The last Suzuki i'll ever own

[UrbanRacer]

I'm never going to own another Suzuki.
Only a few folk on here know the problems I have been having recently with my bike and I’ve decided to post it on here. I own a Suzuki GSXR 600 K4 which I bought private at the end of august last year; the bike had 3500miles on it, FDSH and was in mint condition.

Last October I had a problem with the bike I was getting a shuddering at low rpm's, the idle speed had dropped and I had lost a bit or torque and power.
I booked it into a Suzuki dealer and handed over my keys. About 45mins later I got a phone call back telling me the problem was contaminated fuel and it would set me back £100 to get the whole fuel system flushed and refilled. Later that day I phoned to ask if the bike was ready for pickup only to be told the problem was a bit more severe.
I was told that I had lost compression in 1 cylinder and they needed to replace a shim and valve(s) now at the time I was a little green behind the ears when it comes to the internal workings of engines so I couldn't really ask questions or anything. I got the bike back a few days later and £150 lighter but the bike was running sweet so I didn't care

About 2 months ago the bike started going the same way as before. I already had the bike booked in for a service and phoned them up a few weeks before it was due in to inform them I was having some problems with the bike and if they could look at it when it was in for its service, they said "that’s no problem but if I could drop it off a few days earlier"
On the 28th of March (almost 6 weeks ago) I took the bike to the Suzuki dealer for its service and repair (I gave the keys and service book to Suzuki). later that day I got a call from the mechanic asking what was wrong with the bike, I told him what I was experiencing with it and that it had happened before and what work was carried out on it I also told him what I had been told on a few forums when I had posted up asking if anyone could think what was causing it.
Next day I phoned up wondering how they were getting on with it and I was told they were still looking at it.
Days went by with no calls so I phoned them again and asked for an update; still they had not found the problem. A few days later again I had to phone them. I was told they had spoken to a technician at Suzuki and parts were on their way, I was thinking that’s good and I was hoping I would get it back for the following weekend. We were now approaching week 2 with no phone calls so I phoned them asking to speak to the mechanic and I was told he was not around and I should maybe phone back later. I left it a day and phoned back and got told he was busy and I would get a phone call back in 10mins, I never got that call in fact I never got to speak to the mechanic for 2 weeks and I had lost count with the amount of phone calls I had made trying to get a hold of him and being given every excuse under the sun for him not being able to come to the phone. "He’s with a customer doing a finance deal" "he's out on a test ride" "he's gone out for lunch"
At the time I wasn't well so even if the bike was ready I couldn't go collect it but I just wanted an update on its progress and to make sure the warranty was covering it.

Week 4 and I was getting very annoyed at not getting to speak to the mechanic dealing with my bike so I phoned up the sales staff and asked to speak to the manager and told him the full story. He said he would give me a call back in 10mins (where have I heard that before) with an update. 10mins later I did get a call back from 1 of the sales staff again and I was told that bike was being worked on by another workshop (a kwack dealer) which was just around the corner and that the mechanic dealing with my bike was off because his wife had just had a kid, so the fucks around the corner had been lying to me for 2 weeks, now when I phoned up to book the bike in I was told to phone the workshop on a phone number which was 1 digit out from the one I just phoned, they did not say we don’t do repairs or services nor did they say I should phone the kwack dealer round the corner. So I was chasing up a kwack dealer for my bike. Now I reckon it should have been Suzuki chasing up the kwack dealer cos from what I can see they outsourced the job to them. I was also told he'd be back on the 29th of April.
After being fucked about waiting on call backs I decide to go down to the dealer myself (40-50miles away) I work 6 days a week and its 9-5 so I had to take a day off work, that also stopped me going down sooner.
I get down their and go to the Suzuki dealer and I’m told to go next door, how I held back I don't know because I was f**king seething with anger. I get to the kwack dealer and go to the counter and see the lying cow at the desk whose been lying to me for 2 weeks. I ask to speak to the mechanic and she asks my name, I tell her and she goes chalk white and asks if had got a phone call back from him, I said no I’ve been waiting 10mins for the last 2 weeks for him to phone back and I’ve had enough waiting.
Now I should point out that it’s not the mechanics fault I’ve been waiting so long, his wife had a kid and if the tables were turned I would down tools too and leave everything at my arse and make the wife and kid my priority (and I kept that in mind). My problem was that I was lied to and that another mechanic should have picked up and finished his job. He apologised for the way I had been treated and that money would be taken off the final bill.

week5
I get a phone call from him with an update on the progress of the bike. The bike was put back together yesterday and he took it for a test ride. He checked the valve clearances after it and they had reset themselves again to the way they were before so........
He now needs to go back to Suzuki and claim on the warranty and get a new head, new valves and possibly new cams.
So fuck sake that’s 5 weeks to get where we are just now, the service still needs to be down too.

So to recap that. I’ve been with out my main source of transport for 5 weeks, I’ve been lied too, I can't get a courtesy bike because Suzuki are too tight and don’t offer that and it'll be well into the 6th week IF I get it back then.
This is why this will be the last Suzuki I’ll ever own, possibly the last bike I’ll ever own because to be honest this has taken all the fun and enjoyment out of bike ownership for me

sorry for the long post

[Hotdog]

Buy Honda or Yamaha.

You know not to buy Suzuki now.

DO NOT make the mistake of buying a Kawasaki - believe it or not they are far WORSE than Suzuki !!!

