WORST bike shops

[Bob]

In case any of you guys ever visit my part of the world - do yourselves a favour and do not use an outfit called 'Johns of Romford'.

Bought my wife's Virago from them. I negotiated a new chain and sprockets as part of the deal. Turned up to collect the bike after the 'full service' (yeah, right) to find the old ones still on there "As we've got a staff shortage at the moment". Cheeky sales prat tried to get me to accept the old ones on the basis of 'Well we've given them a good lubing, see if they bed in after 100 miles". Er, no. New chain and sprox get ordered and replaced.

I ride it home and the front brake is awful. So I go back and say I want it looked at, as it is not safe. Result? It gets new pads and cleaned up - shouldn't that have been one of the checks in the service?

Then the battery died. So went back in - sales prat tries to blame my wife for leaving it on park. We didn't even know at that point how to put the lights on park (and not a good idea to insult my wife's intelligence in front of me). Fits new battery. It dies. Fits new battery. Travel 120 miles to her family. Luckily, get into turning and... it dies - fortunately turns out this time to be a cracked fuse holder.

Anyway, by now I am livid. I've suggested to them before now it is the rectifier/regulator... nah, has to be bad luck with the batteries but we'll put it up on the ramp anyway, oh look what is that loose wire... oh sorry you are right, we'll get that wired up properly.

It isn't as if I wasn't a regular customer either! I used to take my bike there for servicing and any work that needed doing. So I'd always ask when it would be ready - pointing out I had to go home on the bus - home being 6 miles away, so it would take me about an hour to get back. Workshop manager would give me a time... and it was never ready then.

Eventually I asked why it was never ready - to which he replied "Well I thought you were in a rush"! So why tell me a time when it WOULDN'T be ready!

In the end I couldn't take their mess any longer. Shame, as their two senior mechanics were decent and seemed to know what they were doing. But the salesman was a chancer and the workshop manager was an idiot!

Still, there was a result. I didn't realise that there was another dealers closer to home (Woodford Motorcycles) - and turned out to be the one voted top London dealership for 4 years running in a major survey done by one of the biggest bike mags in the UK! So now go there and the level of treatment is beyond compare. Know what they're doing, helpful, friendly... and when my SV had problems (turned out to be a faulty throttle position sensor), it was taken back in, work done, other bits and pieces fitted and given a thorough clean!

So it really does pay to look around!

[Hitcher]

My next challenge is to find a Suzuki dealer who is genuinely interested in selling parts... Suggestions welcome.

[MadDuck]

Now I am not prepared to name the dealer here in Auckland but seriously think about who you are dealing with before you buy a a new bike (yes dammit a brand new bike). Not some second hand thing of TradeMe.

I bought a brand new SV650 and thought yahoo. Last time I can afford to buy summit new and enjoy it. As I was about to sell it because I thought I was losing my touch and incapable of riding it - thankfully I lent it to a friend to check for me. OK as a girl I am not (and silly enuff) up with the technical stuff associated with a bike. But dammit I expected it to be safe when I drove it off the yard! My friends summary:

"1) 48psi rear tyre 42 psi front.
2) rear shock set on max preload.
3) the nakked sv650 has bloody soft shocks anyways
4) They had shoved the forks 75mm up through the triple clamps to lower the bike for her.
net result A massive oversteer and i DO MEAN MASSIVE B NO remaining fork travel given hitting the slightest bump Net result a big headshake of the almost tank slapper type. "

What would it have taken? Me to kill myself? Dammit I am angry (yes very cos I was going to give up biking) anyone wanna be at bike shop when I go in this week? Could be fun.

[wkid_one]

How is it handling now?

At the end of the day, it is up to the rider to set the bike up for themselves, however, one would expect the shop to give it to you in 'factory spec'. Ie, pressures at factory, forks standard thru the TC, preload factory, damper factory, rebound factory etc. Seems bloody ludicrious that they didn't.

I must say tho - that you should, once you get the bike, set it up for yourself. Levers correctly distanced and angled, foot pedals correctly angled, sag set, etc etc.

