Can't stand motorcycle shops!

[expat1970]

man that sucks, im glad my local shop has a good tech, used to ride with him before he sold his gixxer

 

[84Ninja]

Its very hard finding someone competant to take care of your bikes. I've had two different guys cause cosmetic damage to my bikes -and not to mention did slop work! The incompetance of some of these guys is unbeleivable.

 

[StrtRac3r]

Good luck at that dealer, do they have competency ratings? We did at ford and they had to keep high numbers to be certified blue oval. If you could look that up it may help to chose a decent shop. (obviously competency was calculated my number of techs and average number of certs per tech)

 

[Big Bo]

A real pisser indeed.

 

[Strife]

Well toke the wheel off and found the same old bearing and dust shield On top of that my chain was rubbing the frame :tantrum: I'm going to woosa so I don't go crazy tomorrow when go to the shop tomorrow. On a side note, why is suzuki the only ones to have the chain so dang close to the frame? My zx6 and my friends 1000rr has at least 1" away from the frame.

I wonder if they used wrong spacer(s) putting it back together.

 

[2Wheels2Live]

Honestly 99% of jap dealerships are filled with incompetent fu#$ups, in the shop and on the floor. All they're good for is trying to bulls%it you into paying way too much for a new machine. Otherwise they're a huge waste of real estate. I haven't given an actual dealership a dime in years. As the economy was closing down our local dealerships, I was laughing my azz off I hate the bazztards

 

[newman]

Hope you get it sorted, I don't know how some of these places keep in business.
When a car ran into the back of my GS750 in 1978 took it to a Suzuki dealership for an estimate, guy came out and started to change my back bulbs where the lights were smashed, I said what are you doing I'm only here for a estimate, he said it's alright.
Well left the bike there and when I went back to get the estimate the manager tried to charge me £20 for the bulbs and £20 for the estimate, I said no one else has tried to charge me for a estimate and said I didn't ask for the bulbs to be changed so I wasn't going to pay, man the guy went crazy ripped up the estimate and threw it, chucked me out of the office and said I was banned from the place, as if I'd want to go back.
Back then £40 was a lot of money, my take home pay was only £96 a week.

 

[fiend]

Ohh so Suzuki spent $$$$$$$ extra in machine work to have them marks but they arent accurate? Do you really think Suzuki would have spent the extra money in machine work if they werent accurate?

Yeaaahh I am sure with the qaulity of work I got the mechanic used a measuring device and aligned my rear wheel with center of the swingarm, or even better he used a laser to align my wheel.. Yeaaaah Ok? Do you work at America Power Sport?

The same way your speedometer should be correct but is off by 10-15%??You would think Suzuki would fix this problem along time ago. Have you checked to see if it is aligned with an alignment tool or are you just assuming it is wrong? I'm sure the tech didn't use a tool but the possibility is there that he did.

If I recall correctly the reason your bike went to the shop anyways was because it fell off a lift. If you were such a competent "mechanic" it should not have fell off of the lift if it was put on there correctly.


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[DaCol.]

That's why I take mine (when I need too) to a PRIVATE Shop. I've found they LISTEN to you and do QUALITY WORK. Why, because their customers come in from WORD OF MOUTH from other past customers. One thing I never do, is judge a shop by someone who HEARD this or that. I want a REAL CUSTOMER to tell me when I'am looking for help.

Just remember, there are GOOD SHOPS and BAD SHOPS, people who CARE and those who just slap things on without a clue or care.

 

[Tufbusa]

Just because the marks are there doesn't necessarily mean that they line up exactly the same.
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Ohh so Suzuki spent $$$$$$$ extra in machine work to have them marks but they arent accurate? Do you really think Suzuki would have spent the extra money in machine work if they werent accurate?

Yeaaahh I am sure with the qaulity of work I got the mechanic used a measuring device and aligned my rear wheel with center of the swingarm, or even better he used a laser to align my wheel.. Yeaaaah Ok? Do you work at America Power Sport?

Now don't go getting your undies all wadded up, fiend is absolutely correct. More likely than not the alignment marks on the swingarm are not EXACTLY nuts on. Some I have found to have a sizeable disparity.

I have found the stringline method is the most accurate means of alignment.

And just so you know, it's not the swingarm you use for alignment, it's the front tire. If you want an accurate alignment use the string method and align the rear tire with the front tire and you are in business.

 

[lankeeyankee]

I learned to stay away from motorcycle dealers for repairs at an early age.
when I was 18 I bought a brand new 1990 GSXR. I did all the mechanical work myself.
After I installed a new 4 2 1 Vance and Hines system I decided to take it to the Dealer
to have a jet kit installed in the carbs. I dropped the bike off and picked it up the next day
went to dragstrip and I lost 2mph in the 1/4. I took it back and they kept it and said they
made some adjustments. Back to the dragstrip Now I lost 4 mph!!
Back to the shop on Monday.......long story short... I learned all about CV carbs and jetting soon after
After many hours of learning I got it dialed in.
Bottom line is MOST are not going to take Care nor take the extra effort as you would working
on your bike.
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[Gpmo]

Ohh so Suzuki spent $$$$$$$ extra in machine work to have them marks but they arent accurate? Do you really think Suzuki would have spent the extra money in machine work if they werent accurate?

Yeaaahh I am sure with the qaulity of work I got the mechanic used a measuring device and aligned my rear wheel with center of the swingarm, or even better he used a laser to align my wheel.. Yeaaaah Ok? Do you work at America Power Sport?

