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Hinds...


Zorro
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Typically, I'm in support of Hinds. Unfortunately, my opinion may be changing.

First a little background...

When I bought my R1, they offered a pre-paid service package. The sucker that I am, fell for it. It basically covers all maintenance for 40k miles. This is transferable too. Every 4k miles, I can take it to them, and they'll perform all required maintenance that Yamaha recommends.

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed that my front brakes were squeaking and probably needed replaced. My bike had 19.5k miles on it. So, I figured I'd just get the 20k maintenance done a little early, plus get the front brake pads replaced.

I dropped it off on a Wednesday. I called on the following Tuesday since I didn't hear from them. They told me their mechanic was out sick and it would be ready the next day. I called the next day, and like they said, it was ready.

When I picked it up, I noticed the side panels that wrap around the gas tank weren't installed properly. I pointed this out to the younger guy working the counter. He apologized and fixed it. No big deal. I drove it home and parked it. I took it to QSL this week. When I parked, to my surprise, the inside front fairing was about to fall off! Turns out, 5 of the 6 push pins were missing! WTF. This is the easiest part of the maintenance!

I called Hinds immediately and they told me to bring it in and they'd fix it.

I understand people make mistakes...but I'm nervous that there could be more mistakes that I haven't discovered.

Thoughts?

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Wow. When it comes to bikes, I stay away from shops. My bike had a recall for the TPS. I asked the service mgr. at Hinds if I could just take it. He let me but I had to call him with the exact mileage. No problem. You want the piece of mind of a service package, but it's the mechanics that are in question. I just don't know where they come from and what their qualifications are. Then you talk to them and they're dumber than a box of rocks! Even when you take someone's recommendation on a mechanic or a shop, your bike comes back wrong somewhere. Seems like us bikers take it up the ass at every turn.

Sorry you had a bad experience. Let them make it right. They will. If not, just keep bringing it back until they do.

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I bought my gixxer from them with the same package and didn't have any problems wit the 1 service (break in service). My buddy also got his there and hasn't had a good service experience with them yet. The last service he had done was just a basic oil change that took 3 weeks to get finished. When he finally picked it up and asked them bout it they claimed they called him and told him it would take that long but he showed them his call list they weren't on it

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If at all possible... work on your own machine, or find a buddy you trust to work on it. If you take it to a buddy or someone reputable on here (like Dustin or Pauly) - even if you don't know what's going on, you can at least ask questions and learn while THEY do the work for you.

Plus their eRep is on the line on here if they f*(k it up. ;)

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If at all possible... work on your own machine, or find a buddy you trust to work on it. If you take it to a buddy or someone reputable on here (like Dustin or Pauly) - even if you don't know what's going on, you can at least ask questions and learn while THEY do the work for you.

Plus their eRep is on the line on here if they f*(k it up. ;)

At purchase time, the confidence I had in my ability to work on bike was not all that good. Plus, it seemed like a good deal too. I don't wanna wrench on my bike if I don't have to. These bikes go fast...and I don't wanna screw something up that cause me to wreck. These mechanics are supposed to be qualified.

Plus, I don't wanna rely on friends to do this work. If they screw it up, I'll have to pay to fix it...and then I'll lose a friend.

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This is just the customer relations rep. coming out here, but write a formal letter to the owner/GM/service manager expressing your discontent and see how they take things from there.

That's what everyone did when I worked at BMW, and when they did that, we just let the customer bend us over. It's worth a try I suppose. If you aren't interested in writing a letter, talk to one of the three above mentioned individuals personally.

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I was boating at Alum Creek this afternoon and stopped in to Hinds for my 5 push pins. The kid at the counter...he's been cool with me at times, and not so cool with me on one other occasion. I tell him my problem and he has to go talk to the mechanic "Brian". Anyway, after 10 minutes or so he tells me how it would've been better had I brought my bike in. I tell him I didn't think it would've have mattered since the pins are missing and I know which holes don't have pins in them. Anyway, he runs in the back and brings me 5 Suzuki GSXR pins. First of all, I'm not sure these are the same as Yamaha OEM pins. Second of all, I don't want Suzuki shat on my bike...it's junk. Just kidding about the second part.

So, we look up the exact part numbers on his computer. I point to which pins are missing. He runs in the back and brings out 3 of the 5. He's gonna call me when they come in. Joy. :|

Anyway, I noticed a sign "50% off everything, except units". I find out units are motorcycles. :) Anyway, I look in the boot section and find a pair of Tecnics that are marked down to $119. I'm thinking $60. However, there's definitely a plastic piece missing on the top of the boot (one boot had this piece and it was loose...go figure). Anyway, the owner (a female), says "make me an offer". I offer $40. I'm already getting them for $60 since everything is 50% off. She scoffs at the idea (yeah, I said 'scoff'). I told her they were missing a piece. She said $50 was the final offer...I walked. I guess they can sit there til the other plastic piece falls off.

