New member from Vienna, AuSTria (Europe)

An observation from reading NT problems from this site.
It sure seems sad that many of the issues of NT world are caused by mechanics that people pay good $$ to service their machines. As an example the drive splines not being lubed at tire changes.
If the only way we can count on proper maintenance is to do it ourselves motorcycling will be extremely limited.
I don't have much 1st hand knowledge if car mechanics have the same problems.

Brad
 
I found a Facebook video of work being done building scooters and TransAlps at the Honda Atessa plant. Should have kept the link.
 
ARKNT said:
An observation from reading NT problems from this site.
It sure seems sad that many of the issues of NT world are caused by mechanics that people pay good $$ to service their machines. As an example the drive splines not being lubed at tire changes.
If the only way we can count on proper maintenance is to do it ourselves motorcycling will be extremely limited.
I don't have much 1st hand knowledge if car mechanics have the same problems.

Brad
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I am sure there a good and bad mechanics in both industries. In my experience my Honda auto dealer does far superior work as compared to the dealer that serviced my NT. Now some of that maybe that my Honda car dealer only sells and works on Honda cars while my Honda motorcycle dealer is a multi line dealer where the mechanics have to be familiar with all makes and models that they sell.
 
I agree with Warren on this, my local Honda car dealer has been great for service, no issues.

As far as the NT goes however, I do all the work on it myself, including removing/installing/balancing my own tires. The Honda dealer I purchased it from is long gone, I really have no other local options. Bought a service manual for it shortly after purchase. I've found the NT relatively easy to work on, removing the bodywork for service takes a little extra time but it's not what I'd call difficult.

Brad
 
Warren said:
I am sure there a good and bad mechanics in both industries. In my experience my Honda auto dealer does far superior work as compared to the dealer that serviced my NT. Now some of that maybe that my Honda car dealer only sells and works on Honda cars while my Honda motorcycle dealer is a multi line dealer where the mechanics have to be familiar with all makes and models that they sell.
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I've had excellent service from my local Honda auto dealer. Not so good with the Honda Motorcycle dealers I've dealt with. My mc maintenance issues started in '99 when I bought my first new bike, a '99 Kawasaki Concours, at Sun Motorcycles in Denver. It was delivered with 20psi in both tires even though the pre-delivery checklist showed 36/42 and was dated the day before I picked up the bike. Service blamed Sales. Then when I took it back two days later for the 600-mile check, I got it back with four fairing attachment screws missing and an oil leak that had not been there before. I let them do one recall and then told them I'd do my own maintenance.

When I bought my NT from Sun in '10, the salesman told me that they had completely changed service personnel and that they were proud of their service. They sold me a 4-yr extended service that included the first two services free. I was completely impressed with them up until the last 2-3 years. Prior to that time, they almost always could do a 1-day turnaround, which was very helpful. Until '14, I lived 80 miles from the dealership. When we moved to Greeley, that dropped to 50 miles, but then around '17, they started wanting the bike for 2-3 days for a full service. That meant that Joanne had to follow me down to Denver and then take me back.

Even though I had had difficulties at Wild West Harley, the Honda dealer here in Greeley, I decided to give them another try and so far they've done a good job. But they only have two mechanics who work on Hondas and one of them goes to Arizona every year after Thanksgiving and doesn't come back till mid-April. So, if I need them in that period of time, I usually have to wait a couple of weeks for them to get to me.
 
ARKNT said:
It sure seems sad that many of the issues of NT world are caused by mechanics that people pay good $$ to service their machines. As an example the drive splines not being lubed at tire changes.
If the only way we can count on proper maintenance is to do it ourselves motorcycling will be extremely limited.
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Well, I'd also hold owner's/consumer's general attitude accountable for this demise...
Manual/technical labor getting dissed & undervalued since decades, everyone feels entitled to get everything for free or cheap...
Shops in the squeeze keeping costs down often have one mechanic and a hand full of untrained hands...
Folks getting their tires done at some backyard busines over saving a couple of bucks...
The general ignorance of "use and don't care" that seemed to have risen with the spread of computers & smartphones (whilst even those would require maintenance though)...

