I bought a used Genuine Roughhouse. Brought it to Dave and Combustion Cycles. It wasn't running well. They assessed the issues, and delivered on the tune up and repairs. The scooter is running great now and is my favorite one I've had. 2 days to assess and 2 days to fix. Unbelievable, 4 business days and I was good to go. They also used to maintain and fix my previous scooter. I really appreciate the 6 year relationship I have built with Combustion Cycles.They keep me maintained, on the road and safe. The highest level of service and repair that I have encountered with any business. I highly recommend their work, professionalism, and care. Thanks guys! read more

I don't normally leave reviews like this, but after weeks of dealing with this situation, I feel other motorcycle owners deserve to know what happened. We took our motorcycle to this shop for diagnosis of a warranty-related concern. We did not take it there and tell them to repair whatever they wanted and send us a bill afterward. At no point were we provided a quote for repairs before the work was completed. At no point were we contacted and asked to approve over $1,000 in repairs. At no point did we authorize the labor or parts that were installed. Instead, we were informed the bike was finished and then provided what was labeled as an "estimate" after the repairs had already been completed. An estimate is supposed to help a customer decide whether they want the work performed. It's hard to make that decision when the work has already been done. What makes this even more concerning is that the owner later admitted he could not produce any signed authorization approving the repairs. No signed repair authorization. No signed estimate approval. No email approval. No text approval. Nothing. The owner also stated in writing that it was his decision that the issue was not a warranty concern. Rather than contacting the warranty company before repairs were performed, he made that determination himself and completed the work first. Think about that for a second. The shop found time to diagnose the bike. The shop found time to perform the repairs. The shop found time to install parts. The shop found time to create an invoice. The shop found time to decide the failure wasn't warranty related. But somehow there was never time to call the customer and obtain approval before moving forward. Throughout this process, getting answers and documentation was a battle. We repeatedly requested paperwork and records. We were given changing explanations, references to documents that could not be produced, and excuses instead of clear proof that the repairs had actually been authorized. As business owners ourselves, we understand mistakes happen. What we don't understand is how a shop can complete repairs, present a four-figure bill, and then be unable to provide documentation showing the customer approved the work. If you choose to do business here, protect yourself. Get copies of everything. Get every estimate in writing. Get every authorization in writing. Do not assume you will be contacted before work is performed. We certainly wish we had. For those asking what the issue was... Went in for not starting until warm, they found some valves had no clearance and fixed them without letting us know until after it was all said and done, stated it was over 8.5 hours of work. On their website which anyone can view, a customer only authorizes 1.5 hours of diagnostic work, to which then the customer is to be contacted if they need to go further to get authorization from the customer. None of that was done. read more

I bought a 2009 Suzuki C50 from these guys not too long ago and have been nothing but happy with it and them. Very knowledgeable and friendly and I think I got a great deal! I'd buy another bike from them any time but I hope not to need another one for a while... Can't really comment on their other services since I do my own but they handled the DMV/Title process quickly and got me going with no troubles. John M, Timberlake NC read more

I received a call from Dave the owner and we we're able to reach a resolution. These people scammed my stepson and attempted to cheat the insurance company as well. He took his motorcycle to Combustion Cycles after it was damaged in an accident. He authorized an hour of diagnostics, they did unauthorized diagnostics and refused to release the bike till he paid the unauthorized fees.They also sent him a repair quote for $36,342 (his cycle is worth around $7000) to send to the insurance company, When I called to speak to the owner to resolve this the person who answered the phone was incredibly rude and hung up on me read more

Just got check up on bike,, excellent service,, fair pricing,,I have used their service & repairs for 16 years,, four different bikes, excellent is word.. read more

I bought my first motorcycle here at combustion cycles. I already had what bike I wanted and stumbled upon them looking online . I went for a test ride they did a walkthrough with me (it was kickstart only) and i drove it around the block. Very friendly staff was an enjoyable experience. I ended up purchasing the motorcycle and road it home later that week. The battery lost its cells making it lose power quickly (not allowing me to start it with the kick) and they quickly refunded me for a battery that I got in my town. Would recommend to anyone they provide excellent service. Thank you combustion cycles!! read more

