i swear to you, i havent found a decent shop in my area YET! im not much the mechanic, but my plans are to take up a motorcycle mech. class soon. well anywho, on oct. 29th (a monday), i dropped my F4i off at what i thought to be a pretty upstanding shop. my speedo sensor had gone bad, and i did NOT want to ride it w/ my mileage not clicking up. they guy at the shop told me i could leave it there and it would be 1-2 weeks until he'd get the part/fix it. i said thats fine, i'd be entirely too tempted to ride it if i took it home (i most definately do not want to be riding it while my mileage isnt moving!!!!!!!). so he's had my bike now, for two weeks and one day. here's the big *** f***ing problem.....i havent heard a word from him, my bike is SUPPOSED to be done! he's never at the shop during their working hours (mon-sat 10-6), and doesnt matter what time i call, i never get an answer! he told me that the labor on the bike would only be 1/2hr-1hr, which he told me it'd take 2 weeks to get the part AND fix it, so by now i should have my f***ing bike back! im furious as hell. i called another shop and they have the sensor at their shop and can get my bike back to me this week if i got it to them asap, but i have no way to get my bike back from this other ******* at the moment! he told me he was going to be moving some things to his house (not far at all from his shop) to elimenate overhead. but why the hell would you do that all while paying a lease on a shop?!

idk, im pissed off beyond belief and have no way of finding out where my bike is, if its done, if he even got the part yet! through someone i work w/, they ended up *cough* finding out his cellphone # and address. im not taking it to THOSE measures as of yet, but pretty f***ing close!

basically he's had my bike for 2 weeks now, and w/in those 2 weeks, i've only gotten ahold of him on the phone one time to get an update on the bike. he told me "we'll call you when its done". now he's got my bike SOMEWHERE and i have no way to contact him (unless i call his personal cellphone or pop up at his house).

sorry for the rant, just pissed! from now on i think i'll go ahead and get "raped" by the dealer, atleast i know that its not some rinky dink half *** shop around the way.

 

That sux! I had a similar adventure with a local independant. He quoted me 3 days and $150 to do 4 small jobs. He had it 2 weeks, did 2 of the 4 jobs, and broke another unrelated part while he had it! Buy an OEM manual and some decent tools, you'll save a fortune in the long run.

 

I'm curious as to why you're so adamant on not riding it without the odometer.

It's okay, big brother isn't watching.

 

+1, I had my bad experience early on getting my bike and now I have almost completely rebuilt it. I don't think I will ever let anyone work on my bike or future bikes. Bikes are small and simple enough you can do pretty much anything you need to. Buying tools to do specific jobs is normally cheaper than having it done anyhow, so you will save money in the long run to boot. Not to mention not getting screwed over.

 

I got a new tire, chain and sprockets. I woulda done all the work myself but I didn't have a tire changer or a chain breaker. I took it to the shop. It took them 3.5 HOURS to get the work done and they charged me $200 for labor. I was wtfing. I sat in their shop for 3.5 hours. I was pissed when I got it back.

 

thats why my girlfriend's parents used to own a motocycle shop and they closed and they go eveything with it, I never need to see a shop unless for hard motor work.

 

He's out riding it. No working odometer means he can do what he wants. I'd to a stake out. If he takes off on it, follow him and if he goes somewhere, anywhere. Report it stolen. Take pics/vids.

 

You dont need no stinkin bead breaker.

 

Is that some sort of tire changer?

 

This is where I must thank my roommate Blue Fox. He has worked on his bike pretty much since he has had it. And know he is teaching his ways. So thanks BLUE FOX.... YOU DA MAN!!!