Your Experience with Dealership Service Dept.............

[tibadoe]

I guess another big question I have before I purcahse a RSV is service after the sale at the dealership. I have narrowed it down to two dealers in my area out of three. All took me on a tour of their maintenance shops; two were well organized and clean and one was anything but. How have they treated your bike while in for a service?

 

For example: Is it usually a good experience because the job was done right and returned in decent shape? Or is your Bike covered with oil and handprints? Scratched or dented? Left out in the rain? Used your bike as a demo? (not funny--heard of this happening) Fixed right the first time?

 

Maybe I am too picky because I like to keep it clean and in good running order.

[Eck]

What a loaded question..

 

Some will say nothing but all bad and others will claim thier's is the best and everything is just hunky-dorie...

[sarges46]

Another question would be to the tech working the bikes.....what do they know about the RSV......it may surprise you that many know nothing about them at all!

[similost]

I don't care about a dealerships service department.. I do all my own work myself. I don't trust someone else not to forget to tighten something and put my life on the line...

 

If I have to have warranty work done, then I ask around, and drive as far as I need to find a really good shop.

 

Every dealer is different. We can't answer your question. You have to find customers of the dealership your thinking about using.

[wes0778]

Only had one experience with the local Stealership, in my area, so far. When I first got my used bike I took it to them to see what they would charge to do a carb sync. The service manager said as far as he new they had only done one and that was a month or so back, so he would go talk to the tech that did it to see how long it took. About 15 minutes later he came back telling me how hard and involved it was and that he thought it would not be more than $225.00. I choked, thanked him and promptly left. I'm thinking it'll be a cold day, you know where, before I go back to see them!!!

 

If they don't know how to do THAT basic service, well you know.....

[jfoster]

Same here, that seems to be the best question to ask. How long or whats invovled in doing a carb sync? My local dealer said the same thing. Its a long job, you'll have to leave it and will have to tear it down to work on it. Everything I read on this forum, seems to take about 15 minutes, 30 tops. That was my que to never let them work on mine.

[davecb]

First, you have to hope your dealer has mechanics trained on the Venture. If you are buying a new bike, you will get a followup questionare from Yamaha. If they don't do it right..Blast them on that follow up. I have gone around with my service department a few times, and between writing to Yamaha and blasting them, I now get GREAT service. At times I have had to tell them what was required at service time. Case in fact...After my 8000 mile service, I noticed different shades at the end of the mufflers...CARB SYNC. I called them and asked them if they synced the carbs. That said...No, it is only required at 12000 miles. I told them that I have a factory Yamaha service manual in front of me, and it said to sync them every 4000 miles. They said the computer said 12000 miles. So I headed down there the next day with my Yamaha factory service manual, showed them the Maintenance schedule. They checked the carbs, and guess what!!!!! They were out of sync. If you are fortunate, you will find a great dealer.....If not...My motto is....FORCE THEM TO DO THEIR JOB AND DO IT RIGHT... If not , contact Yamaha...

 

 

[royalstarjac]

I've had good and bad experiences with the same dealer. It seems to be a crap shoot so now if I can do it myself I do.

[tibadoe]

Same here, that seems to be the best question to ask. How long or whats invovled in doing a carb sync? My local dealer said the same thing. Its a long job, you'll have to leave it and will have to tear it down to work on it. Everything I read on this forum, seems to take about 15 minutes, 30 tops. That was my que to never let them work on mine.

 

Thanks for the good info. I would have took it for granted that they knew what they were doing or what they had to do. You would think being a dealer selling the RSV they would know a basic service involving a carb sync.

[Pecker]

The mechanic at the Yamaha dealer here in Columbia, SC doesn't know anything about the Royal Stars nor does he want to know, he says that up front, hates the bikes. Now the store owner calls me when he has one that needs more than an oil change or tires. Of course, I used to be his jet ski mechanic, so he trusts my work. But to me, it is amazing that dealerships will sell the flagship of the Star brand and not have mechanics that can do the maintenance, especially when these bikes are not that difficult to work on. Maybe we should send some invitations to maintenance day.

[McBrush]

Every dealer is different. We can't answer your question. You have to find customers of the dealership your thinking about using.

 

That pretty much sums it up for me. I have a dealership within walking distance that I refuse to even buy a quart of oil from (bad experience). I drive 28 miles to one I trust, who still works on the older bikes, and knows what he's doing.

 

For easy jobs like tire changes, I was lucky enough to find a small independent working in the back of a little speed shop who does excellent work. Inspects, greases, tightens, things like that on every visit. Oddly enough, he and the dealer 28 miles away refer each other to customers.

 

Like most are saying, it seems to be a real crap shoot with Yamaha these days.

[RedRider]

To be fair to the dealers - most of their techs are trained on the higher volume bikes. With the excetion of the Venture, all new bikes (and sleds and ATVs) sold are fuel injected or single carb (dirt bikes). The younger techs may not be as experienced with carbs as you would expect. As much as we like to think so, the Venture is no longer the flagship of the line. It is an older design that is kept around due to a loyal following and a need to fill the large touring bike segment in their line. If it was the flagship, it wouldn't still have a cassette deck.

