Can't stand motorcycle shops!

[nabusa]

Well went back to the shop today (I toke my wheel with me). Talked to one of the managers and got them to install bearings on both sides (they provided the left bearing free of charge). They tried to convince me to come back for free maintenance but I told them they will not be touching my bike again. My chain isn't bad, but I am going to have to replace it soon now.

 

[LeDauz]

yea, am with you on this one, I use to take mine to a dealer

then after them putting the wrong tire on after paying for an ultra soft tire and then going in back with the service manager(known the guy for a while) so he could show me his quad that was having repairs done for hitting a rock in the snow he said he hand to tell his employees to replace the plasic bolts that broke.

if they skimp on their boss's stuff i can only imagine what service i get, service manager good service employees not so much one does services one sits at the desk to bs with customers

 

[sixpack577]

Well went back to the shop today (I toke my wheel with me). Talked to one of the managers and got them to install bearings on both sides (they provided the left bearing free of charge). They tried to convince me to come back for free maintenance but I told them they will not be touching my bike again. My chain isn't bad, but I am going to have to replace it soon now.

But they offered to F' it up for free next time!

 

[Gpmo]

Well went back to the shop today (I toke my wheel with me). Talked to one of the managers and got them to install bearings on both sides (they provided the left bearing free of charge). They tried to convince me to come back for free maintenance but I told them they will not be touching my bike again. My chain isn't bad, but I am going to have to replace it soon now.

At least you were able to get things correct on the bike. Good on you for holding them responsible and not freaking out.

 

[nabusa]

The error wasn't huge like scratched paint or rims. I would have not been so calm if it was something like that. Staying calm was the best approach, plus by doing that hopefully they wouldn't mess up putting the bearings on. But after they were done and I inspected my wheel, I let them know exactly what I thought.

 

[Rook]

As per my earlier post, just got home with my 'Busa. Everything was all hunky dory until I parked her in my driveway.
I've included before and after pics! I swear to God I wanted to cry!!
Well, Lexington Motorsports is going to pay to have this fixed!!
Looks like some sort of grinding tool raked it to me...:-(
I'm serious, I'm like totally pissed and heartbroken at the same time!!

 

[lankeeyankee]

But they offered to F' it up for free next time!

Isnt this the truth!! They offered to come pick up my bike and fix there F ups and drop it back off to me.. Hmmmmmm you couldnt have said it better my friend!!
I told them I honestly dont trust you, your mechanics, nor this entire dealership with my motorcycle.

 

[lankeeyankee]

Damn!!!! HOLY CHIT!!! Heads would be rolling!!!

 

[Rook]

...I'm calling the store manager first thing in the morning, 'cause they closed at 1800. I feel it would be bad for me to just go there in the morning, because the 'slightest' crap they try to give me...nobody's going to be happy.

 

[nabusa]

See now a scratch like that on my bike isn't easy to fix since it's a custom paint job. That sucks man, hope the fix it swiftly.

 

[BigBadDodge]

My brother took his raptor in to a local non dealer place (that was hooking us up great on parts for awhile, then fell off hard) Had some top end work done, gets it back and the head gaskets leaking. Takes it back in to find they had stripped a bolt. They go to remove the bolt and break it, sat at they're shop while they "worked" on it for 3 weeks, ended up sending it to a machine shop to have it re-drilled and tapped. Comes back and they cant put it back together because the machine shop drilled the old stud out, got crooked and tapped it that way so the bolt wasnt going in at 90* ended up being 5 weeks and they tried hitting him with the machine shop costs for work they had caused. Sad thing is my brother, myself or my dad all could have done the work but my brothers lazy

 

[2Wheels2Live]

...I'm calling the store manager first thing in the morning, 'cause they closed at 1800. I feel it would be bad for me to just go there in the morning, because the 'slightest' crap they try to give me...nobody's going to be happy.

Folks need to read these posts, look at your pictures, and realize that the majority of the time you take your bike to a shop for work, especially a dealership shop, that you're going to have nothing but problems. Thats just the way it is Its not worth the hassle and stress. Learn to work on your own bike, and tell the shops to fug off
Unfortunately Rook since you didn't point out that huge gash on the side of your beautiful 03LE (same bike I have ) when you picked it up, they're going to tell you they didn't do it, must have happened after you left. Thats what they do
The most recent (of very very many) shop horror stories from my riding buds involved a nice kid who took his gsxr-1000 into a shop to have some yoshi cams installed and have the head shaved. They screwed up the cam install, put some valves into pistons, and damaged the head beyond repair. This was on a new bike. After them dragging their feet for weeks and not wanting to make anything right, and stressing him out completely, he finally threatened to get a lawyer. Then they offer to find and buy him a junkyard engine if he pays for the labor to install it. He's so sick of the whole affair by then that he agrees. So what he gets back is his new bike with scratched up expensive TI full exhaust, scratched frame and plastics, a junkyard engine that smokes on decel from bad valve guide seals and is noisy as hell, his new engine in a box with 800 bucks or so worth of scarred yoshi cams, a ruined head and a couple of bad pistons, and he's out the money for the junkyard engine install. After that whole experience he didn't want his bike anymore so he sold it for a loss and quit riding.