Hotdog.
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He's a gentleman, a scholar, he's an-acrobat, he's the one and only truly original.......
Hotdog....(Defender of the weak, the poor and the innocent)
He's The Ace - He's Amazing...He's the Strongest... He's The Quickest.... He's The Best!

[dainesefreak]

Sounds like the main reason is a shit dealer TBH mate. Anyway come over the the light fluffy happy Honda side of life and loose those other jap bike making imposters.

[sickpup]

Sorry for the problems you are having.

To my mind this isn't a problem with Suzuki its a problem with dealers.

Suzuki don't offer courtesy bikes dealers do and its down to the individual dealer.

As to the bike its a relatively simple diagnosis. Valve gap closing up = valve recession. Valve gap opening up = defective valve / defective cam.

Why its happening is another matter and off the top of my head I'd say there a lubrication problem causing localised overheating.

Has the bike had a new clutch at any point to your knowledge and was the clutch slipping?

[UrbanRacer]

[Deano]

I think everyone has a story nearly or something like that with a car or bike.

[map]

[the grim reaper]

Nope, I haven't, the main reason I stopped using dealers is that they are, or should I say the majority are, useless money grabbing bar stewards. I lost half a days track time because my local dealer left the YTS chimp to work on my bike, after I TOLD them that I thought I had a dodgy wheel bearing and he didn't check them. It
got picked up by a scrutineering chap at Cadwell.

AFter that I have never taken a bike to a dealers for anything other than an MOT and I never will.

The only Suzuki I ever owned was a DR350 and the bloody CDi unit failed on that, £400 for a replacement because there wasn't a breakers anywhere that I could find with one.

I love Hondas

Cheers

Grim
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[sickpup]

Valve recession shouldn't be happening on a vehicle this young as it should have hardened vavle seats so the only thing I can think of is overheating due to a lubrication problem.

Is the problem on all cylinders or jst one?

[Dark]

[UrbanRacer]

i forgot to add to that little story that i was told i one point they didn't know where my bike was. i think its just the 1 cylinder

[McGee]

No comment.
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◙◙► K6 GSXR 600 ◄◙◙◙◙► K5 GSXR 1000 ◄◙◙◙◙► K5 GSXR 600 ◄◙◙◙◙► 96 RF600r ◄◙◙
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Its pronounced Jixxer!

[sickpup]

Really does sound like a blocked oilway to me, at least for the first valve. The second I would be surprised if it was fitted properly.

I have to wonder if Suzuki will accept this under warranty as the head damage could be down to the original mechanic. Just an idea in my head, let me think and I may be able to expand on it.

[Dom_]

Some damage to the dealers property may be in order.

[Jack_Cheese]

Maybe suzuki have been forgetful again They're allegedly rather sparing on the loctite, and ir i remember correctly, they never plated the fork stanchions on the 05 model gixxer, which were plated on the previous model.

Seems very strange that a bike this young needs a new head. I agree with Sickpup that the clearance issue is symptomatic of a probably more simple long-term issue which hasn't been picked up on.

Jack
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Quacker_boy: "Jack, you really are a dick!"

[G]

[quacker_boy]

[Black Knight]

UrbanRacer, as said above it seems to be the dealer that is the problem. I would e mail Suzuki GB direct with the above information in a clear cronological order and see what they say.

I would also withhold any further payment to these cowboys until something satisfatory is sorted out for you.

I would also contact MCN. Shite journalists they may be but they do have a huge readership. If you get their support I imagine you will have a bike to ride within days.

Rick.
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Where does a turn end? 'Where you can do anything with the gas you want to, where you are brave again, where your attention is free from the turn, where you are sure you can do it better next time; that's the end' - Keith Code.

[Kickstart]

[sickpup]

Had a CD200 that did this then the head of the valve fell off.

[Kickstart]

[LUXY DJ]

unlucky m8

even though its the dealers & not the bike its still the bike with the ORIGINAL prob which scares me now(own GSXR 600)

what a piss take though 5/6 weeks without my bike NO WAY!
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GSXR750
(FAR FAR from standard) www.gixerjunkies.net

[sickpup]

[MattEMulsion]

I'm sorry to hear your tale, definitely a case of poor dealer rather than Suzuki being 'crap' bikes. From reading your post it sounds like the dealership is a right shambles. Do they have their own workshop or not? Have they got more than one mechanic? Either which way I would get your bike sorted and then never go back to the place again. Out of interest were you recommended to this dealer, or was the bike originally sold new by them, or is it your nearest dealer?

After seeing this saga it makes me feel lucky to have a top notch Yamaha dealer that I trust 100% with my R6. They are certainly not the nearest Yamaha dealer to me but they are highly regarded, sold my bike to me from brand new and are the only people who I let touch my bike. They have great customer service and incidently offer a free loan bike whenever yours is in for work.

I think UrbanRacer you have been unlucky. My mate has the same bike as yours and has had no problems whatsoever. He has experienced poor customer service from a Suzuki dealership in the Midlands, from whom he bought his bike from, but since then has swapped his 'dealer' and is much happier with them. I wish you the best of luck...
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Yamaha YZF-R6

[True Blue]

As said, I think the problem is the dealer. You can buy any make of bike and have these problems if the guys at the dealers are a bunch of monkeys.
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Past >>>> Honda NSR 125 >>>> Suzuki GSXR 600 K1 >>>> Suzuki GSXR 600 K4 >>>>Kawasaki Z1000 DAF >>>>Suzuki RMZ 250 >>>> Current >>>> KTM Superduke R 1290 >>>>