[Controlu]

This last Easter weekend I bought an '03 Goldwing trike. Illusion Blue. After buying, I find out there is no place in my area (Fort Myers, FL) that will work on a Goldwing older than eight years. The local Honda dealer will not even talk to me. I took it to a local trike shop where I bought it and I have been waiting for six weeks (6) to get the water pump replace. I need better that that.

Is there anyone in this group from my area that can recommend someone that will do work om my '03?

 

[jlbc212]

There's a vendor on this forum, GoldWIngrGreg who owns JustWings. He only services Goldwings. He is located in Zephryhills, north of Tampa, not exactly close to Fort Meyers, but it may be helpful to give him a call.

 

[techdude2000]

This last Easter weekend I bought an '03 Goldwing trike. Illusion Blue. After buying, I find out there is no place in my area (Fort Myers, FL) that will work on a Goldwing older than eight years. The local Honda dealer will not even talk to me. I took it to a local trike shop where I bought it and I have been waiting for six weeks (6) to get the water pump replace. I need better that that.

Is there anyone in this group from my area that can recommend someone that will do work om my '03?

That Honda dealer is a jack_ss! It’s the same engine, water pump, and nearly the same body parts to remove on an 03 as it is for a 17. Greg will take better care of you than he would have anyway. :nerd:

 

[Flacracker]

Here is the website for justwings

http://www.justwings.com/

 

[gray red rider]

Well, that is a no brainer...GoldWingGreg is your man!

 

[Colfog]

Have you tried Southwest Cycle on Pine Island Road in Cape Coral?

 

[GoldWingrGreg]

Thanks everyone.

Not only do we replace water pumps, but we always have one in stock, as well as all 5th gen coolant hoses, and water pipes too.

 

[El Toro]

That Honda dealer is a jack_ss! It’s the same engine, water pump, and nearly the same body parts to remove on an 03 as it is for a 17. Greg will take better care of you than he would have anyway. :nerd:

The dealer may well be a jack__ss, but it is with good historic precedent that he may wish to exclude 9+ year old bikes from his service queue.

9+ year old bikes are more likely to have the following negative characteristics.

1. They are more likely to have been farkled, leading to each one being unique and a new adventure in unraveling problems.

2. They tend to be owned by frugal people who do not want to spend money on maintenance beyond what is absolutely necessary. So many of them become roaches.

3. Frugal people are often angry when a repair bill isn’t “fair.” Not Fair usually means that the shop (and mechanic) haven’t eaten the surprise costs that came up fixing the roach.

I know these aren’t always in play, and I’m sure they don’t apply to your 9+ year old bike, but they’re in play often enough.

This dealer, whoever he is, has decided it’s better to be bad mouthed for not working on the bike than it is to be bad mouthed for an even longer period for the dealer money losing issues that come up later after having unbuttoned a roach. Maybe not fair, but it is what it is ... not fair is always in the eyes of the beholder.

 

[El Toro]

Meanwhile, if you do take it to Greg, maybe you’ll get to see his bevy of beauties in person.

It is dealer policies like what you describe that feed guys like Greg, and Fred H, and other independent shops. My hat’s off to the good independents.

 

[GoldWingrGreg]

The dealer may well be a jack__ss, but it is with good historic precedent that he may wish to exclude 9+ year old bikes from his service queue.

9+ year old bikes are more likely to have the following negative characteristics.

1. They are more likely to have been farkled, leading to each one being unique and a new adventure in unraveling problems.

2. They tend to be owned by frugal people who do not want to spend money on maintenance beyond what is absolutely necessary. So many of them become roaches.

3. Frugal people are often angry when a repair bill isn’t “fair.” Not Fair usually means that the shop (and mechanic) haven’t eaten the surprise costs that came up fixing the roach.

I know these aren’t always in play, and I’m sure they don’t apply to your 9+ year old bike, but they’re in play often enough.

