Reliable Cycles - Oakland, California

Ryan A.

Their name says it all: Reliable. Top tier craftsmanship and dependability. The only shop that I trust with my life and my family's life in the saddle. There is no shortcut to success; fortunately, there is Reliable Cycles. I am always thrilled to brag that when our bikes have "that Reliable Tune!" You need it done right, you need it done well, you need Reliability, you need Reliable Cycles.

Diego D. L. P.

I had the pleasure of working with Taylor at Reliable Cycles on my 1974 Honda CB360, which hadn't run in 40 years. Taylor meticulously went through every part of the bike, restoring it to a condition that rivals its original showroom state. He also upgraded it with modern features, including LED lights, a new electronic distributor, and an updated rectifier/charging system. The bike now runs beautifully and is a joy to ride. Taylor’s communication throughout the process was excellent—he sent regular updates via iMessage and email, including photos and videos. A huge thanks to Taylor and Candice for their outstanding work! I highly recommend Reliable Cycles for anyone with a vintage bike.

Dave L.

Taylor is a great mechanic. Honest, thorough, meticulous, tenacious and extremely knowledgeable. I brought him a 51 year old Harley 125 enduro that wouldn't start. He diagnosed and fixed, in no particular order, electrical gremlins, fuel delivery, spark delivery, timing, and a host of carburation issues. He didn't stop until it was perfect. He sent videos of the work in progress describing the issues and eventual remedies, so his communication is also above and beyond.
The bike starts on the 2nd kick stone cold, and pulls like a mule. I couldnt be more satisfied and can't recommend more highly.

Kit C.

Taylor runs a great shop. He's as knowledgeable as they come, clearly loves and cares about what he's doing, and is communicative and transparent throughout the whole process.

I brought him my 1970 2 stroke Kawasaki which had a laundry list of issues big and small. Taylor walked me through everything that was wrong, explained it all clearly, and sent lots of videos as he was fixing things, explaining what he was doing and why.

The quality of work is excellent, and you'll not find a better place to fix up a vintage bike.

Rob C.

This guy is great!!! I found Taylor through a friend and brought my 1970 ct90 in for what I thought was just going to be a carb cleaning, but he discovered the previous owner had done some pretty janky stuff to the electrical and that the carb wasn’t actually an issue. It didn’t take long to realize he knows a ton about older bikes of all sizes and loves sharing his knowledge; I had zero problem leaving my bike at his shop and knew it was in good hands.

Taylor did a great job of keeping me posted with texts and videos throughout the entire process, especially as additional issues kept surfacing (this bike had been through a lot before I got it.) He made sure I knew the pros and cons of each problem and solution, and he let me decide what I wanted him to tackle and what to save for another time. I didn’t feel any pressure at all and I’m so glad I had him overhaul my entire electrical system. The bike purrs now and it starts up first kick most of the time, which is saying a lot for a 50 year old piece of equipment.

After my experience at reliable cycles I referred my neighbor with his old trail bike and his is running great now too. Taylor was efficient, responsive and of course, reliable for both of us; even after having been sidelined by his own high speed accident! I can’t say enough about this guy and his shop; I won’t be going anywhere else.

Brian H.

If you have a vintage bike, Taylor is your mechanic. I would never trust my bike in anyone else’s hands. I’ve broken down far from him, but i still get towed to Taylor, even when another mechanic is right around the corner.

Every time i bring the bike in, he recognizes the bike and it’s story. He remembers the particulars of my bike and how i like to ride it. he and i have tuned my 72 cb350k to perfection. Plus, he has taught me so much about how to maintain the bike on my own, whereas most mechanics just give you a call when the job is done. He provides photos and updates along the way. He is available to text or call and talk through problems.

Taylor lives and breathes these bikes. Don’t make the mistake of putting your ride in anyone else’s hands.

V P.

I hit up Taylor after purchasing my first vintage Honda because it had a leak and it wasn't running too great. I called other motorcycle shops and no one really seemed to have any interest in taking in vintage bikes. I'm an absolute noob when it comes to working on motorcycles and Taylor came through with the knowledge and expertise to get my bike running it's best. Having someone with deep knowledge of vintage bikes was the major reason I chose to go to him. After getting my bike back I could tell it was a whole different bike, night and day in how it ran and sounded. Any questions I had after he was always quick to respond and didn't judge me for being a complete amateur haha.

If you have a vintage bike and are in the Bay Area talk to Taylor first. I'm so glad I brought my bike to him and I will absolutely be taking it back if I ever run into any future issues.

Anthony M.

Look no further then Taylor at Reliable Cycles! I brought my 1969 Yamaha DT1. It wasn't running and had so many issues that I couldn't figure out (I know nothing about Motorcycles) but Taylor had the expertise to get the job done! Great turn around time. He also explained the mechanics of how to ride the bike since this is my first motorcycle and I had no clue what I was doing. When I brought it back home I put the key in and on the first kick it started! Was at a loss for words After 40 plus years of collecting dust. It runs now better than ever! Looking forward to bringing it back to get more rad work done on it!