Between my partner and I, we have purchased a few new and used motorcycles (2 Hondas, 1 Harley, and this one--a Kawasaki Vulcan S). This place is the best around that I have experienced as far as fair pricingand customer service. These guys love motorcycles, and they run their business to cater to other people that love motorcycles. ​Highly recommend them. read more

I bought a genuine scooter and wanted it with all the bells and whistle. They didn't have one ready when I came in, but the promised me one within the hour. I love it. It's a lot of fun. I'm not sure if a 50cc is allowed to go over 35, but I've got this doin almost fifty sometimes on the flats. I don't want to wind out the engine too much so I rein it in for the most part. Customer Service wise; you couldn't ask for a friendlier bunch. They are on top of their game, and have everything that you want to think about, but forgot, already figured out for you. I had to go back within two weeks due to a fallen bike (Broken brake lever, and hand guard). David made sure I didn't get charged top dollar in labor, and they addressed everything within a half hour. I am very impressed with these people. Peter M. read more

So, these guys are great. I moved to Carrboro from LA with my Honda CB500X in the back of a moving truck. With no ramp, and I knowing the bike needed some work, especially if it was going to be my only vehicle, I needed to find people to help me out, pronto. Enter Combustion Cycles. From the first moment of me going 'help!' and driving my 18' van into their yard to unload, to a full service, chain and sprocket replacement and adding handlebar warmers, these guys were great. It's super easy to have a conversation with them about things too - there were some things we talked about doing but I just couldn't afford at that moment and them figuring out alternatives that would tide us over, to getting a rather stern talking to about needing to be better about chain TLC ("I mean, we can keep taking your money but you really should prevent that...". They're also great in a pinch - I'd ordered handlebar raisers and after getting stuck in traffic showed up there at literally 5.45pm, they ended up installing them in 10 minutes flat and charging me quite literally only the minutes they'd worked on it. read more

Dave and crew are the homeys. I know there are other shops out there but I don't even know their names or where they are. Never bothered to look. Didn't need to. read more

I have not bought from Combustion Cycles yet but I do want to comment on their customer service which I recently experienced a few days ago. My husband and I are looking for a 50cc scooter. Neither of us have ever owned or used two-wheeled motorised vehicles so you can imagine we have lots of questions about owning one and running one. We had done some research ahead of time and were deciding on a particular model. Then off we went to Combustion Cycles. I was very impressed with the customer service that I experienced. I'm sorry I didn't get the sales person's name. We told him we were interested in a particular model (which I'm not naming here since I'd rather not spread bad information about a scooter company). The salesclerk who is an official dealer of that brand said since this year that model has not been very reliable due to changes in manufacturing, so he shifted our attention to another model that they also carry. We spent a long time talking about scooters, 2-stroke vs. 4-stroke, accessories and so forth. We haven't bought anything from Combustion Cycles yet. At this point we are looking at another model but I'm not sure Combustion is able to carry the model but I hope so. Another scooter dealer in Durham does carry that brand officially but my experience with that other dealer (Triangle Cycles) was very poor. Anyhow, kudos to Combustion Cycles for spending the time and effort in introducing two scooter neophytes to the world of scooters! Very awesome service at that level! read more

We had an exceptional experience here on a busy Saturday afternoon. Jason was extremely patient with us, even though we had a ton of questions and even though we weren't familiar with scooters or motorcycles at all. There was absolutely no hard sell at all -- it was clear they were interested in sending us away with the scooter that would be best for us, along with ensuring that we would be safe (helmet!) and secure (big chain!) I would enthusiastically recommend these guys if you're in the market for a scooter. read more

