Gustavo was great! I brought my bike in on a Friday and he had it done by EOD Monday. Super reasonable rate and he went above and beyond in giving me advice to avoid some other problems down the road. Definitely recommend! read more

In March 2025, I took my 2008 Vespa 150 LX to Tavo. The unit had been sitting for a couple of years and as a result, the Scooter would not idle or run correctly. I dropped it off and asked for the repairs to be made. I was contacted and told that the brake system had milky fluid and needed to be flushed and some components replaced. I granted permission to make any repairs to get the bike running safely and correctly. I was told that the carburetor was cleaned and the unit now ran as expected. I picked up the scooter. Three or four days after I picked it up I tried to take it for a ride and it wouldn't go faster than 10 to 15 miles an hour down the street. Although it idled well, it did not function as expected. I spent over $530 for the brakes and carburetor work. I then recently took the scooter to Scooter West in San Diego to have the carburetor looked at, as they specialize in Vespa. They rebuilt the carburetor and gave me new tires, a spare key, and fixed a blinker issue for $700. On the invoice, they stated the following: Removed carburetor and inspected. choke and heater wires were not routed correctly throttle cable was not installed correctly. CV slide was pinched in the cap Main jet was partially clogged. I believe Tavo May be very knowledgeable when it comes to motorcycles, but for my Vespa scooter, I was not happy with the service I received read more

Don't go here. They over charge and will charge you a consultation fee for what you already told them the problem was. Tried to charge me $150 for a 10 minute job and charged $20 for 2 minutes of consultation that wasn't disclosed before hand. Literally any other bike shop is better to work with. read more

Great to find a local shop with experience on Lance Cali Classic motor scooters! Tavo's did good, quick work. I'll be back.

I brought my scooter in for an inspection and maintenance. He seemed nice at first and when I drove the scooter home, it died every time I stopped at a light. When I called him, he told me to give the throttle cable nut a quarter turn which I did. It seemed to fix it temporarily. The following weekend, I took the scooter out on a ride and refueled it and it leaked fuel all over my garage. I called him and he told me to open the air box and see if the air filter was saturated. I opened it and it was saturated so I left it open for a day and then put the cover back on. I dropped the scooter off again to have him fix the leaking fuel issue. When I picked up the scooter for the second time, he was not so nice anymore. He said the float inside the carb was stuck which caused the leak. The problem is... he cleaned and inspected the carb during the first inspection and I should not be charged a second time. His explanation was that once it is working well, it needed to be adjusted because everything is now working smoothly. That makes absolutely no sense because he should have caught that issue if he truly tested the scooter afterwards to ensure proper operation. He also accused me of messing with the scooter with my friend and he had to readjust everything...something that never happened. No friend was involved, it was only me doing the things he told me over the phone and I brought the scooter straight back. He also said I lost screws to body panels when I opened them up (screws were missing already and I never opened them up) and charged me for replacing those as well. So basically, he isn't honest and he isn't thorough with his work. He charged me twice for something he should have caught the first time and accused me of messing up the scooter when all I did was follow his instructions. Don't bring your bike here, he seems very dishonest and does not own up to his work. Read the other negative reviews on google and yelp. read more

Tavo's Motorcycles - Fuel that leaked after my first ride back from his shop. - Motorcycle Repair Near Me - Vista, California

Gustavo has done all my work, he's a great mechanic. Fast and very fair prices. I highly recommend him. It's so nice to have a quality mechanic up in north county. Anything from scooters to Harley's read more

AMAZING SHOP! I can no recommend Tavo's Motorcycles more than this... I came in on a Tuesday with my 06 CRF450R that needed a tune up and tires for a weekend ride i was doing. Super late notice and he took me in!! No only way his quote spot on, he got it done in three days! He explained everything I was charged for to the T! I never felt sketched out or anythingggg. My bike will never see the hands of another mechanic. Thank You so much Gus for your hard work!!! read more

I took two Banshees to Tavos for service. After servicing, the 2006 ran fine but The 2003 sounded horrible. He said it was running fine and insisted i pay for the poor service or he'd charge me $85 per day storage fee. He demanded cash even though he accepted my Visa in the past. I spent $856 just for the 2003 to be serviced and it still doesn't run or idle correctly. Go elsewhere. Tavos is not a good choice. read more

A very good independent shop with fast service. Took my stock Yamaha Grizzly 700 4x4 rims and tires in as well as my new Tusk Terrabite Aramid 10 ply 27x11-12 tires and Tavo made it happen. It does not get any better than this. Thanks again and have a great one. read more

