God I hate WOF time

[xwhatsit]

Same here. I went to the local VTNZ (just to give em a try)and copped abuse for trying to get my WOF done 45mins before they were due to close. So after some heated words back and forth, I trundled off to the local bike shop and hey presto, WOF's done in 15mins (and that's with them adjusting the headlights). I'll never use VTNZ again.

I've given up on the AA guys in Onehunga, too. The first WOF they gave me a couple of days after I bought the bike, when it was totally unsafe. Guy didn't seem to know anything about what to check.

The most recent one was only a few weeks ago, and I went back there. Different guy, but he didn't check anything useful like wheel bearings or brakes, but told me that my footpegs were too loose and to tighten them up. WTF?! They're designed to fold up -- they have a shaft and a split pin on the end; what the hell am I supposed to tighten up? Also, they are supposed to move freely, otherwise I'm in shit if I corner too hard. He also didn't like my headlight scatter pattern, said it was American (which is odd as there was never an American model, and the pattern is definitely a normal left hand pattern). Fail.

So I went to a proper garage (auto garage, though), and he was a mechanic and checked useful things. Pass, although he told me I needed to change and bleed my brake fluid at some point, as they felt just slightly spongy.

[sunhuntin]

This has been said before in other threads but...

Dont take your bike to VTNZ or any 'car' WOF places... 99% of them dont have a clue what they are looking at anyway when it comes to bikes.

Take it to your local bike mechanic - If your not 100% competent with the maintanece of your bike it is better to have a bike mechanic that knows your bike check it over. Things like steering head bearings, clutch/brake adjustment etc etc will be picked up and could save you from a nasty accident.

If I have any problems on my bike that I cannot fix myself I take it to Kerry at Motohaus in Westernsprings. WOF time and it goes to Kerry again - he knows my bike and knows my riding style etc and can check things that I would not even think of to make sure my bike is safe. Afterall that is the point of a WOF isnt it?

Doner if you took your bike to Kerry, he will probably say your tires need replacing too, but at least you will be safe in the knowledge that you bike is safe. After getting the once over from a proper bike mechanic.

my mechanics dont do wof on site... they take them wherever to get em done. when i bought the bike, they had it done, and there was no date written on the wof card, just the month punched out.

i dont know any bike shop who does do wof on site... other wise id use them. dowmans used to, but not sure if they do or not anymore.

[Disco Dan]

I only know out West Auckland, but Motohaus in Westernsprings does WOF as well as Henderson Motorcycles on View rd.

[xwhatsit]

I only know out West Auckland, but Motohaus in Westernsprings does WOF as well as Henderson Motorcycles on View rd.

Sunhuntin lives in Wanganui

[Disco Dan]

ahh yes.... still early in the morning for me... only been up an hour

[Maha]

I only know out West Auckland, but Motohaus in Westernsprings does WOF as well as Henderson Motorcycles on View rd.

Yeah stuff taking it to the testing station, im taking mine down to the local garage. Mr Jim is a biker and is able to do warrants so he can have a look at mine this arvo....wont need anything tho' 100% sure of that

[crashe]

Sounds exactly like Waitak testing station. I go through the same procedure.

yep on Waipareira Ave.

[jafar]

I think you give to much credence to Helen and her merry men. Tougher WOF shit has been around since Bolger and his band of clowns

whatever became of the good old fashioned south island phone warrant ? Phone em up TELL them it's ok & they posted it out to you

[roadracingoldfart]

whatever became of the good old fashioned south island phone warrant ? Phone em up TELL them it's ok & they posted it out to you

Sad as it is to say but the good old dodgy WOF still exists .

The saddest part is that we are all riding around roads with shitty and unsafe bikes and cars sharing our ashphalt.

Get a short checklist made out by a competant mechanic that can tell you the most common failure reasons for bikes ( or cars ) and then before you go for an inspection you can check those basic things yaself and save alot of hassle for the inspector (they only have to do 1 inspection per vehicle )
and alot of anger towards a SAFETY inspection for yaself.
Yes im a mechanic and i see it daily and its just shocking to see what comes in wanting a WOF, Not good .

