SandBagger Cycle Company

Jake is a one-​of-​a-​kind mechanic in the Los Angeles area. My experience with SandBaggers was excellent.
My Story:
I’m a former body shop technician with ten years of experience back in Florida, but here in Los Angeles I have no shop or advanced toolkit to do the type of fixing I like to do. So when my ’88 Honda Shadow VT800 stopped shifting through the gears, I was extremely frustrated that I couldn’t get it up and running again myself. I went through every possible issue that could be dealt with without removing the engine (clutch fluid, clutch plates, force shift/​start, etc.) but came to realize that my gearbox had been compromised in a major way.
Enter Jake:
My first conversation with Jake on the phone gave me a real sense of confidence. Standing out from the technicians that I talked to at other shops, who insisted that I would have to pay for (overpriced) towing and an expensive diagnostic before they would even consider repairs, Jake ACTUALLY BELIEVED what I said when I told him what the issue was. Basically, he respected me and my opinion from the very start. Jake suggested that we replace the motor entirely, rather than split the case and try to repair the gearbox. Since my engine already had 92,000 miles on it, I jumped on the opportunity when we found a decently priced 800cc motor (the VT800 was only made one year, so this was a rare find) with less than 45,000 miles on it. Jake requested the money to order the engine, sent me a receipt immediately, then told me he would get back to me when it showed up. About a week later, the motor rolled in and Jake came to pick up my bike at a time that was convenient for me, charging only $ 100 bucks for the tow (even though I live over an hour away from his shop — compare this to the $ 140 bucks a nearby shop charges, in addition to a mandatory $ 100 fee just for inspection). Jake began the repairs that night and had the old engine out and the new one in within a matter of a couple days. On account of the fact that the previous motor was so old and had never been removed from the frame, there were a few extra parts that needed to be ordered to get the bike back to 100%. Jake informed me of the issue, sending pictures so that I could see it with my own eyes, and gave me a rough estimate before ordering the parts (even though they only cost about 10 bucks each — 4 intake boots, 2 seals for the coolant system). Unfortunately, because these parts are hard to come by, it took slightly longer than expected for them to ship (one part had to be ordered from ebay because Honda had discontinued it). However, Jake made it his duty to get those parts on the bike as soon as they arrived. He informed me that the bike was ready for pickup, and that I could come out that night (even as late as 9PM) to pick it up.
The Shop:
When I arrived at the location of Jake’s shop, I was blown away by how professional his work-​stations appeared (clean, neat, organized). With a limited amount of space, Jake had set himself up a veritable repair shop with all the amenities. I was impressed by the fact that he had so much work on his plate and was still able to get my bike done in a timely fashion. While I was there, Jake went over all of the repairs he had done to my bike in detail, including showing me some pictures of the newly-​cleaned carbs (which he had done after sending me a picture of the old, extremely dirty carbs and suggesting –not demanding– that I have them cleaned as well). Jake even offered me the chance to keep my old engine, which I declined. Ultimately, it was crystal clear that Sandbaggers was a professional outfit — not just some dirty shop run out of somebody’s garage.
The Bad???
If there is a single negative side to my experience with Sandbaggers, it would be that Jake was a bit optimistic in terms of turn-​around time. It is simply very difficult to find replacement parts for this type of motorcycle, and ordering parts from out-​of-​state can take some time. However, it is evident that this is simply an expression of the enthusiasm and devotion Jake puts into motorcycle repairs. Once he had the parts, there was no foot-​dragging or excuses — he just GOT IT DONE (even working on the weekend, which I know from experience no mechanic wants to do).
The Takeaway:
Jake is a hard worker, knowledgeable, respectful, professional, and friendly. He treats his customers as peers, not fools, and was honest and upfront with every detail of the repair he did on my baby. If you are looking for a solid, no-​nonsense mechanic in the Los Angeles area, I can’t recommend Sandbaggers enough.

Jake is the Man! He’s the best shade-​tree mechanic i’ve ever met. He could resuscitate a bike that spend 20 years underwater. And he’s a cool cat as well. Straight up. I totally trust him with my babies…

Got some wok done on my honda vtc 750. The owner, Jake, was easygoing and talked me through some of my options available or my pipes. I found him to be very knowledgeable not just about my bike but a full range of bikes in general. At one point he called me and explained one mounting options I wanted wouldn’t work out mechanically, so I appreciated his expertise to point me in the right direction. Overall, I was very satisfied with his work! Highly recommend!

I needed some work done on my 2003 jeep and I called Jake to help me out. He quoted me the cost upfront and he offered to order and pickup all parts too. I met him and dropped off the jeep and he had it for 2 days. Runs great now and with no issues. No extra charges at the end… very straightforward. Will continue to bring him my business.

Guys straight up and I’m finally impressed with some work done. Appreciate the honest quote in the work.

I heard of Jakes Sandbagger cycle company from a friend and had him work on my 1997 Honda Magna. I needed the carbs cleaned and installed larger jets. Jake came to my house completed all the work in a timely manner and was very honest in all his fees. After he completed all the work my bike was running better than when I bought it. Additionally Jake gave me a military discount. Thank you for your support to the military. I would not take my bike to anyone else.

Jake is an amazing mechanic. Not only does he do a great job at getting your bike running, but he does it for the quarter of the price a shop would cost you. To be honest I would go to him over any shop. He is very knowledgeable and friendly. Not only will he help get you bike running, he will explain to you exactly what he is doing if you ask. I would recommend him to my best friend but to my family as well. If you want a great mechanic, who will get the job done at a very fair price choose Jake.