Tavo's Motorcycles - Motorcycle Repair Near Me - Vista, California

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they solved my problem fast, no issues, i had a stripped bolt that i couldn't get off, went there, they did it fast and easy, good pricing, definitely will be coming here for the future! read more

I will definitely be returning customer. Gus is a good guy and straight shooter. Price Is fair and worth it. read more

This shop is a great independent place to get all sort of work done. I have a 2013 Yamaha Super Tenere 1200 and needed tires installed and some bar work done. He was busy but said bring it Monday and he would get it done that week. He called the next day with everything done. I rode the bike about 300+ miles roundtrip a day or two later. Everything he did was good. I will be back soon for brake rotor work. Fair pricing and good solid guy. I hate to share because I know he is busy. read more

Tavo's Motorcycles - My current bike - Motorcycle Repair Near Me - Vista, California

Highly recommend! Gives fair prices and honest about what needs and doesn't need fixing. My baby runs like a dream. Always remember, you're paying for the knowledge and experience Tavo or any other mechanic is providing you with. Otherwise you could have fixed your bike at your own home and save a lot of money... But you didn't. Please, don't complain that they charge too much if you need someone else to fix whatever you need fixing. read more

Tavo's Motorcycles - 2020 Harley Davidson 883 - Motorcycle Repair Near Me - Vista, California

Tavo takes pride in his business and has reasonable prices. A first time rider, I bought a 2001 Kawasaki Vulcan without knowing what I was getting into from someone who got it in a trade. Tavo showed it some tender loving care and it runs like a champ. read more

Contacted Tavo multiple times and no reply. I gave him the information for my motorcycles tire size via text, left a voicemail message and nothing. If your in Vista call Ride Now SoCal in Vista. They responded immediately and even sent a quote via text message. Wanted to support small business but can't when you can't get a response back. read more

Honest and good mechanic! I brought my motorcycle there to have fresh tires fitted, I was quoted $35+45 and the bike was ready on time! He mentioned that he might need to charge $10 more for replacement valves but after inspecting them he said it wasn't necessary. I felt that he is a very honest mechanic and I wouldn't hesitate recommending him to my friends. read more

Tavo's Motorcycles - Motorcycle Repair Near Me - Vista, California

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On a road trip last week, hundreds of miles from home, and suddenly my bike won't start. Called mid-day on a Tuesday to see about getting in. Gus was up to his eyeballs in motos, plus being short handed, so he couldn't do it. I was about to hang up and call another shop when he asked me to describe the problem. He took several minutes listening and asking more questions, then had to go back to work. I took his advice to diagnose the issue (traced it through a couple things to a loose wire deep in the harness) and was putting panels back on my Ninja ten minutes later. Six hundred miles later I'm home and she's had no further issues. TL;DR: Gus offered phone diagnostics when he knew he couldn't get me in the shop soon enough. Gets my recommendation. read more

NOT A TRUSTWORTHY MECHANIC, I was charged $800 for supposedly fixing something I didnt even took my motorcycle to be fixed in the first place, he did not even fix the issue on my motorcycle, and when I tried to talk to the guy and he was really rude and violent, all he cared was the money, he's been the worst mechanic I've encounter, awful customer service, am writing this review with fear since he threatened me, I was only able to get my motorcycle after I payed the $800 he overcharged me on a $150 dollars estimate. read more

