Something VERY Annoying

I put up a similiar post about Jap bike dealers being able to support their produces - Honda is the one I referred too. No one seemed interested.

 

I don't know what is meant by a POWER HOUSE HONDA but yes, all 5 of the dealers that refused to help me were in fact multi brand dealers.

Since this incident, I contacted one of my riding buds that works for a Honda & only Honda dealer. He's done work for me in the past on both bikes & said he will work on anything I'm willing to put the $$$ on the table for. As it stands right now, I have a resource to utilize for anything I can't fix myself. This individual is going to re-jet the hawk carb for me as soon as I get home from leave. Oktober fest here I come.:biggrin:

Before I pass judgement on Honda, I plan on letting them answer my letter. It was entirely professional, no profane words or insults. I even let a guy in my squadron read it before I sent it out. He said there is nothing in my letter that could be taken as hostility. I feel the letter is a pretty good expression of my frustration with Honda & the service I've received (or not received as it were) so I see no reason why they would not respond to it. I even included a few questions on the future of the VFR. I put it in the letter that I will buy a new VFR if it has certain features I'm looking for. Whatever I receive in reply will be posted on this site.

I will say this. If this is how Honda will treat someone who's never owned anything other than Honda over the course of 20 years, you can bet your bottom dollar that my money will be going elsewhere in the future. VFR's are known to last forever. How's it going to be in say, 7 years, when I need to have brake work done on the LBS? This is not something I look forward to.

KC-10 FE out...
lane:

 

KC--

Similar story with the main Sportbike dealer in Fayetteville, only I think their policy is more like 7 or 8 years. I had to find a mom-and-pop shop for my 98's 16k service.

Your case is extreme with regard to poor customer service. Honda will not be too happy to hear about that. Not sure I'd blame Honda.....at least for the customer service side of your woes. I sort of agree with you about moving on to another brand. The company should stand behind their product, absolutely.

Personally, I am still leaning towards a BMW K1200R. Just have to remember where I put that $15,000.....:smile:

p.s., how was your deployment?

 

Honda dealers are independent businesses, Honda has absolutely no say in what they choose to work on. Sounds like you solved the problem, just find a guy willing to work on the side and hope any parts you need down the road are available.

 

You won't get that crap in the UK i tell you that much. They'll work on anything simply because you're a customer, end of story. People like that don't deserve to be in business. Anyway, it's not like parts are difficult to come by if needed.

 

The shop I used to work at (Yamaha/Suzuki) would only do minor repairs on older bikes during the peak riding season, but we would do major repairs during the off season. And we would tell the customer up front if there were any parts that might need replacement that were not available. Your dealers are cutting their own throats by not even looking at the older bikes. They generally take more time to fix, and may need more parts, which means more $$$. Not to mention pissing off potential new buyers.

Unfortunately the manufacturers don't have much say in how a dealer runs his business.

 

I am an auto mechanic and a motorcycle mechanic. I do restoration work also.It sucks but old bikes and cars are a problem. I would say your best bet is to fing a good indipendent motorcycle shop and ask if they will work on it over the winter. I have a 6 month back log of service work from march through September before I can catch up .Then in November I start doing engine overhauls and bent frames .By January I am sitting around cleening the floor. then in march every one comes out of the woodwork for oil changes batterys and tires. I wounder where they have bin for the last two months. Forget the dealer. they are only good for waranty work.

 

That's the way it ought to be!!

SFPA--- Are you on Ft. Bragg? I rode down there 4 July just to visit. I was stationed there back in '90-'91. Besides Benning, it is my favorite post.

 

In my area, we have a Honda/Ducati dealer that prefers to work in a similar mode (it's a scary place to walk into, feels like a car dealership).

The place I prefer is a Honda Powersports/Suzuki/Yamaha/Polaris dealer. They don't advertise as being an anything dealer, they just happen to sell them new. So they seem like a completely independent dealer/mechanic. Funky place.

All-American is the name of the place, in Santa Cruz out by the 41st street exit on Hwy 1.

When my wife goes in for parts/service for her '88 Hawk GT, they tell her to bring it by on one of the days that the mechanic that races them will be there. . When I went in for a bunch of stuff for my '86 VFR700, they got a bit smile, and asked if it was RWB, as they'd just received the 25th anniv. RWB model. Fun to compare it to mine.

Great dealer, so not all of them are jerks.

 

Yup. Been here since 99. (minus a year in Korea, and 3 trips to Afghanistan, number 4 is a few weeks away). Hope to stay til I retire. There are definitely worse places to be stationed. I am originally from MD, and my wife is from FL, so 1/2 way between the inlaws.

 

here's what I was told from my Ffriends @ HRC.
OK & as I've read mentioned the independent multi brand dealer gets no say from Honda & there rules are what they make, (although stupid if they refuse a bike, if you ask me).

The powersports Dealers (which most are New Honda only & used everybike maker) Are independent as well, but get a unwritten instructions to take care of "all" Honda models years & products.
That means they can refuse, but can loose a "Preffered Status" if enough complaints.

I luckily have never come across this with the dealerships I deal with, & doubt that they would since I buy on average 3 bikes a year, but the 1st one that does looses my business & many others since I refer many buyers to them.:wink: