Discrimination - I was refused service!

[buster]

There is a sign in my nearest dealership, (Honda-Michigan City, IN): "We do not work on motorcycles built before 1985".
On the other hand, over the phone the Suzuki dealership in Valparaiso IN, told me I could bring my bike in, (82-GS1100G).
Can GS RESOURCES maintain a list of recomended mechanics? Is there already such a list?
P.S. Remember, mechanic work is a low paying, dirty, frustrating job, so don't wonder why you can't find a mechanic over 25.

Hey Bill, we have 3 shops in our area that are good at working on our bikes. Performance Cycle in Hammond (Joe) his son opened a shop in Hobart behind the mall Performance Cycle II (forget his name right now), Motorcycle George in Hobart (the junkyard place) he's good but kind of a nut and a fourth that maintained the 82 GS 1100 that I have now for the PO in Porter off of Old Porter Rd. Royco's but I have not tried them yet, but will be soon. I guess were lucky with so many shops.

 

[lurch12_2000]

Who needs a dealer (except for parts) when you have such intelligent and helpful folks(and maybe smarta**es) here on the forum! Do it yourself, and when you screw up, come humbly to forum and ask for help.

 

[Suzuki mad]

My local main suzuki dealer thinks twice about working on my 2002 bandit 1200.

I dropped my GS1000E off a few years ago for some work that I didn't have the tools for at home. When I finally got it home I had to fix the faults the main dealer gave the bike while it was with them.

Now a days I go in and they are more than willing to assist in advice on how to do things and even give me the tools. I supose thats because I've been in with cranks, gearboxes, cylinder heads and cams.

Last time I was in the workshop manager commented that I was a little more experienced than the ordinary biker. Back handed compliment or what?

Suzuki mad

 

[Odinist]

Yeah, the local Suzy dealer here doesn't work on older bikes either. They'll put tires on for me, but that's about it. I go to them for parts and gear and such (they're all really nice guys, so I like supporting the shop). When I need to actually have work done though, there's another shop around here that does nothing *but* older bikes. They're great guys too, so I don't mind paying them to work on my bike when I don't feel like dealing with a repair.

 

[fast eddie]

Thanks for the replies, I guess misery loves company, I'm not the only one.

The kicker is, I've always been the one to strip things down, get dirty and try and fix it myself. Ironically enough, now as I'm getting a little older and more comfortable, I thought "why waste all that time, I'll just take it to the shop and be done with it"!! So much for that.

Cheers!

 

[bwringer]

My garage has been the scene of many a GS repair or update for several Indy-area GS riders (and at least one Kentuckian), and countless tire changes.

Fortunately, the city takes motorcycle tires for proper disposal -- just put 'em out with the garbage. They also have a "tox drop" twice a month where I can get rid of old motor oil, batteries, and other nasties.

Taking a vintage bike to a shop is sheer madness, unless you can find a trustworthy specialist and you're willing to pay a lot.

Of course, hauling a neglected vintage bike into the light for the first time in ten years and expecting to be able to go riding with little or no investment of time and money is also sheer madness. It's also distressingly common.

 

[rapidray]

Its universal. If your bike is more than ten years old, you can just about forget finding any shop willing to work on it. The good news is (in my experience anyhow) that if you do find a shop that will work on it, the workmanship will be so shoddy that you will still have to take it home and fix it properly yourself.
Save yourself a lot of time, frustration and money and learn to do the work yourself.

Earl

Come on Earl! That's not a nice generalization to make! I SPECIALIZE in old bikes & do EVERY one like it's my own! Ray.

 

[Craiger]

Come on Earl! That's not a nice generalization to make! I SPECIALIZE in old bikes & do EVERY one like it's my own! Ray.

That's awesome Ray. What's the name of your shop....so we can promote you?

Ooh....smilies! :-D and another.... (just like old times)

 

[dpep]

I would love to have the option of taking my bikes in somewhere for work. Time is always a factor for me. And it always seems that I have the least time just when a bike needs something before a ride or a rally. But alas, except for tires and maybe an oil change, that option does not exist in or around Jacksonville, Florida.

In my most recent attempt I tried an independent but pretty large shop that a neighbor had recommended. All I needed done was fork seals and I had them do an oil change. I provided the seals, the oil filter, and a Haynes manual bookmarked for the sections they would need. The charge was a little over $300 and the left side caliper bolts were not tightened. By the time I got home one had fallen out and the other I could turn by hand. They could have killed me.

Every time I try to trust someone to work on the bike I feel like Charlie Brown trying to kick the football. Fooled again. If you have access to a good wrencher you are indeed fortunate. For most of us the reality is that if you want to ride these old bikes you have to work on these old bikes. But I'm not sure it is a whole lot better for new bikes. It is just the nature and the economic realities of the industry.

My primary consideration in the purchase of any vehicle is the maintenance factor. I am looking for the least maintenance required and the easiest to perform. That is probably the biggest reason I have stayed with GSs, particularly 850s, for almost thirty years.

 

[lurch12_2000]

...
In my most recent attempt I tried an independent but pretty large shop that a neighbor had recommended. All I needed done was fork seals and I had them do an oil change. I provided the seals, the oil filter, and a Haynes manual bookmarked for the sections they would need. The charge was a little over $300 and the left side caliper bolts were not tightened. By the time I got home one had fallen out and the other I could turn by hand. They could have killed me....

$300...wow...makes me glad I picked up these vintage 1100's and do the work myself. Granted, there are folks that are a little timid or don't have the correct tools and finding somebody good is difficult!
General advice - Don't be fooled into buying project bikes for $200 if you can't do any wrenching. There are a lot of well maintained bikes for under $2k out there that are roadworthy, if you don't have time or talent to work on bikes (as in my 1100G and 1100ES if I decide to sell).

http://s298.photobucket.com/albums/mm262/lurch12_2000/?action=view&current=100_5412.jpg

Compare this to $5k-20k for new or nearly new bikes that you still have to put up with maintenance costs and aggravation of getting it to the dealer. I don't begrudge them for being in the business of making $, but just not my money!!