In May, my husband decided that we should get some scooters. As Durham makes parking more restrictive and more expensive, scooters seemed like a great solution. I was on board, solely because I think they are cute. I was in. We visited another shop first. The staff there was nice, but not really helpful. When my husband asked if we could try out a scooter, we were told, no. Basically, they would order the darn thing, we would pick it up, and be on our own. Scary. In comes Combustion Cycles. We had met the owner a while ago, but had not thought about cycles including scooters. . . they do. We decided on a Genuine Buddy 50. They have sexy vintagey colors are just plain cute. The best part? Dave spent time with us on a crappy shop scooter they had. We did not have to dump our sexy scooters to learn to ride. Dave was patient and taught us about the scooters. My husband took to his scooter like a duck to water. I have not been so lucky. I dumped mine (in my driveway,) and shook my confidence. I scarred her pretty face and was too scared to get back on her. I went back to Combustion yesterday and Dave went through the lessons with me again on the beater. I have my confidence back. I practiced some more in my cul de sac last night and rode my girl to Crossfit today. Yah! If you are thinking of buying a scooter, check out Combustion. read more

First the good: These guys are fairly close to downtown Durham. Now the bad: In terms of service, which is really what you goto a motorcycle mechanic for, combustion cycles was not only a disappointment, but they made matters worse. I brought in a Honda Metropolitan that was topping at 25mph and had cracked tires for an oil change. They recommended an additional tire change, which made sense to me, along with additional work on the promise that it would improve the performance and increase the top speed up to 35mph. I had initially said just the tire change, but they up sold to me on the promise of performance. This was a $250 service which I had initially not wanted. Not only were they extra slow in returning the bike, (it took 2 weeks), but when they did return it, there was a significant degradation in performance. I was topping out at 15mph and it was sputtering at start. This was unacceptable. I told them so, only to hear later that they "gave me complimentary service". Complimentary service? I did not ask for this service. The service I asked for and paid for was an improvement to the performance of my scooter, not whatever extraneous bells and whistles they piled on. They later told me that they stood by the "improved reliability" of their work, yet when I asked for a warranty of this reliability, they refused any responsibility and made claims to "uncontrollable variables." This is really unacceptable. A mechanics shop's job is to maintain, repair, and improve on vehicle performance, not to degrade it, and certainly not to overcharge while making such degradations. TLDR: If you're looking for just an oil change or someone to shoot the breeze with, combustion cycles is pricey but close. If you want actual work done on your scooter, please DO NOT GO THERE. They not only DO NOT improve the performance of your vehicle, but they DEGRADE IT and charge you for their mistakes. Go to anyone BUT them. read more

I dropped my Suzuki 1000 off for a clutch job was told I would pay 161 turned into 828 and no explanation as to why it was so much money then had the bike for 3 weeks for a 45 minute job killed my battery had to go buy another 102 bucks I wouldn't recommend anyone to these guys terrible service!!! read more

Dave did a good job getting me on a Vulcan 900. The bike is very nice, and he did work with me on the price. He also hooked me up with a new helmet, very knowledgeable. He can relate to older folks too, I'm 68. Good place. read more

After going through my old 1979 P125X, giving it new rubber and a ton of love, it now spins around town like a top! Well done. read more

Combustion Cycles - Motorcycle Repair Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Just bought a Concours from Dave and it couldn't have gone better. You helped my wife and I from start to finish and we're very easy to work with. Thanks Dave! When service time rolls around, I'll be headed your way. read more

Good service, the owner cares about maintaining a respectable business.

Bought my Genuine scooter from Combustion Cycles. Couldn't have been better. The shop is great. They have high quality helmets and locks in stock, and were careful to help me get a helmet that fit right. They took a lot of extra time to show me all the features of the scoot. I drove it home with a smile and am actually looking forward to returning for warranty maintenance. read more

The owner contacted me and asked me to change my review because it made him look bad. He did nothing to change my mind or offer condolences for the bad service I received. He made me feel like it was my fault for his bad shop. Reinforced my original review. Stay away. read more

Had my Scooter serviced by Combustion a while back. Some significant engine work. It cost me over 1000$, required multiple attempts, a year time span, an in the end, they never got it fixed. I wasted a huge amount of time waiting for them to do the job multiple times, and blew 1000$. Nice folks, but the mechanic who worked on my machine was incompetent. read more

We've had several bikes maintained at Combustion Cycles since moving to Durham in 2004. We have always had excellent service that the shop stands behind and the staff is great. There is no reason to go anywhere else. read more

