First service

[Trev 18,570]

On 8/23/2018 at 15:42, Andy m said:

The Enfield I did myself as their only mechanic went on maturnity leave.

 

Andy

 

...... the punchline to that is? C'mon, I know you have one!

[larryblag 14,236]

I think my last two bikes were getting near the 1,000 miles mark. 

Dealers always found it hard to fit them in. I'm still waiting for a call back from Vertu Nottingham and I don't even have the CB1100 any more. 

[Andy m 23,473]

33 minutes ago, Trev said:

 

...... the punchline to that is? C'mon, I know you have one!

No punchline, a simple statement of what happened. A really good excuse of course, you can't deny the urgency of it. The lady's condition I will add was nothing to do with me! 

 

Andy

[Trev 18,570]

10 minutes ago, Andy m said:

 The lady's condition I will add was nothing to do with me! 

 

Andy

 

I'll set 'em up ......... 

[Andy m 23,473]

I'm sure she's lovely but the wife usually objects... 😁

 

Andy

[Guest Smiffy]

Now up to 800 ish m. I decided to give the chain and rear wheel a clean in preparation for the service next week. I could actually feel the love coming from my bike as I worked on it. If it could sing I reckon it would have been a Julio Englais ballad. 

[Andy m 23,473]

13 minutes ago, Smiffy said:

.... decided to give the chain and rear wheel a clean in preparation for the service next week. I could actually feel the love coming from my bike... 

OMG, don't tell Steve, I'm sure the bike can't love you..... Ah... Sorry..... Wrong thread.... 😁😁😁😁

 

WTH are you cleaning before the service? Is this not having a dog and being barking yourself? Dealer mechanics are a bit like Yeti's and Abominable Snowmen (whom I'm sure are lovely and only use the title in jest), you never see them but can tell where they've been from the tracks. When they expertly put the dirt back you'll know they've done a really thorough job (or that's what their manager will tell you). If they wash the bike you know they've at least got the sense not to get caught and that might just extend to the ultimate blame avoidance plan: do the job properly. 

 

Andy

 

 

[Guest Smiffy]

7 minutes ago, Andy m said:

OMG, don't tell Steve, I'm sure the bike can't love you..... Ah... Sorry..... Wrong thread.... 😁😁😁😁

 

WTH are you cleaning before the service? Is this not having a dog and being barking yourself? Dealer mechanics are a bit like Yeti's and Abominable Snowmen (whom I'm sure are lovely and only use the title in jest), you never see them but can tell where they've been from the tracks. When they expertly put the dirt back you'll know they've done a really thorough job (or that's what their manager will tell you). If they wash the bike you know they've at least got the sense not to get caught and that might just extend to the ultimate blame avoidance plan: do the job properly. 

 

Andy

 

 

 

I have great respect for (good honest) mechanics,  psychologically I feel that If I can present them with a clean part to work with it might spur them on to go the extra little bit and make sure all the little tweaks are done. I personally hate working in crap conditions. 

[SteveThackery 3,090]

16 hours ago, Smiffy said:

 

I have great respect for (good honest) mechanics,  psychologically I feel that If I can present them with a clean part to work with it might spur them on to go the extra little bit and make sure all the little tweaks are done. I personally hate working in crap conditions. 

 

I think there's a lot of truth in that.  I think a mechanic, when presented with a filthy bike and a beautifully clean one, will subconsciously assume the owner of the clean bike is more fussy, will enjoy working on the clean bike more, and will take more care over a bike that appears to be cared for by the owner.

 

About mechanics in general - the big problem for me is that it's so hard to find a good one, and so hard to know when you've found one, as these days you get very little interaction with them.  Both the Honda and BMW dealers I've visited recently keep you in the reception area as the bike is whisked away to be worked on.

[Guest Smiffy]

1 hour ago, SteveThackery said:

 

I think there's a lot of truth in that.  I think a mechanic, when presented with a filthy bike and a beautifully clean one, will subconsciously assume the owner of the clean bike is more fussy, will enjoy working on the clean bike more, and will take more care over a bike that appears to be cared for by the owner.

 

About mechanics in general - the big problem for me is that it's so hard to find a good one, and so hard to know when you've found one, as these days you get very little interaction with them.  Both the Honda and BMW dealers I've visited recently keep you in the reception area as the bike is whisked away to be worked on.

 

I'm lucky in that respect because my local stealership has some good mechanics working there and I've had some good conversations with them in the past. They will actually service and MOT other bike makes apart from Honda. My Triumph Trident always had good treatment there which gives you a lot of confidence in the place. 

[Guest Smiffy]

I picked up the newly serviced bike from the stealership today. The engine still has a strange noise about it, I think it's coming more from the airbox than anywhere else. I can live with that, bearing in mind Honda are calling this (new concept) and I trust their engineering.  I went on a 40 mile shake down and have got to say I'm really pleased with it. As the engine receives more miles it's getting better and better. To me a sign of a good engine.