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I was boating at Alum Creek this afternoon and stopped in to Hinds for my 5 push pins. The kid at the counter...he's been cool with me at times, and not so cool with me on one other occasion. I tell him my problem and he has to go talk to the mechanic "Brian". Anyway, after 10 minutes or so he tells me how it would've been better had I brought my bike in. I tell him I didn't think it would've have mattered since the pins are missing and I know which holes don't have pins in them. Anyway, he runs in the back and brings me 5 Suzuki GSXR pins. First of all, I'm not sure these are the same as Yamaha OEM pins. Second of all, I don't want Suzuki shat on my bike...it's junk. Just kidding about the second part.

So, we look up the exact part numbers on his computer. I point to which pins are missing. He runs in the back and brings out 3 of the 5. He's gonna call me when they come in. Joy. :|

Anyway, I noticed a sign "50% off everything, except units". I find out units are motorcycles. :) Anyway, I look in the boot section and find a pair of Tecnics that are marked down to $119. I'm thinking $60. However, there's definitely a plastic piece missing on the top of the boot (one boot had this piece and it was loose...go figure). Anyway, the owner (a female), says "make me an offer". I offer $40. I'm already getting them for $60 since everything is 50% off. She scoffs at the idea (yeah, I said 'scoff'). I told her they were missing a piece. She said $50 was the final offer...I walked. I guess they can sit there til the other plastic piece falls off.

bahhhhh haha nice...you should have told her that you had to make extra trips to hinds because people don't know how to inspect their work, so $40 on $60 boots that are broken was a generous offer on your part. customer service...customer service...customer service. :nono:

It baffles me how folks at the dealerships just shrug their shoulders when parts don't get put back on correctly or period...especially motorcycle parts! With that being said Zorro, wouldn't you rather figure out how to fix your own bike knowing what you set out to do was actually done (and done with care) than drop it off at some shop that could careless whether your bike sat in oil, brake bolts weren't tightened all of the way or pins and parts not put on correctly? I never worked on any vehicles before I got my motorcycle, but a friend of mine always said, "don't touch my bike." I guess he had a valid point, even though in his context he may have been a little obsessive...:dunno:

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This is just the customer relations rep. coming out here, but write a formal letter to the owner/GM/service manager expressing your discontent and see how they take things from there.

That's what everyone did when I worked at BMW, and when they did that, we just let the customer bend us over. It's worth a try I suppose. If you aren't interested in writing a letter, talk to one of the three above mentioned individuals personally.

Ummmmm...... Yeeeaaaahhhhh

IIRC..... Jason Hinds is the owner, & has been on here in some of the other threads about his dealership

Isn't he the one who was looking up our members on here, by their service records & situation/grievance they described with his dealership, and then listing them by first & last name on here as he told his side of the story?

Isn't he also the one who was supposedly calling other dealerships & badmouthing Brian/Lizard, trying to cause him problems with his job??

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Ummmmm...... Yeeeaaaahhhhh

IIRC..... Jason Hinds is the owner, & has been on here in some of the other threads about his dealership

Isn't he the one who was looking up our members on here, by their service records & situation/grievance they described with his dealership, and then listing them by first & last name on here as he told his side of the story?

Isn't he also the one who was supposedly calling other dealerships & badmouthing Brian/Lizard, trying to cause him problems with his job??

I never commented on any of the previous threads, but yeah...believe it is. :nono:

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I don't trust shops. I get my bike after my wreck back next week.

I'll get it home and go all over it tightening bolts and shit. Plastics, brake lever, bar end, wheels, oil, etc....

That hour it will take me will give me 100% good piece of mind when I'm riding it knowing I checked all bolts and parts.

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I've never had a good experience at bike shops. You can usually find the service manuals to download for your bike online. Maybe it will take you a minute to figure out what you're doing but at least if it's f'ed up you can only be mad at yourself.

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I've never had a good experience at bike shops. You can usually find the service manuals to download for your bike online. Maybe it will take you a minute to figure out what you're doing but at least if it's f'ed up you can only be mad at yourself.

Do yourself a favor and make sure you get a FACTORY service manual! I have a Clymer's manual for my Interceptor (came with the bike) and it's worth barely more than TP. There is a good deal of mis-information, and even more that is just not clear.

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