New rider here, brought a bike in to have chain cleaned, wheels realigned, front cowl refastened, and general inspection. Estimated $325, realignment was not done (because what I really needed is a new handle bar) but was charged $310 anyways. I'd say I had an unpleasant experience but will try to be unbiased here. Here's the story of how I ended up paying $310 for an inspection, (deep) chain cleaning, bending in levers, bending in brace and refastening fender, 3(?) bolts, and a rubber grommet. Gus seems active here, so he can comment on anything that I misunderstood. I will say though, he's easy going and seems thorough, and managed to return my bike within half a day. I thought the initial quote was high, but decided it was acceptable (no line breakdown but I personally allocated $50 chain clean, $200 wheel alignment, $75 inspection / bend things back and refasten). The total came out to be $310, and I asked him about the breakdown. Gus: "I don't have a computer system to tell you each item, and I do a lot of things so not everything is written down. This is why I estimate a flat rate." Me: "Okay but help me understand, if I were to bring the bike in just for a chain cleaning how would you charge?" Gus: "$35" M: "So where did the rest of my $275 go?" G: "well I took this part out to give the chain a deep clean, I bent your levers back, replaced your kickstand spring since the lever was also hitting it, and had to take off your front fender completely to bend the brace back so that the holes would line up" M: "and what would a chain deep clean cost?" G: "$75" M: "and how much would you say you charged for the wheel alignment" G: "your alignment is actually fine, it's the handle bar that's bent M: "so you didn't do the alignment. how much would that be if you had to?" G: "that would be another $150 - $275" M: "I understand that your time is worth money -" G: "- and my expertise" M: "but i agreed to the $325 estimate because I know that an alignment is a big ticket item. since that wasn't done, shouldn't you knock the price down?" G: "no, if you have a problem with any estimate with a mechanic pricing you have to bring it up before the work is done" M: "everyone on yelp mentioned you price fairly, but i also I asked you to call me after your inspection" G: "... if it exceeds the maximum" Ultimately I paid for the work and was on my way. I've never had communication problems with any mechanic in asking for a line breakdown, or a call after inspection before work begins. If you do give Tavo's a try, I hope you have a better experience than I did. read more

WILL BE COMING BACK!! Gustavo is a great guy and knows what hes doing! I would trust him to work on my bike any time. Great prices, great service, prompt and honest repairs, what else could you ask for! Went and got my valves adjusted and also spark plugs that he recommended since he was already there and were going be due sooner than later. Left with my bike running like new and even looking like new after the nice detail he gave it. He also replaced a few bolts that we're missing for me. Great and honest mechanic that I would HIGHLY recommend to anyone looking to get some work done on their bike! read more

Gus is amazing! I dropped by 1998 Fatboy off for a carb replacement. This motorcycle was my fathers and had not been ridden in 8 years. Gus was honest, upfront, and quick. Don't expect to get your bike back the next day, he's a 1 man crew but he still worked fast. He didn't up charge me as he saw the carb didn't need to be replaced, and also took extra care and cleaning after telling him the story behind the motorcycle. As long as I'm in Oceanside this is the only shop I will go to, thank you Gus! read more

He's honest and reliable. He does a great job It's a place that you wouldn't hesitate to return back read more

I found this place through yelp. Called multiple places to see where I can get a good price to replace tires on my 2006 R6. After couple calls this shop had the best price. Once I got to the shop I was helped out fast and customer seevice was outstanding. I dropped my bike off wednesday evening (5pm ish) and received a phone call that my bike was ready to be picked up thursday noon. Upon arrival i found out that not only did he replace my tires but made some adjustments free of charge for my safety. Overall i am extremely statisfied and will be coming by again along with any of my friends that needs their bike fixed. Also, the shop is behind NAPA auto parts. I was lost for a bit since gps told me that i arrived at the plaza but couldnt find the shop. read more

Tavo's Motorcycles - First time at Tavo's. Good price, awesome service, and professional. Tavo has a new happy customer. - Motorcycle Repair Near Me - Vista, California

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Gus is the man when it comes to motorcycles. I've been bringing my Triumph 955i in since I bought it and he's the only one that has worked on it. My previous bike has been handled by a few mechanics around Oceanside and they all try to make money off of you. But Gus doesn't do that he will help you in any way possible and explain and show you what is going on or what went wrong. Never taking my bike anywhere else besides here from now on Highly recommended read more

Tavo's Motorcycles - Always cleans the vehicles after he's done working on it - Motorcycle Repair Near Me - Vista, California

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Tavo is very professional and knowledgeable! He replaced my husbands tire for his bike and it was done very quickly. We will totally be coming back if we need anything else!!! read more

