A motorcycle enthusiast has turned his passion into a business by using his life savings to open a new service and repair centre in north Norfolk. 

Lewis Bartle, 32, recently opened Quickshift Motorcycles at Laundry Loke industrial estate in North Walsham.

The mechanic poured £10,000 of his life savings into transforming the unit from an old carpentry workshop into a state-of-the-art motorcycle repair centre.

Specialising in servicing and fixing up sports bikes, Mr Bartle also provides valeting and detailing and hopes to one day become an MOT station.

Quickshift Motorcycles opened at Laundry Loke industrial estate in North Walsham on August 14Quickshift Motorcycles opened at Laundry Loke industrial estate in North Walsham on August 14 (Image: Supplied)

"I first got into bikes when I was 16," Mr Bartle, who grew up in Sheringham and now lives in Gresham, said.   

"I was going to college at the time where I was training to be a brick layer, so I bought a moped to get me to and from Norwich.

"It broke down on me every day so I had to fix it, and that's when I decided I was going to be a mechanic.  

"Up until now I had never taken the plunge into solely doing bikes."

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Before and after: Lewis Bartle spent his £10,000 life saving on the two-month transformation of the workshop Before and after: Lewis Bartle spent his £10,000 life saving on the two-month transformation of the workshop (Image: Supplied)

Mr Bartle spent seven years working as an agricultural engineer. In that time he worked for agricultural machinery dealer MAANS.

He left the firm five years to become a self-employed mechanic, working with cars and motorbikes from a premises in a field in Bodham.

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"I always wanted to just do bikes and that premises wasn't suitable for what I was doing," he said.

"I've decided to do what I love doing, which is motorbikes.

"I've chucked all my life savings at it and I'm giving it a shot."

Quickshift MotorcyclesQuickshift Motorcycles (Image: Supplied)

Quickshift MotorcyclesQuickshift Motorcycles (Image: Supplied)

He said there are several motorbike service and repair centres in the region, but only a few independent ones. 

"It's a more personalised service," he said.

"Every bike that comes in for work receives a free valet. I pride myself on it, so every bike gets a wash and a polish once it's done.

"This is my passion."