Both the Sales Manager, Courtney, and Store Manager, Dave, were more than helpful and patient with me as I bought my first motorcycle there. My bank had issues with my Credit Card and they patiently waited as I kept them both late that Friday this past July. They were delightful company and helpful in explaining various things I would need to know, and equipment I would need to buy to get going with my new bike. They were reasonable, listened very well, and overall simply the best shop I could hope for when purchasing a used bike. In additional to their professionalism, I value when someone can be kind and patient at the same time - they were all of the above. I highly recommend Combustion Cycles - I'm enjoying my bike and enjoying myself, and learning valuable lessons all the time. I hope to have a long, safe journey with my KLR-650 and who knows, maybe another bike from them in the future. Thanks, Combustion Cycles! read more

I bought my first-ever scooter here and couldn't have had a more pleasant experience. I had been to several other shops around the triangle and so I had an idea of what I wanted (and what I didn't want), but I still had loads of questions. I was greeted warmly, all of my questions were answered, and I got to take the model I was considering buying for a test drive. I left feeling super happy with my scooter purchase, along with a helmet that was more practical than pretty, a lock for my scooter, and a great feeling of having not only picked the right scooter for me, but the best place to buy. Awesome experience, start to finish. I can't imagine how much patience it must take to sell a scooter to someone with no clue at all what they're getting into. But I LOVE my scooter and now I love Combustion Cycles too!!! read more

I recently bought a Sym Wolf Classic 150 from Combustion Cycle. These guys are great to work with- not pushy, not just out to make the all mighty buck. I recommend them to anyone who is in the market for a scooter or motorcycle. read more

I've quite the saga with these guys after my most recent experience. Not in a bad way by any means, but in more of a "Older motorcycles can be finicky, and a little patience and understanding go a long way in building relationships." In 2009, I got my first "real" motorcycle: a 1986 Yamaha FZX 700, referred to as a Fazer. It was fast, loud, and in some ways terrified the bejesus out of me. It had a liquid cooled 698cc 4 cylinder inline sport bike engine stuck into what I would call a 'standard' or 'classic' frame. With the 4-in-1 Kerker exhaust and properly tuned carbs, there was a sweet spot where the vibrations would rumble through my body and the roar of the engine could be sheer bliss. However, the bike got a dismal 32 mpg on the regular due to the aftermarket exhaust, and I sold it about a year later for a more "practical" machine. But I never forgot about it. Two weeks ago on a whim, I rode my motorcycle and spotted the most random thing in the Combustion lot: a 1986 Yamaha XJ 700 (Maxim) with only 18k miles on it. Intrigued, I took it for a test ride and even up and down on Trinity, I felt that same exhilaration as I did years ago riding the Fazer. A deal was made, and my little tale begins: Day 1: Paperwork done, bike paid in full. I wanted some smaller turn signals to replace the large stalk OEM ones. Dave commits to having a mechanic install some LED ones quickly, but we realize later that it won't be done that day. Through some accommodations, I'm allowed to take the bike I just sold to Combustion home with me so I don't have to hail a cab or wait for a ride. Day 2: Dave informs me that the wiring relay on the Maxim is not quite like anything he's ever seen, and for some reason the LED ones don't want to "play nice" with the harness. It'll take a bit more time than expected. I tell him it's fine (particularly since I still got to keep my other bike at home) Day 5: Completely befuddled by the wiring harness not playing nice with the LEDs, Dave has to order a complete wiring diagram from Ebay. By this time the shop has invested quite a few hours trying to resolve a seemingly easy problem on any other bike. Day 12: The quest to make LED blinkers work on the '86 Maxim has ended in utter failure, and they present an alternative to me: incandescent blinkers that are smaller than OEM stalk, and cheaper too. Interestingly, I didn't think to just ask on Day 1 if this was an option, as I really don't care what type of lighting system the blinkers use, as long as they're smaller than the OEM stalk ones. Day 15: A little more than 2 weeks after initial contact, the bike is ready. By pure happenstance/dumb luck, I discover that the old fuel line needs replacing, which the shop takes care of quickly. They've also made a few adjustments to the relays and switches, which as I recall from my Fazer days, wasn't uncommon. Did I receive a fair trade-in value on my bike? Probably. KBB listed it at about 2k in "good working" condition and while mechanically solid, that bike was my daily driver and survived some midwest winters and had some minor tank damage along with some Frankenstein parts (mismatched mirrors, scraped brake lever, a shift peg off a Harley Davidson [no joke, etc.]). Did I pay too much for the Maxim? Maaaayyyybe. KBB has a unit in excellent condition listed at 1,355. But, a few exceptions: i) The bike I got averaged out to 600 miles a year. This is unheard of. ii) The bike I got still had the original exhaust in near mint condition, iii) The only real improvements I'll need to make are with a little tube of JB Weld QuickSteel, some sand paper, wire brushes, and some touch up spray paint and primer in 1 at a hefty cost of 25$. iv) I own a piece of legal history since the '85 and '86 models were only 698cc due to the tariffs on imports. And v) I've found that over time, even if you 'overpay' on something that you love dearly, it really evens out in the end. Dave's actually been a pleasure to work with, and while I can't speak for how other people have been treated, I will say that it's not uncommon for the sales staff to not know exactly what the mechanics are up to at any given point in time. (I mean, think about how car garages work, right?) read more

