Yamaha after sales service

[Triumph1946]

I have owned many Yamaha's over the last 30 years and have been happy with most of them. Currently own an XJR1300 and an R1. Trying to obtain consumables and service is all but impossible. Service requests made on those dreadful service request forms are ignored seems that spare parts are generally held in Australia. Comments filed on the Yamaha NZ site are re-directed to Australia the reply, if any, brings a whole new meaning to the word rude. Similarly a message on the Managing Directors Facebook page remains ignored. Is a Yamaha franchise the kiss of death to a motorcycle shop? Witness the number of Yamaha dealers that have closed. No more yamaha's for me. My two Yamaha's are for sale along with my low hour 115hp gas guzzling outboard. I have two other other motorcycles and neither are as difficult to maintain than a Yamaha. My 30 year loyalty to the Yamaha brand is of no value.

[Triumph1946]

I have owned many Yamaha's over the last 30 years and have been happy with most of them. Currently own an XJR1300 and an R1. Trying to obtain consumables and service is all but impossible. Service requests made on those dreadful service request forms are ignored seems that spare parts are generally held in Australia. Comments filed on the Yamaha NZ site are re-directed to Australia the reply, if any, brings a whole new meaning to the word rude. Similarly a message on the Managing Directors Facebook page remains ignored. Is a Yamaha franchise the kiss of death to a motorcycle shop? Witness the number of Yamaha dealers that have closed. No more yamaha's for me. My two Yamaha's are for sale along with my low hour 115hp gas guzzling outboard.

[AllanB]

Ah the outboard - that raises a interesting question - are their watercraft supported better than the bikes? There are a fair few Yamy outboards in NZ.

[Triumph1946]

Nothing would lead me to believe that Yamaha NZ would provide any better service to outboard owners than motorcycle owners. Yamaha NZ is without a doubt the worst franchise holder it has ever been my misfortune to deal with.

[Kickaha]

Must be the shop and people you deal with, the local Yamaha shop here is brilliant and Clayton is spares provides very good service

[Triumph1946]

Agreed, but there is only one major Yamaha dealer in Central Auckland and they are truly awful. I wish I could come down to Filco to get my bikes serviced but it's a bit of a trek.

[Gremlin]

You could try Cycletreads, they are now a Yammy dealer.

[Mattr]

Yip the shops dont last long around here. I have a 4str yammaha outboard which I have recieved great service with from a very reputable company. Stick with the brands that you can get the best support from and that is the main reason all my bikes are green.

[awa355]

I started on Yamahas back in 1969. I have owned more Yamahas than any other brand, and have always had a soft spot for the name.
At the moment I am pleased with Blackwood Yamaha in Cambridge re work, prices etc, but then I'm only getting tyres, consumables etc for a scooter which any dealership should be able to work on. What their experience with the big sportsbikes is, I don't know.

If I was after at a big sports bike, I doubt I would spend much time looking at a Yamaha in the waikato.

With todays high tech machines, is there such a thing as a ' cheap to own ' sports/tourer from any manufacturer?

[Morcs]

its the distribution structure that kills it. Yamaha NZ goes through Yamaha Aus i believe.

And the bikes are a shite load dearer here than anyway else in the world in comparision to the other brands. Its no wonder there are few less yamahas on the road than the other 3, yet yamaha exports more bikes out of japan than the others? mmm.

[Triumph1946]

If it's true that the distribution chain is via Australia that would explain things, I can't imagine that anybody in Yamaha Australia would care not one iota about a Kiwi motorcyclist. My Yamaha outboard has always been maintained and serviced by the same company and it has performed flawlessly, however it is now for sale and it's replacement is due. I simply will not entertain another Yamaha product. Going by the response from Yamaha NZ and no reply from the MD my loyalty over many years is obviously of little or no value.

[F5 Dave]

So. . .what if you were considering a new Piano?

[BuzzardNZ]

So. . .what if you were considering a new Piano?

I'd get a suzuki ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_piano_brand_names

[cs363]

Must be the shop and people you deal with, the local Yamaha shop here is brilliant and Clayton is spares provides very good service

+1 Bob's always been good to deal with as was his old man. Clayton is a true old school parts and accessories guy - in a good way! Was always a good crew out the back too..... reminds me I must catch up with those fellas next time I'm down South.

[Dodgy]

You must like paying a hell of a lot for OEM parts. Go online and find a myraid of US online dealers (eg: Partzilla, MR Cycles, Powersedge) and get the same part for about half the price and here in less than two weeks. No GST either if it is under the $400 threshold.

[Triumph1946]

I know there are people in the motorcycle industry all over the country working hard to provide service to motorcyclists. In the past I have had great service from several dealers here in Auckland. In this instance I am not blaming entirely the retailer. Yamaha NZ seems to have adopted an extraordinary arrogance to both the the retailer and customers. I think ignoring customer concerns is inappropriate. I bought a Yamaha a few years ago from Waikato Yamaha, they are no more, it was serviced at a place in Albany, they are no more, serviced subsequently at Henderson motorcycle, they moved to the North Shore and now they are no more. Were all these dealers so bad that they folded, or is it because Yamaha NZ is such an awful franchise holder to deal with. Just a little detail - go to the Yamaha NZ site and look at the list of models. Under torque sport models the list V Max and MT-01. I am advised by a Yamaha dealer that the MT-01 has not been made for three years and are no longer available. Another example of Yamaha NZ not only not having a finger on the motorcycle pulse - rather not even knowing where the pulse is. Does Yamaha have a Managing Director? He certainly does not respond to messages.

[Triumph1946]

Yes Dodgy I do that when I can. But the point is that if you buy an expensive vehicle from a dealer it is reasonable to expect the dealer to service its product in a timely manner. You might be happy to wait two weeks for an air filter or some other consumable for your bike, but I am certainly not.

[awa355]

Filters, chains, sprockets, brake pads/linings, levers, cables etc should all be avalible from a central warehouse within a couple of days.

New front brake pads for my Yamaha scooter, ( still a current model ) had to come from Australia. The pads were here within a few days so I was happy enough with that.

[Triumph1946]

Seems that waiting for parts to come from Australia is an acceptable practice. I have ridden motorcycles for 40 years and I remember a time when motorcyclist were treated like crap, perhaps I am too old to accept that things have not changed much. Much as I love motorcycles and always have its obvious that my motorcycling days are over. When you do something that disappoints more than it please it is time to give the practice up.

[Pickle]

Dennis Roberts is the man to email complints about Yamaha to - He is in Australia & an arrogant prick to deal with, sorry dont have his email address

[Triumph1946]

Thanks for that Pickle I have sent a message to Yamaha Australia re an address.