 

[twistedwankel]

So I see his point, I can understand, but I'm guessing the motorcycle indusrty can't be hurting for business if they can be so selective of their customers.

Has this happened to anyone else?

Fortunately YES. "We won't touch a bike over 10 years old!!" Period.

Even the small shops don't want to do electrical snipe hunts as they are way too time consuming if you don't have "good parts" to put on one after another to do your evaluations.

Electrical is the one area a person can use the forum papers to follow and learn the basically simple wiring on these old bikes. The most complicated tool is a good VOM and you're in business. With any luck you can pick up good used expensive components off ebay or this list for spares and trouble shooting duty.

These bikes are made to get wet and sit outside in monsoons so the biggest problem is PO mods causing shorts and bypassing fuseblocks, etc.

In short welcome to the club. I was lucky to find a person off this list who actually knows (and is willing) how to fix this old bikes. What a break!!

I did find a local Triumph dealer who will do some things like valve adjustments and carb syncing which is a good thing to have available

So don't "giveup" on all sources just the actual Dealers! As mentioned many times on this blog.

Get a good digital VOM and learn to use it in a day.

Yes bikes are rather labor intensive on maintenance compared to cars but they are generally more fun to "drive".

 

[earlfor]

Come on Earl! That's not a nice generalization to make! I SPECIALIZE in old bikes & do EVERY one like it's my own! Ray.

Well Ray, technically you're right, and there are some mechs that work on, understand the old bikes and do a good job, but I have found them to be so few as to be practically nonexistant. LOL Anymore, for most shops, if they cant hook up a computer to tell them which part to replace, they cant fix it.
Cheers to you for actually BEING a mechanic.

Earl

 

[mighty13d]

there's a couple mechanics I've found here in Maine that are willing to do the work, but they cost a lot. I can do the work myself, but only very minor things at my apartment. I have to drive an hour to my parent's place since my old man has a huge garage and every tool known to man. Plus there is a few guys in the neighborhood up there who will have the little odd tools that I might need, and a few helpful hints here and there.

 

[Junkie]

There's a shop in SLO that I know that does good work on bikes including old ones (Bits & Pieces), but they charge a flat hourly rate. Stuff can get very expensive that way...

basically, don't expect a normal dealership to be willing to do it, but you may be able to find a good plate to have it done if you're lucky.

 

[russr33]

Well Ray, technically you're right, and there are some mechs that work on, understand the old bikes and do a good job, but I have found them to be so few as to be practically nonexistant. LOL Anymore, for most shops, if they cant hook up a computer to tell them which part to replace, they cant fix it.
Cheers to you for actually BEING a mechanic.

Earl

Dead on about the computer. Nowadays they are "technicians", not mechanics.

 

[bwringer]

All the best mechanics are down at the Buick dealership changing Granny's brake pads, because that's the only way they can make enough money and earn enough benefits to care for their families.

In most of the country, it's impossible to make a year-round living working on motorcycles old or new, so all you find at dealers and shops is an assortment of drifters and teenagers twiddling wrenches aimlessly.

Factor in the fact that people will generally pay what it takes to get their car running again, because they consider it a necessity. A lot of people still consider motorcycles to be "toys", so they very often refuse to pay for repairs and maintenance, and many simply try to abandon the bike at the shop if the bill gets very high.

 

[doctorgonzo]

All the best mechanics are down at the Buick dealership changing Granny's brake pads, because that's the only way they can make enough money and earn enough benefits to care for their families.

In most of the country, it's impossible to make a year-round living working on motorcycles old or new, so all you find at dealers and shops is an assortment of drifters and teenagers twiddling wrenches aimlessly.

Very true. The indy guy in town, I went and saw him in mid-may (as people were getting bikes running for summer) and he had 5 assorted guys working there with him. I went back last week and he was all alone. I bet he scrounges up some wrench turners to help him early in the season then lays them off. At the dealership there is the one old guy who is actually knowledgeable and helpful (he referred me to the indy guy) and a bunch of early 20's guys who probably wouldn't know a valve seal from an elephant seal.

 

[bwringer]

What gets me is that slipshod work is still distressingly common with cars, even when you have well-paid, supposedly factory-trained and experienced mechanics.

We've all got stories, I'm sure... I won't bore you with mine.

It is usually possible to get good work done on a car, but it takes a lot of hunting to find a decent mechanic. It is nearly impossible to get competent work done on a motorcycle, and sightings of competent mechanics willing to do good work on older machines are nearly mythical.

 

[dennis roy]

Eddies Vintage Motorcycles on rt 10 in Swanzey NH. His guys do fantastic work. My bike doesnt have any emblems on it at all and actually has a set of GK bags on it. The first time I pulled in he knew what year , make and model it was by looking out the window. I was impressed. It's an 82 850glz.
There is a guy in Franklin NH also. I've never had any work done there because it's just to far to travel for that. It's called Coopers Motorcycle Salvage. This guy has a HUGE red barn full of anything you can think of. If he doesn't have it he has another shop in Mass. People's Motorcycle. I know Coopers does work up there. I bought some parts there and they will even help you install the stuff you buy. It's a great place just to check out.

 

[machinest]

I found one Seacoast Cycle in Newburyport MA ,looking to get bike inspected first day going along local main street multiple shops with new Harlie's,steetbikes and Harley clones then old slightly run down building with 15-20 20yr old bikes in for service guess which one gets my business.