By Lulu

People who are in business for themselves and are successful have several traits in common, and Hector Coll has them all. Honest, personable, self-motivated, attention to detail, and the ability to deliver what you promise in a timely manner! I met Hector several years ago on a charity event. He generously had donated items and I was introduced to him and liked him instantly. Originally from Puerto Rico he joined the US Army and was in the infantry at first then became a paratrooper. He was in the service for seven years doing tours in Korea, Germany and Panama. After the Army he became a commercial fisherman and ended up in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey. Eventually he started a Coll Construction specializing in tile and framing, which his son took over when he headed to Florida for his fourth career in motorcycles. He likes the saying “you aren’t working if you are doing what you love”.

As a 14-year-old boy in Puerto Rico he bought his first dirt bike with money made doing yard work. His first street bike was a Yamaha 400 Daytona Special. Buddies and neighbors helped him tinker on bikes and when he was in New Jersey he would spend time at a friend’s business Unique Cycles where he says he learned a lot. When he realized he was working on all his friend’s bikes to get them ready for the yearly trip to Laconia he would threaten, “I am going to MMI so I can charge you!” And in 2010 he did just that. His son took over the construction business, he packed up and moved to Orlando to get certified in what he loved. He knew no one in Florida and other than his trips to Bike Week really knew little about Florida other than “you could ride all year and that living was cheaper than New Jersey”. Upon graduation he was offered a gig at a Harley dealer, but you had to start out doing oil changes and tires. He wanted more of a challenge, so he opened a shop called Mobile Motorcycle Technician on Orange Blossom Trail. His next step was to open a shop on Ronald Reagan in Longwood and shared it with a scooter shop. It was named Independent Motorcycle & Scooter Repair. He supplemented that by working with the Florida Safety Council from 6a-3p, then off to work in the shop 3p until as long as it took to get the repair work done. After 3 years he and the scooter shop split and he also left the Florida Safety Council to focus on his business.

In March of 2019 he had outgrown the small shop and moved to 747 Fleet Financial Ct. in Longwood. A huge shop with a spotless office is where Independent Motorcycle Repair calls home and the place is packed with work in progress. He already has the Longwood Police Department as his client. Charging $85/hour with a $45 minimum his rates are fair. He does a 3-hole oil change for $65 (primary, transmission and engine). They service all makes and models and carry tires too.

Hector rides with The Lonesome Losers, loves fishing and boating on Lake Monroe and his pet project, as if he doesn’t have too much to do already, is his 1986 32 ft. Wellcraft. He and Debbi like date night at the VFW. Charities that he loves to support are the Paralyzed Veteran’s Golf Tournament as well as being a Shriner’s Zoo sponsor. His shop gives a discount to all first responders and veterans. His personal stable of bikes include a 99 Road Glide, 74 Sportster and a 79 KZ 750.

Hector is fortunate to have Justin Budke, a nice young man and fellow MMI graduate, working with him for the past two years. So, life is good for Hector. If you need repair work in the Longwood/Sanford area be sure to give Hector a call at 407-618-9725.