Saving Money

[swanman]

I recently had my bike given a full service by Red Baron after I bought it, about a week later I had some starting problems due to the bike sitting around and not getting used. This resulted in the plugs fouling up. I found this out after I had to take the plugs out a coupla times and they were black and wet as.

I came to the conclusion that the bike was running rich and rang round the usual shops to see if they could fit me in to get the carbs tuned. All too busy for the next couple of weeks.So I went back to Red Baron had a winge that I was suprised that after a full service that cost in excess of $300 that the mechanic hadn't picked up that the bike was running rich, all to no avail as I had no proof that the bike was running rich when it left the shop (it was I guarantee it). The guy there quote a price of min $300 labour to service the carbs plus any parts required or more labour that may result from what they found. I was also told that the bike may have to be in the shop for a couple of weeks if parts had to be ordered. So there was no chance of a loan bike for the time the job was being done.

I felt kind of pissed off at this, high cost of servicing and labour etc and to be honest it looked as if the quality of what was being done was a bit suspicious.

So fuck em I decided to do the job myself. I made some contacts on the web and got a service manual and a few tips. So last Sunday and then today I slowly stripped the carbs, cleaned them, adjusted some settings and needle positions and put it all back together. Cost to me, was about 8 hrs labour, carb cleaner, some tools about $20 worth and that was it. Result bike is running cleaner at low revs and appears to be running about right, i.e. not rich anymore.

Fuck red Baron I say. I will not be going there ever again.

[Sniper]

Good on ya mate. Don't put up with that sort of shit.

[DingDong]

shit! 8 hours... you'll get that down to two hours in no time, how do they get away with a $300 quote for a crab clean and ballance...
Red Barron... the word gets around pretty quick on KB

[swanman]

shit! 8 hours... you'll get that down to two hours in no time,

Yep takes me 2 hrs to get the plugs out and back in.

If I was to do it again I'd proly cut that time in half. I took it nice and steady the 1st time round.

[T.I.E]

just out of interest i used to use spectrum mototcycles on the shore. 10 meters off barry's point road.
they were brilliant and found the longer i was with them the more savings i got back.
at one stage they knew my old gpx so well they could work on it blind folded.
nice guys.

but with red baron i am not sure what they are doing. a learner went in there knowing nothing, they were given a helmet and jacket two sizes too big for them. rider went from a xl helmet to a medium. after i had had much discussion saying he should not have left there store with gear so large. and the learner was not to know any better. they finally changed the gear after alot of wo is the company.
that was a safety issue. do they really know what they are doing when they sell safety equipment to a learner. i'm still pissed at this, a professional outfit in the trade for years selling the wrong gear.
there is no excuse for it.

they changed it, but that's not the point.

[DEATH_INC.]

Swanny,what did they do on yer invoice? Did they charge ya for doing the carbs in your original service?
Lemme know if they did and I'll have words to the owner for ya.

[Vegan]

Anyone know what Mt Eden motorcycles is like? Or Auckland powersports?

[Gremlin]

I like Mt Eden, always been good to me, fitted me in when busy, helpful.

Ricky has always done good for my zzr as well.

edit: I only know about AMPS accessories dept, and Lou is a legend, done a heap for me, really really good

[Vegan]

ok - now what time do they open...?

[Two Smoker]

Bike shops are weird, heaps of people have good experiences, and heaps have bad ones... For instance i dont like Spectrum because they almost killed me when they failed to reconnect a oil hose to the front cylinder of a RGV250 causing it to seize on the motorway...

I also dont like Red Baron or any of the Shore bike shops due to bad rep and poor service to me...

[Gremlin]

AMPS -
Mon Fri 8.30am - 5.00pm
Saturday - 9.00am - 2.00pm

(Thanks BD, after the rant you included it on the AMPS site )

Mt Eden M/C - not 100% sure
weekdays probably 9ish to 5ish
sat - 9 to 1 I think, but one sat they were open till 5...

[erik]

... failed to reconnect a oil hose to the front cylinder of a RGV250 causing it to seize on the motorway...

Interesting, I don't think I heard why the bike seized before.

Mt Eden M/C - not 100% sure

From one of their business cards:
Monday-Thursday 8am-7pm
Friday 8am-6pm
Saturday 9am-5pm

[Vegan]

8am - excellent.

[texmo]

Everybike shop has done something bad to somebody only one place I can think of where I dont think of somebody gettign shafted is colemans, note this dosent include tyre shops or places like motomail jsut bike shops...

[oldrider]

edit: I only know about AMPS accessories dept, and Lou is a legend, done a heap for me, really really good

I bought my bike of AMPS by telephone and had it delivered for Christmas and despite some transport problems (which Amps fixed) I would have to say it's one of the best deals I've ever had. Bought a helmet off Lou too. Cant say enough good things about that company as a customer. Cheers John.