Arrogant bike shops

[Beck]

Well yesterday I went and visited a local bike shop. It was KWS Motorsports in Charleston, SC. The two guys at the front counter, not only were ignorant, but had elitest attitudes. First, they didn't know what a Hawk GT was. Then they said they don't work on garbage that old. "We only work on late model, fuel injected bikes. You know... fast bikes. We make 'em faster", is what I was told. Before I left I explained that I had gotten work done by the main guy that started the place back when he was working out of his garage at his house. It was a Kodak moment for sure. I got, "uh..uh.uh..uh.. we didn't know you knew him," out of them, then. I just left and told them I would figure out something else. I haven't talked to Kevin Hunt in over 10 years, and I would rather leave my good memories intact instead of arguing with a shop full of assholes.

This isn't the only place like this. I can't find anyone willing to put on and balance a tire. My 8 year old tires don't understand how to hold air anymore. I'm still having random carb trouble and that is just too tough of a mountain for anyone at a new shop to attempt. They don't want to have to look up the information to fix it on all the stone tablets.

I don't know how you get respect at a shop anymore. I honestly don't understand how any of these places make money.


*some of my used up D364s from my "old, slow, never-won-a-race, non-fuel-injected" bike

[Swipe]

They sound like a couple of arseholes who don't deserve any business. I can't say I've encountered anything like that round here. Mind you, I only ever go to the bike shop where I bought my second bike brand new over 20 years ago. The guy who runs it now was one of the original mechanics in the workshop back then (and still is) and it has a great reputation for quality and customer service. Trouble is, it means they are always that busy you have to wait ages to get booked in.

[DefTrap]

I gave up taking my bike to the shop years ago. The last 'proper mechanic' that touched my Bros did the chain up tight as a bowstring, never again. Thing is, these are simple bikes to work on, can't believe most places aren't prepared to put some effort in ....

[icycle]

Sorry to hear about your bike shop luck. I had an incident where I rode the Hawk to the bike shop to pick up some fluids for it. I had to wait a while for service but it was because the guys in the shop went out to look at the Hawk. 2 of the 3 knew what it was and were jealous. The third couldn't believe it was so old. (and looked so new)

[motorpsycho]

Yeah most of the bigger bike shops here in Seattle won't work on the hawk.

Anything that has a potential for a seized bolt or a hard to get part takes away from the bottom line.

I am fortunate to have a couple of shops that will work on older bikes not that I take the hawk to anyone to work on.

Ask around, there must be a shop that will gladly work on the hawk for you.

If not, get the manual and go for it.

[cfiiman]

Yep, I get the same thing when I go to a bike shop, although I never let them work on anything, I am new to indepth bike mechanics, but have worked on my cars forever, I am going slow with the service manual and getting advice on here...I just did the sprockets F and R, chain, and cush drive rubbers...It took me about 2 hours cause I went slow, saved about 200 bucks in labor and I know it was done right...Just give your own maintenance a shot, the guys on here will help, and if you do screw up, you can always take it to someone, that is my philosophy anyway...I called a Honda dealer when I first bought the bike to get a price on doing everything I just did, remember this is a honda dealer, he asked me what kind of bike I had, I said a NT650, he said: "What's that?" I said you know a hawk gt, single sided swing arm....RC30?" He said: "Is that a Honda?" I said "Good day sir"...I swear, it seems like if you were the guy in maintenance you wouldn't say stupid stuff like that, at least IMO...

[tkm433]

Re: Arrogant bike shops

Well yesterday I went and visited a local bike shop. It was KWS Motorsports in Charleston, SC. The two guys at the front counter, not only were ignorant, but had elitest attitudes. First, they didn't know what a Hawk GT was. Then they said they don't work on garbage that old. .

Just becasue they do not know what a Hawk Gt is does not mean they are ignorant. The bike is close to 20 years old in design and it is a small displacement low power v-twinn. It is not a bike that most 20 something years old rice rocket racers would ever want.

Unless you pissed them off somehow I doubt they called your bike "garbage that old". They might of called it old! Which it is but as for "garbage"???

"We only work on late model, fuel injected bikes. You know... fast bikes. We make 'em faster", is what I was told.

KWS does work on late model FI bikes. That is what they know best and that is where they have focused their business.

This isn't the only place like this. I can't find anyone willing to put on and balance a tire. My 8 year old tires don't understand how to hold air anymore.

First off I would not want to ride 8 year old tires but if you need them balanced they try Ronnie @ Cycle World on Rivers or call the crew at Cycle Gear and ask them if they will balance your wheels. Being that Kevin works on late model bikes only he might not be able to balance the rear wheel on the Hawk being that he might not have an adapter for your wheel at KWS.

Maybe I need to ride by there and have them laugh at my Hawk since they have not seen it yet. They have already most likely laughed inside when I have riden up on a GS500 to buy two-stroke oil for my RZ350 which makes most of them think I am really nuts for wanting to ride a bike that burns oil.

They are the nice shop in town! Have you been to the Honda dealer lately?? The Harley shop is the best for customer service and they even like my RZ350.

[MrDude_1]

no, hes a total dick.

heres his reply to me when i asked about it:

Yep I remember that guy with a stone age bike.
Sorry we are a HIGH PERFORMANCE MOTORCYCLE RACE SHOP. And yes we do only work on FI bikes.
Why in the hell would we work on a 1988 bike?

