Topic: Just got the repair bill - ouch!

[05c50]

Fish, that is a very nice looking bike. The way I see the price on your bill, you paid a professional for professional work. It sounds like you were impressed with his other work enough to have him look your bike over for problems. It sounds like he took a good look and found some potential problems (brakes, sprockets,electrical). It takes time to "check" things out, and time is money. Changing oil may not be as technical as overhauling a transmission, but his hourly costs remain the same. If the work is up to snuff, you got your monies worth. Could you have done it cheaper.....probably, but everyday we pay professionals to do something for us that we could do. The only issue I see Here, is that you didn't ask "how much?" and he didn't volunteer the info.
I hope you bought the bike to ride, not to flip, pretty hard to make money on these. It's hard to swallow the expense, but ride and enjoy the bike as much as you can and divide the dollars spent by the number of "fun" miles and the cost keeps getting lower and lower.
Just my .02

...........Paul
 

[Johnie]

Just have to chime in here...that is a great looking bike..WOW!!!  Very nice.  As far as the bill, I agree it is getting hard to find someone that knows these bikes and how to "correctly" fix them.  Most of the new mechanics at my dealer do not even know how to do points with all the electronic ignition systems out there.  They have no experience with them.  As far as what you paid, be happy you have a guy that did it correct.  Keep him in your back pocket you may need him.  Keep in mind a lot of guys get their bike back from the shop and it is not right.  At least you paid good $$$ and have it done right.  I think it is good to patronize your local shop when you can.  I do buy a lot of parts from my dealer and they give me a discount.  And they are happy I am doing the labor myself as they do not know much about the the KO or K1...but they sure like to look at them.

[Fish]

Good eye Bryan.  Ya, I was surprised to see the standard exhaust when I first saw the bike.  More rare is the fact that it is in perfect condition except for a small shoe-rubber burn on the left side (I'm hoping that some oven cleaner will take that off).  I knew that I was paying in the upper range of what a cb550 was worth, but I still decided it was worth it due to the condition of the bike - from the frame to the gauge faces to the smooth throttle operation.  I have seen lots of old Hondas listed in placed like Arizona and California in such good condition, but our climate up here is harder on machinery and antiques are all a bit rougher.

Paul,
Well said.  Every bike I have owned, I have intended to keep for my entire life and pass down to one of my sons - problem is, before long something else catches my eye and all of that goes out the window.  Two yeas ago I sold my '75 cb550f for money towards an '07 Kawasaki Versys, which by the way is a FANTASTIC motorcycle.  But when I had the Versys, I missed the class and style of a vintage sohc4 and before I knew it, the Versys was up for sale.  I am in a position in life where I can afford to have every motorcycle I desire... I just can't have them all at the same time  .  I am hoping that the money I have put into this machine will prevent me from even considering selling it should I pull another Jeckle/Hyde in the future  .

Chad

[Fish]

Johnie,
Thanks, but if your bike is the 750 in your avatar, I should be the one complimenting you.  And you're right, I don't know what I would do if I didn't have some place where I could take a vintage Honda to... it just might be enough to persuade me from owning one.  I'm not a skilled mechanic (not a skilled anything really) and it is good insurance knowing that this guy is there.  He was initially going to put an o-ring chain on the bike but when he got it installed he said he ran a feeler gauge between it and the case and even though it wasn't touching, he wasn't comfortable with the clearances.  I see that it is a known issue here in the forum, but it makes me glad to know that he is checking things like that.

- Chad 

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

A near perfect old bike is an investment and you have made a wise investment. Most guys can't find a competent mechanic. Expensive yes. Take care of and preserve the bike. You may not put many miles on it and if you don't all you'll now need are oil changes and brake fluid changes.

As far as Harley service rates from 6 years ago that someone mentioned, those rates were higher than they are 6 years later. My local dealer has a great full service department and is less than $80 NOW.

Someone also mentioned a head gasket replacement for $750 IF HE PULLED THE ENGINE. Thats about the silliest BS I have ever heard. DO NOT let this guy touch your bike. Thats about $200 for labor max and a $550 head gasket.     

[rhos1355]

I think you missed out on a good offer there, Fish.

Those Dubliners can't drink more thank a couple of pints of Guinness then they start a fight!

You could have sat and watched them beating merry sh!te out of each other and having a great craic. The fun would have been endless. I know, I lived in Ireland for 4 years, never a dull moment.

[Jakoba]

Hey fish, thats one goooood lokin' bike.

As for your wrench's bill....remember "You get what you pay for". Sound like you got off just fine.

Over the winter my 78 750 K ha dthe folowing done;
New tapered Steering Bearings
New Rear Shocks
New Forks Seals and Washers
New Front Tire
New Rear TireNew
Rear Wheel Bearings
New Slip on Mufflers
New Tach Seal
Replaced stator and new gasket
Welded Centerstand brackets and installed Center Stand
Clean/Polished Head Pipes
Replaced Front Fender
Replaced Rear Fender
New Maintneance Free Battery
New Period Correct Sissybar/Luggage Rack
Replaced Tailight
Painted Engine
Painted Frame
Cleaned Sanded and Polished all Aluminum
Painted Tach and Speedo
Painted upper/lower trees
Painted tank and side covers @ pin-striped

I think that's it

All this for under $1200.00 cdn. I would not want to know how much a mechanic would charge me for that.

Cheers
Jako

[MCRider]

It looks like seaweb covered everything on his list. I also got a new chain along with the sprockets, and he checked my wheel and steering bearings and was going to replace them if necessary (I forgot to ask if they were replaced).  Oh, and he tracked down an electrical gremlin that was causing the tail light to not work. I don't know exactly what else there was for parts but I will get the complete list when I pick the bike up.  This guy runs an actual shop doing restorations and his own machining.  He's just buttoning up a 1970's Ducati resto that I mistook for a brand-new Sport Classic, but he seems to have a real passion for these old Hondas and knew exactly what to look for and where to look.  With my last cb550 he even came up with a supersport side cover from his cache of parts.  I don't really know of a shop around here where I can sit down and chew the fat with a mechanic who's been doing this since these bikes were new... and he's close to my house so that's a bonus too.  

Spanner, Hush, and Mick: I just finished the calculations (particularly the part about Ireland) and I'm going to have to pass on your generous offers.  In fact, it appears as though I got an absolute bargain by going this route; I can't wait to tell the missus how much money I saved. Cheers guys.


- Chad

I'd have to say, if he knew what he was doing (sounds like it) and does it for a living and actually pays taxes and insurance and shop upkeep, and takes responsibility it was done right, it was fair.