don't under estimate your dealer....

[Mojoe]

this probably won't apply to most of you because you ride fairly new bikes compared to my old bikes.....but man, I really like my dealer.

I looked on the net for about 2 weeks to try to find mirrors for my 750 kat with the flip up light. NOTHING to be found.

So last week when I went to the dealers to get an oil filter, I asked for the fun of it. Today I just picked up my brand new stock mirrors....that even bikebandit and ron ayers did not have. I told him I was surprised because there was nothing online. He says, "impressive, huh"?

I say, "wanna really impress me, find an exhaust system for my 82 1100".

It took him like 3 minutes. He found a nice Mac system for $329cdn....full system, black with an aliminum can. I can have all chrome for $499.

I didn't find anything online. I phoned Yosh....no more to be had. V&H only make a megaphone system.

as much as I buy online, I still enjoy supporting my dealer. prices are a bit higher, but even out on many things after shipping. They know I buy online if the price difference is too great, and they basically told me they would do the same thing in my place. No hard feeling at all. Today I ordered a front sprocket from them cuz it was only $15. I wanted the chain, but $200.....so I said "I will get that online and get back to you on the rear sproket". He said "cool".
How many dealers will do that???

I guess that comes from going to the same dealer for the last 20 years. That's long enough to see some of the kids that were around before become young men working the parts dept.
And they have been around since 1944. That's 62 years. I guess that is long enough for them not to be "jealous.

This is not a promo for my dealership. I guess I just felt the need to express my complete satisfaction with them considering the norm seems to be most dealers on the other end of the scale....the ones who just want your money and skimp on service.

Yup....my dealership is really cool. I have them a 10 out of 10

[Court93kat]

Glad you have a dealer like that you can rely on Mojoe. That is great!! I can only hope that once I settle somewhere I will be close to a dealer like that.

Sure wish more dealers were like that. They might actually get more business.

[Mojoe]

well Like I said....60 years. that's a long frickin' time.
I just found out this summer that they supply a great number of dealerships across canada with there sister company....Thibault Import.

you can check out their site if you like....but it's in french. they have a pile of nice used bikes for sale.

http://www.motosthibault.com/

[md86]

My local dealers are pretty cool sometimes , but NEVER seem to have the stuff I REALLY want/need . I actually get alot of junk from a Yamaha/KTM dealer . Nuts and bolts , filters , little crap like that . Our local Suzi dealer , on TOP of being scam artists ( MANY bad stories about these folks ) , most commone response I hear when inquiring about a part is "we can order it for ya" . I can order it for me , have it sent to the house , AND come out ahead on price , thank you very much .

[Jax]

I'm not really mechanically inclined when it comes to the Kat...I can do small stuff...spark plugs, oil, some wiring but that's my limit right now...so in looking for a mechanic I totally ignored the dealership that is less than 1/2mile from my house...In the beginning I took my bike to a mechanic that my buddy recommended...figured he took his bike the why not? Well after spending a lot of money to, and it still not running right, also the place went out of business...I finally took it to the dealership, upon recommendation from tdrcomm...The best move I have ever made. He actually fixed my problem and found another one that, in my honest opinion, the other guy had no idea about...got me back on the road with what feels like a new bike again...it actually has more power that I never knew... to the dealership.

[Court93kat]

I don't know about other dealerships, but the one I have up here is ok for parts. However, as soon as I started talking about the engine mods done to my bike, they just looked at me like I was crazy and led me to believe they wouldn't touch it if I brought it into the shop. Would hate to see what they think once I'm done with it.

[Mojoe]

I don't know about other dealerships, but the one I have up here is ok for parts. However, as soon as I started talking about the engine mods done to my bike, they just looked at me like I was crazy and led me to believe they wouldn't touch it if I brought it into the shop. Would hate to see what they think once I'm done with it.

many shops do not want to mess with an engine that has been modded. Depending on what has been done, I don't blame them. For every mod you do, that is one thing that you could have done "incorrectly". So when you come into their shop with your troubles, you are basically asking them to fix your fuck ups. So you add a new exhaust...then decide to re-jet, but fuck up and put too big of jets. Then you do this...and you do that. It can be a nightmare trying to clean up someone elses mess. and it takes alot longer.....and then the customers whines cuz he has 17 hours of labor to pay for.

I have heard my dad turn away customers like that. They would come in and ask how much to paint their car if they do the work (patching/filling/sanding) themselves. My dad being as direct as he is (I have his genes), he is likely to say something like, "double the price I would normally charge to do the whole job, to cover hearing you bitch about it if it doesn't turn out like you expect".......or maybe he would say, "I don't want to touch it....take it somewhere else".

Dealers like to work on stock bikes with stock settings. They are familiar with these bikes and it keeps the shop more efficient bacause they are not spending more time on a bike than they should. One hour of time on something you are familiar with is more efficient than an hour on something you aren't.

Plus if it is a new bike on warranty, some mods can void the warranty. They also have a liability factor to consider.

[Court93kat]

That makes sense Mojoe. Didn't really think about it that way. I guess I just miss the days where you could go to a mechanic and tell them what all had been done and they can just fix it. I understand today's "mechanics" are more "techinicians" that are taught strictly from a book and usually only work with factory stuff. That is why I am learning all I can and how to do this stuff myself. A couple more mods and nobody will be willing touch it anyway.

I totally understand about the body work stuff. They either spray it as is with YOUR prep work, or they end up having to redo stuff you messed up. Adding time and effort to the job.

