Happy with a dealer

[Rofbox 331]

Just had my 8000 mile service (only covered 3000 though) carried out by Kent Motorcycles, £158 and happy to pay it. All staff, which included the owner, pleasant and helpful and made me feel they really appreciated my business. Offered tea on several occasions while I waited (two and a half hours, but that included frunk and solenoid recalls), and happily answered all my mundane questions. Just one problem with the bike, the rear tyre. Only about 500 miles left, in their opinion. I said, tongue in cheek, 'Any chance of changing under warranty'. Without any hesitation they said they would contact Honda and see what they could do. They seemed confident.

Now, I don't know what went on in the workshop or how thorough the service was, but what impressed me was they set the clock to the correct time. In my opinion any company which pays attention to this kind of detail usually does a good job. I'll be going there again.

[Rocker66 34,494]

Just had my 8000 mile service (only covered 3000 though) carried out by Kent Motorcycles, £158 and happy to pay it. All staff, which included the owner, pleasant and helpful and made me feel they really appreciated my business. Offered tea on several occasions while I waited (two and a half hours, but that included frunk and solenoid recalls), and happily answered all my mundane questions. Just one problem with the bike, the rear tyre. Only about 500 miles left, in their opinion. I said, tongue in cheek, 'Any chance of changing under warranty'. Without any hesitation they said they would contact Honda and see what they could do. They seemed confident.

Now, I don't know what went on in the workshop or how thorough the service was, but what impressed me was they set the clock to the correct time. In my opinion any company which pays attention to this kind of detail usually does a good job. I'll be going there again.

Glad you enjoyed your experience at Kent M/Cs. Probably your bike was done by Clive as one of his pet hates is clocks showing the wrong time.

[kayz1 2,928]

I must take a trip to see him Rocker, my clock is correct for six months each year, will be correct again soon...

Lyn.

 

PS: the day i retired from full time work i took off my wrist watch and chucked it into the skip in the Telephone

Exchange yard as i passed on my way out for the last time.

[Tonyj 6,907]

I've said this before , on here and I do tell my friends , if they are in the market for a Honda they should use Kent Honda . They are a professional operation . I've had the odd glitch but they have been sorted without any fuss or recrimination .

you know, the stupid question you might get asked like" have you used it in the rain sir" to which point you want to punch the offending oxygen thief :0). Car service department if your wondering.

I have bought several bikes from here and will make the effort to get them serviced here even though it's a round trip of 150 mile. I personally like the way you are made to feel welcome from everybody . Mind you , you have to watch out as there are some strange characters that lurk in the cafe :0)

[bazza 3,629]

I must take a trip to see him Rocker, my clock is correct for six months each year, will be correct again soon...

Lyn.

 

PS: the day i retired from full time work i took off my wrist watch and chucked it into the skip in the Telephone

Exchange yard as i passed on my way out for the last time.

My clock is right twice a day -even if its not working! Now you are retired does time "hang" - you could learn a new skill -like resetting your Honda clock!

[wozza 967]

I must take a trip to see him Rocker, my clock is correct for six months each year, will be correct again soon...

Lyn.

Same here - The clocks on both my car and bike stay on British Summer Time permanently...

[MikeBike 5,006]

waited (two and a half hours, but that included frunk and solenoid recalls),

...

but what impressed me was they set the clock to the correct time. In my opinion any company which pays attention to this kind of detail usually does a good job. I'll be going there again.

I suppose they had disconnected the battery, so the clock would have lost its time altogether and needed setting when they reconnected. My clock was not set when I had the starter relay/solenoid replaced but was set when I picked it up.

Edited December 3, 2015 by MikeBike

[Rocker66 34,494]

I must take a trip to see him Rocker, my clock is correct for six months each year, will be correct again soon...

Lyn.

 

PS: the day i retired from full time work i took off my wrist watch and chucked it into the skip in the Telephone

Exchange yard as i passed on my way out for the last time.

I can understand that. Part of my last job was logging trains in and out of the station and giving reasons for any delay so I was to the minute. Since my enforced retirement we tend to refer to times as "ish"  eg  What time are we going out? Around 11ish

[RussB644 379]

Good to hear, I went there on Rocker66's recommendation and found the same level of service - I'll be heading back in the Spring for my next service

[Guest Lenp]

I was very happy with my 8000 service (6000 miles) done at Newton Abbott Honda,mind you yours was cheaper ,,,,a lot cheaper..Ride Safe..

[kayz1 2,928]

My clock is right twice a day -even if its not working! Now you are retired does time "hang" - you could learn a new skill -like resetting your Honda clock!

I have new skills Bazza, i bought a big milling machine and a lathe, then a small mill as well for doing iccle stuff...i do a few days a month at the lads garage 2 holidays a year with Pat and 3 or 4 away with he lads on Euro trips ( bikes )   lots to do.

Lyn.

[bazza 3,629]

I have new skills Bazza, i bought a big milling machine and a lathe, then a small mill as well for doing iccle stuff...i do a few days a month at the lads garage 2 holidays a year with Pat and 3 or 4 away with he lads on Euro trips ( bikes )   lots to do.

Lyn.

sounds useful -like making a new twin chain oiler feed needed for my Loobman!

[kayz1 2,928]

you draw it Bazza i will have a go at making it

Lyn.

[dazznutts 167]

Any of you guys know any cheap places that will do fit a tyre for me Cheaply ill take wheel of bike etc

im in Rochester

Edited December 4, 2015 by dazznutts

[davelondon 48]

Anyone use HGB Ruislip for servicing, & how did they perform?

