What a day!
Okay, you settled in? Comfy? Got a beverage? Need to go pee? Go ahead, I'll wait.
...
Ready?
And a one and a two and a...
I got up at 8:00 AM (rather than the usual noonish), ate some oatmeal, did the normal email and news reading, got cleaned up and out the door around noon. My plan was to carry out a certain task I'd been putting off for far too long (more on that in a minute), then enjoy the beautiful day riding my motorcycle. I got all suited up and started the bike, but when I climbed on and tried to maneuver out of my parking spot I realized there was a problem... my back tire was flat! I'd picked up a nail and all the air had leaked out. I re-inflated it and beat a path to the Honda dealership about 20 miles away, to get my tire patched.
This was my first visit to this new Honda dealership. The local Yamaha place had held a monopoly off and on for several decades, and you could tell. Bring a 27 year old bike to the Yammy shop and they'd sneer at you and make fun of your motorcycle for being old. The surly guy at the parts counter would act like he was doing you a big favor by looking up your part number, then gouge the fuck out of you on the price. My dad needed a new valve cover gasket for his 1979 Suzuki a couple years ago, and after the parts clerk bitched and moaned about having to look it up he told us it'd be $66 and we'd have to wait three weeks! I got online and found the item for $7, and it arrived in the mail two days later. Needless to say, I won't be doing any more business with the Yamaha people...
My experience with the Honda dealership today was much, much different! I was a bit taken aback when the service manager told me it would cost me fifty bucks for mounting and balancing a tire, whether it was to patch my old one or to put on a new one. He was very hesitant to patch that one, since it was nearly worn out and had very little tread left. I asked about my options: what was the cheapest tire they had in stock? He looked through his inventory list and told me he could put on a Dunlop D404 and have me out the door for $150. I had him run my debit card to see if it'd clear. It didn't. I swallowed my pride and called my dad, he gave them his credit card number and the work got under way. They had me pull my bike inside, and as I stepped out for a smoke I could see four or five guys circling it, pointing at things. I thought at first that they were pointing and laughing, but then I realized they were actually admiring my old beater! Over the next couple hours, several people struck up conversations with me about my KZ. Some fondly recalled the KZs they'd had over the years and how reliable they were, how they should never have sold those bikes, etc. Some wanted to know about the modifications I'd made to mine, so I walked around the bike and pointed out all the bits that weren't original. After a couple minutes I realized I had an audience! These guys with their newer, faster, more powerful motorcycles were nodding their heads in approval at my various bodges and adaptations... This was clearly not the Yamaha stealership, no siree.
I walked into the back area, where customers aren't usually allowed (nobody said anything to me about it) and sorta hovered over the mechanic who was doing the work. Many mechanics might get annoyed, but this guy was entirely affable and quite friendly. I apologized for my bike leaking oil on his lift, he wasn't the least bit concerned about it. I offered to lift the rear wheel so he could push the axle through, he cheerfully declined. Then he started telling me about his old KZ, hahahaha!
When it was time for me to go, the service manager leaned in close to me so no one could hear and said, "We didn't have that Dunlop tire, so we put a Metzeler on instead. No extra charge." Metzeler tires are made in Germany, and they're extremely high quality (the tire it replaced was a Chinese Cheng-Shin, which was barely adequate when it was new). The tire I got usually costs about twice as much as the tire I was expecting!
When it came time for me to leave the dealership, I had a hard time getting out of there. Those guys wanted to talk about motorcycles (which is almost as much fun as actually riding them). I finally had to say, "Okay, I'm going to ride!" They all smiled and waved.
Here's the best part: My bike is TRANSFORMED! What a huge difference in the handling! My old tire had gotten flat in the middle part (squared off) from all the highway miles (straight, flat, boring roads). When this happens you get something called "bump steering": when the tire gets square, and you hit a bump or uneven pavement, it makes the back end feel kinda loosey goosey. You go from a really wide contact patch in the straights to a really narrow patch in the turns, and there's this odd "step up" sensation, plus you have to manhandle the bike into corners. Now I can use finesse... It's like the difference between using a sharp knife and one blunted from use.
The bike turns so easily now, it actually surprised me a couple times! I made a turn, and it fell into the turn so quickly and effortlessly that I almost missed it by turning too sharply! I have this new feeling of power, like my bike is dancing!
Oh yeah, I got a job today, too.
That was my task, the thing I'd put off for far too long. I stopped by the local music store and spoke with the owner. My buddy, Action Man had told him about the amp I'd built, which apparently impressed the dude and now I'll be taking on the electronic repair work for the area. It might get into some guitar repairs, I don't know. So when I got home from all this, and after I showed my dad the new tire he'd bought for me, I laid that one on him, "Oh yeah, I got a job." More accurately, I got work, business, since I won't be working at the music store, but in the little shop in the back yard...
So that's my day. What'd y'all do?
Okay, you settled in? Comfy? Got a beverage? Need to go pee? Go ahead, I'll wait.
...
Ready?
And a one and a two and a...
I got up at 8:00 AM (rather than the usual noonish), ate some oatmeal, did the normal email and news reading, got cleaned up and out the door around noon. My plan was to carry out a certain task I'd been putting off for far too long (more on that in a minute), then enjoy the beautiful day riding my motorcycle. I got all suited up and started the bike, but when I climbed on and tried to maneuver out of my parking spot I realized there was a problem... my back tire was flat! I'd picked up a nail and all the air had leaked out. I re-inflated it and beat a path to the Honda dealership about 20 miles away, to get my tire patched.