PS; A VTNZ site is not allowed (by regulation) to adjust or fix anything they fail you on but a garage or bike shop can and its up to them if they charge you more for that work, most dont.
Cheers Paul.

[gijoe1313]

Hmmm my little ol'Hornet needs a WOF this month as well ... I'll see if I can book it in with Colin at Papakura Motorcycles (if he can fit me in, that man is always busy!)

[Spuds1234]

When I had my little two fiddy, the first time I got a warrent the guy around the corner (an angry fella that no longer gets my monies and also rides a bike and his gs1000 is quieter than my bike who gives a fuck mate) would ride my bike to check the brakes.

Should he have an accident, is it likly that they would have insurance to pay for the damage or would I have been shit out of luck.

With my new 87 GSX750SF when they want to check the brakes I say fuck off take my word for it that they work. Ive just bought it (which is true) and neither myself or you are going to ride it and skid the rear wheel.

I still get a warrent without a problem. But that has nothing to do with my question. If they crashed your bike or car while checking the brakes would they pay for the damage caused?

[Black Bandit]

Fuck, the last time I went through the WOF process I nearly lost it . This old fella comes over admiring the bike an all and initially I thought, cool obviously a fellow biker and a man of good taste. Then he started talking, and I found myself in an awkard position.

You see, he was talking utter tripe but I dared not say anything cause then he could become annoyed and find a reason to fail the bike. It went on and on until I finally said, "So what bike do you ride?".
"Oh, no no." he said, "I've never ridden a bike before but I rode pillion once and it scared the crap out of me!"

He made me repeat the rear brake test three times, insisting that I lock up the rear wheel before he would pass me FFS. Then he went on about how the rear brake was the most important brake on the bike.

Next he starts picking on how skew the headlight beam was, leaning slightly to the right.
"No worries." says I, "A tweak on the headlight screw here will sort it out."
"Oh no, you must have fitted a Euro-bulb to your bike." he responded.

That's the last time I go to that testing station.

[Disco Dan]

Fuck, the last time I went through the WOF process I nearly lost it . This old fella comes over admiring the bike an all and initially I thought, cool obviously a fellow biker and a man of good taste. Then he started talking, and I found myself in an awkard position.

You see, he was talking utter tripe but I dared not say anything cause then he could become annoyed and find a reason to fail the bike. It went on and on until I finally said, "So what bike do you ride?".
"Oh, no no." he said, "I've never ridden a bike before but I rode pillion once and it scared the crap out of me!"

He made me repeat the rear brake test three times, insisting that I lock up the rear wheel before he would pass me FFS. Then he went on about how the rear brake was the most important brake on the bike.

Next he starts picking on how skew the headlight beam was, leaning slightly to the right.
"No worries." says I, "A tweak on the headlight screw here will sort it out."
"Oh no, you must have fitted a Euro-bulb to your bike." he responded.

That's the last time I go to that testing station.

let me guess... that was the place in westgate yeah? Theres this old fella there that told me drum brakes on my old mini were not allowed. farking idiot. I dont mean he said they did not work, but that I had to have discs to pass. stupid twat. Yes by todays standards they are not very effective but in 1977 (the year of the mini) it was the bee's knees. I went somewhere else.

[jim.cox]

This has been said before in other threads but...

Dont take your bike to VTNZ or any 'car' WOF places... 99% of them dont have a clue what they are looking at anyway when it comes to bikes.

Take it to your local bike mechanic

Yeah what he said.

It works for me

Got a new wof on the Ducati this morning - took it to the same good guy I always use.

All done and smiling in under 15 minutes

I am well pleased.

[Black Bandit]

let me guess... that was the place in westgate yeah?

Actually, Waitakere Testing Station corner of Moselle Ave and Waipareira Ave, in Henderson. Interesting that others on here have not had problems with them. But mental note made to avoid Westgate also.