Was at the Honda dealer Friday.....and the Service Manager claims........

[RedValk]

First, i was at the Honda dealer Friday....cause i got a flat on  my Rune. What an ordeal...trying to get the bike cross town...with a tire with a hole in it....to the Honda dealer. But i made it..........20 miles later....several hours...lots of sweat and some cussing...............  But that's another story for another day (or ...go look at the Rune board...for that full story....)

anyway, while talking to them about inspecting my Rune drive shaft (a few have failed on the Runes lately...and that caused folks to pull em' and look at em'...and several of them were "bone dry". yea, sound familiar?)

ANYWAY, when i talked to him about drive shafts...and of course they know i own a couple of VALKS...the Service Manager says "you better hope you don't have another drive shaft/rear end failure like you did a year or two ago NOW". And when i ask why, he says "cause NOW...you can't get the "chunk" any more". Now, i'm assuming the "chunk"....must be what some of you call "the pumpkin"? but i'm not sure. But he said NOW, Honda is no longer selling just the "chunk"...and you have to order "the whole nine yards". Which...he claims...is a LOT of money. he also told me some story about another guy with a Valk who came in RECENTLY...with failure in the rear end. They went to order the "chunk"....nope, can't do it anymore. So the fella' said "hold on, let me see if i can find one on Ebay or something". He did. and according to the dealer, the one he BOUGHT on Ebay was WORSE than the "toast" one they took out of his bike to start with! yea, one unhappy camper...........

Anyway, this not being able to order the "chunk" anymore ...might be old news to you "techie types"? But i just thought i would share what i heard..........

oh, my Service Manager also said he doesn't understand why they almost NEVER see Gold Wings with drive shaft/rear end failures...but...they seem to see Valks with it ALL THE T IME...averaging about 50-75k before failure.............  He says it's puzzling.........to say the least.

anyway, file this under the "for what it's worth...or not" ....department............  

[Willow]

Two things, Tim.

1.  You need to avoid as much as possible taking your motorcycles to the dealer for service.

2.  You need to absolutely stop listening to what the dealer has to say.

 

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

First, i was at the Honda dealer Friday....cause i got a flat on  my Rune. What an ordeal...trying to get the bike cross town...with a tire with a hole in it....to the Honda dealer. But i made it..........20 miles later....several hours...lots of sweat and some cussing...............  But that's another story for another day (or ...go look at the Rune board...for that full story....)

anyway, while talking to them about inspecting my Rune drive shaft (a few have failed on the Runes lately...and that caused folks to pull em' and look at em'...and several of them were "bone dry". yea, sound familiar?)

ANYWAY, when i talked to him about drive shafts...and of course they know i own a couple of VALKS...the Service Manager says "you better hope you don't have another drive shaft/rear end failure like you did a year or two ago NOW". And when i ask why, he says "cause NOW...you can't get the "chunk" any more". Now, i'm assuming the "chunk"....must be what some of you call "the pumpkin"? but i'm not sure. But he said NOW, Honda is no longer selling just the "chunk"...and you have to order "the whole nine yards". Which...he claims...is a LOT of money. he also told me some story about another guy with a Valk who came in RECENTLY...with failure in the rear end. They went to order the "chunk"....nope, can't do it anymore. So the fella' said "hold on, let me see if i can find one on Ebay or something". He did. and according to the dealer, the one he BOUGHT on Ebay was WORSE than the "toast" one they took out of his bike to start with! yea, one unhappy camper...........

Anyway, this not being able to order the "chunk" anymore ...might be old news to you "techie types"? But i just thought i would share what i heard..........

oh, my Service Manager also said he doesn't understand why they almost NEVER see Gold Wings with drive shaft/rear end failures...but...they seem to see Valks with it ALL THE T IME...averaging about 50-75k before failure.............  He says it's puzzling.........to say the least.

anyway, file this under the "for what it's worth...or not" ....department............  