This dealer, whoever he is, has decided it’s better to be bad mouthed for not working on the bike than it is to be bad mouthed for an even longer period for the dealer money losing issues that come up later after having unbuttoned a roach. Maybe not fair, but it is what it is ... not fair is always in the eyes of the beholder.

I might add, because many techs are not failure with them, many mechanics don't like working on Wings, . Every time I've hired a dealer tech, they'll admit, that other than warranty work, they rarely have a customer pay service or repair job in their service bay. Basically, I spend my time, teaching them how to work on Wings.

Another factor is this. As 5th gen's age, parts are becoming more and more "no-longer available." Thus the need for the 10 year rule. Nothing is worst than getting really involved in a repair, only to find out that a required part is no longer made. That means that the shop will need to source it from the used parts market. Unfortunately for most shops, finding what they need might be challenging. Specialty shops, such as this one, will watch for those parts, and purchase them, as they come up for sale.

 

[techdude2000]

I can see a dealer turning down bikes that are more one-offs with little to no parts available, but the 1800 has tons of parts in the system and other than a handful of changes, they’re all the same. Instead of him being a Jack_ss, maybe he just isn’t very knowledgeable about the 1832cc wing and it’s common parts. I’ll give him that, but he’s just losing out on $$.

 

[El Toro]

maybe he just isn’t very knowledgeable about the 1832cc wing and it’s common parts. I’ll give him that, but he’s just losing out on $$.

I guarantee that he’s done the calculation. More than half the time dealing with an older bike and it’s frugal owner is a money loser for the dealer. I doubt that he’s losing any money at all by sending them to an independent, at least during the present economy.

Come back during a recession, and he may be willing to take anything that can be rolled in the door just to help keep the lights on. So it may come back to bite him later.

 

[JGiordano]

There’s a shop in north fort Myers off of Bayshore he a one man shop pretty much does wings call Superbikes and ski and ask for his shop

 

[JGiordano]

Was Jims cycle found out he retired - sorry but Steve at Superbikes can send you in the right direction 2399397788

 

[JGiordano]

Also house of trikes does a whole bunch of conversions on gl 1800 they have really good techs as well also on Fowler

 

[weengers]

I guarantee that he’s done the calculation. More than half the time dealing with an older bike and it’s frugal owner is a money loser for the dealer. I doubt that he’s losing any money at all by sending them to an independent, at least during the present economy.

Come back during a recession, and he may be willing to take anything that can be rolled in the door just to help keep the lights on. So it may come back to bite him later.

You guarantee...seems a very assertive statement to make, are you that dealer or somehow affiliated with that dealer?

 

[El Toro]

You guarantee...seems a very assertive statement to make, are you that dealer or somehow affiliated with that dealer?

I don’t know him.

But I have MANY dealer friends and have been around dealers for over 50 years.

Even if he hasn’t done a calculation on paper, he’s done it in his gut.

Working on old bikes is something for the independents, unless it is a labor of love.

Some dealers won’t take 10 year old bikes in trade. Some lenders won’t finance them. There are often issues that come up with older bikes ... and then there are the farkles ... and the tendency to hide stuff, like car tires.

And then there are the liability issues (you were the last to work on it so it’s your fault that the tail light doesn’t work). And the other related customer happiness issues, like “ I spent $2000 on the engine, and now you want me to spend another thousand on the brakes?”

Working on old bikes is for people who’ve got lots of free time and lots patience. Those people are not flat rate mechanics at major dealers.

 

[El Toro]

There are two other things.

1. Often the best mechanics in a shop want to work on flat rate. When I was a service manager in a Honda motorcycle dealership 45+ years ago, the best guys could beat flat rate, and it was to my benefit to pay them per flat rate hour and give them the next job. What’s flat rate on a 15 year old vehicle? Especially one that’s been triked?

2. Shop liability insurance policies can restrict what they’ll cover you for too. You work on a late model vehicle and later are sued, your liability coverage may be in force. You work on a 15 year old vehicle and later are sued, and you may be on your own.