[tdrcomm]

I've come to believe that there are two types of dealerships. One makes it's money on bike sales in high volume. They usually have the prices that can't be beat and they sell a ton of them. In LA it's LA Cyclesports or Hahm Motorsports. Their prices are sick! But I wouldn't trust them to service my Schwinn. They are horrible and sometimes downright dangerous. Remember, the more new bikes you sell the more you have to guarantee dealer service. Unless the service department is as big as the sales force there's no way they can do a good job. The sheer numbers work against them. And it's not like they don't give a damn, they're just overloaded. You sell 200 new bikes a month that's 200 bikes that need to be serviced. Impossible.

The other dealership is a small, local dealer like Southland, that just specializes in one brand. They don't sell a third of the volume as the big guys so you pay a premium for their bikes (and other stuff, too), but their service departments are excellent. They know most of their customers and how they ride. Usually two, maybe three mechanics on staff and they have personally serviced YOUR bike since the day you bought it. And because of the reputation people bring their bikes even if they bought them somewhere else.

After all the time, money and headaches that Ed has saved me I will definitely buy my next new bike from these guys. I'll pay more but I tend to stick with someone that treats me right.

My brother in law takes his Gix1100 to this hole-in-the-wall shop in Inglewood. Looks like New Orleans AFTER Katrina. But the older guy that owns it is freakin' legendary for building and servicing fast bikes. He's been offered a ton of money to work for a couple big dealerships over the years and turned them down, flat. He said some bikes just don't fit into a dealer "profit-loss time schedule" to do the job right, and he doesn't want someone breathing down his neck because there are 20 bikes backed up that have to get out today. "You sell a lot of bikes you have to fix a lot of bikes, and no MF with a '05 anything wants to hear "next week".

[Jax]

"You sell a lot of bikes you have to fix a lot of bikes, and no MF with a '05 anything wants to hear "next week".

By the way I waited 5 weeks to get my bike back because this dealership was so busy but I didn't mind because I knew that the person working on it would get it running and running right and wouldn't rape me on the work he did. They may be a small dealership but man they do good work and their prices are resonable...once you factor in shipping and waiting time what is a couple of bucks on a part you can have now??

[thecynic]

I think it has to do with competition. The only bike shop in my town, I used to go to them for chain lube/fork oil/masterlinks. Other than that, I wouldn't have them clean my helmet visor (which they'd charge me $25 to do). Absolute idiots. One time I had to go there because my regular motocycle tire shop was booked up so solid they couldn't even bust on my new tires, $89 dollars later (to change tires I provided, on loose rims) and I made sure they knew I wouldn't even buy chain lube from them again.

[Mojoe]

That makes sense Mojoe. Didn't really think about it that way. I guess I just miss the days where you could go to a mechanic and tell them what all had been done and they can just fix it. I understand today's "mechanics" are more "techinicians" that are taught strictly from a book and usually only work with factory stuff. That is why I am learning all I can and how to do this stuff myself. A couple more mods and nobody will be willing touch it anyway.

I totally understand about the body work stuff. They either spray it as is with YOUR prep work, or they end up having to redo stuff you messed up. Adding time and effort to the job.

There are still places like that, you just have to find them. I have 4 "resources" for my bikes. The first is MYSELF for 90% of the labor. Then I have the dealership that I use once in a while when I just don't want to be bothered or run into a snag. This is for my stock bike. Then I have another "dealer" of sorts that I use for anything modded. They are a small dealership that has maybe 8 bikes in stock, but mostly sell atv and snowmobiles. But the mechanic likes to drag bikes, so he gets all excited when you bring him something tricked out....and is paractically begging you to tweak it for you. He is the one setting up my V&H engine. He keeps telling me to get my ass moving to finish the rest of the bike so he can get it on the dyno. Which means the dyno run won't cost me a cent. He will insist it goes on just to satisfy his curiousity and get the most out of his work by tweaking it for me. Pretty hard to beat that. So really, the best service is going to come from a mechanic who does his job as a passion....and not just for the paycheck. If he likes what he is doing, he will put more effort into it because the more you are passionate about what you are doing, the more you are likely to be a perfectionist. That is the kind of guy tdrcomm mentioned....the guy with the "hole-in-the-wall" shop who does what he does cuz he luvs what he does.

My 4th resource....that is for parts. I buy about 90% of my stuff online. In the last 18 months, I have purchased about 70 motorcycle related items on ebay. Then there is BB and a couple of other sites.....and another for tires. I am like a frickin' packrat. I have spare parts for the 1100 kats up the ying-yang. I probably won't use half of it...but you never know. When I see a mint fairing or gas tank going for $10, I can't let it pass. I got 2 brand new metzellers mounted on rims with rotors and all for $26 plus $30 shipping. I mean really.....how can I pass on that? Someday it will probably all end up back on ebay....lol.

[Court93kat]

........But the mechanic likes to drag bikes, so he gets all excited when you bring him something tricked out....and is paractically begging you to tweak it for you.... So really, the best service is going to come from a mechanic who does his job as a passion....and not just for the paycheck. If he likes what he is doing, he will put more effort into it because the more you are passionate about what you are doing, the more you are likely to be a perfectionist....

I couldn't agree with you more. Anybody who does any job out of passion for it, will do it better than anyone who does it for a paycheck. I see this in my line of work being a mechanic too. I have a brother-in-law that is a certified bike mechanic. He is a perfectionist about his work, and when he changed dealerships he worked for, all the business followed him. He is well known around town as the guy to see if you want your stuff to run right. He has asked me plenty of times to get out of the Army and us to go into business together. Not sure I want to mix family with business, but time will tell. I still got a few years until I can retire and quit moving around.