Servicing an "older" bike

[scracha]

Disgusting. Whoever they have a franchise with (Kawasaki or whatever) complain directly to them.

[MikeL]

What part of town are you in, Mike?
Always had great service from Spectrum in Takapuna.

Not on the Shore. I'm in Onehunga, working in Newmarket and/or University. That's why Mt Eden was so convenient.

I'm not going back to Red Baron unless as a last resort. AMPS would be O.K. if they are willing to do it. Where exactly is Motohaus??

[Ixion]

Western Springs Road. Not far from Mt Eden.

[Motu]

sounds like marketing suicide. Have the management there thought this thing through ? ?

Who has been longest in the motorcycle industry in Auckland city and still runs a sucessful opperation? Back in the '70's he started a ''I don't work on old shit'' policy....so where did that get him?

[MWVT]

I take Motus point that no one wants to be chasing problems round in circles on an old POS that the customer is unwilling to pay for.

BUT, if you explained to them that you weren't a prick, you had been using their services for many years, and that you were willing to pay for genuine workshop hours (provided they communicate effectively, why those hours were necessary), why not. Surely they set their workshop rates at such a point that they can turn a profit on them.

And 5 years, sounds pretty short to me too.

[WRT]

Agh, my worst nightmare... Agreeing with Motu.

We get it with computers. Someone wants their Windows 98 machine repaired. You just can't do it and actually make money.

I'd agree with you if we were talking computers where your charging ~$100 per hour to look at a Win98 PC thats worth $200 tops. But, we are talking about a perhaps $50-60 per hour charge to look at something (and I'm talking their oldest bike for sale, a 1979 XL500) that's worth $2.5k - according to them anyway.

Does this mean that the XL500 hasnt been looked at before they put it on sale?

If it was me, I'd say to the customer, I can have a look at it for you, but given the age parts etc might be hard to come by. There will be a minimum charge of $100 as we will need to spend some time diagnosing it and trying to track parts down, but I cant guarantee that we will be able to fix the problem. This will cover around an hour and a half of fking around, the first hour to see if its something that can be fixed, the last half an hour to reassemble back to how it came in if the problem cant be solved.

Obviously something major like a big end gone or a leg out the side you'd tell them up front, dont even bother, but I'm assuming for the purposes of this thread that its just coming in for a service or some sort of minor tune up.

MOST customers (admittedly there will always be the odd wanker) will accept that (so long as the dealer is upfront about it) and say ah well, at least you tried. BTW, how much to trade up to something you can get parts for?

[Ixion]

I think I would distinguish between an agent, a place that sells bikes, and an independant repairer.

The independant bike fixer (bike version of Mr Motu), he will often specialise. If he decides to specialise in newer stuff, well, fair enough.

But an agent for XXX make, I see that as different. I reckon if you take on the agency for a make you have some sort of obligation to at least make best efforts for any bike of that make. Granted, best efforts may not amount to much if the bike is really old, but in my mind, if you put out the sign "Honda Dealer" you ought to be willing at least to have a go at any Honda that comes in.

Bike shop selling bikes, if you're willing to sell old ones, you ought to be willing to service them. If the shop has a policy that they don't sell anything older than three years old (three years, then allows two years of service time), fair enough. But selling 10 year old bikes with a not more than 5 years old service policy. Not on.

[jonbuoy]

maybe they don't want to work on it because they are not Honda dealers and don't have the info/tools to fix anything unexpected?

[MSTRS:Me]

.... willing at least to have a go at any Honda that comes in...

Customer - can you fix my 1995 XYZ Kawasuki?
Technician - hmmm, I'll have a go.
Cust - don't you know what you are doing?
Tech - not on these age machines, no.
Cust - but you'll 'have a go' and you will charge me $60/hr labour?
Tech - yep.
Cust - fuck off.

Mt Eden do have a point.

[Ghost Lemur]

Agh, my worst nightmare... Agreeing with Motu.

We get it with computers. Someone wants their Windows 98 machine repaired. You just can't do it and actually make money.

I'm sorry but that's bollocks.

For starters motorcycles don't have a lifecycle of 2 years. Secondly, it doesn't cost more to repair these bikes than to replace them.

And for your last sentence. When I was a tech (not that long ago). I did indeed make a very handsome sum from repairing "older" comps. Generally because the company used proprietary OS dependant software on it and so although the "repair costs" were twice replacement value it was still more worthwhile to them than having to source and purchase more modern software, retrain staff, etc, etc.

Back on the topic itself.
I agree that it sounds like they're now employing motorcycle technicians not mechanics. Therefore are incapable of performing the jobs required. Otherwise it doesn't make any sense, as Fish says, billable hours are exactly that irrespective of what's being worked on.

Personally if I was a bike mechanic I'd want to work on the largest variety of bikes (old new road dirt 2 stroke 4 stroke twin il4 etc etc) possible in order to be the best possible mechanic which obviously requires a wealth of experience.

It seems like a lot of other things. Getting so called mechanics who aren't going to have 1/10th of the skills their predecessors had.

[Lord Derosso]

I brought my 1998 GSX600F from Wellington MCC with 3500 odd kms on the clock. I have still to take her in for her 5000 km C service and they hinted to me that should something real 'bad' go wrong with the engine, they wouldn't expect me to pay for a replacement part due to the extremely low mileage as its covered by Suzuki. The bike isnt under 'normal' factory warranty anymore due to it been 8 years old but if they are prepared to go to this extra mile do you think they would also tell me to toss off and get a general service somewhere esle based solely on the age of my bike? Get real.

What if I turned up with a Borough Superior or Vincent Black Shadow? Would they say, Nay too old? Doubt it. That sort of machine would be a dream to have to deal with I would imagine. And what about HD's ? They are still expensive machines at age 5?. Seems like this other crowd want's the best of both worlds. Surely they wouldn't sell an old bike then tell you to P off at service time? I would love their response on that question.Go somewhere esle and stay with them. The other place is on its way out no doubt. And yes, it does cost a lot to service bikes anyway so don't they want to keep their guys busy and in jobs's?

[Motu]

Secondly, it doesn't cost more to repair these bikes than to replace them.

It seems like a lot of other things. Getting so called mechanics who aren't going to have 1/10th of the skills their predecessors had.

I am a parts replacer - I am able to repair 90% of the parts I replace....but I dare not.I blame Consumer Rights and cuntish customers for the dumbing down of the skills of my lifetime.

I am working on a 1973 Mercury Marquis at the moment - I have Carta Blanch to do whatever I like,repair,replace or just do whatever I want.I wouldn't go near such a heap of crap otherwise.But - it is a car we can repair,it's actualy a pleasure to fix this thing,revive skills I will lose in time.Just as well I have my old bikes to work on.

[BNZ]

Maybe the intend to target the newer bike market as a whole. They could be looking at rebranding their image?

[The Stranger:Me]

I'd agree with you if we were talking computers where your charging ~$100 per hour to look at a Win98 PC thats worth $200 tops.

Yeah, correct it is not the same, but many of the issues are similar in that time is wasted beyond what you and the customer would reasonably expect.

Often even when you write off a portion of your time the charge is still in the customers eyes excessive. The repairer winds up not happy and the customer winds up not happy.

Who wins?

[Ixion]

Does it not say something about the engineering standards of modern bikes that such a policy would even be considered?