At Rusty Stitches, we’re always excited to dive into the vibrant world of motorcycles! In this episode, we explore the story behind Geratel and discover what fuels the passion of its owner, Lucy van Ostade.

Geratel
On a warm August night in Schijndel, Holland, we visit Lucy at her workshop. The doors are wide open, and the sounds of Seasick Steve drift through the air. Lucy greets us with a warm smile and a big cup of coffee much needed after our 1.5-hour drive from Rusty Stitches headquarters.

We settle into vintage chairs and watch as Lucy prepares for a private lesson in motorcycle maintenance. A new student is expected shortly with a Harley Davidson FXDX Super Glide from 1999. The student wants to understand the condition of his bike and learn how to maintain it. After setting up, Lucy joins us with her coffee, ready to chat.

Lucy greets us with a warm smile and a big cup of coffee

Who is Lucy?
Lucy is a strong woman with two kids and a partner who shares her love for motorcycles and cars. Growing up in a family deeply rooted in the world of motorcycles and American cars, it’s no surprise she caught the gasoline bug early on. As a child, she rode motorcycles with her dad and grandpa and often attended car and motorcycle events. Today, Lucy’s passions include working on and riding motorcycles, as well as driving her family car, a custom 1928 Ford Tudor Sedan.

With many years of experience as a professional motorcycle mechanic working for big names like Ducati and Harley Davidson, Lucy has faced her share of challenges. “It’s tough being a female mechanic,” she tells us. “I’ve had to prove myself time after time and sometimes wasn’t taken seriously as a mechanic.” By 2018, Lucy had enough of working for the dealerships. She decided to strike out on her own, creating a new path by offering motorcycle maintenance lessons. And that’s how Geratel was born!

The Present Day
After a few years of ups and downs, Geratel is now a thriving business. Lucy’s workshop is an incredible space, equipped with all the tools a mechanic could dream of! Geratel offers a wide range of motorcycle maintenance workshops for everyone. “Today, I have a man for a private workshop,” Lucy tells us, “but another day, it could be a group of women for a workshop.”

What kind of workshops do you offer?
The basic workshop is a great place to start. In this workshop, we focus on the fundamentals, teaching you everything you need to know to safely hit the road with your motorcycle.

The follow-up workshop dives deeper into the bike’s components, covering everything you need to know if you want to perform maintenance yourself or understand what happens during a service—what’s checked, replaced, and why.

After the follow-up workshop, you can join the masterclass. Here, we take things a step further, with hands-on experience where you do the work yourself under Lucy’s guidance.

There are also special workshops, led by guest instructors who are experts in specific trades related to motorcycles.

Motor Inspections
In addition to the workshops, Lucy also serves as a motorcycle coach for the Dutch Bovag (ViaBovag). Through this service, you can contact Lucy for advice and ask any questions before purchasing your new motorcycle. The best part? This is a completely free service available to everyone.

If you’re thinking of buying a motorcycle but aren’t confident in your ability to thoroughly inspect it, reach out to Lucy through the viabovag.nl website!

Do you also do repair work?
“No, I don’t take on repair jobs,” Lucy explains. “Of course, if there are small issues we can easily fix during a workshop, we will. But I want to stay an independent inspector, so I can’t take on repair work if I want to keep my independence. And honestly, I don’t need to—my workshops are taking off like a rocket! I’m not getting rich, but that’s not why I’m doing this. I’m doing it because I love it!”

Back to the workshop on the Harley Davidson
After our chat, a man on a matte black Harley pulls into the workshop. “The workshop has begun,” Lucy says. We step back to observe while Lucy, in her element, expertly guides the customer through the bike’s maintenance. Her knowledge is impressive, and her ability to convey it in an easygoing manner is something many mechanics would envy!

It’s a good thing the man brought his bike in; there were several issues that needed attention for safe riding. The tires were too old, the seat was loose, the front brake master cylinder was dangerously worn, and the bike was overdue for some maintenance. While initially disappointed, the customer left happy after realizing how much he had learned and how important the inspection had been. He even signed up for the follow-up workshop on the spot!

Before we go, we have a few quick questions for you, Lucy.

The Tip
What other awesome motorcycle-related shops should we visit?
“Montecycle, Just Fubar Motorcycles, Rusty Gold MotorShop, Chopper Barn, DBBP Design, JB customs, Diestyboy, FlakeKings, and Red Hand Classics.”

The Shootout
What is your favorite motorcycle event?
“Choppin’ Woods is a festival that we organize ourselves (invite-only) and The Flanders Chopper Bash (unfortunately discontinued for now…).”

Gear
Do you like your Rusty Stitches jacket?
“Yes, I really do! It’s my first new jacket in over ten years, so it was about time! I love the feel and flexibility of the leather. I’m good for another ten years, I think!”

Thank you, Lucy, for taking the time to chat with us! At Rusty Stitches, we love what you’re doing for the motorcycle community and admire your passion for it. If you’re interested in one of these workshops, you can find available spots on the Geratel website.