Unofficially done with bring the CBR in for service
 

I've only been bring it in because its under warranty but with the crazy service intervals nowadays I'm overdoing it by going ....
ok...I've been lazy.
there I said it.

Well After bringing it in for a coolant\oil\tire change and finding that
A. they overfilled my oil by a decent amount
B. Brought it in spotless...they gave it back a greasy mess (under the body work)
C. They didn't put the bodywork back on properly

I'm officially annoyed at both the shop and myself for not doing a proper inspection when I picked it up. I should have caught the fairings not attached properly.

I look at every job as an opportunity to buy more tools. I'm finally to the point I have everything I need.

If I buy something now, it is an oddball model specific tool, but I have most of those too.

Welcome to the *screw sloppy mechanic work* club.

"Shop rate"
 

Some fucking bean counter engineer, has already decided how long it should take to fix your bike.

He's not a mechanic. He's never seen your particular bike. He assumes it looks just the picture in the manual.

His estimation of the time involved to do the work, is applied to the software the dealership uses to quote you a price. Oil change on bike A, Model year B, should cost X.

The service manager checks off the little boxes on the screen, prints out the service form, and hands it to the mechanic.

The mechanic looks at the form, and now knows that his end of the "Shop Rate" is X dollars, as long as he can do it in X hours. If it takes him longer than X hours, tough shit. If it takes him less hours, sweet.

This is why your shit comes back all fucked up.

JC

First off... as I always say... "why pay someone else to F up your bike?"

On the other hand... I have found this is expected with metric (yam/kaw/suz) dealers. My BIL is expierencing this with his Kaw Vulcan. My HD dealer is TOP NOTCH service and that would never fly. HD won't allow it.

Just to give you an idea of how much HD corperate gets involved... they just made my dealer replace all their shop lights... they came in and said the shop didn't meet their specs for shop lumens. It wasn't dark in there... the dealer changed it all... WOW brighter, the mechanics love it.

I'm sure there is a similar level of professionalism on other premium motorcycles like BMW.

For example I really like my BIL's Kaw, but the dealerships customer service blows compared to my HD dealer. It's like the those metric companies don't push them to better service. IDK.

Which dealer was it Paul?

Trace you can never say you have all the tools you need, have to justify buying those new tools down the road ;)

I have never taken a motorcycle in for service. The last time mine see the dealership is when I sign the paperwork and drive them off the lot. The most they'll see of the bike are the wheels when I bring them in for new tires, and that's only for streetbikes. Dirtbike tires I change myself.

I haven't had to do anything major, like new rings or anything like that. But, when the time comes, I plan on learning.

I still take my BMW in for service. I don't like messing with the BMW computer stuff. Like messing with the brakes is a pain in the ass with the ABS and all that. So I let them do it. My local BMW dealer in Knoxville and Chattanooga are both real well known reliable dealers for service though.

I won't bring in a bike that I can do the service myself though. I do most everything on the BMW that isn't computer related and do some of the computer stuff now that I have a GS911.

Funwheels in Medford.
I don't want to condemn the shop or the mechanics since even the best shops have off days.

HD may not allow it on a HD bike. Bring them something that doesn't say HD on it and they care more about they shit they just flushed.
Had more issues with my Buell. Some of it was plain ignorance since they had never done "x" on that bike before. (I bought the first one, and put on the most miles) But even plastic being put on incorrectly and fasteners forgotten got kind of annoying.

Oh really now.....very interesting. :D

Yeah, I got tired of paying them $80 to reset my service reminder and check fault codes for me. I plan on getting more BMWs, so I just decided to get one. They will probably change the hookup now that I got one though. LOL

The thing with your BMW is probably the biggest reason why I don't buy a Ducati.

Yeah for my HD ABS you can't bleed the brakes without their tech computer...

I think that is also a particular HD dealer issue. Hopefully those asshats would get weeded out.

That stuff don't fly in this area, too much competition.

Ducati mechanics have everyone fooled. I'm convinced the people who complain the loudest about Ducati maintenance have never turned a wrench on one.

