now i know why your arse always hurts. CCG is all i have to say!!!!!!

 

I've been getting all of my services done there. I haven't had any problems yet. but reading all this is making me rethink where i spend my money. Whats a good shop in the clearwater/st pete area to go to that wont over charge me and has good customer service?

 

+1, except im in tampa... i bought my bike from there and its almost time for a service and after hearing all of this i dont want to take my bike there

 

Heres a question I have to ask you guys that take it in for service.

Why not take a few hours a day and learn your bike so you can do them yourself and save $$$

 

I'm completely capable of doing minor work myself. But I like having records of all the work that gets done. At least untill the warrenty is over then i'll work on it myself. Plus im not cheap. spending a few bills on maint. every few months is no big deal. I would rather pay a 'proffesional" to do the work i need knowing that its right.
The peace of mind your "supposed" to get by having a proffesional do the work is well worth the money, at least IMO.
Thats why they get 60$+ and hour for labor. Job should get done right and there should be no questions as to the quality of work they do.

 

I only got the first oil change done at the dealership.
Just to get it documented.

I have done every oil change,chain adjustment,cable lubing,air filter cleaning,brakes,spark plug change I have done on my bike.

Thats not being cheap,thats cause im capeable of doing it.
Me doing it myself and inspecting my work after im done is my peace of mind.

I wouldnt say im a bike mechanic,im far from that.
But my automotive knowledge has helped me to learn the bike so I can do my own work.So I know for sure riding down the road.My drain plug is not going to fall out.

People makes mistakes,so dont expect a "professional" not to.
They might get $60.+ per hour at the dealership for labor,but not from me.

My oil changes cost me about $30.-$35. what does it cost you guys who take it to the dealerships?

 

When I bought my bikes (two from Motorsports of Tampa and one from Barney's in Brandon) they both told me I had to get my services done by a factory authorized service department or my factory warranty would be void. Was that just a bunch of B.S. to get more money out of me or do you actually need documentation to prove you had all the maintenance done on time???

 

Well I heard the same thing.

I even called Motorsports (Where I got my bike) and went to them for the first oil change to get it documented.

They said Its better to get the first oil change done through them,They had to look at the oil for metal flaking.

Ok,thats understand able.

But they said to keep my reciets of items I buy for the oil change/
Oil/filter.Which I have done.

I have had some small warrenty issues.NONE dealing with internals.

But I have a friend who had problems with internals and did his own oil changes.


It was covered 100% under warrenty.

 

I think the important thing to remember here is that no one can void your warranty without just cause. You can have your service done by anyone including yourself. If you do something wrong in the course of servicing your bike, and that directly leads to the mechanical failure, than yes, that can void your warranty for the damaged parts. There has to be a correlation between what you did and what failed. So s long as you've done the work correctly, there should never be any concern.

 

Lets not forget that a professional is just someone that does a job for a living, thus that is their profession. You could be the biggest fumble fuck in the world but as long as the shop keeps paying you to change blinker fluid and change muffler bearings your still a professional. Once a master mechanic with 30 years retires he is no longer a professional, yet he has forgotten more than the pimply faced highschool drop out, that is still getting payed to change oil and has only been doing it for a month, will ever know.......but the drop out is a professional.......NO THANKS, I'll do my own work. If it's a warranty issue, all you have to do is show proof that oil changes were done, keep the receipts and make a log book of when and what was done....it also helps if when you change the filter to use a different brand of filter than the manufacturer puts on ( but still use one that they reccommend), that way there is no disputing that the oil and filter have been changed at least once.

Keep in mind, the professional isn't stranded on the side of the road or in the hospital when your bike goes tits up, he could care less because he's at home playing on the ps3 that he just bought with your money. It's your ass (literally) that is on the line and YOU are the only one that will take the care to make sure everything is done to spec.