Motorcycle damaged by dealership, what now?

[talkToTheHat]

I bought my motorcycle second hand from a dealership. They treated me badly. It was supposed to have new tyres when I collected it. It didn't. It had a handful of faults that were supposed to be covered by a short warranty the dealership refused to honour. The tyres fell apart on the way to return the vehicle for the small repairs they conceded were their problem, but they refused to replace the tyres without payment. Unwilling to remove the motorcycle from their premises without good tyres I paif for replacements. I swore never to deal with them again.

Then my motorcycle developed a rattle, sounded like it might be end of the world expensive so I took it to my local independent garage. Turns out to be the 25kW restrictors that were fitted as part of the purchase agreement. Because the paperwork for such was not in order no garage would take on the liability.

After making payment under protest for transport of the vehicle they collected it, sorted the paperwork and the loose restrictor.

The motorcycle was returned at twilight, with Fi International paperwork but with no receipt for the card payment that I had made nor any paperwork for the repair.

The next day I notice a fault with the rear brake-light switch (which must be disconnected to remove the exhaust), and fixing this (cable pulled out of a bullet crimp connector) drew my attention to a small crack in the exhaust. I took a photo and wrote a letter asking what they proposed to do about it.

Said letter was apparently unseen. I wrote directly to the company secretary as that director listed his address as the company address. Two weeks later I was telephoned by the assistant manager. She claimed the letter I wrote had only arrived today (recorded delivery says otherwise) and has not been seen by the addressee. She claimed that the motorcycle left their care undamaged because they have strict reporting procedures for this. She yelled "we didn't damage your motorcycle" at me a lot. Said a lot of stuff about how other customers trust them with £50000 motorcycles, and apparently I am being treated exactly the same way as them. I repeatedly asked for a response in writing. Much refusal. I asked whether as part of their strict procedures they do a quick inspection and mark damage on the vehicle like the RAC do with their paper pictures of motorcycle before handling the vehicle. She said she'd send me a letter and hung up.

I'm pretty furious and I'd like the damage sorting. It's only a chromed heatshield, but the crack means that the part has since corroded muchly, and I suspect I cannot replace the part without replacing the exhaust system. Aftermarket ones are £400 or so, I don't know if OEM parts are available, and parts from a breakers are likely to be in worse condition.

Do I have any legal recourse here, and will my insurers or a claims company help me?
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Bandit. does. everything.

[Hetzer]

Do what you can so far as the legal crap is concerned but also pencil in a few nights over the coming months when you'll randomly brick their windows. It doesn't get you back any of the money they've cost you but it is a very satisfying form of righteous justice.

Just kidding about the windows.
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"There's the horizon! Ride hard, ride fast and cut down all who stand in your way!"

[talkToTheHat]

Tempting, but violence solves nothing.

Am fully comp, so my insures will deal, but potential backfire is they mess up or accept partial and I end up with inflated premiums.
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Bandit. does. everything.

[P.addy]

[Rigga]

Which dealership is it?
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Current bike: Honda CBR 1100xx

[Hetzer]

[talkToTheHat]

I don't want to name the dealer at this moment in time. It's a big main dealership and I don't want this to turn into a defamation counter claim.
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Bandit. does. everything.

[Hetzer]

[pits]

[talkToTheHat]

The restrictors were some easy welding and an exercise in sorting paperwork correctly. Fi International (now BLD) requires that the parts be correctly fitted by an authorised dealership.

I think the heat shield on the collector box is welded to the collector box and thus to replace it may require replacing a significant proportion of the exhaust system at huge expense. Unless anyone knows otherwise here?

Of course if I mess with the exhaust before december that's potentially more restrictor hastle. The fact remains that I was forced to allow them to work on my bike, and they damaged a part that they worked on in a way that will cost me a crapload of money to put right.
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Bandit. does. everything.

[_Troy_]

So it's just the heat shield, not the actual exhaust system? On a bike of your age can you not just live with it?

Oh and stop taking your bike there. It seems you were treated badly from the offset, but refused to learn your lesson countless times.
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Current bike: ZX6R J1
Previous bikes: CLR 125 | GS500 | ZX6R G2 | SV650

[P.addy]

Your restriction can be fitted by whomever. Not just a garage.

[talkToTheHat]

[talkToTheHat]

[_Troy_]

[Kickstart]

[i.p.phrealy]

[Rogerborg]

You paid a dealer premium for a 22 year old wheezy cruiser that you think is quick enough to need restricting because dem popo be all up in your grill?

No. No, I'm out. AH'M OOT.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[ScaredyCat]

[talkToTheHat]

Buying a bike and getting it restricted is much nightmare if you don't drive and non't have mates with appropriate trailer or van. I didn't know about paddy's yellow crayon then, and every dealer from big franchise down to tiny independent occupying a terraced house a stone's throw away from arkwrights all said FI or OEM.

The motorcycle is the most expensive thing I actually own. I might expect a 125 bought with pocket change and 'sold as seen' to have a fistful of problems that need sorting in the first week or two of riding. I was naive enough to take the salesperson at his word that if the bike fell apart as I rode away or anything unexpected happened in the first couple of months that they'd sort it out. I'm pretty furious with the salesperson I dealt with for the barefaced lies I was told, but returning a motorcycle damaged after working on it to put right a fault with their own workmanship is unforgivable. They are either negligent, incompetent or perhaps even malicious. Maybe some of each. I don't think they liked my willingness to stand up for my consumer rights.

Fi International used to make and distribute and otherwise monopolise the market on 33bhp restrictor kits. They appear to have been bought by BLDgroup.
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Bandit. does. everything.

[P.addy]

I'm still astounded you went to a dealer for restriction reasons... it boggles the mind, everything on here should have shown you that its not worth the paper its printed on, welding a restrictor in, you sure? last time I checked they went in the inlets.

Running too small a bore exhaust (I assume the welding occurred here?) would cause some serious engine damage over time.

Oh well, now you've learnt how careless they are, chalk it up and polish the damage out, if its cracked just replace with some generic "eagle" pipe or something equally obnoxious.

[talkToTheHat]

Some kits are exhaust inserts that require holding in place with a spot weld so they don't rattle and smash hell out of the exhaust.

I guess I've learnt the hard way not to trust a dealer's reputation on anything that isn't written down. Still doesn't give them the right to damage my motorcycle and get away with it.
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Bandit. does. everything.

[talkToTheHat]

Anyone know whether the RMIF's National Conciliation and Arbitration service is worth the time of day?
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Bandit. does. everything.

[drzsta]

[Wonko The Sane]