Motorcycle Side Work - Scared a guy away

I see that, but don't necessarily agree. I've done a LOT of work on bikes out of my garage, and it's always been done with the understanding that I'm not a commercial shop. The work will be cheaper (in many cases better, but that's just a reflection of the idiots that work at our local shops), likely slower, and I'm not going to detail your bike, provide you with a comfy waiting room, etc.

Because of this, I've done a lot of really important maintenance on bikes that otherwise wouldn't get done, ultimately making it a safety issue. I cannot tell you how many tires I've changed for kids @ $20 who've ordered online because the local stealership wanted full retail for the tires plus $60/wheel to install. If I wasn't there, those kids would be riding around on cords. Same goes for chains, brakes, and more.

 

In the dumpster with the serial numbers ground off.

 

Yeah, but it'll take 12 hours to remove and then re-install the brittle old bodywork!

 

I can't understand all of the references in this thread to dealerships and taking work away.

When we had a Honda/Yamaha dealer in town they would not work on a bike that old. Period.

 

The assfault honkies of course!

I buy stuff from adrenaline moto toys too but his shop is way down by my office so I usually only go there during work hours.

 

Maybe that is why you don't have a Honda/Yamaha dealership anymore....

 

Until two years ago , I lived in the Chicagoland area all my life . I've been riding since I was 5 years old , and am 61 now . There is not a single motorcycle dealer service department that I trust to do fair and competent job in this area . Every now and then I would get service that was acceptable, only to get screwed over the next time . I have no problem paying top dollar for professional work but in this area they seem to have one " actual " mechanic to over see the monkeys that do not know which end of the screw driver to hold ..
Seems to me , that Grasshopper is filling a void in this area and his pricing mentioned in this thread is amazing . Wish I had meet him before I left the area .
I have read many threads on here about the Quality of service performed by many of you
" Down South" guys , and I'm jealous. That level of commitment just doesn't exist up here , at any price .

 

This is true just over the border in Wisconsin too. My bread and butter is HD fluid changes, tire changes, and big bore kits and cams. The local dealer is a horror story of poor work and mis diagnosis, and the price is through the roof. Plus, they won't even instal stuff if you didn't buy it from them. Which means no Avon tires, after market cams, etc.

 

I have a friend that had a small shop and he told me the local Honda dealership wouldn't work on older stuff and passed it to him. I was surprised, but maybe the new guys haven't learned carbs, etc. so they could be afraid to work on them? Plus the older bikes are often owned by "cheapo's" so they probably just don't want to deal with it?

 

They need better service writers to accept those customers of vintage-vulcanized soft parts and electrolysis-welded hard parts. That's the service writer's job (alongside of interviewing the customer about the bike's situation), to lay it out for the customer, and, to get the money up front.

 

I understand that, but I would charge at least half of whatever the typical shop in that areas door rate is. That's just me though

 

Step 1 run vin on original frame....

 

It wasn't unusual in this area (Chicago south) for shops to refuse to work on older bikes, even ones they sold.

I had a 1985 V65 Sabre that I bought new from a dealer. Had it serviced regularly (I did oil/filter, and took it to them for the rest) at that same dealership that I bought it from.

The bike gets to be 20 years old (still in great shape, no significant rust, etc) and they tell me they won't work on it - its too old.

By this time I had bought several more bikes from this same dealership. I knew the sales manager and the parts guy really well. So I forced the issue. And they did finally agree to work on the bike that one time. But it was clear that they did not want to work on an old bike, even when it was just needing a valve check and carb clean.

The dealership was eventually sold, and went under in 2009.

 

Seems the best way to run a repair shop is to specialize in a few models or sector (race, street or dirt)
This way you're always beating the book rate time and making money. (and hopefully enjoying the work)
Projects or long term builds seem to be the biggest contention of relationships. Mostly its because the customer has no money and vivid dreams.

I tried doing just tires. Then some guy comes in with a 20 yr old sportster with the same age valve stems. Doesn't want spend $18 on some new ones (I had). Because you know $18 is all I need to retire. Ok you cheap fuck... I pull some old used rubber ones off a set of wheels I had on a shelf. He hmmms and haws because its not chrome. Then wants to pay with a "debit" card. Sent him up the street on my rusty beach cruiser to get cash.

 

For those wondering he is not a mechanic by day. He works in a totally unrelated industry

 

Geez, and all these years I heard Nick was good at attracting guys. Not scaring them away.

 

Progressive allowed 19 hours for the frame swap on my FJR. The mech at the authorized repair shop said he lost money as it took him 22 hours.

He cut a lot of corners, mismatched bolts, even reused fluids he drained out. Progressive then paid for the dealer of my choice to fix what he had repaired.

I know a sportbike is a lot more simple than an FJR, so 16 sounds reasonable to me

 

No reason other than Stolen to swap out a frame on a bike that age. It's probably been sitting somewhere forever and he wants it gone with a salvage titled frame he has. Walk away. $500 ain't worth thousands in court costs.

 

All of them work for dealerships? I seriously doubt grasshopper is the only one here that picks up extra $$$ to fund racing by working on someone else's bike.