Howdy’s Cycle Sales

DO NOT GO HERE WARNING!!! They messed up my husbands bike and didn’t even do the oil change but of course charged us for it. Parts that they claimed they replace were just the old parts. We now have to go out of our way to get our money back small claim courts and contact better business burea.

In early 2000’s around 2001 or 2002 I found a zx-​6r f model that Howdy’s had for sale. I’d been looking for a while for a 1994 – 1997 zx6r and found it. I paid $ 3850. I rode it and it rode good. It was from Florida and had ~5,000 miles on it. Howdy said the guy just rode it out from Florida and implied the guy sold it to him. Howdy would not budge on the price and said it was just enough money to get his shop licensed or something to that effect.
I bought the bike and the next day I had the fairing off to change the oil and saw within seconds that the frame was cracked on the right under side. The frame crack ran from edge to edge of the right side main spar. The deal was done and I was hosed on that deal. I got it fixed and later found out that the front forks were from a 2001 or 2002 Kawasaki Z750. My zx6r must have been crashed and a new set of forks slipped right in and they scored a couple, few thousand off me probably.
It just burns me that the dude lied through his teeth and I see these rosy Unilocal reviews. What a joke Unilocal has become and this Howdy’s Cycle Sales is the last place I’ll ever go to buy a motorcycle.

Howdy and the mechanics there are so nice honest and down to earth. They did not treat me like an idiot because I am a woman. I will continue to get all the maintenance on my R3 here.

BEST local shop to meet your motorcycle needs. In addition to executing my necessities in a timely manner, they were courteous and responsive to my questions and demands-​all garnished with a little rugged finesse that made me feel comfortable. They are direct, genuine and fair and quite knowledgeable of the industry. Howdy is such a great guy and it’s obvious that motorcycles are his passion!

Great guys. Brandon was very helpful. Even though the part came in late, they where honest and didn’t bull*#($ me. A couple extra days for honest work. I will trade for that. Thanks again. I also figured out the charging problem. They have tons of hondas and knew my shadow very well.

I live in Florida and ride my bike all over this great country. Recently, I came through Ventura on a Saturday looking for an oil change and new tires. First I stopped by the large dealership off the freeway, but they were too busy to take care of my bike the same day so they suggested I try Howdy’s. All I can say is that I have never received better service: Once I explained to them that I needed to be in the Big Sur by nightfall, they cleared a space in the (very busy) shop and got to work right away. The manager, Erik, even took me out to lunch at Macaroni grill while my bike was being worked on! Not only did service the bike, they did a full safety inspection and pointed out to me the tire that came off the rear of my bike wasn’t the right size (too wide) and suggested a smaller size which really does make the bike handle better. By the time lunch was over, my bike was done, and the they cut me a deal on both the service and the parts. Next time I’m in Ventura, I’m buying lunch for the whole crew. Highly recommended! Oh, and they have some really nice bikes in the showroom!

sadly I WILL NEVER use Howdy again after years of faithful service. The main reason was due to the insults my wife and I received from his new detailer. This guy told me to my face that I annoyed him because my bike was dirty when I brought it in for a valve inspection. His entire job at Howdy’s is to detail bikes. Then I went to test ride my bike and he tells my wife that I better be leaving her as collateral since I haven’t paid for the work done.
Second problem was when I was quoted $ 200 for a valve inspection and $ 400 if the valves needed to be adjusted. Well when I got the bill for $ 505 and the mechanic told me straight up that no adjustment was needed but since he was in there he went ahead and changed my spark plugs and washed my air filter.
I never got a call requesting permission to change my plugs or wash my filter so I never authorized this work. Then I saw that it took them 5 hours just to do a valve inspection when it only takes 3.5 hours. I asked them to swap an ecu from flash tune for me and they charged me a half hour for a 10 minute job and another half hour for spark plugs then another half hour to wash my air filter. Come on really, a half hour to was a filter?
I gave them my bike and it took 15 days to do 6.5 hours worth of work. when I confronted howdy about these problems he said he would have a talk with the detailer but as for the high bill at the end, well I have to swallow the piss poor quote. He says he will be raising his quote amount due to the time it took on my bike for future customers.
I don’t see how it is my fault he has incompetent mechanics that take more time than what is required to do a job.
I actually drove 150 miles just to use howdy, NEVER again.
Sorry Howdy, nothing personal to you but you need to tighten up your employees.
Semper Fi

Being a woman, it’s really hard to find a good mechanic that doesn’t treat you like a total idiot or try to rip you off. I’m no mechanic, but I have a basic understanding and always research and ask questions, and so far Howdy’s is the only place I’ve gone to out of all of Ventura that was straightforward and didn’t try to press unnecessary repairs and charges on me! I’m just bummed I tried so many lame places before I got to Howdy’s!
At Howdy’s I never get undermined, the service is always on point and my old 1982 Virago always runs great after they’ve worked on it! I’d highly recommend these guys, they do it right the first time. Plus they came and picked it up for me for $ 10 (this saved my stranded butt), way better than the tow truck that wanted $ 65 to tote it less than 5 miles!
Hands down, this is the place I’ll go to for my motorcycle needs from now on. Thanks Howdy!

1^st time I’ve ever written one of these, but I just had to share.
I have a 1100 shadow, spirit which was leaking engine oil from the clutch slave cylinder. I personally could have done the job, in about an hour. However, feeling lazy, I decided to get some quotes on the repair. Howdy was certainly not the cheapest, but he was the only one who offered to pick-​up the bike so I didn’t have to worry about any engine damage or wash all the oil off my bike again. I was stoked !!! I thought I had finally found my mechanic for life. He quoted me $ 150.00 for everything… way more than I wanted to pay, but I felt good about having a professional do it so I said «Lets do it».
So Monday he shows up, fashionably late, in a small long bed pick-​up. I think well, OK… Then he says oops, someone took my ramp out of the truck. I think well, OK So then thanks to a friend of his not far from my house, he borrows a ramp and he and I get it loaded.
So Thursday rolls around and not a word. I call and he says he should look at it tomorrow. ??? Well, OK Next Wednesday comes not a word. I call, he says it should be done Friday. Friday comes, he calls and says they forgot to order a seal so it will not be ready. Then tries to sell me a front tire as the tread is low, and by the way we’re at $ 180.00 right now. I asked «what happened to $ 150.00» Never did get a straight answer. But I remembered I mentioned a switch problem, and thought well maybe he fixed that for me. NOT!!! I get a call Monday, it’s finally ready !!! My wife and I get there $ 40.00 for 4 O-​rings, and $ 144.00 for 1.8 hrs labor $ 183.52. Well we don’t let him get away with it (PRINCIPAL) I don’t know about you guys but I’m in business and when I Quote a job, I don’t raise it even if I lose money. That’s way they call it a Quote. He did honor his quote but whined the whole time, with little digs at my wife and I. Even followed me out to my bike and proceeds to tell me to check my wife and how he gave me my parts for free. Then he actually told me that I will not be welcome around there anymore. LMAO As if I was already planning my next visit. Way to go Howdy… Thanks for the wonderful experience. Richard Cranium !

Great place! Everything you’ve been missing in today’s world in car or motorcycle repair place, you’ll find at Howdy’s. These guys still do it the right way. They work with you personally, they don’t over-​charge you with hidden fees, or make you wait a long time for your repair, or insist on an appointment a week in advance. Heck, the owner even answers his own phone!
First time I’ve ever used them was this past weekend, but I’ll send everyone I know to them going forward, and go back for anything I need.