Glad I bought a jack years ago and leaned to do my own service .Otherwise I'd be at the mercy of the dealers who I trust as far as I can throw them.

[Hoser]

+1  hoser 

[big turkey]

What Willow and Joe Said. Right on.

Dealers are for warranty work and service work is for the owner.

Period end of story.

But if you can't do it yourself, ask a buddy who can.

Mow his yard for him while you get your bike serviced.

Or detail his bike if he will let you, in return for mechanic ability he has.

But Dealer Service does suck.

My Harly has never been in for"Dealer Service" and guess what no problems to date.

remember they make money if they service it, because they don't do it right.

you will bring it back for the "FIX".

Big Al

[RedValk]

i keep waiting for one of YOU to step up to the plate to do my service for me, but alas.........

i do the service for two out of three scheduled times...but i let the dealer do the third one ...the one with valves, brake fluid, etc. i do minor service. I don't do tire changes...nor anything MAJOR...like drive shaft, etc. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY...ask BamaJack. he helped me do some MINOR stuff once...like carb synching. Took us like 3 hours................got it done.............but...........there was much cussing, too much effort for the return.

My time is EXTREMELY precious. I don't think like a lot of you, i've ALWAYS said that. i trailer to events....that's what works for me. i leave my bike at the dealer....they do the work...while i KEEP WORKING ON THE THOUSAND OTHER THINGS on my plate. Works for me.

anyway, i just thought i'd offer this info.......IN CASE.......it was of any use to any of you. thought i was being a nice guy. I SUPPOSE, i could be like so many here...and post political, religious posts instead? 

Nahhhhhhh........

Anyway, just as soon as ONE OF YOU comes to my house and fixes my bike for/with me, i'll be more than glad to stop using my dealer. Until that day........

[JimL]

Mike, if I could afford to take it to the dealer (and know that the guy that was working on it knows what he is doing).....I would do it!!  But with 2 college kids on the payroll....that is just a fantasy!

[rmrc51]

I hear what most of you are saying about the dealerships, but I do know of one that's Top Shelf!! Their service department personnel are excellent and they don't try and talk you into anything you don't need.

So if you're in the neighborhood of Central Virginia and need a reputable and trustworthy dealer to go to, try BlueRidge PowerSports in Harrisonburg. And no,, I don't work for them or get any special treatment for mentioning their name. They're just a great group of guys who know their trade and do the right thing!

[hubcapsc]

I hear what most of you are saying about the dealerships, but I do know of one that's Top Shelf!! Their service department personnel are excellent and they don't try and talk you into anything you don't need.

So if you're in the neighborhood of Central Virginia and need a reputable and trustworthy dealer to go to, try BlueRidge PowerSports in Harrisonburg. And no,, I don't work for them or get any special treatment for mentioning their name. They're just a great group of guys who know their trade and do the right thing!

I never worked on my Harley. It just sat in the shed, and I rode it every now and again. When enough entropy set in that I
needed it "tuned up", I'd take it to Harley David$on of Greenville. Once it cost me $900 to get it back, but I used to watch
those guys work on all those bikes through a window into the shop... they were like machines, it seemed like they'd all been to
"harley school" or something, everything they did was meticulous and when I'd get my bike back it didn't seem dirty and tired
and grimy anymore, it seemed like new. Once, instead of hauling it "all the way to Greenville" (45 miles  ) I took it to a local
shop for a tire and a tune up. They put on an incompatible tire (it rubbed) and the bike still felt tired and grimy (and the cables un-lubed and
sticky) when I got it back. Probably this local shop was "most shops"...

Me and Willow were talking about this kind of stuff at Cheaha... probably most shops can't stay in bidness by charging you $900 and being
meticulous... they have to slap on the new tire for a cheap price and get you out the door for the next guy...

I sure am glad the VRCC makes it so possible to jump into working on a Valkyrie and that Valkyries are "easy" and fun to work on...

-Mike

[Willow]

I'm sorry, Tim, if you misunderstood my advice.  I do comprehend the economics and practicality of having someone else occcasionally do work on your bike.