I rebuilt one from the inside out, and while it was a little more intensive than a Japanese motorcycle, it was by no means *difficult* to work on.

Dropped the oil level a bit and put the body work back on properly.
Looks like oil changes are going to be a breeze on this thing.
4 bolts, off pops the lower. Putting it back on was a bit of a pain (origami bodywork and a couple of tabs) but its not that bad.

I think I need some new allen keys since the once I own have a stupid rounded end on the long part.

its always a learning curve withthe bodywork, the aprilia was the worst. The mid and lwer had to come off and it took me a while to get good at lining them up when reassembling them. The triumph is a breeze, filters on th ebottom of th emotor, so no plastics have to be touched.

Kawi Engineers on my bike thought it would be fun to put the Oil filter in the worst spot in the world...But i dont have to take my fairings and I got the right tool for the job now after FUCKING up my old filter.

Agreed with you...Screw Dealerships. There labor rates are ridiculous. My buddy took his bike to get the fork seals done...the labor cost more than the parts.

I had an 06 ZX-10R, the oil filter was wedged between the header pipes and the engine. I used to make a trough out of aluminum foil to catch the oil and direct it around the headers.

I'll have to snap a Picture to show you where mine is...It's on the Left side of the Engine between the cutout on the left side fairing.

It's just mashed in between radiator tubes and wiring and a whole bunch of shit so
leverage is hard to come by trying to get it off.

Dzus ftw!

I don't think the fork seal job is an accurate job to prove your point. There isn't shit for parts in that job. The job is nearly all labor.

I did my forks. Just had them press in the seals. I was starting to fudge them up with the pvc trick.

The PVC can be tricky... but it's do-able... requires some manhood thumping with a dead blow.

Funny thing is the get ya for removing the forks and after doing it a few times can be done in a half hour. Saved a bunch by bringing in the tubes already removed ;)

He got two tires mounted as well...Forgot to mention that...Either way Labor rates for our local dealers are 89$ an hour.

sux you guys are so far away, I have a no mar tire changer and stands so tire swaps are easy.

30 mins... yeah maybe... unless you have a bike like mine...

Point well taken. Between a centerstand and/or a pitbull stand the forks on a sport bike/tourer are a breeze to take off. After removing hte wheel/calipers its only 3 or 4 bolts per side. I would be skerid removing them on that tank you have. Getting in to them must be a lot of fun.

It doesn't always come back all fucked up. After valve adjustments it comes back perfect, because they haven't removed a single fairing panel.

:lol

yup, valves are fine, now give us 500 dollars :lol:

I have had a few mechanics tell me that if the first check is in spec and yo udont beat the shit out of the bike you should be good for a long time. Triumph is pushing 12k miles so its almost that time to go in. The dealer I deal with is prety good (sux theyre 70 miles from my house though) so I am sure I will take the standard ass raping from them like any shop but I feel prety comfortable withthe mechanics there.

Valve checks and adjustment take less than 15 mins, pansies. LOL

Sure they do, on over engineered and overweight bikes, that hang their cylinders out into the air :lol:

Just wait until I get time to put up my valve adjustment thread...

Not remove a single fairing panel :lol ...

just the frame, swing arm and other big parts :lol:

What, no one has ever had them listen to the valves, decide that from the sound they don't need any adjustment, then charged you $500.00 for the privilege? Try putting some white-out on your head and gasket, the next time you bring the bike in for a major service ;)

I bring mine to Oneida Suzuki once per year for an inspection sticker. Everything else I do myself. :)

Though occasionally I get lazy and have them mount tires.

Shhh...

Na, the swingarm stayed in its original position...

but did anything else?

hmm, swingarm, forks, both wheels/pulleys/rotors, and the entire engine assembly, which is why I did it that way.

maybe I iwll fly you out here and offer beer and food to help with mine ;)

You pay my way out there and you have a deal.
I'll even work on it consistently enough that it doesn't drag out over a week!

:zowned: