I don't like taking my bikes to the dealer for anything. The last time I got my bike inspected some 100lb, 19 year old kid came out to get it. He wanted to know whick bike it was. I told him the ZX-11 with the Muzzy and his eyes got about twice their normal size. Quickly visions of that kid holding my bike to the rev limiter in every gear poped up. I considered offering to take it back to the shop door for him. A few minutes later he came out with an estimate. "Your throttle cables need adjusted. They stick when the bars at full lock. It should be about $xx and you'll need to leave it here." I reached over and loosened the adjuster at the grip and they worked fine. He disappered again. When he came back out he said, "You're gonna need..."
"Listen," I said, "I'm not gonna buy anything or get any work done here. The bike is fine, either you inspect it or I'll take it to another dealer."
"Um, Ok." He came back out in a minute and it had a sticker on it.
This shop has screwed with me before. I do all my own work now because of them. The only thing I can't do is put stickers on. I was once in there and they had a bike in the shop that was ticking. The mechanic reved and reved the engine. A few other mechanics came over and they all chuckeled and reved it some more. What a bunch as as.sholes. There was a time years ago when they were a well know good shop. Now, I hear horror stories from other guys who've had work done by them. The guy at the parts counter even told me one night, " You have to know someone to get good work done, otherwise we just push it through."
I don't want some kid working on my bike. I also don't want some Harley looking guy working on it either. I know it's probably not PC to say but I don't want a woman working on it either. I'm sorry but I ride super fast more often then I ride slow. I want to feel safe, I want to be safe. The only person I trust working on my bike is myself. I guess its probably just me though. Hell, I don't feel safe riding in a car that I'm not driving. I don't want someone working on my bike who thinks "that'll be good enough." I use my stuff hard. I've had things break on my cars that my old mechanic has never even see break before.
I went to an alignment shop one time down in Maryland. They drove my car up on the lift and this grey haired old man came out and sat on a barstool with casters. He puffed on his pipe and put his right hand's thumb and pointer finger on his chin. He pulled his pipe out of his mouth and called me over. Using his pipe to point with, he showed me everything that was wrong with my car. Stuff that nobody would have given a second look to, this guy spotted in about 30 seconds. When he was done, he gave me a list of stuff to fix or to plan on fixing in a few weeks because it was gonna go bad soon. THAT'S who I want working on my stuff if I can't. When I left there, there weren't any new rattles or jingles, no new scratches or dents. The car was more solid then it'd ever been. That was a good mechanic experience. Too bad they're not all like that.
Sorry for the rant/ramble,
Jamie
oh...how..I..ENVY..YOU..GUYS..