I do like to stay away from dealers for that.  When I need someone else to do what I'm not comfortable with I have mechanic I trust who runs an independent shop.  He doesn't sell motorcycles although he allows others to pin for sale notes on his bulletin board.  He lets me stand next to him and chat while he works on my bike.  He marks my ticket lower than he estimated and tells me he's not missing any meals.

He won't mount an NMS tire on a motorcycle.    I guess a lot of us have our prejudices.

The operative term in motorcycle dealer is dealer.  A dealer sells.  He's motivated, not to keep you on your current ride, but to sell you a new one.  I believe that perspective pervades everything they do.

I do business with a local Honda dealer (or two).  I want to keep them in business as they are useful.  I buy parts and accessories from them and I have bought motorcycles from one.  I do not (anymore), however, take my motorcycle to the dealer for service.

YMMV (I'm happy with mine.)      

[asfltdncr]

Don't most dealers have a service writer that before a wrench is lifted, there is commission on every dollar they can muster up in repairs and service (whether it's done or not another issue)?

[RedValk]

hey, i did get off my duff (translation, i FOUND some extra time i don't NORMALLY have)...and not only did my 104k on the Valk, but also did a "tuneup" on both my John Deere's lately. That did save me some big bucks. However, when it came time to get the fuel filter off of one of the John Deere's ...as is my "luck" (or lack of skill????) a lot of times, i can't get the fuel filter bowl to come off. rather than break it...as i've done SOOOOO many times before, i'm just leaving it as is for now. When it gets more water in it and needs changed....i'll have to take it to someone. i was torquing on it so hard....the actual "frame" it mounted to was starting to twist! At least THIS time...i stopped before i broke something big time!

Every good man has to know his limitations.........and............i've learned what mine are..........  

But then, i have all sorts of friends that PAY SOMEONE TO CUT THEIR GRASS. i have a 5 acre yard...and over 30 acres to bushog....and i wouldn't dream of paying another man to cut my grass or pasture. Again, it's just about priorities...time....limitations....etc, etc. to each their own.......  

[hubcapsc]

But then, i have all sorts of friends that PAY SOMEONE TO CUT THEIR GRASS. i have a 5 acre yard...and over 30 acres to bushog....and i wouldn't dream of paying another man to cut my grass or pasture.

(remembering the schemes I cooked up trying to do something with my fields before I could afford to get my 8N)...

If you didn't have that John Deere you'd be happy to pay someone 

-Mike

[RedValk]

you got that right........but then.........i had the "capability" to get the John Deere (and bush hog and 7 foot finishing mower)...and therefore.....problem "solved". But if i didn't have that capability, then the "limitation" might force me to pay a man 

[Spirited-6]

I went to my local Dealer several years ago and asked how much they would charge to put tires on my "VALKYRIE" and the sevice advisor said, "WHO MAKES IT"  nuff said. 

[RedValk]

I went to my local Dealer several years ago and asked how much they would charge to put tires on my "VALKYRIE" and the sevice advisor said, "WHO MAKES IT"  nuff said. 

i can tell you i think my service department at the local shop IS pretty good. but i'm sure dealers and service departments are like all other things in life.........no doubt "your mileage may vary....and there are probably all kinds ...both GOOD AND BAD"..........

[Cliff]

I went to my local Dealer several years ago and asked how much they would charge to put tires on my "VALKYRIE" and the sevice advisor said, "WHO MAKES IT"  nuff said.  

i can tell you i think my service department at the local shop IS pretty good. but i'm sure dealers and service departments are like all other things in life.........no doubt "your mileage may vary....and there are probably all kinds ...both GOOD AND BAD"..........

Our local Honda dealer has an ok service department but my personal to do as much of my own maintenance whenever possible (the helpful people on this board have been priceless.)  A smal bit north of my location is a non-dealer shop that specializes in working on "Wings and Valks" that has a very good reputation!