Females being ripped off

[Vern]

I have just made a trip down to Palmerston North to help out a friend of my daughter's she took her bike which is a Chinese Bike,to a major bike shop for a warrant. It was failed for a leaking right fork seal and the front caliper was binding on the disc. I repaired the fork seal and stripped down the caliper, which was clean and working freely, I pump out the piston far enough so that it did not pop out and checked that there was no rust spots on the said piston, then pressed it back in with my two thumbs. I found the shot wheel bearings and replaced those I rode the bike back to to bike shop for it's recheck and told the service manager that the owner would pick it up as I was heading back to Napier.They then call up the owner and told her that the caliper was binding on the disc and that they needed to strip it down. I know that, that was not the case and they where just ripping her off as she was not a mechanical person.I just hate people who rip someone off when they know that they can get away with it. Vern

[dogsnbikes]

thats a bugger what brand of bikes do they franchiseyou can't name and shame its not PC Im told pleanty of fellow KBers that could cheak bike out for her and all honesty I would be telling her to take bike to VTNZ for WOFs

[bogan]

yeh ive been ripped off a bit here too, nowhere near as bad as in your case though, seems like a name and shame could be in order.

Ive breifly though about trying to set up a palmy uni SMC, do maintanence teaching etc (as well as rides of course), help save students some money and keep bikes in good shape etc. But dunno if thered be enough intrest to make it worthwhile.

[bogan]

thats a bugger what brand of bikes do they franchiseyou can't name and shame its not PC Im told pleanty of fellow KBers that could cheak bike out for her and all honesty I would be telling her to take bike to VTNZ for WOFs

hmm i used to take mine to vtnz, but they dont seem to have much of a clue there, failed me cos my suspension was too soft. So they may also miss something important, ive never had wof problems with bike shops, i just ask for a warrant, if they ever do anything extra i would just refuse to pay.

[dogsnbikes]

yeh ive been ripped off a bit here too, nowhere near as bad as in your case though, seems like a name and shame could be in order.

Ive breifly though about trying to set up a palmy uni SMC, do maintanence teaching etc (as well as rides of course), help save students some money and keep bikes in good shape etc. But dunno if thered be enough intrest to make it worthwhile.

get intouch with the rest of the manawatu lot there is a few around with knowledge bonez,cowboyz, and yod and 86gsxr if its coffee related

[Nasty]

I never take my bike to a shop for a warrent now .. lots of people say you should, but they have something to gain from that. I go to VTNZ and if something needs to be done take it over there. I know a number of shops now use VTNZ as well.

[davebullet]

I've found VTNZ can be anal. They can't ride motorcycles and for cars, the god damn "jiggling" machine that tests the suspension and bearing play like you are going for a 4wd jaunt is just asking for a wheel re-alignment.

My local garage and bike servicing shop don't milk me for business.

[Mully]

I never take my bike to a shop for a warrent now .. lots of people say you should, but they have something to gain from that. I go to VTNZ and if something needs to be done take it over there. I know a number of shops now use VTNZ as well.

I concur with this for cages - unfortunately the local testing station know sweet FA about bikes and that worries me.

When a bike shop failed the RF (rear wheel bearings) it went straight to Frosty's anyway. He confirmed that they were right and helped me (read; completely did himself) the repair.

[Katman]

I never take my bike to a shop for a warrent now .. lots of people say you should, but they have something to gain from that. I go to VTNZ and if something needs to be done take it over there. I know a number of shops now use VTNZ as well.

Good luck to you.

I wouldn't trust VTNZ to check out my pushbike. (And I don't even own a pushbike).

[ducatilover]

thats a bugger what brand of bikes do they franchiseyou can't name and shame its not PC Im told pleanty of fellow KBers that could cheak bike out for her and all honesty I would be telling her to take bike to VTNZ for WOFs

Mine passed at vtnz with a shit front tire, bad fork seals, missing passenger foot peg, no park lights, seized rear calliper with stuffed pads. I have since fixed them but they didn't notice. Oh and the headlights were bad, I checked them later on a light board and a magic light thingy machine at work and they were way out.

[Muppet]

Find a local garage where one of the guys ride a bike, years ago I took my CBX550 to BP Marshlands here in Christchurch, the biker fella found a major tyre fault that could have killed me had he not spotted it.

[bogan]

I concur with this for cages - unfortunately the local testing station know sweet FA about bikes and that worries me.

agreed, though if one was knowledgeable enuogh about thier own ride this wouldnt matter. Personally i think i have the technical aptitude for this but am a bit absent minded at times (i once forgot to tighten the wheel nut after a chain tighten ) so its always good to have someone else in the know take a look every now and then.

[CookMySock]

A chinese bike? Caliper binding on disc? SNORT! IMPOSSIBLE!!!

Steve

[MadDuck]

Good luck to you.

I wouldn't trust VTNZ to check out my pushbike. (And I don't even own a pushbike).

So we should trust a bike shop like yours? I dont think so! I can hear it now...need new tyres...sounds too loud. CA CHING!

[Katman]

So we should trust a bike shop like yours? I dont think so! I can hear it now...need new tyres...sounds too loud. CA CHING!

It would be unwise to judge all bike workshops by the ones you have had to deal with.