a good mechanic for my bike for years, I was thrilled to find someone nearby with such high ratings. Then I read the reviews. Whoa, wait a minute, this guy sounds like a nutjob. The soup nazi of motorcycle repair? Don't care, I don't like rudeness, but I will put up with quite a lot for a good mechanic. So I read every review I could find, learned what seems to tip Tom over the edge, and made damn sure I didn't do any of those things. Also, I love Steve and his Key Lime pies, and if he is only as gruff as Steve, clearly the stories were over-rated, and a recommendation from someone who makes pies as good as Steve's is not to be taken lightly. I called and kept it as brief as possible: ""Hi, 2008 Kawasaki, need tires changed"" ""Do you have the tires?"" ""No"" ""Get the tires and call me back"" ""Can I ship them to you"" ""Yes"" ""Thanks, bye"" Phew. So far so good. By the way, most places make you order tires through them, so they can mark them up. Tom is all about an honest dollar for honest work. Tires arrived, Tom called, said he had an opening the next day, and was open from 9-5:30. I showed up at 8:57 and sat quietly outside (on the street, engine off!). Tome ushered me in, I handed over the list of things that I would like done/looked at, explaining that only the things we discussed, tires, were mandatory, everything else was only if he could fit it in. Calls me back at about 3 o'clock the same day, ready to pick up. Left work early (I can find a new job, not sure if I can find another good mechanic) and headed over to the shop. Tom was awesome. Friendly, chatty, knowledgeable and generous with his knowledge, and funny as hell. Clearly this is a guy who loves bikes of all kinds, and enjoys his work. I am looking for a less reliable bike so I can go learn more from him. After I realized he was not the terror some paint him to be, I told him I had read some awful things about him on the internet. He laughed raucously, and we talked about some of the people who have given bad reviews. People who break appointments, leave their loud bikes running on the sidewalk in a residential neighborhood, and generally expect him to act like a waiter. He doesn't take any 5h!t, and nor should he, but he is a solid mechanic, a stand-up guy, and if you don't piss him off with stupidity, will do great work at a fair price, and I challenge you to find better. more

Old school style shop with a highly knowledgeable and skilled mechanic. Twice as fast as stealership, and cheaper too. Go in knowing what you want done, or what you want investigated, simple. Tom's a genuine mechanic, I'd trust him to do just about anything with my classic BMW, and he can work the other brands too. more

I haven't been riding in a while but before I get started again I need to get my bike road ready. I wouldn't trust anyone else but Tommy unless I absolutely had to. He knows bikes. He is a genuinely nice guy, and if you have normal boundaries, you will do fine with him. I've never been overcharged or had bad work done. He hasn't been around for years for no reason. more

IF YOU OWN A BMW THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO HVE IT REPAIRED . JUST MAKE SURE ITS DONE RIGHT WHEN YOU PICK IT UP BECAUSE I DONT THINK HE LIKES IT WHEN YOU COME BACK FOR SECONDS . IF YOU NEED IT TO BE TOWED HERE CALL 212 845 9567 OR TO ANY BMW MECHANIC SURE I KNOW EM ALL IN NYC more

November 29th, 2010 more

I was looking for a really good bike mechanic who is worth the money. Tom is fantastic. He is honest and very thorough in his explanations, professional and his service is speedy. He might be gruff but he's obviously a really nice guy because he's always gone out of his way for me, even when he is super busy. I've never had to go back to him twice for the same issue on my bike--unlike many other mechanics I've been to. I trust him completely and I am so thankful that I found him. I will never go to another mechanic as long as Tom is around. more

The bad reviews you will read here were left by morons. Tommy is a good guy that knows what he is doing. I had the pleasure of using terrible mechanics before a friend turned me on to Tommy. For that reason alone I can say that I KNOW Tommy is the real deal. He took my 350F and tuned it up to the point where I feel like I'm on a different bike. He also took the time to have me ride the bike around and feel the tune even though it was past closing time. He continued to take the time to talk to me and share more info about the bike and keeping it tuned. THEN he gave me a quick tour around the shop (I think he likes BMWs). The level of work and knowledge I experienced had me giddy. It makes me want to buy more bikes just to keep giving him work. I can only hope others read this review and won't make the mistake of going to any shop other than Tommy's. His hourly rate is fair, especially for NYC. Remember, you get what you pay for. Oh, and if you plan on writing a bad review contact me first. I'd like to kick you in the soft fleshy part where your balls used to be. thanks again, Tom... Pros: professional, responsible, informative... Cons: none. more