Purchase the used custom chopper. I wanted somebody to go through it and get it running smoothly. And make sure that it was safe since it was my first street bike. I grew up riding Motocross. So I was bit nervous on a road bike. Decided to give this shot my business since I had read a few good reviews. Boy was I wrong. 6 months he had the bike. Was charged over $1600. To replace the front tire. Clean and adjust carb . Fix oil leaks. Replace front forks axle assembly. Which I had to buy through another shop and bring to them . I was told to pay cash or Zella. Got a work order paper that was not a work done and completed receipt. It was more like a work intake paper. No proof that work was done and paid for. I guess they didn't want me having proof I paid for work that was done half ass. Takes a liability out of their hands. Got the bike back still leaking oil running like crap backfiring and the front end all out of whack. Called up to let him know that I had found oil lines that were rubbing and seeping oil. He made it sound like that wasn't there and I must have done something to sabotage it. Primary Ching casing was leaking inspection cover was leaking derby cover was leaking gaskets were supposed to be replaced but it seemed like they were the original. I brought it to another bike shop and was told that the accelerator pump in the carburetor was bad and that's why it was running like crap and backfiring. There was crap in the carburetor they said it looked like it had been cleaned but not all the way probably just opened up and sprayed blown out and put back together nothing was really broken down completely. They checked the filter in the petcock and that was clean fuel lines going to the carburetor needed to be replaced carburetor was not sealed completely and getting unfiltered air cannon air filter that he said he cleaned and oiled was smashed in the case and it needed to be thrown out. Primary chain was super loose and adjuster needed to be replaced so he never adjusted that or the clutch like he said. The worst part is he didn't work the front axle properly and messed it up ended up having to buy a new axle assembly and front forks. He replaced the front caliper that I purchased and brought to him and a brake line but didn't clean the brake fluid and didn't even check the rear brakes which the fluid was really bad. $2,500 later I finally have a bike that's safe and doesn't run like crap. Another thing when I picked up the bike and was trying to start it I had the petcock on and fuel was pouring out the bottom of the bike he told me that I have to shut the pack off right away if the engine is not running. I'm not a total idiot with motorcycles I am diesel technician and I knew the float was stuck and that's why the fuel is pouring out I fix that part myself and there was a bunch of crap in the float Bowl that he said he cleaned out. But the backfiring issue and the rough running was accelerated pump the other shop caught that right away. I was nothing but nice to Gustavo and even gave him a Snap-On angle gauge that I wasn't using. So he can figure out what the front rake was for the forks. Ended up giving me the wrong degree. But I didn't say anything. Money was not an issue I would have gladly paid a lot more if I would have got the bike fixed properly and safe to drive and I also would have brought a more business since I did grow up riding Motocross. I do have a few friends who ride Pro, compete in X Games, and spent plenty of time at the Metal Militia compound. I could have gotten plenty of customers.. I also had a few of my desert weekend buddies that we're going to bring their bikes to him but I definitely stopped that. His complaint I didn't give him enough information on the bike. My answer I'm not a motorcycle mechanic I brought it to him because he's a motorcycle mechanic. I thought he had the resources to look this stuff up. he hires to work on the motorcycles. I am very disappointed and disgusted. I could have been killed riding this thing on the freeway . Stay away from the shop if you care about your bike and your safety I got a lot more complaints but I'm not even going to get into it . Let's just say everything he said he worked on pretty much had to be fixed properly . . And new parts that he put on now have to be replaced I'm over $1,000 in Forks and an axle not to mention my tweaked front fender that was rubbing on the new tire he installed. Which already has uneven wear because it wasn't even tracking right add on top of the fender cutting a nice Groove in it. He thought he was slick in the end I just wanted my bike out of that shop just had a feeling it was going to get locked up for an audit or something read more

Great and fair mechanic who has always helped me out in a jam! I've brought my scooter here now 3 or 4 times and each time I usually call with very little warning and Gus thankfully always does his best to squeeze me in for a much needed tire replacement or just an overdue oil change. I've always been satisfied with his work and his prices are fair. He's a straight shooter and that's something I really appreciate! I'd taken my scooter to others places before but for all the reasons I mentioned above I'll keep coming back here! read more

One of the best to do it the only person I trust working on my Harley or dirt bikes thanks bro for all you do!!!

I recently bought a 2003 250 EX Quad. Where was my first stop? Tavo's of course. I do not buy new bikes or toys and Gus took car of the most recent addition to the family. He put new front tires checked all the fluids (not just the oil), gear case , brake fluid. Although I have yet to take our new toy out when I got it back it fired right up and Gus patiently went through the items that he fixed. 2004 CRF 80- Gus rebuilt this one and we have had ZERO issues, my son's bike continues to run strong and starts right up. 97 RM250- Gus recently replaced the Gas tank on this beast with a nice YELLOW desert tank. Gus also installed new ASV levers (brake and clutch) and new rear tire. I love my desert tank and true to form Gus treated this bike as his own. When I saw the bike's new tank I was expecting an opaque desert tank, however when I saw the matching yellow tank I was very pleased. I did not know that a YELLOW tank was available but Gus did and he made sure my bike looked good. If you need a mechanic that knows his stuff, tells you like it is and treats your machine like its his own. Go to Tavo's Motorcycles. I don't go anywhere else, Tavo's prices are always fair and work quality exceeds expectations. read more

