I'm at a loss for words...

patthesoundguy · Post by **patthesoundguy** » Fri May 18, 2012 11:36 pm

I just finished fixing my friends 85 aero 80... She had taken it to the local Honda dealer to have the idle set because it was stalling and sputtering at lights. I knew all along that it needed more that just the idle air screw set, but anyway. They cleaned the carb set the idle up and it still sputtered who knows how much they charged her. She told me it was really cranky below half a tank so I got her to bring it over and I drained the tank and cleaned the screen flushed the tank. solved that issue. Now here comes the crazy... Now if you had to hold the air box to take it off the carb, if the cover was loose and rattled wouldn't you suspect somthing was wrong. The airbox cover was missing the gasket!! And It gets better they put in a new plug, it was so loose I could almost unscrew it with my fingers, and it gets better. The entire rear fender was only held on by one screw and free floating and missing the bracket that holds it in place so the rubber gasket on the carb that connects it to the air box was not sealing at all. They sent it out like that, said nothing! The plug was almost white after a week! I'm so very glad she brought it over!! Now I've vented I feel better!! What do guys make of that?

Madman · Post by **Madman** » Fri May 18, 2012 11:46 pm

Never trust a dealer they hope you blow it up so they can sell you another bike! Or car!

sanjuro · Post by **sanjuro** » Sat May 19, 2012 12:15 am

NEVER take it to the dealer!!!

motormike · Post by **motormike** » Sat May 19, 2012 1:54 am

It pays to know how to work on your own scootz...

When you're not mechanically inclined, and must depend on others for repairs,...you will always find incompetents that can foul up more than they fix. There is no good reason for any dealer to send a bike out the door in such poor condition.

Bear45-70 · Post by **Bear45-70** » Sat May 19, 2012 2:02 am

I suspect they are 4 stroke motorcycle mechanics and don't know s*** about 2 strokes.

swimmingfree · Post by **swimmingfree** » Sat May 19, 2012 7:52 am

if bike are like cars now a days there is no one that can work on these thinks because there is no place to plug in the computer to tell then what to do!!
the scare part is what thay charge per hour to do * pore work thats why this form is so good and helping people on there rides is so hard as well ..
swimmingfree

geezer101 · Post by **geezer101** » Sat May 19, 2012 8:51 am

If you are a mechanic noob then you're at the mercy of these guys - and if you're a woman you are considered easy prey to be ripped off. My experiences with my first car was the catalyst for me to take up a mechanics certificate and learn to do repairs for myself (plus being broke is a good motivator too...) I kicked myself on how many times I paid extortionist bills to have some pretty basic repairs done

patthesoundguy · Post by **patthesoundguy** » Sat May 19, 2012 9:33 pm

Bear45-70 wrote:I suspect they are 4 stroke motorcycle mechanics and don't know s*** about 2 strokes.

I hear that and most mechanics around here where I life are just parts re-placers. If its anything out of the norm they don't really have a clue or want anything to do with it. The last time I had my van worked on at a shop they had a customers car with a problem in the ign switch it had a little piece of plastic that had broken off inside, they were going to have to take the enitire steering column and replace it to the tune of $600 and a huge ton of labour they diddnt want to, it just a young guy working on it I told him to super glue it, and they were all shocked. I went out to my van handed him my tube of gorilla super glue and said there you go. It prob still works to this day!

patthesoundguy · Post by **patthesoundguy** » Sat May 19, 2012 9:53 pm

swimmingfree wrote:if bike are like cars now a days there is no one that can work on these thinks because there is no place to plug in the computer to tell then what to do!!
the scare part is what thay charge per hour to do * pore work thats why this form is so good and helping people on there rides is so hard as well ..
swimmingfree

You said it my friend!! That's why when I find someone who knows what the * they are doing I stick with em.

Skipper20 · Post by **Skipper20** » Sun May 20, 2012 3:44 pm

sanjuro wrote:NEVER take it to the dealer!!!

Actually, most MC/scooter dealers won't work on bikes that are over 10 years old. And, yes, that most likely means they'd like to sell you a new one claiming your old scoot just isn't worth fixing. Well, since it definitely is worth fixing, that means we've got to learn how to do it ourselves or cultivate an independant MC/scooter repair shop that can do the work and do it well. I'm OK with minor stuff like air filter and spark plug replacement, oil changes for a 4T engine, brake adjustments and the like but for the really serious stuff I rely on a neighborhood shop that does really nice work and doesn't charge an arm and a leg. And, most importantly, they LIKE to work on the older bikes!