I had a great experience at Combustion. I needed a 50cc scooter, and the guy helped me pick a bike that I would like. Having never driven a moped before, he even let me crash his test bike all over the parking lot with a quick lesson so I could become at least skilled enough to not crash my brand new scoot immediately after buying it, which probably would have happened. It was a great way to start moped riding for me, especially because I was kind of nervous to dive in. read more

Bought my first scooter from Combustion Cycles and they were really helpful. Taught me how to ride and made sure everything was working properly. Have checked in with me a couple times to make sure everything is still going well. Also called me back on a Saturday after power was down on Friday to talk me through how to restart my bike (it had fallen over during a storm and was not starting). Awesome people and good service. read more

This is great local shop that services out of the way makes like Benelux and Aprilia and have friendly staff that treat customers well. I purchased a used motorcycle from them and it was delivered showroom clean and fully serviced. A small problem arose the day after and they performed service at no charge as a gesture of good will. Great prices and people I highly recommend. read more

Bought a brand new Genuine Buddy 50 scooter from Dave at Combustion a few years back, and have had only positive experiences since. They're quick to respond, even for last-minute things, and very honest--they'll never sell you anything you don't need. Highly recommended! read more

This place is a total rip off. They had my scooter for more then 2 months and lied the whole time about why it was taking them so long to fix it. And when I told them I was picking it up they charged me $91 for something they listed on their invoice for $69. They also don't have anything posted of what they charge or what their store policies are. Which is against NC law. Don't go to this place you will regret it at some point. read more

DO NOT GO TO THESE PIRATES!!! Bought a scooter from these people. I asked them to tune it after having done almost all of the upgrades myself. 7 weeks later it still was not done. All they were capable of is repeated, lame excuses. After having it for 7 weeks they ran the bill up to $700 and still had not completed the job!! I picked it up and took it someplace that not only actually knows what they're doing but VALUE customer service. They didn't offer to reduce the bill one cent even though I had bought the scooter from them. These people are full of BS and haven't a clue what they're doing. Save yourself the headache and time and stay FAR, FAR away!!!! I wish I could give them negative 5 stars!!! Read the other posts in here and you'll see there's a trend. They are HORRIBLE!!!!! read more

My experience with this shop has been mixed. The first instance I visited them was to get an obscure part that I couldn't find anywhere else. They were friendly and helpful over the phone and pleasant in person. The second time I contacted them was to deal with a much larger problem with my bike's engine and carburetors in the Spring of last year. I talked with the owner who said that, though they were very busy at that time of year, he could put me on a wait list and it would probably be a month before he could take a look at the bike. I waited six weeks and called again just to get a sense for how soon they might be able to take a look at the bike and how far they had progressed down the wait list. I was told it would be another month. Again I waited and, when I didn't hear back from them, I called and talked to another employee. He said that my bike was still on the wait list but that they probably couldn't get to it for a while because they were too still busy doing Spring oil changes. I was surprised to hear that since my impression was that the point of the wait list was for customers to get a fair chance to "line up" to have work done. It seemed instead that they were just putting customers with complicated problems on the wait list so they could tackle easier and simpler problems like oil changes as they came in to the shop. While I can understand that a shop makes most of their money doing quick and simple work like that, none of that was explained to me when I put my name on the wait list. Had I been told that the wait list didn't guarantee that later customers would be served after I was, I would have been confused but ultimately understanding, though I would have found a shop that could take my bike sooner. Ultimately this is what I had to do. I honestly can't remember if the shop ever called to tell me they could take my bike, but if they did it must have been more than two or three months after I signed up for the "approximately one month" waiting list. In all, I can't say good or bad things about the kind of work they do, but I do get the sense from my experience that they're not entirely forthcoming with customers. I won't use them again. read more