To expect to ride it off the show room floor is a given tho...makes you wonder about recourse - buyer beware I guess

[MadDuck]

I at least expect to ride it off the showroom floor safe ...is that too much to ask? They knew they were dealing with a lady biker. I sure as hell wouldnt expect that kinda deal in a car.

It handled like shit thats why i was going to get rid of it. Thought it was just me. Buyer beware is ok on second hand goods but we have a Fair Trading Act in NZ and a Sale of Goods Act.

[wkid_one]

I at least expect to ride it off the showroom floor safe ...is that too much to ask? They knew they were dealing with a lady biker. I sure as hell wouldnt expect that kinda deal in a car.

It handled like shit thats why i was going to get rid of it. Thought it was just me. Buyer beware is ok on second hand goods but we have a Fair Trading Act in NZ and a Sale of Goods Act.

I know, you would have though that they would have ensured it was set at factory specs at least. 75mm through the TC is huge!!! Shit 10mm on the R1 and the thing is tank slapping like mad

[MadDuck]

Seems like they saw me coming and that peeves me. I think I will throw Consumer Guarantees Act in there for good measure. Just wonder how many others they have done this too.
This is bike shops doing it to bikers !

[FROSTY:Me]

i might just a dd a comment here-The suggested tyre pressures are actualy on the swing arm of a sv and as for the forks through the tripple clamps -I mean my gosh why take a nimble handling bike anyways and make it into summat as fast steeting as a GP bike.
Also it would seem that the most simple suggestion for lowering was forgotten in the haste to hussle the bike out the door--shaving foam off the thickly padded riders seat.
well thats my opinion anyways

[MadDuck]

so call me a mug. What really annoys me as that option was never given to me ...ie. lowering the seat.
I didnt want a GP race bike !

[moko]

Thing to do is not to lose your rag,stay calm and tell them you`re not happy and are considering complaining to Suzuki,the bike mags,Ministry Of Transport(or equivelant)and anyone else you can think of.The scary thing is that if you`d had an accident and the assessor had looked close enough to see your forks like that they could well refuse to pay up on the grounds the bike was dangerously modified,and what`s the chances of the bike dealer owning up to doing it?I take it you didn`t ask them to drop your forks like that,sounds like some well-meaning idiot took it on themselves to help you out.If their workshop cant get tyre pressures right it dosnt look good for getting some serious work done there does it?My Union Rep once gave me some good advice,"lose your temper and you lose the argument",tell them straight but keep cool and if they piss you off follow through on what you`ve threatened to do,ask for the names of people you deal with and let them see you write them down,take notes on what they say as well,that`ll rattle them.Better still take someone with you,not someone who looks or acts threatening,ideal is someone wearing a suit who says nothing and writes notes.Ask to see the manager,no point in giving some poor sod at the reception desk a hard time.

[merv]

They shouldn't have done anything away from standard spec without talking about it with you and you agreeing on what to do.

[geoffm]

Most of my really bad experiences were several or more years ago, so it is probably unfair to blame the current shops for them.
Motomail - pretty expensive - BMW battery was $220 - $10 more than RRP and every one else charges
Red Baron - never had anything done here since it became Red Baron (although it wasn't so good 10 years ago). Got the odd parts from them. Prices ok.
Colemans - found them good for parts, actually have an idea what an RG500 is, and some of their "special features". reasonable accessory and parts prices. Never used the workshop since 1987 so no comments there.
AMPS - good deal on the battery $180, and in stock as well (as it is used by Guzzis and HD). No other dealings.
Experience BMW - Had good workshop service here, with the guy honest enough to admit I may be able to get parts cheaper from Motobins UK than locally. Charge out rate is up there, but they get through a reasonable amount of work in the time, so it works out.
Leading edge tyres: decent price, and they will fit them, ride in , ride out.

