Would you trust a dealership?

[P38]

If many of these so called ''stealerships'' actually turned a reasonable rather than a meager profit then Id hate to think what theyd then be labelled. Since time immemorial this same tag has been applied to motorcycle dealers and largely its unjustified. Especially given that those applying the labels most always have no idea of day to day running costs etc.

I wasnt meaning you Robert.

However I have had first hand experience of being totally ripped off by others in the New Zealand motorcycle industry so I stand by my statement.

[lozz900]

You are talking here about a set of Suzuki GSX1400 forks? Are you able to post some images of the stripped down components showing the differences?

Hey Robert, Yes I am talking about a GSX1400 forks here, Ive since found out that there is up to 3 different inner tubes for that model, I have pics,

[Robert Taylor]

I wasnt meaning you Robert.

However I have had first hand experience of being totally ripped off by others in the New Zealand motorcycle industry so I stand by my statement.

No worries, it just worries me a little ( in general ) that the industry as a wholegets tarred with the same brush.

A snapshot of the realities would read as follows;

1) Motorcycle mechanics are in general poorly paid

2) Turnover of mechanics is very high and only in part because of pay rates

3) The training institutions are not of as high a standard as I would like to see and this situation has prevailed in the 30 plus years that I have been in the industry, as an adult apprentice, then qualified, as a technical manager for one of the major distributors and also time as a trades examiner for several years for Trade Certificate and A grade. That papers had to be scaled up to achieve a pass ratio is to me a failed system. Especially when the pass mark is 50%, meaning you could fail 50% of the paper and still be qualified! Having come from an Air Force background where the pass mark was a minimum 75% for the aircraft mechanical trades it was anathema to think of such a low pass mark, you cant park a broken aeroplane on a cloud!

4) With low returns and mechanics being very transient you can relate to how many dealers are reluctant to invest majorly in training and equipment.


ETC..........! This is not the only industry affected in such a way and the free market has rather exacerbated deep rooted problems. What Im trying to say is that ( divorced from simplistic emotive statements )there are solid reasons why such an unsatisfactory situation prevails. That is no excuse but you can understand how it comes about.

[Robert Taylor]

Hey Robert, Yes I am talking about a GSX1400 forks here, Ive since found out that there is up to 3 different inner tubes for that model, I have pics,

Hmm, its not really conclusive just on those images. Maybe there is debris trapped in the base or rebound piston valving on the affected leg.

[SS90]

No worries, it just worries me a little ( in general ) that the industry as a wholegets tarred with the same brush.

A snapshot of the realities would read as follows;

1) Motorcycle mechanics are in general poorly paid

2) Turnover of mechanics is very high and only in part because of pay rates

Too true there Robert.

$70 per hour is what the customer pays (less GST) so the shop gets $61

The Mechanic gets, say MAXIMUM $20 per hour (less his PAYE)

so, the shop gets $41 (per CHARGED hour...not all hours are charged remember)

There is a foreman for the workshop, he (quite often) doesn't charge out much work at all, (too busy with customers etc) so, he gets say $23, so it depends on how many charging mechanics he has "under him", let's say..... 3, so, from every mechanic's "charged hour before business tax profit" for a shop ($41, 3 mechanics is $123) $23 divided by 3 (3 mechaincs) is $7.66

so, now, after JUST PAYING FOR THE FOREMAN, (who is absolutely nessesary), the pre business tax win for the business, for each CHARGED hour is $41 MINUS $7.66 equals $33.34

Wow! $33.34 PER CHARGED HOUR, per Mechanic.

Now, you need to factor in.

Rent
Insurance
COMEBACKS,PAINT SCRATCHES
Warranty work (which NEVER pay the time it takes, as well as pay only a fraction of the normal charge time (14 minutes to rebuild an Aprilia Pegaso fork? Bahahahahah....Yea right!

And a host of other things (Internet etc)

This also includes the "non charge work" (it does happen you know)

When you factor all this in, THEN add in the Winter (never seen a single workshop charging much time in the Winter....anyone else?

When all is said and done, just because you pay $70 per hour, doesn't mean the Owner(s) of the business put $70 in their back pocket (laughing at you in the process) the moment you pick up your bike.

Your getting them confused with LAWERS,ACCOUNTANTS, DOCTORS and MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT (oh, and PROPERTY DEVELOPERS)

[Max Preload]

If many of these so called ''stealerships'' actually turned a reasonable rather than a meager profit then Id hate to think what theyd then be labelled. Since time immemorial this same tag has been applied to motorcycle dealers and largely its unjustified. Especially given that those applying the labels most always have no idea of day to day running costs etc.

It's not that they make a profit, meagre or otherwise. It's that they by-and-large do so with little integrity, honesty, service and fair play, existing largely because they're either the only one in town so most people have to take their chances or because they're all much the same at the end of the day.

[Robert Taylor]

It's not that they make a profit, meagre or otherwise. It's that they by-and-large do so with little integrity, honesty, service and fair play, existing largely because they're either the only one in town so most people have to take their chances or because they're all much the same at the end of the day.

Maybe you are going to the wrong dealerships then or having once been bitten you are twice shy. My point exactly, its too easy to tar everyone with the same brush.

[pritch]

It's the lousy dishonest scamming that goes on in the workshop part of these 'dealers' that fucks everyone off.

Wait 'til you have to use a lawyer...

[lozz900]

Hmm, its not really conclusive just on those images. Maybe there is debris trapped in the base or rebound piston valving on the affected leg.

The brake piston dosnt fit into position on the left fork as the hole is 2 mm smaller and the suspension would and did bottom solidly as the fork came to the end of its travel as tube hit the end of the piston, That fork was effectivly short of travel by some margin, also because the forks top out on the back side of those holes it affected the unloaded free length of the fork, I dont know but I imagine that the holes in the sides at different levels and significantly different sizes would impact on things, although I dont know by how much.

[Max Preload]

Maybe you are going to the wrong dealerships then or having once been bitten you are twice shy. My point exactly, its too easy to tar everyone with the same brush.

I've never been bitten but they have tried to bite me.