[Guest Stephen S]

Glad you enjoyed your experience at Kent M/Cs. Probably your bike was done by Clive as one of his pet hates is clocks showing the wrong time.

A mechanic with OCD gets my vote.

My local garage owner (and friend and neighbour) keeps his Harley in his breakfast room, inside a pressurised plastic bubble.

Needless to say, he was thorough.

[Guest nibbler]

I use Kent Motorcycles as well and on the whole I have been pretty pleased with them. 

 

However they are not the cheapest as when I had my 8000 mile service I was told I had to have new tyres front and back, new front pads and new chain sprockets in all I was charged around £700 which came as a hell of a shock.  They also managed to fit a DCT instrument cluster to a manual when also ended up with me getting a speeding ticket as the speedo was out but almost 10mph.

[Rev Ken 6,347]

I use Kent Motorcycles as well and on the whole I have been pretty pleased with them. 

 

However they are not the cheapest as when I had my 8000 mile service I was told I had to have new tyres front and back, new front pads and new chain sprockets in all I was charged around £700 which came as a hell of a shock.  They also managed to fit a DCT instrument cluster to a manual when also ended up with me getting a speeding ticket as the speedo was out but almost 10mph.

What would make you less than 'pretty pleased'??!!

[Tonyj 6,907]

Well I'm seeing a few hundred pounds in parts here, never mind the labour . other then the clocks cock up , were the tyres / brakes shot as per the chain and sprockets add on the service you are in front of me . Chain and sprocket and 16 k service was over the £500 mark from another dealer

Posted it here , as I thought that was a bit salty but kent mc couldn't fit me in so I went to my local honda man.

Just had new pr4's , puncture in the rear and they were a bit done for , cost me £270 roll in and fit no main stand.

Remember the poxy vat is 20% of total

[Guest nibbler]

What would make you less than 'pretty pleased'??!!

They have managed on two occasions fit me in at short notice firstly when some little shit knocked my bike over and caused the disc lock to bend the front disc and secondly when the throttle cable snapped and they came out and picked the bike up without question.

[Rev Ken 6,347]

They have managed on two occasions fit me in at short notice firstly when some little shit knocked my bike over and caused the disc lock to bend the front disc and secondly when the throttle cable snapped and they came out and picked the bike up without question.

Apologies for jumping to conclusions - OK I now understand your allegiance to your dealer.

[dave 971]

Should I ever need to use a Honda dealer again, I will go to Kent Motorcycles as first choice, Maidstone Honda put some new steering head bearings on my Deauville under warranty, which probably only needed adjusting (5 hour wait). However now at 12000 miles the clutch felt wrong and was starting to slip, it was pointed out that the clutch cable had been mis-routed, either new at the factory or most likely when they worked on the bike

Dave.

[Guest Eddie19]

I'm a great fan of Kent Motorcycles. I've bought five bikes from them in ten years and use them to service my current NC750X. I maintain my 2006 CB1300S and 2002 Africa Twin myself now, but buy the vast majority of parts and accessories for them from Kent M/Cs. I accept that dealer servicing is probably more expensive than an independent workshop, but if you build up a good relationship with your dealer, problems, if they occur, get dealt with reasonably and amicably. Equally, there are some people out there who think that conning a main dealer is OK. In my case, loyalty to Kent M/Cs paid off when I part ex'd a CBF1000 formy NC750X. The trade in value I was given was a lot more than I failed to achieve as a private sale. This was because the dealer knew my bike and serviced it annually for me. They made a very small profit when they sold it, boosted by the sale of some after market luggage the new owner had fitted. In summary, I understand that no dealer or workshop can be 100% perfect 100% ofthe time, what makes a good dealer is how they treat you if things do go wrong.

[grilo67 66]

Yep! I bought 2 bikes previously from Doble without any problems. On the 4th of November, I bought from them a second hand NC700D, 3 years old with 3725 miles on the clock. Ran into a few problems, all their fault, like wiring wrong a pair of heated grips, having to wait over two weeks to be put right. Lack of service stamps in the book and couldn't really tell me when the oil and filters were last changed. The bike was bought on the understanding that it had a full service history, which, at the time of closing the deal, I forgot to check. Confronted the owner with the situation (Mike Doble), via email directly to him, and he didn't even reply, The reply came from the guy who I done the deal with. All he was prepared to offer me was a free oil and filter change. I promply declined and felt insulted.

I hope I never need to set foot in there again. When the time comes, I shall start using Kent Motorcycles, based on the excellent reviews here in the forum.

BTW, the bike has done 1000 miles since I picked it up, and it's been brilliant so far.

[Rocker66 34,494]

Yep! I bought 2 bikes previously from Doble without any problems. On the 4th of November, I bought from them a second hand NC700D, 3 years old with 3725 miles on the clock. Ran into a few problems, all their fault, like wiring wrong a pair of heated grips, having to wait over two weeks to be put right. Lack of service stamps in the book and couldn't really tell me when the oil and filters were last changed. The bike was bought on the understanding that it had a full service history, which, at the time of closing the deal, I forgot to check. Confronted the owner with the situation (Mike Doble), via email directly to him, and he didn't even reply, The reply came from the guy who I done the deal with. All he was prepared to offer me was a free oil and filter change. I promply declined and felt insulted.

I hope I never need to set foot in there again. When the time comes, I shall start using Kent Motorcycles, based on the excellent reviews here in the forum.

BTW, the bike has done 1000 miles since I picked it up, and it's been brilliant so far.

Wise decision. You can get decent food in the cafe as well. Unlike Dobles you can speak to Haidrian the owner of Kent M/Cs face to face as he is nearly always in the shop

Edited December 24, 2015 by Rocker66