Haldane Motorcycles

**Nukles** · 22nd January 2003, 12:42

Before I say anything, could some of you post your opinion on them if you have one. This is very important.

Thank you.

**Coldkiwi** · 22nd January 2003, 12:49

Gidday knuckles...

as I think I mentioned the other day, they seem strangely indifferent to people wanting to spend up large and not really inclined to help.

I presume you're still waiting for the duke huh?

**Nukles** · 22nd January 2003, 13:35

i was still waiting for it but now it is being fixed by the friendly folks at AMPS.

imagine i rather pay AMPS for something that i'm supposed to get for free (warranty) from them.

anyway i want some feedback from more of you. please indulge me.

**SpankMe** · 22nd January 2003, 14:10

Havn't delt with Haldane's, but the guy who runs the place used to run a Honda shop in Barrys Point Rd years ago. Brought my first two bikes from him. A CBX250rs and a CBR600FH. The place went under after he brought in a lot of Jap imports (Second hand bikes made for the Jap market). They were all shite and didn't sell or needed constant fixing.

**What?** · 7th February 2003, 08:16

they seem strangely indifferent to people wanting to spend up large

Indifferent is the word, Coldkiwi. And here were we believing that times are tough in the motorcycle industry... Obviously not, if Haldanes attitude is any sort of guide!

Actually, I have noticed a trend in many Auckland shops to treat you like a leper if you are not riding the latest model from their franchise range.

**Nukles** · 8th February 2003, 16:38

yep some AKL shops are certainly like that.

which is why i praise AMPS so much. i'm down do my second bike that i have not bought there (a Honda when they didn't sell them and now my Ducati) and they ALWAYS treated my the best way possible. these guys are champs.

needless to say that i will buy next bike from them when the day comes.

**wkid_one** · 8th February 2003, 18:13

I've dealt quite a bit with Haldanes - mainly with Chris. I have had my VTR serviced through them the last 2 times and they have done an excellent and reasonably priced job.....

Chris is good as he is still racing and knows his shit - he is also pretty good with a sharp pencil.

I would recommend them, especially if you have a twin, as they are one of the only shops in Auckland regularly servicing them, and Ramone the mech - is a top mechanic......

I haven't had much to do with AMPS so can't compare too much with them.....

**Nukles** · 9th February 2003, 16:43

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahaha

that's the first time i ever hear someone supporting the work Ramon. this guy barely knows not to put his underwear on his head in the morning.

i guess there is one person that this guy can please and that is you.

**wkid_one** · 9th February 2003, 17:49

Exactly as you said. Everyone has war stories about every mechanic and shop as someone always knows someone that got hard done by/stiffed/shafted/ripped off etc etc.

However, I tend to believe my own experience rather than idle gossip and rumours about people as I prefer to work off reality rather than miss out on a good shop or mechanic just because someone didn't get exactly what they were after and tells every one they know about it.

My experience is it is sometimes the fault of the person not the shop or mechanic, however these people have too small a penis to admit THEY fucked up so they blame it on the shop or mechanic - hence the rumours.

If I listened to everyone and their 'war stories' I would never-

- buy off the internet
- ride a motorbike
- drive without a seatbeat on
- ride a motorbike
- own a dog
- ride a motorbike.

You seem to be forgetting the hundreds of people who tell us not to ride bikes as they all know people who have killed/maimed themselves - yet we still do it???? Why do we choose to ignore some rumours/gossip/war stories and not others?

Give people a fair chance - unless you have experienced a cock up first hand - there is no reason to think it will happen - unless you beleive your mate's father's uncle's brothers cousin who got the wrong colour anodised bolts from a particular shop?

You are entitled to your opinion - don't patronise me for having a different one.......

Anywho - my whinge over - in the future if you don't have anything constructive to say - keep it to yourself

**bluninja** · 9th February 2003, 20:10

Hmmmm..... since Knuckles pre-framed his post with

Before I say anything, could some of you post your opinion

it was a fair bet he was not going to say anything nice.

It seems a shame that Knuckles is attacking people who dissent from his view. From the posts it seems that a few people don't like Haldane's attitude to customers, and Knuckles is paying AMPS for things that he should have got free from Haldanes under warranty. No specific objective evidence on the aptitude or ineptitude of Haldane's mechanics.....someones skills in dressing don't directly correspond to their skills as a mechanic

For the record I've never been to Haldanes; I would rate the personal service I've received from AMPS (though my bike wasn't bought from them), the guys in Red Baron were smashing, and Coleman's actually sold me my second bike.