The smaller guys:
Davis MC - specialises in scooters and crank repairs. Did a crank rebuild and overhaul of a Honda 50 a few years back. Knows his scooters.
Alec Saunders (SME) - used to be in Ellerslie, and now works from home in Howick. While he may know his stuff, he couldn't organise a pissup in a brewery. Had my LC in his place for ages waiting for the crank to be done. If it isn't fixed when I return from Chch at the end of the year, it is going somewhere else, probably Brett Roberts

I used to use Lindsay Knight in Pukekohe, and he was good. Unfortunatley he had an accident and I don't know what happened to him since
Been a few others over the years, which have gone, such as Greenlane MC, and a place in Howick.

General comment:
Experience costs money, and is worth paying for. I don't mind paying a decent workshop rate, and I am loyal to a good mechanic or other tradesperson. You can't expect a good job at a budget rate, however I have a REAL problem with places charging top whack for poor quality work. This is unacceptable and unforgivable. It is a real problem with unusual bikes like the RG500, where few people have worked on them, and they are a little different.
Geoff

[FROSTY:Me]

it is a bit of a catch22 situation though. She did need the bike lowered
he handling issues dont apear at legal -read that nana speed and lean angles. I'd suggest that what they did was done in good faith but without much forethought.
Sily though given they could have made extra money with a modified seat

[Big Dog]

Better still take someone with you,not someone who looks or acts threatening,ideal is someone wearing a suit who says nothing and writes notes.Ask to see the manager,no point in giving some poor sod at the reception desk a hard time.

Done this for a mate before, it was the advice of a lawyer from the LMVD, to not be too specific about your role ie "I am here to support (insert name ) in the event that a claim becomes neccessary." If pushed "I am here to be a witness to the proceedings."
He also advised:
1 to take a breifcase, prefferably a warn looking one and pull out a pad to start taking notes as early as possible.
2 Friend is to be introduced but give no reference to their job unless they really are a lawyer.
3 only one of you talks. The other takes notes. Full stop.
4 In the event that you are unable to reach a conclusion you are going to present a copy your notes to the LMVD (have a contact name and position ready) so make sure you note down everything, names dates, amounts who you spoke to, who signed your agreement (this may be different from the salesman so get both names).

Talk to the LMVD before you go.
If you fail to yeild results talk to the LMVD again, they may ask you to have it independently inspected in the tune it was given to you. If you want your warranty to be worth the paper it is written on do not attempt to have an unautorised workshop repair it. Once it is repaired without documentation or without first giving them the opportunity to remedy they have the right to say NMP (Not My Problem) because it is your word against theirs and you have accepted responsibility for the adjustments.


Once the complaint has been made and it has been inspected if they elect not to remedy it advise them that you intend to persue the claim and intend to include the costs of the repairs in the claim. Otherwise you may diminish your right to remedy.

Diarise all these events.


My mate did all of this when his D grade car failed its first warrant two weeks after purchase. A warrant he did not put his car through because the old one was expired but because every time he started or stopped the motor there was a shower of rust.

It took six or eight months to acheive a remedy (during which time we were under instructions not to repair the fault or any other without diarisng a offer to let them remedy before taking it to a competitor and have it repared and keep the dockets.

He bought the car for $4999.99 plus finance.
He paid approx $4000 on repairs to the engine brakes etc, the chassis was beyond repair.

He settled out of court the day before the LMVD funded mediation for,
A replacement of the same engine capacity and market value.
$12,000 approx made up of repairs, finance and insurance costs plus original purchase price.

Dealers suddenly become very accomodating when they are faced with LMVD mediation.

I can't say yours will go as well but try it.

[Big Dog]

it is a bit of a catch22 situation though. She did need the bike lowered
he handling issues dont apear at legal -read that nana speed and lean angles. I'd suggest that what they did was done in good faith but without much forethought.

Not really. If there were modifications made that altered the performance / handling charachteristics they were obliged to explain the changes and possible consequences.

Perhaps they don't present at legal speeds on the roads you took it down at your weight, they still had a responsibility to advise of the chages in case Mad Duck chose to do a track day, or soldon to someone else who did.