Another Bad Dealer Story

[sandpuppi101]

I like that makes "MUDDOGS RESTORATIONS" my biz more busy!!!

[Meat-BoX]

Its Sportmann Suzuki/Honda in Syracuse New York.

The Best Dealer in the Area is K&H Kawasaki in Little York N.Y.
Its a 100 mile drive but they treat you like gold and allways do good work.

[daputz]

Yep.......... All dealer wrenches are idiots, It's just to bad that some of the ones here have bothered to help out

Most dealerships are oem oriented and work on oem products, unless they are familiar with the specific aftermarket modification or modifications they are shooting from the hip. There are a few (note the word few) aftermarket companies that offer reliable support for the products they sell............minor stuff like jetting, valve timing, clearances or even how to make their model specific prodoct fit the specific model correctly without the need to hack it up.

If you disagree with me, buy a service manual for your machine (probably less then an hour of labor at a dealership), the required tools (more then a dealerships hourly rate), and have at it. Just be mindfull theservice manual is not going to cover specs for aftermarket and customer modifications......................and for s&g's take other peoples machines in and listen to their description of how it runs and why stuff like compression, dirty air filter, improperly tuned carb, 10 year old silencer packing, "vintage" spark plugs, the foolishness of have synched carbs, 10 pounds of corn stalk packed around the counter shaft, the top end is fresh how could a bad crank seal destroy a piston, and bad batteries could no way in heck cause the issues they are having.

Is any dealership gonna know the specifics of every machine created, I doubt it.......but odds are they are gonna have more resouces availible to them. The people I know and work with will ask ques and find the people in the know to solve the issue.....it might take time but it will get done. Most oem dealerships do not like to tie up bench space on older machines because of the lack of parts availibilty, and other problems that can be found (we found this way outta spec while diagnosing you problem.............it should really be fixed to prevent trouble down the road).

Before you bad mouth dealership wrenches, just keep in mind they are enthusiast just like you.....................and are generally the ones who will stop to help on the trail or street. No one who does this for a living wants to see someone miss riding time because of a mechanical failure.


A bit off topic, and long read (but well worth it)


http://powroll.com/tech_guru_hallofshame.htm

[350x'inNY]

Well.... probab ly a little further than 100 miles, but Arkport Cycles is pretty good for me. Small town dealer that has built it up in recent years to have Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, Harley, Kawi, Polaris and Arctic Cat.... They've been great for me when getting parts and working on things. The owner and mechanics welcome me and often ask how my trikes are.

Bruce

[thefox]

I have found Sprotmann to be an ok place to get parts but I try to stay away if I can.

Whenever I need something done I take it to Freds Sport Motors (Yamaha, Ducati). I have had then replace the valves for my old Honda 200s (I brought in the head and valves). I have been taking to Fred and one mechanic, Mark, about my YTM for the last year while I have been having the crank. problems. Mark even came out and listened to it a explaining what I shouldn't be hearing.

Of course I am in there alot too .

[brapp]

lol i have a restraining order from a local honda dealership for throwing a 250sx shock trough the drywall behind where the service counter . but i deal with dealer to order parts and try to find alternate sources but usualy do pretty well.

[mudduck14843]

Arkport Cycles
295 7426 ask for paul in parts.

[monster 84r]

lol i have a restraining order from a local honda dealership for throwing a 250sx shock trough the drywall behind where the service counter . but i deal with dealer to order parts and try to find alternate sources but usualy do pretty well.

HAHAHA thats hilarious, but i know how you feel. back when i had my old 78 gt80 dirtbike, they charged me for whatever they could...... some examples: a 5$ spark plug and another 5 to install, because they thought it was fouled!(i had just replaced it 2 weeks ago). they chagred me to true my rim before they would even put a new rear tire on it. this bike costed me an arm and a leg becuase greedy shop owners.... the only place around here i get parts from is steves cycle. for those of you in az, id recommend them. bernies cycle is the one who charged me an arm and a leg for small things on my ol bike....

the worst part was that my dad gave the nastalgic machiene away for free because the kickstart gears broke i wish i still had it to restore or take apart...