This was my first visit to this new Honda dealership. The local Yamaha place had held a monopoly off and on for several decades, and you could tell. Bring a 27 year old bike to the Yammy shop and they'd sneer at you and make fun of your motorcycle for being old. The surly guy at the parts counter would act like he was doing you a big favor by looking up your part number, then gouge the fuck out of you on the price. My dad needed a new valve cover gasket for his 1979 Suzuki a couple years ago, and after the parts clerk bitched and moaned about having to look it up he told us it'd be $66 and we'd have to wait three weeks! I got online and found the item for $7, and it arrived in the mail two days later. Needless to say, I won't be doing any more business with the Yamaha people...
My experience with the Honda dealership today was much, much different! I was a bit taken aback when the service manager told me it would cost me fifty bucks for mounting and balancing a tire, whether it was to patch my old one or to put on a new one. He was very hesitant to patch that one, since it was nearly worn out and had very little tread left. I asked about my options: what was the cheapest tire they had in stock? He looked through his inventory list and told me he could put on a Dunlop D404 and have me out the door for $150. I had him run my debit card to see if it'd clear. It didn't. I swallowed my pride and called my dad, he gave them his credit card number and the work got under way. They had me pull my bike inside, and as I stepped out for a smoke I could see four or five guys circling it, pointing at things. I thought at first that they were pointing and laughing, but then I realized they were actually admiring my old beater! Over the next couple hours, several people struck up conversations with me about my KZ. Some fondly recalled the KZs they'd had over the years and how reliable they were, how they should never have sold those bikes, etc. Some wanted to know about the modifications I'd made to mine, so I walked around the bike and pointed out all the bits that weren't original. After a couple minutes I realized I had an audience! These guys with their newer, faster, more powerful motorcycles were nodding their heads in approval at my various bodges and adaptations... This was clearly not the Yamaha stealership, no siree.
I walked into the back area, where customers aren't usually allowed (nobody said anything to me about it) and sorta hovered over the mechanic who was doing the work. Many mechanics might get annoyed, but this guy was entirely affable and quite friendly. I apologized for my bike leaking oil on his lift, he wasn't the least bit concerned about it. I offered to lift the rear wheel so he could push the axle through, he cheerfully declined. Then he started telling me about his old KZ, hahahaha!
When it was time for me to go, the service manager leaned in close to me so no one could hear and said, "We didn't have that Dunlop tire, so we put a Metzeler on instead. No extra charge." Metzeler tires are made in Germany, and they're extremely high quality (the tire it replaced was a Chinese Cheng-Shin, which was barely adequate when it was new). The tire I got usually costs about twice as much as the tire I was expecting!
When it came time for me to leave the dealership, I had a hard time getting out of there. Those guys wanted to talk about motorcycles (which is almost as much fun as actually riding them). I finally had to say, "Okay, I'm going to ride!" They all smiled and waved.
Here's the best part: My bike is TRANSFORMED! What a huge difference in the handling! My old tire had gotten flat in the middle part (squared off) from all the highway miles (straight, flat, boring roads). When this happens you get something called "bump steering": when the tire gets square, and you hit a bump or uneven pavement, it makes the back end feel kinda loosey goosey. You go from a really wide contact patch in the straights to a really narrow patch in the turns, and there's this odd "step up" sensation, plus you have to manhandle the bike into corners. Now I can use finesse... It's like the difference between using a sharp knife and one blunted from use.
The bike turns so easily now, it actually surprised me a couple times! I made a turn, and it fell into the turn so quickly and effortlessly that I almost missed it by turning too sharply! I have this new feeling of power, like my bike is dancing!
Oh yeah, I got a job today, too.
That was my task, the thing I'd put off for far too long. I stopped by the local music store and spoke with the owner. My buddy, Action Man had told him about the amp I'd built, which apparently impressed the dude and now I'll be taking on the electronic repair work for the area. It might get into some guitar repairs, I don't know. So when I got home from all this, and after I showed my dad the new tire he'd bought for me, I laid that one on him, "Oh yeah, I got a job." More accurately, I got work, business, since I won't be working at the music store, but in the little shop in the back yard...
So that's my day. What'd y'all do?
VIEW 20 of 20 COMMENTS
I decided that overhaul must go on hiatus until I'm more financially stable, or once I've upgraded and that will be my pet project. I'm still determined to do it though, especially since I've noticed a huge jump in the number of GS-es in my area. I must one up them all.
The attitude you encountered at the Yam dealership was hugely disappointing. I'd thought that type of spivish behaviour was a uniquely British problem dating back to the rationing years of the 1940s when retailers thought they were doing you a favour by selling you something whereas service in the 'States is usually very good and customer focussed. Sad news that you have a few too. But great that the Honda dealer was so much better, and great that your got some well-earned kudos for that awesome machine! The Zed (and I will insist on calling it that, hehe) looks great now. My only comment I still think a single seat unit would be great!
Good deal with the Metz rubber - and good too that it matched the front one well. I guess all the Dunlops are made in Japan now. Dunlop still have UK factories but I think they do all the non-tyre stuff. aviation hydraulics and whatnot
Great news with the job too!