Ripped Off By Garage

[Grouch]

I know I already posted a thread about this, but this time I want to explain the situation in more detail to enable you all to understand just exactly what has happened.

It started when my bike started making a crunching noise (I posted a thread on here for advice) initially I thought it was the gear box but after looking at my machine I realised it was the chain. The chain was extremely slack so I tightened it. Whilst doing this I noticed that they were two teeth missing from the rear sprocket. I looked on eBay and found a brand new chain and sprocket set for £30 which I bought, I thought this was really cheap.

A day after I had sorted the chain out, all of a sudden my digital speedo stopped working completely. I put this down to the battery, because when I had bought the bike a month ago the seller told me the battery was flat and that it would charge itself up after riding about for a day or two. This did not happen. I started to panic as there is a high number of speed cameras in the city in which I live so I thought there is no avoiding the matter, it needs repairing a.s.a.p.

After phoning four bike mechanics I just kept getting told the same thing, were booked solid for weeks on end. I eventually rang "Graham's Motorcycle's" of Bradford, West Yorkshire, where I was told very politely and reassuringly to bring my motorcycle up and it would be looked at the same day and if not for definite the next day. I thought brilliant my bike's getting sorted.

I took my bike where I told Graham about the problem, and informed him about the battery. Graham seemed like an honest, respectable, decent man. I gave him instructions to inform me of the problem once he diagnosed it, because I intended to supply the parts myself. I asked him to do this because I knew I could get virtually anything I desired from eBay very cheap. Graham agreed to this. This was on a Wednesday afternoon.

The following day (Thursday) I phoned Graham's at around 4.p.m. to check the progress of my bike. A young lad answered the phone and said that they were in the process of charging the battery. I thought they've only just started charging the battery, why didn't they put it on charge last night? I thought what the heck, they must have been really busy. It was at this point when I asked how much it would cost for a new chain and sprocket set fitted. I was told that it would cost around £25 due to the half an hours labour it would take to fit it. I thought that sounded very reasonable and informed him I would take the chain and sprocket up to his garage.

When I arrived at the garage I was dealt with by the young lad, who turned out to be Graham's son. I gave him the chain and sprockets and asked when my bike would be ready he told me the next day I could collect it (Friday).

The next day (Friday) I phoned the garage in the afternoon. A different guy answered the phone. I asked him about my bike and he said in a very hostile manner that he didn't know what was wrong with it and that he didn't know when it would be ready. I thought what a dickhead. After challenging him he then told me a new part had been ordered but he didn't know what. He then said my bike would be ready Monday.

At this point I was very apprehensive and wary now about Graham's. I told a friend who advised me to collect my bike and take it somewhere else. I wish I had of taken my friends advice. I thought I might as well just leave it now and get the job done, otherwise it would mean starting all over again.

On Monday morning at 9.a.m. I phoned Graham's and the man himself answered the phone. As soon as he answered the phone he was being a complete dickhead to me, bear in mind all the contact I made with him and his staff I had being very polite, because I wanted to stay in his good books for obvious reasons. After asking him when I could get my bike he said Tues/Wed and that he had ordered a new part for it, something called a regulator. I asked him how much the part would be and he said he didn't know, I then asked if he had a rough idea, to which he replied he didn't know and he would after to look at the bike and he is not at his garage now. For a start I phoned him on a landline number which was his garage, as soon as he said he didn't know how much the part was alarm bells started ringing. I knew then that this man was a cheat and a liar. After being told of this I kept calm and just went along with it. I didn't challenge Graham about not informing me of the problem so I could order the part myself. He then said that if I wanted the speedo fixing it would take longer and cost more!!!! Can you believe this man?

After my phonecall I instantly looked on eBay for regulators, where I found them ranging from £!5 - £20 brand new! Anyway Wednesday came and in the afternoon he phoned me to tell me my bike was done and that I could come and get it. He said it would cost £120.76 which included the cahin and sprocket set fitted (which I supplied) and the new regulator fitted. I thought this was a bit expensive as I knew regulators are as cheap as £15.00. I was just elated to be getting my bike back after a week of using public transport and paying bus fares.

When I got to Graham's he was there in his garage alone. He explained to me that he had fitted the chain and sprocket set, and had to fit a new regulator. He told me the regulator cost £46.00 straight away I asked him why he didn't let me know so I could buy the part, he said he looked on eBay and couldn't find any (the lying low life scum fuck). I told him I had seen them for £15 - £20 and even offered to show him on my iphone, he declined. He then told me that he had taken the speedo apart and couldn't find what was wrong with it as it didn't have a fuse. The speedo hadn't even been fixed, I couldn't believe it! I challenged him and said that was the reason I brought it in, in the first place, which he denied. So I asked him why did he take it apart then? At this point he agreed with me because he had messed up. I was seething, I couldn't believe it. I was on the verge of just punching the fuck out of him, so I had to leave quickly before I lost my temper. I paid him £121.00 and left.

I was really angry and upset about the whole ordeal. I had been totally ripped off. Oh yeah I forgot he said he replaced the headlight and rearlight bulbs because they were blown. I know for a fact that they were fine when I gave him the bike and I even have witnesses. He denied this and to be honest I needed to get away from him so I left.

That evening I went to Tesco and when I came out, surprise surprise my electric start doesn't work. I couldn't believe it, he hadn't even fixed my bike. I then realised that he had charged the battery in his garage and now it was flat again, so the he hadn't even fixed the charging system. In fact I doubt whether he even replaced the part.