Tom is by far and wide one the best mechanics money can get you. This man knows your Beemer, Triumph, Beesa, hawg - and any other oddball thing you got to roll his way - inside and out. If he weren't familiar with your scoot (and I bet you'd be hard pressed to find something he hasn't already worked on) I'll put fifty down he'd be able to take it apart and re-build it blindfolded inside a day. In short, he's one of those rare prodigies you read about and love to hate - for being so smart (sometimes it's eerie). However, Tom has, of late become known for being a bit . . . ""difficult"" to work with. Now, here's the reason the guy has gotten such a bad rap: he won't take any BS. Pure and simple, this guy is really, REALLY no nonsense. He's so good at what he does, in fact that he's got a waiting list, which means that if he doesn't like you, your bike, your attitude, the job put before him, etc., etc. he will make it plainly known and will either turn your job down or make it known that he's not pleased or enthused w. your project. Them's the breaks, folks! It's a supply and demand world out there - this guy is the best, therefore the supply of *HIM* is limited, the demand by *YOU* is great and it all equals *HIS* ability to call the shots as he sees fit. Don't get me wrong, I find his customer service exemplary (and I've been a retail store owner for over 18 years!) and his care to be excellent. Is this ""pick and choose ethic"" a bad way of doing business? By my standards, no - it's a realistic one. If you want some sugar coated CRizAP or some kind of ""validation"" that you're a cool, tough dude, don't lie about another man's competence. go seek therapy or join a martial arts gym or something. Tom is straight forward, incredibly kind and helpful to those who don't have overinflated egos, or ridiculous complexes or some kind of bratty sense of entitlement. He has helped me with four bikes now and though I haven't always liked what he's had to say, I like the place it's coming from - one of honesty, integrity, knowledge, and DIVINE capability. Thank you, Tom. All the best to you. Pros: the best motorcycle mechanic money can buy Cons: shelve your ego, need for hand holding, sense of entitlement more

I heard that he's meticulous and somewhat old-schooled. Pros: competent, eager to show me the right way, and articulate Cons: Doesn't like being distracted more

Tom the Mechanic is a person to avoid ! Please do not expend you money there. He doesn't have a clue about electrical and the most he can do is to change your oil but even that i will not trust him. Many other places to go in the city like Tri-Borough Motorcycle in Greenpoint #1. Think twice before you make a mistake. Tom is a rude pretentious mechanic . AVOID ! Pros: Brooklyn Cons: Everything else more

Awesome wrench. Tom not only knows bikes he will take the time to walk you through what he did and why. Also, he's not going to eff you on the bill. He charged me for like half the time he spent on my bike, a 75 Yamaha. As for these guys here bitching about his personality, I don't see a problem here at all. more

I spend $1800 at Motorcycle Works ( I have the invoice to proved) and he did not fix my bike, Tom is crazy disrespectful rude person. Pros: location Cons: to many to be listed more

To all serious riders: Pros: Want to keep your BMW running? This is the only game in town. Cons: It's cash only, but who cares? more

I have nothing,but great things to say about Tom and Motorcycle Works Limited. Straight forward real talk. He tuned my bike up fast and accurate, it was like a completely different bike, performance wise. He tells you like it is no BS, and in this day and age it's refreshing. more

This guy is not ""moody,"" he is abusive and childish. Every comment out of his mouth is self-serving, ever reminding you of how knowledgable, dedicated, pure, uncompromising he is. And the other guys are all crack-pots and crooks. And you? Well, you are an ignorant fool who can never appreciate his greatness. His shop isn't ""tight"", it's a disgustsing mess, with half junked motorcycle carcasses mouldering in every corner. I was nervous that my bike was going to crash into something as he wedged it in next to some rusted out hulk. Parts, tools, coffee cups, boxes of trash make up the rest of the landscape. Previous comments warn away those who are too ""sensitive."" That is nonsense. His behavior wasn't just erratic, it was abusive and unprofessional. I went to him a few times and the work was done, but always with unpleasant comments and nastiness. The final break came when he told me (on a Saturday) to stop by on a Monday morning. When I arrived, he started yelling at me that I should have called before I came. When I asked him why he was treating me so rudely, he screamed at me to get out and never to come back. Let's face it. If there were more BMW mechanics around, nobody would deal with this clown for a minute. So, in order to save a decent amount of money, we are all willing to accept a small amount of unpleasantness. Writing checks for hundreds of dollars to BMW of Manhattan is also unpleasant, and MW prices are reasonable. But, there is a limit and I reached it rather quickly. For those of you who are willing to take your chances wirth this nut, here's a tip. Don't deal with him in the morning. The difference in his attitude between morning and afternoon is like Jeckyl and Hyde. Beware. Pros: a good mechanic as far as I could tell Cons: unacceptable behavior. Abusive and mean. more

Let me first say that I was forewarned before heading to Motorcycle Works to service my 1970 Triumph Bonneville. ""He's moody, can be hard to get service, etc."" Tom can definitely be abrasive if your ego needs stroked. He tells you exactly how it is, how much it will take to fix, and whether or not he feels the bike is worthy of his service. I can see what people mean by his moodiness, but I thought it was kind of endearing. It took about 2 weeks for him to take it in, and then an additional 2 weeks to complete. I thinks that's reasonable considering he's in high demand, does exceptional work, and I was basically a walk in (do call ahead-he doesn't like you to just show up). When I went to pick the bike up, he went over every little detail with me, really educating me on why I was having problems and what to look for in the future. He even went above and beyond by using parts off his 70 triumph to get mine up and running. The bike performs better than it ever has, and I also have a better understanding of the mechanics of the whole thing. Don't take his demeanor personal, he's very passionate about what he does. If you're looking for excellent mechanical know-how and reasonable prices, look no further. If you want someone to tell you how wonderful you are, go elsewhere. Pros: Quality work, A true character, Passionate craftsmanship Cons: Bit of a backlog more