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My 150cc scooter needed to be picked up where I got a flat in Carlsbad. Gus the owner, happily closed up shop to rescue me and my bike and took a look at the damages. I left my bike in his care for 4 days. He was very attentive and called me with any new discovery of my bike. He sent me pictures of parts that were damaged from previous owner and took the liberty to walk me through the process before looking and adding new parts. When I came by Saturday morning to pick up my bike, I got a brand new tire, tune up, exhuast pipe and a new swing arm that was completely damaged from the previous owner. My bike looked and sounded the best I've ever heard. He even wiped my whole bike down which made me feel like this guy is a very genuine and knowledgeable mechanic. I highly recommend you taking you bike to this guy, he's the only one I feel comfortable working on my scooter and I trust his pricing and work. I will forever be his returning customer and you will see why this guy is he best in North County hands down!! read more

I found a screw in my Vespa tire so I brought it to Tavo's Motorcycles. He checked it and found it was not leaking, out air in my tires and spent a few minutes chatting with me. And did not charge me. Friendly and helpful!! Thank you!! read more

I just moved down from Santa Cruz and decided to take my Triumph to Gus after only taking it to the dealership I bought it from while it was under warranty. Let me just say I am blown away by how knowledgeable Gus is about motorcycles in addition to how well he took care of my motorcycle. He was incredibly thorough in his inspection and attention to detail and took care of things that I had not even thought of. I am incredibly impressed by his customer service and how quickly he was able to provide a full service to my motorcycle at a fair price. If you are looking for a shop that will treat you right, charge a fair price for incredible service, and serve you with a smile Tavo's Motorcycles is the place to take your bike. read more

I had a great experience at Tavo's Motorcycles and am really appreciative of Gus in dealing with my motorcycle carb issue. I have not had great luck in the past at other establishments in motorcycle repair and I was very impressed with the communication from Gus on exactly what was going on with the bike from beginning to end. I also appreciated the feedback and tips for what to do if the bike has to sit for a long period of time without being run (I intend for the bike to NOT sit idle this time...). My carb / fuel issue is resolved and I really don't think that the bike has ever run this well... Also appreciate all of the line items on the invoice with the parts involved and exact detail on what Gus worked on. You don't see that a lot from other places either... Great job. Gus is very professional and I will definitely be back again.. read more

I'm planning on being with Gus as long as he has a shop here. He's very straight-forward and ethical. He's done a rear tire change, valve inspection (in-spec), new brake installation and an oil change. Goes above and beyond to explain his work and does a professional job. read more

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Helped me out big time with getting my bike lowered and brakes fixed. Thank you so much

Gus is just simply amazing. I drove my 300cc (okay, 263cc rounded up) to San Diego from Tulsa, Oklahoma (about 1500 miles) to visit friends, and was having issues with it running properly after getting sufficiently warmed up. After being referred through 9 different people, one recommended talking to Gus, who assured me he could do the repair needed to get my scooter ready for the ride back home. He took my scooter and had it back to me within the week - I was super happy with the turnaround! He really seemed to care about the condition my scooter was in, didn't want to do just a simple job and send me away. He checked the whole scooter, not just did the repair (valve adjustment). The scooter felt like it should when I drove it off, although I plan to do a longer half-day drive to see how it'll react to the driving I do going long distance. I was surprised that he took photos and was willing to show them! Really made me feel like I could see that he made a difference. Very honest, very friendly, cared about my situation and wanted to see me safely riding along my journey. The price seemed more than reasonable, especially for how thorough he is. Myself and my friends will be recommending anyone in the area that needs work done on a bike to go see this guy first. read more

This guy is by far the worst mechanic I have encountered. Had my motorcycle for 6 months and had an excuse every time I asked for an update as to why it wasn't done. He would give me a time frame of two weeks for things and two months would go by and there would be no progress. I never leave poor reviews but this guys lack of professionalism blew my mind. Beware! read more

Excellent customer service. I contacted Gus through Yelp for a quote on tire install, he got back to me within the hour or less. I dropped off my wheels with my own tires that I wanted installed/balanced and Gus had everything done in an hour or so. Zero hassles or problems and Gus was super nice and just a cool guy. Will be back! read more

Awesome service and communication with Tavo from the moment I reached out to him about my husband's bike. He's honest and runs a pleasant business overall! read more

Had a great experience. They were able to change my scooter tire and add a valve stem. Was in and out in less than 10 minutes for a great price. Very nice guy. Thanks read more