Have you heard that some service shops, (independent and Honda) refusing to work on bikes
10 years or older?
Most feel at that aged rubber fittings, connecters, and rusted bolts can crack aluminum parts.
I ran into the same “we don’t work on anything older than 10 years” at a local H-Shop. I think it’s because the mechanics are young and inexperienced.
Yes I have.Have you heard that some service shops, (independent and Honda) refusing to work on bikes
10 years or older?.
I don't think this is the reason. My local Honda shop does have a sign that says they don't work on bikes older than 15 years. When I was in So. Calif. having some service, I overheard the Service manager tell someone on the phone he won't work on a bike that was a 1988. He hung up and stated last time he did that the case fell all apart and stuff just broke left and right....I ran into the same “we don’t work on anything older than 10 years” at a local H-Shop. I think it’s because the mechanics are young and inexperienced.
I don't think this is the reason. My local Honda shop does have a sign that says they don't work on bikes older than 15 years. When I was in So. Calif. having some service, I overheard the Service manager tell someone on the phone he won't work on a bike that was a 1988. He hung up and stated last time he did that the case fell all apart and stuff just broke left and right....
I think their concern is if they start to work on the bike, and parts that were not broke break, the customer will expect THEM to replace and pay for those parts... and, if the customer is willing to pay for it, the parts may not be so available, and the bike just becomes a disaster that they wasted time on.
Can't say that I blame them. I take care of a lot of people over 80 years old... I can't find any spare parts either!!! :wink2:
Exactly!I'll give you an example why most shops won't work on older bikes: We had a guy bring in a metric cruiser that wasn't running properly. It was 15 years old. Our mechanic discovered that the cam chain had jumped a tooth and done some internal damage. Because the bike had sentimental value to him, the customer decided to repair it even though he was told the cost would be more than the bike was worth. We order $2000 worth of parts and begin to disassemble the engine after it is out of the bike. We are then told that the rear cylinder head is back ordered for 60 days, but we have all the other parts. Three months later we are told they no longer make cylinder heads for the bike. So now we have a bike sitting in the shop for 5 months, disassembled, and we can't get a critical part. All the parts we ordered now have to be shipped back (assuming the dealer will accept returns on 5 month old parts) at our expense. We can't bill the customer for disassembly and then give him back the pieces, so we locate a used engine. It arrives with no gaskets (none!) and doesn't run. We are still trying to get a refund on that engine. A second engine is located, installed and the bike is put back together. How much do you think we lost on that deal? Needless to say we no longer work on anything older than 10 years or that has been extensively modified.
Well great, one more thing to worry about in terms of Honda service! LOL.Have you heard that some service shops, (independent and Honda) refusing to work on bikes
10 years or older?
Most feel at that aged rubber fittings, connecters, and rusted bolts can crack aluminum parts.
Exactly!
One of these will lead to bad mouthing by the customer, and even sometimes an attempt to sue in small claims court, or worse.
And although the customer referenced above was sentimentally attached to the bike, more often it’s just inherent “frugality” and the customer feels abused by the dealer’s “unwillingness” to fix their bike.
Well great, one more thing to worry about in terms of Honda service! LOL.
This is B.S. if the cutoff is just 10 years. My 2008 is in great shape, no dry rot, good mechanicals, and so on. I could understand if the policy was for units >25 years or something like that--antique bikes--but 10 years? I think there is something else going on. I'm guessing it is more related to the service department's lack of expertise. My "local" Honda dealer, 30 miles away, is so full of 4x4s, 3 wheeler CanAms, and those idiotic Batmobile Death Cars, I'd imagine the shop guys are only able to stay proficient with the relatively recent products. They have a 2 week wait for *anything* getting into the shop, and it's getting toward the end of the riding season here.