Topic: Don't work on stuff over 10 years old

[Jeb]

Was riding down Marietta PKWY N. of Atlanta and saw a Honda Dealership so I stopped to buy a couple of oil filters.  I noticed a sign above the service desk that said "We don't work on stuff over 10 years old".  I said to them I thought the reason one bought a Honda was because you didn't need to have it worked on until it was at least 10 years old.  I noticed that no one in the service dept. looked over 25 and thought maybe that's the reason. 

[Gordon]

They'd rather sell you a new bike than work on your old one.  Also, many people have unrealistic expectations of what a mechanic can do for an older bike, and also seem to think that because they only spent a few hundred dollars on it, that it should be cheap to fix as well. 

I've had many people over the last several years offer to pay me to work on their old bike, and I always decline because it will always cost more than they were expecting, and chances are the problem they pay me to fix won't be the only problem the bike has, and they won't be happy with it when I'm done.  I only work on friend's bikes and only as a favor (no money). 

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

They would have to stock more parts, can't get old parts just like us, want to sell new bikes, training young guys to work on an occasional old bike is expensive, want to sell new bikes, takes too much time & often more than a bike is worth, want to sell new bikes, might not be able to get the bike out of the shop quickly, want to sell new bikes,outcomes might not be what the owner expected, want to sell new bikes, takes away from more profitable jobs, want to sell new bikes, might get stuck with a virtually worthless bike when the owner won't pay up, would rather sell new bikes, etc, etc, etc, would rather sell new bikes.

The least these buzzards could do is train a mechanic then fire him so he could open his own side business and take care of the Honda dealers' bikes!!

[Hope]

I only work on friend's bikes and only as a favor (no money). 

Are you looking for new friends???  LOL

[333]

Try asking them in December.  They got plenty of time then.  But from the first sparks of spring, they are busy as anything working on those idiots who parked their bikes in the fall without winterizing.  The dealer I worked at in Northern VA has the same policy- except in winter!

[74cb750]

I have to totally agree with Gordon.
I like working on my bikes, but people always blanch when I tell them how
much it would cost to fiix their bikes.
Last one I worked on for someone else, I ended up charging him $5/hr
because I felt guilty for having taken so long to find parts/fix it.
No thanks.

Local shop charges $20 more an hour to work on bikes greater than 10 years old.
peace,
michel

[Jeb]

I've never owned a Honda until last year and so far have not needed a mechanic.  The local Guzzi dealer used to work (quite often) on my '78 Guzzi.  They sold more than just Guzzi and were always very busy.  Before that the BMW dealer use to work (not very often) on my '71 BMW.  On my way out to my brother's house - out of curiosity I stopped by the Harley dealership (huge place the size of a car dealership) in Stn. Mtn. GA and asked if they worked on bikes over tens years old.  They said yes as long as they could get the parts. Then I stopped by the KTM dealer in Loganville (good size place and to my suprise KTM has sport bikes) and the owner, an ex-Honda mechanic, said if I got the parts he'd work on my Honda.  So I've learned that w/ old Honda's - buy the parts on the net and if I can't fix it myself I need to take it somewhere other than the dealer.  I'll start scouting these places out now just in case.  Thanks for the info.

[grumburg]

I have had several people want me to "get there old bikes going". Have found that the ones with the biggest POS and the least knowledge have the most unrealistic expectations, or have torn it apart themselves and expect you to wave a magic wand over their f==k-ups. Thinks something that has set in the barn for 15 yrs full of gas just needs a little carb cleaner and new plugs. Have only seen one that was worth saving (75 550) but couldn't put in more than "a couple hundred". Offered to buy it but the last I knew it was still sitting.

[MRieck]

I have had several people want me to "get there old bikes going". Have found that the ones with the biggest POS and the least knowledge have the most unrealistic expectations, or have torn it apart themselves and expect you to wave a magic wand over their f==k-ups. Thinks something that has set in the barn for 15 yrs full of gas just needs a little carb cleaner and new plugs. Have only seen one that was worth saving (75 550) but couldn't put in more than "a couple hundred". Offered to buy it but the last I knew it was still sitting.

That's pretty much it. If I wanted to fix toilets I'd have become a plumber. Most of these old bikes have been neglected and a good number of owners are cheap as well as unrealistic. That's a bad combination. I've made...and continue to make..good money dealing with older bikes that dealerships won't touch. I have some conditions though. If the bike is a POS I won't touch it. I've sent people home with a trailered bike. Also...if I say a part needs to be replaced that's it I'm going to replace it. Last part...no Magna's or other V4's.

[ohiocaferacer]

I noticed a sign above the service desk that said "We don't work on stuff over 10 years old".

The way I understand it from a couple of buddies who are mechanics at the local dealerships. They only keep service manuals for the prior 10 years......and their insurance policies will only cover bikes that have been serviced with a factory service manual. So.......if they dont have the factory service manual on hand at the shop they have no coverage on that bike.

Later,
Greg
 

[merc2dogs]

 Used to make big money working on things that were too old for other people to work on

   Some of the problem with working on older bikes is that there is quite often something else wrong with the bike, if someone runs an old bike in for a tune up, carb rebuild etc, you do the work,  then he takes it and wrecks it because the brakes are shot, tire blows, or the fuel tank sprung a leak and the thing caught fire, people WILL blame the mechanic for not noticing the problem.

  Stupid, but nobody has ever accused a lawyer of doing the right thing!

Ken

[Jeb]

So MRieck what's w/ the V4's?

[seaweb11]

The way I understand it from a couple of buddies who are mechanics at the local dealerships. They only keep service manuals for the prior 10 years......and their insurance policies will only cover bikes that have been serviced with a factory service manual. So.......if they dont have the factory service manual on hand at the shop they have no coverage on that bike.

Later,
Greg
 

I have certainly seen the mechanic at my local dealership on his computer using an online manual working on my bikes from time to time though.

[MRieck]

So MRieck what's w/ the V4's?

Try to put a set of carbs on....you'll see.

[Rocker]

You wouldn't be talking about Motions would you? I have never had a good experience there. Unless you ride a crotch rocket or motorcross, you are not important it seems. Plus their prices are uber high.

Was riding down Marietta PKWY N. of Atlanta and saw a Honda Dealership so I stopped to buy a couple of oil filters.  I noticed a sign above the service desk that said "We don't work on stuff over 10 years old".  I said to them I thought the reason one bought a Honda was because you didn't need to have it worked on until it was at least 10 years old.  I noticed that no one in the service dept. looked over 25 and thought maybe that's the reason.