Small Garage Servicing?

[Chriss]

One of my bikes has recently gone out of warrenty, so I can't justify getting a main dealer to service a bike for £30 p/h labour, espically as I need to get valve clearances done soon.

Just wondered if anyone went to a 'local' garage to get thiers done, and if so, how do you know how good a job will be done?

I've only really heard of cars having this kind of garage through friends, but not with bikes, I figure there must a competition to the main dealers, but how do you find them?
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TheShaggyDA: I've got 3 or 4 pairs that predate my wife, so at least 11.5 years old.

[mrchips]

Theres plenty of independant bike mechanics about.
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Northern Irish? www.nibikers.com

[Chriss]

[DukeRed]

IMO it's trial and error and luck.

Went to one place and it was a guy in a hut, he overcharged and did a poor job. Went to a slightly bigger place and they charged less and did some jobs I didn't even ask them to do for free!

You could ask to watch how they do it so you can do it next time, if he's good he'll be happy for you to watch I reckon.
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Enjoy Life There's Plenty of Time to be Dead
https://www.janoner.com

[DukeRed]

Yahoo business finder. I assure you there must be mechanics in your yellow pages.
____________________
Enjoy Life There's Plenty of Time to be Dead
https://www.janoner.com

[craigs23]

I only need professional work done on engine internal work and what not (areas I have little experience/confidence with).

I always use the local workshop. It's a tiny double-garaged sized place run by a top motorcycle 'technician' (he's so precise with his work I think this is a more fitting title than 'mechanic). I've known him for about 4 years and wouldn't trust anyone else to work on my bikes. As he runs such a small shop, his reputation and workmanship is of upmost importance as he can't afford to create a bad name for himself. This, to me, is very important as he cares as much about the work that he does than the buisness he runs.

Also, as I've known him for a while, he usually gives me a good deal on odd-jobs - fitting and balancing of new tyres, plus new valves cost me a tenner last time round.

I've had bad previous experience of larger workshops/dealerships doing half a job (and bodging it at that) so they can 'service' as many bikes as possible within a day. I found out later on, to get the work done in their 'alloted' time, that 3 people were working around the bikes. Which is fine if they're professional, but the cack-handed working order they left my bike in, looked like they were falling over eachother trying to knock the bike back together. Thier hourly rate wasn't as much as the local shop, but I'd rather pay a couple of quid more for a bit more patience/care and attention.

[.....]

[0ddball]

Can't you do it yourself? Servicing a bike is as basic as it gets and knowing a bit about how the bike fits together can be the difference between being stranded at the roadside waiting 2 hours for the AA or a 5 min bodge to get you home.

It's understandable thet you might not want to do the valve clearances but changing filters, fluids and plugs are childsplay.

[Kwaks]

www.yell.com Will give you a complete list of local bike shops and mechanics. Best of luck.

[G]

I would try and do some of the work yourself - stuff like changing oil is pretty easy, as are most of the 'checks'.

Best bet is to see if anyone has any reccomendations for garages in your local area.
Why not put a question in your local usergruop in here?

[Villers]

I think the 'fair trade' rule stated that as long as your bike was serviced using the branded parts and to the same 'schedule' as the dealer then your warranty should be ok - Im not sure if there is a regulation about what kind of training has to be proven. As far as repairs outside of your warranty then you need to get out and talk to some local bikers, they are the ones with the knowledge of the repairers in your area. Each will have his own horror stories about so and so etc. and each will have a good story. The choice is then up to you.

For the value of your bike though, if you have a full dealer service history it looks a lot better than 'changed all them bits myself each year' or 'tom/dick/harry did it for me'. If your bike is older it really wont matter though.


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RS125 > CBR6 > SV650S > ZX636R > GSX1300RZ Hayabusa > 06 RSVR Mille > SV1000S > Street Triple 765 RS

[G]

[Whosthedaddy]

[Chriss]

I can happily change anything that's "bolt off, replace, bolt on" but time is the the biggest factors against me, plus complicated work I'd rather to leave with someone who has some idea of what to do.
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TheShaggyDA: I've got 3 or 4 pairs that predate my wife, so at least 11.5 years old.

[Whosthedaddy]