He was a nice guy too, too nice. They saw him coming a mile away......

 

[Tufbusa]

I know some have legitimate complaints but I have friends in the service department and I listen to some of the horror stories they tell me. Most customers don't understand mechanics or they would do the work themselves. When a customer returns to complain that his busa is burning more fuel after the shop changed the oil and wants to know what the dealer intends to do about it is common place. Well, it was getting 44 mpg when I brought it in and now its dropped to 38 and I'm pissed you fuggers screwed it up and I'll never come here again.

So most dealerships have ten stories for every one you fellas have. Not that you don't have a complaint but I'd hate to be in the service business dealing with customers that don't know the difference in a spark plug and a clitoris!

 

[Strife]

Get it all put back together?

 

[rbd5050]

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?

Explains it perfectly! Thanks so much!

Rio

 

[Rook]

I talked to the shop manager this morning, and he said he would make it right. That's when I knew that HE knew that it had happened! Also, I told him that the paint over the right side slider was buckled, and I wanted it fixed also. I will be down without my Bus for another week, but it supposed to storm anyway for the next four days. (Trying to be positive)
Talk is cheap though, we will see what they are willing to do. I really want to take it to a body shop, like Car Quest, and have it repaired in a hour...and send them the bill! But they want to remove the piece and send it to their guy?!?! ...nervous.
What would you do?

 

[nabusa]

Tell them you will take the piece off yourself and bring it to them. That way they can't mess anything else up.

 

[lankeeyankee]

I talked to the shop manager this morning, and he said he would make it right. That's when I knew that HE knew that it had happened! Also, I told him that the paint over the right side slider was buckled, and I wanted it fixed also. I will be down without my Bus for another week, but it supposed to storm anyway for the next four days. (Trying to be positive)
Talk is cheap though, we will see what they are willing to do. I really want to take it to a body shop, like Car Quest, and have it repaired in a hour...and send them the bill! But they want to remove the piece and send it to their guy?!?! ...nervous.
What would you do?

I would get an estimate where you trust. Once you get an estimate take it back over to the shop and see if they will cut you a check.

Can you really trust someone that runs a shop like that? If you scratched a persons bike, would you tell them or hope they didnt notice it?

 

[Rook]

I can tell by the reaction, ...that they knew all along what happened! They tried (and did) focus my attention on the new chain, and my uber sprockets!

 

[KvHotDog4]

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.

I know some have legitimate complaints but I have friends in the service department and I listen to some of the horror stories they tell me. Most customers don't understand mechanics or they would do the work themselves. When a customer returns to complain that his busa is burning more fuel after the shop changed the oil and wants to know what the dealer intends to do about it is common place. Well, it was getting 44 mpg when I brought it in and now its dropped to 38 and I'm pissed you fuggers screwed it up and I'll never come here again.
So most dealerships have ten stories for every one you fellas have. Not that you don't have a complaint but I'd hate to be in the service business dealing with customers that don't know the difference in a spark plug and a clitoris!

If you are referring to my post then I will give a little more detail. The guy who was actually working on my bike I would not mind to let him drive it, however the kid they send out to wear in my new tires looked to be about 16 probably older but you get what I mean he looked young and a little too eager to get out on my bike. This was the 1st time anyone had ever driven my bike other than me so I was a bit nervous. I had over 100 miles on the tripmeter with an average showing 44 mpg, and it show back up about 5 miles later with 32mpg. I do not know how in the crap that could happen unless he just stayed in 1st wide open because he brought the average down 12 mpg in just 5 miles. Next time your out get over 100 miles on your trip then try to make it drop 12mpg in just five miles. I don't know how he did it. So yeah I was pissed, however I didn't confront the shop about it because really what are they going to do, I have my new tires and my bike is running. The next time I needed tires I went with my bike and asked if you put these tires on do you have to drive the bike? They said yes. So I said well never mind then I'll just bring you the wheels. They asked why and I told them what happened. They apologized but said it is their policy they have to break in the tires that was around 10 - 12k miles. Up until this last set of tires I have always taken my wheels and tires to be mounted and balanced there and always requested the same mechanic (54k miles now). He seems to pay great attention to detail when I seem him working on anything which is why I would be ok with him driving the bike, but when its company policy to send out some young punk who has no respect for other peoples belongings and just rawhides the piss out of it all in the name of "breaking in the tires" then yeah that ruins the whole shop for me and MY BIKE WILL NOT BE A PART OF IT! I paid too much and take too much pride in my bike to have some kid (or anyone for that matter) rawhide it just because its not theirs and they won't have to pay for it. Some people may say I am too picky, I think I just take pride in my belongings and if someone works on them then they should do the same. Especially for $80.00 an hour!