Bill in Seattle

'87 SE50 Elite
'86 CH150D Elite
'87 Helix 250
'02 Reflex 250

patthesoundguy · Post by **patthesoundguy** » Sun May 20, 2012 9:08 pm

Skipper20 wrote:
sanjuro wrote:NEVER take it to the dealer!!!
Actually, most MC/scooter dealers won't work on bikes that are over 10 years old. And, yes, that most likely means they'd like to sell you a new one claiming your old scoot just isn't worth fixing. Well, since it definitely is worth fixing, that means we've got to learn how to do it ourselves or cultivate an independant MC/scooter repair shop that can do the work and do it well. I'm OK with minor stuff like air filter and spark plug replacement, oil changes for a 4T engine, brake adjustments and the like but for the really serious stuff I rely on a neighborhood shop that does really nice work and doesn't charge an arm and a leg. And, most importantly, they LIKE to work on the older bikes!

Bill in Seattle
'87 SE50 Elite
'86 CH150D Elite
'87 Helix 250
'02 Reflex 250

Yeah independent shops with folks who like older bikes is the ticket. I found one of those just lately, He mainly works on and rebuilds old stuff as far back as the 40's or further for the local vintage motorcycle club. He is the guy who did the MVI on my spree, he also does other small engines as well so he has the now how to make any thing work and a lot of the time without new parts because they just aren't available for some of the old bikes. My friends father recommended I go there and he tried to get my friend with the aero to go to him too. Needless to say when there is something more seriously wrong with her scooter that I cant tackle she will be paying him a visit. And the best part is he only charges $25/hour.

89eliteR · Post by **89eliteR** » Mon May 21, 2012 9:59 am

patthesoundguy wrote:I just finished fixing my friends 85 aero 80... She had taken it to the local Honda dealer to have the idle set because it was stalling and sputtering at lights. I knew all along that it needed more that just the idle air screw set, but anyway. They cleaned the carb set the idle up and it still sputtered who knows how much they charged her. She told me it was really cranky below half a tank so I got her to bring it over and I drained the tank and cleaned the screen flushed the tank. solved that issue. Now here comes the crazy... Now if you had to hold the air box to take it off the carb, if the cover was loose and rattled wouldn't you suspect somthing was wrong. The airbox cover was missing the gasket!! And It gets better they put in a new plug, it was so loose I could almost unscrew it with my fingers, and it gets better. The entire rear fender was only held on by one screw and free floating and missing the bracket that holds it in place so the rubber gasket on the carb that connects it to the air box was not sealing at all. They sent it out like that, said nothing! The plug was almost white after a week! I'm so very glad she brought it over!! Now I've vented I feel better!! What do guys make of that?

What shop was this? I got mixed results with pro cycle, but I never get them to work on mine.

SuprasNsprees · Post by **SuprasNsprees** » Mon May 21, 2012 11:26 am

dealerships are hurting lately. no one wants to spend money.. so, places are hiring-in cheaper help

it sucks

Dio89Elite · Post by **Dio89Elite** » Mon May 21, 2012 1:53 pm

Tis unfortunately true, dealerships are a hit and miss (and sadly sometimes more misses than hits). I am the same way, when I find a competent mechanic, I will stick with that person and give them all my business, even if I have to wait some. Unfortunately the competent and honest mechanics are become more rare to find.

I am appalled at how some of these shops (whether from dealer or independent) will send out vehicles in poor condition, especially with the rates that they charge. At the very least I would expect the utmost honesty. If the shop found missing parts on my vehicle and needed to order, I expect a phone call for an update and an estimate on how much those parts would cost and my approval to order those parts.(unless I've given them prior approval up front).

What we are missing too are the basics of customer service. Some of these people don't know how to interact with people tactfully and they wonder why they don't have return/repeat customers.

patthesoundguy · Post by **patthesoundguy** » Tue May 22, 2012 1:47 pm

What shop was this? I got mixed results with pro cycle, but I never get them to work on mine.[/quote]

He is an independant guy out on the Prospect road about 10 min from Exhiibition park. PM me if you ever need his number

What I expect happened there with her scooter is the tech who worked on it was a noob or somthing. And to top it off I had her come over to set the carb up yesterday because I didnt have time to do it when she was over last week. There is no way the idle mixture could have been set corrrectly on that scooter when it was in the shop. Ther was a tab in the way of the mixture scew. At one point someone had cut the tab but diddnt cut it all the way so the mixture screw couldnt turn all the way in to turn out the right amount for the starting point as per manual. Just so happens the spot the screw needed to be for idle mixture to be correct was in the rang that was blocked by the tab. Was the idle mixture screw locked in one factory set position on an 85 aero 80? The thing starts and idles so perfect now. Im going to do some plug readings on it next week when I have some new plug for her to do so.

Honda Spree and Elite 50 Forums