Hands down the worst shop I've ever dealt with!!!! Brought these guys a Honda cr250 dirt bike rebuild. First told me 3months and $2300 which was a little steep but figured they would get it done right so I went for it. They rebuilt the suspension which is TERRIBLE and They sent my motor out west which they ruined my top end so we had to get a new one. Guess who paid for it?! that's right this guy! Then 7months later I finally get the bike back and it runs for a few then quits. Of course it wasn't there fault! He just gave me a bunch of excuses on what he thought was going on and blamed it on the carburetor?! Which I already had payed him to rebuild as well. I get the bike back out the shop and this time it runs but not how it should so I take it back again cause at this point the $2300 we agreed on has now turned into $2800!! Figured third time is the charm! Get the bike to the track where again it ran but not how it should, it just would not get up in the power band. Then the exhaust that I had him repack completely blew out!! So at this point I take it back again!! Figured a shop owner should stand behind his work. I know I would if it was my work. Instead they call me and tell me I just need a new exhaust. The new exhaust was $320 and he called to tell me they would need $400 deposit to get things started plus he would have to charge me for another carburetor tuning!! You would think at this point a shop owner would just want to make things right but not these guys. I got sick of giving these guys money and not seeing any outcome of it. So finally a year later and $2800 down I go pick my bike up which they wheel out to me with a box of parts and send me on my way HAHA WHAT A JOKE!!!!!!! These guys are just a bunch of arrogant pricks that want your $$$$$$ and could care less about the out come of your bike!!! read more

Great selection of Bell helmets, in fact I think it's the only place in the triangle where you can find them! Very helpful and friendly staff, and they have an eclectic collection of motorcycles and scooters for sale. Also, one of the associates is a veteran so they offer a military discount! read more

Great service, super nice people. Went in there for a tune up on my scooter and they were very thorough in figuring out what I needed. They initially told me it would take 2.5 hours but I told them I was short on time so they did it in half the time! read more

First time scooter owner here: I was *that* customer 2 days in a row while trying to purchase a new Buddy for Valentine's; arrived at the end of the day having never ridden one before; didn't have cash or insurance proof on hand; these guys totally took care of me, and went above and beyond to make sure I was safe to ride home. I love my new scoot & will definitely be sharing my experience @ Combustion Cycles :) If you love to ride, you & your bike will love this shop! read more

Updating to improve from 2 to 3 stars. I have gone back to them for some routine maintenance and diagnostics for more serious problems. No complaints. So, I'm not sure if there is a better place to take your bike in the area, but the most I could say is I wouldn't warn you away from Combustion. read more

I took my scooter for repairs because it wouldn't start. They suggested about $1000 worth of repairs, and I agreed to all of them. A month after these repairs, my scooter died in the middle of the street after a few minutes of starting it. Luckily there was no traffic and I was able to drag it back to my school's parking lot. The following day I was also unable to start it. When I called Combustion Cycles, I was told that I would not be charged for repairs if the issue was related to the previous work they had done. Keep in mind that my scooter has NEVER stopped running while driving. They took it in, held it for a few days, then called me saying the scooter runs fine and could not find anything wrong with it. However, because of the towing and the diagnostics, they would charge me $114. The person suggested that maybe what had happened to me was a "fluke" or that maybe I did not know how to start it right. The person was also unaware, as I had to remind him, that I had just had it repaired by them for over $1000 literally a month earlier. Oh, well. I will never do business with this company again. read more