CLEVELAND — With summer right around the corner, motorcycle shops are slammed with people making sure their bikes are ready for a ride.
Inside Skid Mark Garage you'll find manuals, parts, tools and so much more all at your fingertips.
“So this is where think of it as a gym membership. You pay membership to come to the garage, and you work on your own bike,” said Brian Schaffran, Owner of Skid Mark.
But what you won't find is a mechanic, unless you look in a mirror. It's you — you're your own mechanic.
‘Some people, like other members, might be able to offer you advice and offer a lending hand,” said Brian.
One of those members is Michael Lefkowitz, who was putting the final touches on his 50-year-old bike Wednesday.
“I have actually one major thing to do to it, and that's the fuel system,” Lefkowitz said.
He's just waiting for one last part, then he's ready to hit the road.
Lefkowitz isn't alone; at Skid Mark they are their busiest during the spring because everyone is trying to get their bikes ready for the summer.
“So the winter starts picking up and then the spring becomes really hectic because everyone's waiting to the last minute to do what they've got to do to get their bike on the road,” Schaffran said.
In that chaos, you can also feel the thrill to ride once again and feel the breeze.
“The mood is fantastic. You know, as soon as the sun starts coming out, everyone's excited to be outside,” Schaffran said.
Brian also expects that with gas prices rising, more people may turn to motorcycles.
“There are some bikes, if they are small, [that] are getting upward of 100 to 150 miles per gallon,” said Schaffran said.
Spring and rising gas prices are bringing more business to the garage that's already a thriving, diverse group.
“The community is just growing larger and larger and this place functions better when there are more people in here helping each other,” said Brian.
Members like Lefkowitz plan to keep hanging with the gang in what has become a community of like-minded riders.
“I'm 62 now; it's something that is in my blood. I enjoy it. It's good people. There's heat in the winter. It's nice in the summer,” said Lefkowitz.
For more details on Skid Mark, click here.
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