I phoned him the next day and told him and he said it was nothing to do with him, he then slammed the phone down on me!

After all this the cunt has ripped me off, he has charged me £120.00 for fitting a chain and sprocket I supplied. I took my bike to another mechanic just so he could check the chain and sprocket because I worried he had bodged it, and surprise surprise he had fitted it but not lubricated it at all.

This is my first experience of a bike mechanic and to be honest from now on Im not going to trust anyone!

[DirtyDT]

Bike mechanics, as every other trade, come in various flavours. You obviously had a bad experience and to be honest that does seem to be the norm with a lot of them that are not specialists in something.

Invest in a decent set of tools. Build them up slowly if you have to. My recommendation is the Halfords Professional range. Good value for money and look out for discounts each new year. Ask tools on birthdays and Christmas'. Invest in a manual and get known on a decent forum.

Replacing chains and sprockets are something you are going to have to do a fair few times if you stick to biking so learn how to do it and you will know if you have done a good job or not. Most small general garages generally have more than their fair share of non qualified monkeys working in them so rather you tackle a job then one of them. Especially if they want to charge you good money.

Being able to perform preventive maintenance is just one of the bonuses of learning mechanical skills. It also keeps you safer, saves you money and lets you identify a lot of problems with your next bike purchase. It also helps you confidently negotiate a reduction in the cost of buying another bike. With the electronics, most smaller places do not have the knowledge nor the equipment to test these and will just replace everything, at your cost, to fix it. Often a little internet searching will flag up a common fault with one part and this is always a good place to start. Other than that always replace to cheapest part first is the general rule.

Good luck with the XT. They are a good bike.

[Grouch]

I bought a Haynes manual from eBay and the basic tools, a little draper socket set, spanners, screwdrivers and allen keys all from Asda pretty cheap. The problem is I am crap at practical things and my confidence is low. I have realised that after this experience I am going to have to learn to do bits and bats for myself. Yesterday some cunt kicked or knocked my bike over in a car park so now it needs new handlebars, rear indicator, and a clutch lever. I am gutted, the bike was not in view of a camera either. I am going to buy the parts from eBay and fit them myself.

[DirtyDT]

Looks like you are not having the best of time with the XT. Get it fixed, sell it and get something else. Treat it as an expensive lesson. I see you posted about a 2 stroke sports. This would be a lot damaged if knocked over and they are require a lot more work to keep them running. A lot more fun though!!!!!!!!!

[Grouch]

Sell my XT! No chance! I love my XT, at first I was a bit disappointed with it being a bit slow, but it has grown on me I love it. My plan is to slowly do it up so when the winter comes and I put it into storage for a few months, it will be in showroom condition.

I want a two stroke on top of my XT. I can understand why this may seem stupid and pointless, but I am single have no kids and I don't smoke. What can I say I've got the bug, I fucking love bikes!

[DirtyDT]

.......I want a two stroke on top of my XT. I can understand why this may seem stupid and pointless, but I am single have no kids and I don't smoke. What can I say I've got the bug, I fucking love bikes!

Nothing wrong with that!

[Ryan09]

I never ever take my bike to garages to be repaired, i even get itchy feet watching a 'mechanic' mot my bike and poking at it. Half of the time i dont agree with them if i get an advisory as they are usually trying to get work out of you (not always but has happened to me in the past).

I wasnt very confident with working on my bikes at first but once you give it a go and get to know how it all works you will start to enjoy it and the thought of the amount of money you will be saving.

Another thing you will notice with garages is that they dont usually like to be given parts to fit once they have diagnosed a fault. As you found this is because they can charge you what they like for the parts hoping you wont question it and will make a profit on buying them for you.

As you can tell im not a fan of bike garages but i can assure you that they arnt all bad.

Id recomend a 2t sports bike as well, theyre great fun if looked after properly.

[Ryan09]

Also tbh £120 isnt too bad for what they were supposed to do if they did actually do it.

If you wasnt happy with the work you should have refused to pay.

[drewpy]

feel for you Jordan .

don't get too pissed over it. You now have the incentive you need to DIY, that's why I always do my own or have a mate to help do things.

ask away here for advice and get as much advice as you want from us

[Grouch]

I've got an Haynes manual so I'm going to tackle small jobs. My speedo is not working so Im going to have to get a mechanic to sort it because I don't have a clue about auto electrics.

The thing about that low life mechanic is that he knows that I know he's ripped me off and he was really arrogant about it, and gloating. It really has pissed me off, knowing that he's got away with it. At the time I didn't think I just wanted to get out of his way because I would of really battered him, I don't think I'm an hard man or out but I would of give him a right kick in. I really wanted to but any involvement with the police and I lose my job and that's my career down the drain. I've learned a lot from it though.

I could of refused to pay him but I wasn't thinking properly I just was so wound up I got my bike and went.

[clarke]

Sorry to hear about your problems. I don't mind paying for a mechanic to work on my bike, but if I get rubbish service I'll go elsewhere and advise all my friends to steer clear. Given your experience I'll make sure to tell everyone I know to avoid Graham's motorcycles in bradford. You do right to invest in some tools and start to learn about your bike. It may seem daunting to begin with but it's not as hard as it seems and there's always advice here. Oh, if you want a 2 stroke I recommend Chiselspeed Tuning in Berwick in Elmet, really friendly and helpful.

Graham (no relation to the fella in Bradford!)

[Grouch]

Thanks for the help guys.