TTFN

**Nukles** · 9th February 2003, 20:44

at first i really was not going to talk about my personal experience with them even though Simon is right, my initial post did suggest that i was going to do so.

i have personally more nightmare encounters with Haldane than i can count on my 10 fingers but the last one was the cherry on top.

without going into details they basically managed to take my one-year-old bike in 99.99% perfect condition and took it appart to take the frame frame and motor to get painted and it had at least 5 things not working after they put it back together and so the day i took it back from them to get it warranted (cuz they don't offer this service) it failed on five counts. all of which were perfectly fine before they put their greasy paws on it.

and to add insult to injury they give me the bike back C_O_V_E_R_E_D in grease monkey paws. my bike was barely dusty when i took it to them NOT SLIMY. we're taliking about a 25K bike that is barely a year old taken to THE dealership of the city for a warranty job. what a fucking nightmare.

after all that they told me to F-U-C-K O-F-F and take my bike away that they were not going to fix their screw-ups under warranty because, and i quote Tim: "these will not be coverd under warranty by Ducati because to them the job is done and we won't get paid for it, WE DON'T WORK FOR FREE"... that's no my fuckin' problem.

man i feel the friggin' steam comin'up my collar, i have to stop. sorry if this upsets anyone but nobody should be treated that way weather you pay 3K or 30K for your bike. NOBODY!

i once had to have my instruments replaced under warranty on the same bike and was told that it had been taken care of with the importer and should be resolved soon so i went back two weeks later just asking kindly if they had received them. and Chris Haldane's clever answer was: "we have not really resolved that yet because you see we have to get the parts in our order and pay for them until Ducati pays us back a month later and so we can't get them in right away..." bla bla bla. that's not MY fuckin' problem !

then during the 2 months+ that they had my bike for the paint job i asked if i could borrow a SMALL bike or a SCOOTER (i would have preferred a scooter) only for TWO DAYS, i said ONLY TWO DAYS. Mr Haldane's clver answer: "well you see i'm not Ray Pratt or Ian {whatever his name is from Northern Imports}, i can't lend bikes to just everybody..." very nice, especially when i'm the market for a 749S that i plan to buy without trading in my MS4. guess where i'm going to buy it now ?????

Maybe from Heath in Hamilton who has treated me as an equal ever since i met him and still does. or maybe from Motomart, where the service SO DAMN GOOD that i would not mind paying a plane ticket to go get the bike and not even ask for a discount off the retail price just because the customer service is so good it's out of this world. (Andrew if you read this, you're the best, man). i almost even bought a bike by email from Motomart last two weeks ago but it ended up not being exactly what i was looking for, but i would have it it were.

anyway, like i said at first, i was not going to splash all this out i just wanted a general opinion but someone asked for it

dealers have to realise that they cannot treat people like shite anymore and get away with it. i don't want people being put-off by dealers because i want to see more bikers on the road and more happy bikers as well.

**bluninja** · 9th February 2003, 21:21

Knuckles, from what you've typed, I can see how incandescant with rage you would be. But laying the facts out, is a lot clearer than just appearing to have a go. So far I've not had the misfortune of bad things happening in NZ, but in the UK I've had a fair number (bike and car); so much so that I used to get the workshop manager to inspect my vehicle with me before it went in...and when it was returned. Though some things are hard to spot....such as cracking an alloy sump casing at the plug by over torquing.....plug came out at over 80 mph and as I slowed all the oil spewed down onto my back tyre....first ride after picking it up from the workshop. Mentioning this to my mates, I then got all their horror stories about Del the mechanic.

TTFN

**Nukles** · 9th February 2003, 21:30

yep, i too have a faire amount of these stories. both cars and bikes as well (more about cars though)

anyway, i know that the best i can do for myself is to just ignore them and get with my life. that being said, people still have right to know.

BTW, Haldane Motorcycles do not have an accredited Ducati technician, just a pair of mechanics. so that's also something i did not know becofre trusting them. now i know and i simply will deal with the qualified people.

you know what i need Simon? i need to start Judo again to go back to my life-loving self again.

i will do that soon and the world will then be rid of my opinionated attitude. i'm already doing better now that i work in a office once again doing what i like :bigthumb:

**bluninja** · 10th February 2003, 07:16

Judo huh ? Well why not pop along to Te Atatu Judo club on Wednesday night 8:00 to have a look....means missing the IMOC meeting I know, but sacrifices have to be made

BTW I was once qualified to work on Gotaverken marine diesels (760mm bore 1500mm stroke 9 cylinders) so maybe I could service your Ducati. It had a strange arrangement of cams, and pushrods from the bottom end to actuate the single exhaust valve. Parts that weren't in stock took months to arrive, or had to made specially.......sounds more and more like a Ducati

TTFN

**Nukles** · 10th February 2003, 13:14

well like i told you last time we met, i am totally into joining your club. and IMOC meetings are never on my agenda, i have no aspiration to belong to that club. the Ducati Owners club of NZ, RogueRiders and AMCC is enough for me

this week is out of the question though, as i'm in Brisbane for training. i'll be back next week.