 

Ask to talk with the Service Manager (without the salesguy hovering around). Ask specific questions concerning working on bikes with multiple carbs. Ask what tools they use to sync the carbs (the answer should be a multiple readout vacuum gauge of some type).

 

If the Service Manager isn't confident of their ability to work on the multi-carb bikes, move to a different dealer.

 

In my experience, the SM has generally been pretty straight forward. They are not trained on the 'sales' techniques and aren't as good at 'baffling with bull sh*t'.

 

Good luck. Post pics of your new ride when you get it.

 

RR

[tibadoe]

I guess I will make another visit to my local dealers and ask more questions about the techs and working on the RSV. I will plan on doing most of the basic work myself, but it is good to know you have a shop you trust to take it do when needed. I have a shop locally but it is a dump...they like to sell but that is about it. But I do have three others within 50 miles. At least it will be a good little ride!

[royalstarjac]

As far as a carb synch goes you can save time and money doing it yourself whether your dealers service is competent or not. BTW the order in which to synch the carbs in the Yammie manual is wrong.

[Blackjack]

Independent Dealers are like individual restaurants: all the restaurants have food to eat, but sometimes you just don't want to eat what they serve...

 

TERRY

[timgray]

Honestly, If a dealer cant work on older bikes then run away from them. Motorcycles are far easier to work on than cars, and if they dont have mechanics that can work on anything with 2 wheels that come into the shop then they need to be avoided.

 

The one dealer I trust locally is actually 35 miles away and a Harley dealer. Most competent Yamaha mechanic in 150 miles.

[raceman62race]

As a word of advise....check the tire pressure before you leave the dealers lot. I bought a new RSV last August. Rode it a lot but I neglected to check the tire pressure for a few weeks and ended up cupping the tires from low pressure. After cupping the tires, I pumped up the tires to proper pressure and rode it a a few weeks more. I checked tire pressure every couple of days and no pressure loss was noticed so that proved it had to have left the dealer with low air pressure. I also had a bad experience with another dealer as well so I try to do all my own maintenance. I'm sure there are good dealers out there but I haven't found one yet.

[1joeranger]

Took my bike into the dealer today over what i suspected was leaking pipes. My girlfriend had complained about exhaust fumes! I was a little leary about having a warranty fight with them since the previous owner had replaced the stock mufflers with Bub mufflers. No fight! They investigated the pipes, found no leak, gave me a possible cause for the fumes, and charged me $40 since it was determined there was no warranty issue. I thought that was a fair price, sort of bought their hypotheses on the cause of the fumes, and will be getting my bike back after they clean her. Money, I think, well spent!

 

For the record, I like to do my own maintenance. I don't know it all but I reference my maintenance manuel, and then this website and usually I am able to figure out what to do, such as a Carb Synch. I am usually not fond of dealerships, I don't know who will be touching my bike, I am concerned with inadvertent carelessness, shoddy work, and of course incompetence. I have not experienced this at my dealership. I have taken my bike in twice now, both times for warranty issues. They fixed the first and explained the second to my satisfaction. I feel I have recieved proffesional treatment. Of course this is all relative!

[BuckShot]

Find other riders and ask them about the dealers. Word of mouth travels fast about good and bad dealers. Most dealers sell Yamaha and Honda--talk to the Wing riders also. All you have to do is comment on their bike, wherever you find them, and you can find out all kinds of info.

[raceman62race]

I would also like to add that Yamaha has been great...dealers....not so good.

[tibadoe]

Thanks for the feedback.....I will go and check out a couple of dealers today. I am eager to see what they say about servicing the RSV.

[YYZ]

average car oil change $29

my Dodge Cummins with oversized filter and 12 litres of oil $90

RoyalStar at Yamaha dealer $170

 

[Freebird]

and THAT is why the vast majority of us would never take our bike to the dealer for an oil change. Well...at least that is one of the reasons. I mean, it takes about 15 minutes to change it and is very simple to do.

[kenw]

I've got a great dealer even though I didn't buy there! When I first took it in for service, the lead mechanic came out and introduced himself and told me that he was factory trained on the Venture. Never had any kind of problem with these folks! Before I bought or had work done, I would go in there and talk with the folks. you'll get a feeling on if they are going to be competent or not. Ask about if anyone in the service dept. is trained on these beasts. If it doesn't feel good it probably isn't and try somewhere else!

[jemorrisonjr]

WOW this one could be as bad as asking an oil question...

 

The dealer I bought my bike from (now closed) didnt know squat about the bike.. When I took the bike home the seat wasnt even attached, and when they TRIED to do a carb sync made the bike run worse....

 

The dealer I use now, and wont change. sells only Yamahas....the only way to go in my book...

 

If you find a dealer that is good, dont change where you go, to few of them out there that know what they are doing

 

Another dealer in our area has a parts department that yamaha should looking into, the rudest parts manager I ever met and I work the parts department at my job so I know what to expect....