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I received excellent service and training(!) from '92 onward by my ST1100 mechanic, after he retired over health reasons an odyssey started...

But lack of proper maintenance will lead to cascading, expensive aftermath, rather sooner then later... 😑
 
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The mechanic at the Main Honda Dealer who originally looked after my bike left. Unfortunately I don't know where he went to. The mechanics who then looked after my bike were OK but not to his level. About 3 years ago, a new mechanic arrived and he's really good.
 
Speaking of good or bad bike mechanics. MY mech seems to be pretty good when I can get him to work on my bikes. He is not always available. However he is a good instructor. He taught my daughter how to do normal maint. Now if he can get her to do it. Here are a few pictures of him working on my bikes over the years. Only problem is he is getting a bit older and his enthusiasm for working on motorcycles is waning a bit. 😂😂😂

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Chucksklrst said:
That is a good price.
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Definitely will save me lots of hustle in the future...
As they charge 1 hour labor at the motorcycle shop, will it pay off in like 9 tire changes...
is it pneumatic or electric.
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Table rotor electric, bead-braker & rim clamps pneumatic... works like a charm...
includes tire gauge, a long tire-iron, spare plastic protectors for the mounting head...
 
ST1100Y said:
Definitely will save me lots of hustle in the future...
As they charge 1 hour labor at the motorcycle shop, will it pay off in like 9 tire changes...

Table rotor electric, bead-braker & rim clamps pneumatic... works like a charm...
includes tire gauge, a long tire-iron, spare plastic protectors for the mounting head...
Click to expand...
Charges ONE HOUR? Nothing wrong with changing your own tires but I take off the wheel and my dealer charges me $35. Looks like a nice piece of equipment, though.
 
I am like Chuck. After I became an aircraft mechanic I loved working on my bikes....set the valves of my Yamaha 650 twin? Change the tires with irons? No problem....good sense of satisfaction. Now I am like, "Should I put those speed bleeders on my VFR today?.....Nahhhhh...maybe tomorrow.....I am a big believer in Preventitive maintenance and keeping quality vehicle logs.....nagging my wife to get her oil changed (I used to do her cars) is about like Chuck getting his daughter to do maintenance. How many people out there in vehicle land check their spare tire pressure? Know where their dip stick is? Can change a flat?
 
Warren said:
I am sure there a good and bad mechanics in both industries. In my experience my Honda auto dealer does far superior work as compared to the dealer that serviced my NT. Now some of that maybe that my Honda car dealer only sells and works on Honda cars while my Honda motorcycle dealer is a multi line dealer where the mechanics have to be familiar with all makes and models that they sell.
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Frosty says any mechanic who is really good on bikes becomes an auto mechanic where the real money is. I think there is some truth in that but there are also those mechanics who are good and just want to work on bikes. Most dealers insulate the customer from the mechanics so small shops can be better in some instances. I have always found that if I feel I want to do the work, I always get a job done the right way, and triple checked, and it matters not how long it takes.....
 
Coyote Chris said:
How many people out there in vehicle land check their spare tire pressure?
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Guilty. A week or two ago I checked my truck spare. It would have worked but was way low. I plan on doing better, I even built a tool to make it more convenient to lower the spare to access it. I have no excuse now.
Like anything there are good and not so good mechanics. I do think they are getting harder to find. I'm younger than many here but as age related issues happen it will be harder to do the required stuff.

Brad
 
Coyote Chris said:
... I take off the wheel and my dealer charges me $35.
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A logistical nightmare either way...
I need to take a day off, have the bike and a car (hence a second person) at the shed, throw the wheels into the car, get to the shop, etc...
Or make an appointment, drop the bike off, no you can't wait, we call when its done, grab a rental scooter to get home, pick my rig up again "somewhen" in the late afternoon...
35,- you might pay when you'd also buy the tires there...

So I can do it relaxed at the evening or on a weekend, carefully clean the wheel flanges, etc...
 
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