Those are reference marks not exact measurements. Alignment from the swingarm is suggested.

 

[Rook]

Ooh man, you guys have me sweating over here! I'm picking my bike up from a local dealer/service place today. I had the tire changed, service w/syn oil, and sliders installed. They called me last Wednesday saying that they had to order a new rw spacer from Suzuki. Then I get a call yesterday saying that I need a new chain, 'cause it wouldn't adjust correctly! ...after reading this post, I got a nasty instinctual feeling of being 'porked' on this deal! I will let you know when I get her back home this afternoon! ???

 

[binx]

We should make a post and pin it of dealerships not to use. As to Rook, that doesnt make sense that they need a chain. If its that bad you need sprockets too.

 

[rbd5050]

Same here, I posted about my front end feeling funny and brought it to the shop I got it from and they said everything is fine even when they test ride it, thats a suzuki thing. Went to an independent shop who just do repairs. Come to find out my wheel was weighted wrong and ruined my tire. So new tire and weights, runs smooth. Shops that sell bikes shouldn't have a repair shop.

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Can anyone go a little further explaining the weight thing here? How can it be weighted wrong...too much/little/wrong place/all of these?
Thanks

Rio

 

[KvHotDog4]

We should make a post and pin it of dealerships not to use. As to Rook, that doesnt make sense that they need a chain. If its that bad you need sprockets too.

I can start the list here:
1. Sloanes - Murfreesburo, Tn - Left the front wheel loose
2. Castle - Rivergate, Tn - After a required test ride of 5 miles my MPG had dropped from 44 mpg to 32 mpg. With 100 miles on the tripometer.
3. Suzuki of Cool Springs - Cool Springs, Tn - 1st time,Destroyed the airbox seal, kinked a radiator hose. 2nd time airbox crooked, hoses left off and wiring harness not screwed in.

 

[sixpack577]

Can anyone go a little further explaining the weight thing here? How can it be weighted wrong...too much/little/wrong place/all of these?
Thanks

Rio

Yep. Any tire on any wheel almost always needs a certain amount of weight to balance it. Wheels and tires both will have heavy spots in them from the manufacturing process. Even with perfect size, shape, and diameter of the finished product the materials used will have inconsistancies in them. It's much easier to add a weight than try to make a wheel or tire than doesn't have an extra ounce of weight on one side of it.
When a bike wheel/tire is on a balancing stand or a computerized machine it's spun around just as if it were on the bike. As it slows downs eventually the heavy spot will wind up at the bottom. The wheel on a balancing stand will slow almost to a stop then rock back and forth as the weight settles. The heaviest point will obviously be at the bottom from gravity. You then add weight opposite that(12 oclock) and spin it again. If you added the correct amount of weight the wheel will spin for a very long time and eventually just slow to a stop. If you add too much or too little, or in the wrong place, you'll continue to have the same or similiar problems.
If you're riding on unbalanced bike tires there usually isn't a problem or vibration until you reach triple digit speeds. Although it can affect handling and ride quality at normal speeds also, as well as affect tire wear.
Just consider how you think your bike would ride and handle if you put a 10 pound weight on your wheel at any given point around the inside of it. That weight would take effort to be moved to the 12 oclock position of the wheel, then gravity would pull the weight down rapidly and this would repeat.
Every time that heavy spot reaches 6 oclock you'll feel it. The off balance of this will cause a vibration.
10 pounds of course is very exagerated, but the effect is the same, and noticeable even within an ounce or two of weight.
Does that make sense?

 

[BUSA CRUSEN]

I have had a bad experiance with one shop next to my house, but now I take my bike to a honda dealer and they always do a really good job. Just wish it didn't cost so much.

 

[binx]

Ronnies Cycle-
Adams, ma-Had sprockets put on and didnt put my fairings on right and snapped clips. Adjusted my tires to 30lbs from 42.
Pittsfield,ma-Sales manager put water in my gas tank when I decided not trade my bike for theirs and bought elsewhere.(left trade there overnight)
East Greenbush,ny-bought busa, never changed plugs, or any of the fluids, air filter, set suspension to softest setting, mis-balanced front wheel,blinkers didnt work(and they inspected it and wouldnt fix) was given RO that all was done.
Bennington,vt-1st bike was harley(I know) wouldnt run right, brought it there and was told it was how I was riding it. Had to have motor rebuilt.

Why would I go to these you ask. I went to each place once and an issue everytime that gets blamed on me. Live and learn, I do everything myself now. Same owner, but all different staff at each one
and are really helpful until you buy the bike then they dont care and want to charge even in warranty.

 

[lankeeyankee]

I can start the list here:
1. Sloanes - Murfreesburo, Tn - Left the front wheel loose
2. Castle - Rivergate, Tn - After a required test ride of 5 miles my MPG had dropped from 44 mpg to 32 mpg. With 100 miles on the tripometer.
3. Suzuki of Cool Springs - Cool Springs, Tn - 1st time,Destroyed the airbox seal, kinked a radiator hose. 2nd time airbox crooked, hoses left off and wiring harness not screwed in.

Well you can ad America Power Sports on Myatt DR Nashville to the list of chitty, sloppy, lying mechanics. They SUK! Work qaulity, orgazational skills, attention to detail are all terrible!! DONT take a Hayabusa to America Power Sports
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