I guess a lot of people don't know that George at Up-Tite is a dealer in addition to making farkles. George is strictly a one-man operation, he might be closed or take a long lunch. But he knows everything there is to know about husky's. His inventions are top-rate. the shop is a TRIP! about a dozen new bikes stacked on top of each other. And a few decades worth of other stuff. But great service and a straight shooter.
I dont' think that it's been a very well kept secret. but I bet you didn't know that a few years back George was the largest volume Husky dealer in North America. Ther is no dealer that I know of that will take as much time out of his day to make sure a fellow Husky rider is taken care of. There are very few individuals that have done as much to advance the Husky name. The man is a true entusiast and a good friend to many of us.
For all the positive talk Up-tite gets on Cafe Husky I'm surprised no one bother to put it down in here. Good thread xymotic you're right George is one of the best.
I visited George's shop for the fist time yesterday... kind of like the mother Earth Womb of all Husqvarna's and he might end up having a few special items for my 390 restoration..... Simply amazing shop.....!
He's got a few new farkles on the way. An LED headlight, a fix for the red plastic FI tube that people break, some mount solutions for dampers, probably some new pipes coming cause he got a new machine that sizes pipe. It's a near certainty if you buy from George, your bike will not end up on a thread except to say how good it's running or that the fix was taken care of. He does a lot more in his setup than he would have to but it makes the bike better and the customer happier. I think he sold 200 bikes one year (or thereabouts) in the good old days.
George is a great guy. I visit every chance I can. Oddly enough his shop is right down the street from my office....... Sometimes it's nice when work has it's perks. He's more of a one and a half man show, Gotta give a shout out to Crash.....
I just got my Husky and went down there to get a skid plate. I'm about equally far from all the Dealers in Socal Anyway I talked to him for a while about my upcoming first service, bike setup, new products. He's the only Husky dealer I've ever been to and honestly I don't really see the point in going to others.
I have to hand it to him. Even if you didn't buy the bike from him he takes care of you. I know that my bikes are being well taken care of when I need to have him do the work. He is the one man, one dog (crash) shop that is truly helping Husky along. Of all the aftermarket items you can get I think his are absolutely the top of the line. He really goes out of his way to make the customer happy. If anyone has the chance, you should meet him in person if you have not already. Strait talk from a strait forward guy.
Bought my 08 TE 510 from George. when you buy a bike from George, you get the bike and George! A class act. 250 miles away from home; other Dealers in between,didn't matter. He's the man.
Even when you don't buy the bike from George, you get George. Very interesting shop, great guy. I was at the shop yesterday, he was on the phone with a guy calling about a TE610. The guy wanted to do long distance riding, something like that. So here is George's sales pitch (not verbatim, but pretty close); "Your young and don't have any brains yet so it will work fine for you like that, I'm too old and can't sit in the saddle that long." Straight up talker, you bet, I like that. Knows his stuff too, I really like that. Somehow it didn't come off as cocky or rude, George talking to the guy like that, it came off as a great sales pitch with a purchase to follow shortly.
Well, I had a 'bad experience' the other day and wiped out on my 'new' 610. Long story short I broke my Clavicle and got Ambo'd off the hill. The tow company guy, wheels the bike out of the lot, looks at my sling and says "here you go" I said "Can you help me load it?" "No." and turns and starts walking away again. "Really? it's not that heavy" I got "Our insurance won't let us" Then he says: "If you have AAA we could take it to your dealer for you." HE knew I had AAA cuz he refused to accept it 5 minutes ago when he charged me $288 for the tow. So rather than take a free tow and have AAA pay these pricks any more money, I took the sling off, and rode the bike up the ramp into the pickup, and took it straight to George. "hey George, I was sposed to call you and see if you could squeeze in my 600 mile service this week, but as it turns out yada yada yada and you were on the way home so I was hoping I could just drop it off for a couple weeks and you can work on it when you get a chance." George, is the exact opposite cust. service wise: he jumps up into the truck and unloads the bike himself. he refuses to even let me move the ramp in my gimpy state. He's busy and he's gonna need the bike a while... (conveniently I won't be needing it for three weeks or so) I normally do my own wrenching, but in 5 minutes George found and recommended so many 'tweaks' to the bike and things the setup dealer screwed up or missed . He takes the time to show me things on the bike that are good or bad and explain it to my noob self without making me feel dumb. it's obvious that he's THE GUY in socal
I thought that bike looked like yours (seen in the Mirror post). Hope you heal well and fast. Yep, George did the same thing to my SM610. I got the bike back on Monday (it was done on Saturday) and the thing just runs fantastic. The way George works the FI on all the FI parameters is awesome, and that’s for both my bikes.
Things never to say to George: "Keep it as long as you like", and "just do anything it needs" The bill for two weeks of labor is not small This bike is frikkin sweet though. I had know idea the thing could be even better! One of these days, when I run out of Vicoden I hope to ride it again.
I haven't met George in person, but I've talked to him on the phone a couple of times and he's been really helpful. You can tell that he really knows Husky's. I don't have a local Husky dealer, but I do have a local "former" Husky dealer here. I was trying to decide whether to take my bike to him for a valve check. When talking to George, I happened to mention where I live, and he said that he had a friend here that he recommended. Turns out it was the same guy I was already considering! George told me to tell the mechanic to give him a call if he had any questions while working on my bike. I have an Uptite oil cap on my bike, which is awesome. Top notch product! I would also consider Uptite if I buy another Husky down the road.
I have to agree that George is a very solid guy. I have a WXE 350 from 1992 and George has been great with his time and advice. He has even told me not to buy something at the cost of a sale to him. Three cheers!
I agree, I had talked to him several times both on the phone, in person and via internet. I mentioned that I was hoping to purchase a new Husky in the near future. He in turn told me whoever I buy it from (not pushing his sale...I like that) but rather, to bring it to him for immediate upgrades to factory items that were a little "weak" to begin with. Won't tell you where they bought their bikes however, he said that he has many customers that bought eslewhere (1 main dealer) and are now his customers due to his CS and the lack there-of at the other dealership. Keep it up George, when I decide to buy I'll be seeing you!
