Nobody dares touch older bikes...

[Anonymous]

I have a 1982 gs450 - and nobody will take it in for a tune up in the Minneapolis area. I have done my home work and discovered that in general...people just don't have time for older bikes. So I am out of luck for getting a proper tune up, etc...unless I DO IT MYSELF.

ANY SUGGESTIONS

[Anonymous]

You can do the tuneup. Unless its dead or far gone most of the work you can do yourself but with the proper info. Its the same here in Chicago which has quite a few bike places. If its over 10 years they say, we can't touch it. You will have to find a cool/specialty place that loves older bikes. Took me a while but after days of calling places I found an excellent place close. Just to mount tires.......... Otherwise you can do the maintenancs yourself.

Do you have a Clymer, Hayes or Shop manual for your bike? They are readily available online or on ebay. Got mine here:

http://www.motorcyclebooks.com/

[Anonymous]

I needed the head gasket replaced. The local suzi dealer gladly offered....for about $600

[Anonymous]

They probably wouldn't do it even if they told you so.

They probably wouldn't do what they told you they did any ways. I've had a couple of tune ups where they told me they adjusted the timing. This is when I was 18 or 19 and didn't know that I had an electronic ignition.

For the price of a shop tune up you could replace every fluid in the bike Plus all the other parts. You would still have enough left over for a cook out later.

[Anonymous]

Look for a bone yard that specializez in rice burners and sell used machines. They will be experts.

[Anonymous]

Here in the Lower Mainland of BC, I found a one-man shop owned by a guy who was a Suzuki mechanic for ten years during the GS era. His ride is a GS750. He does all makes, and prefers to work on the older bikes! Cheaper and more knowledgable than the dealer mechanics. He works 6 days a week 'cause he loves his job.

I'm sure there must be one of these guys in every bigger city.

[Jeff Tate]

They probably don't like older bikes because the work can be done in a relatively short period of time. On my bike just a plug change takes maybe 10 minutes. On a new sportbike they have to burrow thru layers of plastic and hoses and would more than likely take an hour or so.
Time is money.

[satchmo]

Al - what's the name of that shop!!!??????? Just in case.

Satch

[Anonymous]

It is a shame that some dealers will not work on older bikes. Do they get a cut of the commission when the salesperson sells a new bike? Anyway, if you don't want to tackle it yourself, you may want to try Motorcycle Minnesota out of Savage, and ask them if they will take a stab at it. They specialize in buying older Japanese bikes, fixing them up and reselling them. I don't know if they work on individual bikes, but its worth a shot.

Good luck in either event!

[Anonymous]

Al - what's the name of that shop!!!??????? Just in case.

Satch

From his Buy and Sell ad:

"STEVE THE BIKE WRENCH INC." * Certified Motorcycle Mechanic * Designated motorcycle inspection facility. * Open For Business Monday to Saturday. * Quality Service & Repairs for all makes & models of Motorcycles * Carburator & Tune-up Specialist * Free Estimates * Full tire repair & servicing available * Motorcycle pick-up service available. * Ask about Tune-Up Specials. Tune-up includes carburator synchronization. * 10664 135 Street, North Surrey, B.C. Phone 604-588-9099.

This guy loves to talk bikes, so go early! Tell him that Al (with the really clean 1100EX) sent you.

[QuaiChangKane]

I've had the same problem - first was a shop in SF earlier in the year that would gladly replace the chain for me (I was in the middle of a trip), but under other circumstances would not work on a bike more than 10 years old.

And a few months ago I had to go to every shop in town before I found one that would replace the steering head bearings for me. Mind you - all of 'em would order them for me and take a commission, but none would actually install them.

And the reason that every shop gave was liability - you never know what's going to go wrong when working on an older bike, and the last thing they want to have to do is argue with an irate owner on the phone because a $200 tune up turned into an $800 rebuild....


Bastards all the same. The way I see it, every shop with a business license should be REQUIRED to work on old vehicles. At this rate, all motorcycles seem disposable - can't get 'em fixed after 10 years, might as well throw it away and get a new one. That's an impression that I find disgusting.

Imagine what that would to for new bike prices - nobody would want to drop 15 grand on a new bike knowing they'd be throwing it away in a few years. Maybe we should all write letters to Suzuki? I mean, why is this acceptable for motorcycle mechanics? Imagine what the D.O.T. would say if auto mechanics started declining to work on cars pre-1993.

Now, if it were an Harley - you'd have your choice of shops to fix it....


-Q!

[earlfor]

My viewpoint is that if youre going to ride a motorcycle, you accept that you will get wet when it rains. If youre going to ride an old bike, you accept that you will need to buy a shop manual, some wrenches, etc, and do some reading. :-) I shoot people for walking towards my bike with a wrench in their hand. eh eh eh

Earl

[quote="QuaiChangKane"
]I've had the same problem - first was a shop in SF earlier in the year that would gladly replace the chain for me (I was in the middle of a trip), but under other circumstances would not work on a bike more than 10 years old.

[Jay B]

Hit the yellow pages and look for the smaller bike shops and repair places. Those guys working for themselves can and will work on just about anything. When I was getting my GS back on the road 4 years ago. I called several places about a tire. No one had one. I was out and about one day and found theis place by accident. He had a tire at a good price. I told him that I would brinbg the old tire and rim over and he could change it out. He told me to bring the entire bike and he would do it for the same price. After it was done we were BS'ing and I helped him sync the carbs on an old CBX. Talk about work. I sent a couple of people to him and he has done outstanding work. The smaller shop if they are good ones will do you right.

[SqDancerLynn1]

Last time I had anything done at a dealer MC or Car dealer was 1977 only then because it was warrenty work on new car, I still ended up fixing it myself

[Anonymous]

nobody dares touch older bikes

I do most of my own work being an ex auto mechanic,but I did find a small shop between him and all the great people on this site I am getting a bore kit and some other work done,but this will work on anything doesn't matter what make or how old and is excellent.


you have to look around the small shops are the best


Tim