Today we’d like to introduce you to J. Shia.
J., can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
The passion of motorcycles has been instilled in me since an early age. My family in Lebanon/Syria we tin-smiths, mechanics and metal workers. Upon coming to the US, the family tradition of practicing the mechanical trade continued.
The home I grew up in is called “The Madhouse” by locals, littered with dozens of vintage bikes scattered throughout the yard and into the house. As a kid, I was always in the yard as my father and uncles worked on their motorcycle projects.
When I was an early teenager, my father gave me free range to take whatever junk bike I found out back and fix them up for myself. This resulted in bikers showing up at “The Madhouse,” to have their machines worked on as well.
Admittedly, I really had no idea what I was doing at the time but would still take on projects and force myself to learn about each and every aspect of different types of bikes. Once the yard became too small for 60 plus bikes, I decided to open an official business, named “Madhouse Motors.”
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t know if any beginning business owners have had a smooth road! Besides the normal (and somewhat expected) struggles, my personal obstacle to navigate has been time management of my other responsibilities. When I was 19, I became the guardian of a newborn.
At this time, I was also starting college to obtain my Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts. Those two things alone made my plate feel pretty full. With such a supportive family and an amazing work team, I’ve gotten to the point where everything is much more manageable. I and my employees all get a lot of family & “out of the shop” time while also maintaining our work schedules.
Madhouse Motors – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Madhouse Motors is a motorcycle shop that specializes in antique and vintage restoration, custom builds, fabrication and general maintenance. We are most proud of the fact that Madhouse Motors is a community-based business.
We pride ourselves on our tight knit working style with our customers. We work very closely with them and develop relationships with them. A lot have become family over the years, and it makes the community that much stronger.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The proudest moment of my career thus far has been the building and completion of the most recent show bike, the 1971 BSA A65. This machine started by the use of a pull start which has only been done a few times in motorcycle history.
Contact Info:
- Address: 8 Rugg Road Boston, MA 02134
- Website: www.madhousemotors.com
- Phone: 857-222-3855
- Email: madhousemotors@gmail.com
- Instagram: @madhousemotors
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MadhouseMotors/
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