And the guy did not even quote us right. I told the whoever that we are a HIGH PERFORMANCE MOTORCYCLE RACE SHOP. Sorry we do not work on carb bikes. we are here to make bikes go fast.

Being that we are who we are we can work on what we want to. If people do not like that well go somewhere else.
I have my guys working on 30 thousand dollar jobs in the back. Do I want a whatever the hell that guy rides here? HELL NO!!!
Shit there are FI bikes that we do not even work on anymore , like the ZX10.
I am a TRUE ASSHOLE AND A DICKHEAD AND AT TIMES I CAN BE A MOTHER FUCKING SON OF A BITCH, I am not ignorant nor is Chip.

At times Chip does tell me I need to find a better way to let customers know that we do not work on those typesof bikes anymore. But I tell it the way it is. That is who I am, people try to change me but they all fail.

[MrDude_1]

I gave up taking my bike to the shop years ago. The last 'proper mechanic' that touched my Bros did the chain up tight as a bowstring, never again. Thing is, these are simple bikes to work on, can't believe most places aren't prepared to put some effort in ....

oh yea.. that reminds me of when i was at champion yamaha.
the dick was POUNDING my eccentric with a SCREWDRIVE AND HAMMER.

and when i bitched to him and kenny about it, they just gave me a bunch of shit.

and the mechanic complained he "couldnt get it tight enough" and "its jammed"

NO SHIT! its at the end of its movement, and it wont get tight because the chain is overtightened already... he had the wheel in the air and was trying to adjust it snug.







in anycase, yea... i agree they shouldnt have been dicks... but i also wouldnt expect them to know about the hawk.. im suprised when anyone knows about it.
on the flip side, anyplace that doesnt know carbs, doesnt know small motors... they may not LIKE carbs.. but the polite thing to do would be to just charge enough that it makes it worth their wild...
for example, i dont want to fix your computer. but if you paid me $150 an hour, i would. same diff.

[motorcycleman]

Man, I sympathize with you. I was at my local harley dealer just yesterday to pick up an oil filter (wish someone would make a list of oil filters that fit like on here ) and some primary lube and I waited and waited while the cashiers helped some poser find the right sticker to cover up the dot sticker on his new helmet. I thought about walking out after about five minutes of this but I went to talk to the service guy instead. When I got back the poser was gone and the cashiers were happy to help me. The place is huge, with a dozen or so bikes in the middle and all the chrome stuff around the edges. There are bar stools and tables scattered around. I suggested they add a bar so people like me could wait for the posers doing something more worthwhile

[Doc]

You went to a Harley shop... Error #1.


As for elitist shops... I don't have time for their, "we only work on fast bikes to make them faster" BS


I wonder how many of the customers use 50% of the "faster" parts.

I'd rather wring the snot outta my "old and slow" Hawk to learn how to ride at the limit than just pin it on the front straight to go "fast"

[Beck]

Just becasue they do not know what a Hawk Gt is does not mean they are ignorant. The bike is close to 20 years old in design and it is a small displacement low power v-twinn. It is not a bike that most 20 something years old rice rocket racers would ever want.

I have never seen a cbx, zr1, cx turbo, rc30, nr750, etc, but I know what they are. I don't work at a bike shop nor do I scour old magizines. I also don't claim to know everything racing and TBR and Erion, yet don't know what a hawk GT is. I didn't call them a name here. They are ignorant by definition. I don't take any offense to someone saying I don't know scientific names for plants. It's because I am ignorant and can admit it. I certainly wouldn't act like an asshole to someone that was trying to explain it to me.

Unless you pissed them off somehow I doubt they called your bike "garbage that old". They might of called it old! Which it is but as for "garbage"???

I was pleasant and took their insults over and over, because in the beginning I figured it was just the end of a long Monday for them. Any time you want to go up there together and have them repeat what was said, let me know.

KWS does work on late model FI bikes. That is what they know best and that is where they have focused their business.

Yeah that was crystal clear. Since things like tires aren't very 'fuel-injected' model specific, I couldn't help but take some of it personal. I would jump at a customer willing to pay up front for a front tire that is easily handled on the equipment already at the business at the least.

First off I would not want to ride 8 year old tires but if you need them balanced they try Ronnie @ Cycle World on Rivers or call the crew at Cycle Gear and ask them if they will balance your wheels. Being that Kevin works on late model bikes only he might not be able to balance the rear wheel on the Hawk being that he might not have an adapter for your wheel at KWS.

I'm not sure where you get that I am riding on 8 year old tires. My trying to replace them might be an indicator that I can assess their condition. Perhaps I worded that poorly in my original post. KWS said call Cylce Gear and Cycle World said call Cylce Gear. Cycle Gear said remove and bring in the wheels and they will install the tires, but they can't balance.

The Harley shop is the best for customer service and they even like my RZ350.

[Beck]

That was weird the end got cut off....

The Harley shop is the best for customer service and they even like my RZ350.

I went in there for the first time a little over a month ago. Not only were they helpful and understanding, I thought they went the extra mile for things they don't normally work on. There were lots of customers there and they were all pleasant and supportive when we all started talking about the Hawk GT. Try that shit at champion with some new school ducati owners.

[MrDude_1]

hey,
if you still need a hand with the bike, i cant promise anything, but i'll stop by to do what i can....


as for the tires, Randy has a tire machine and a balance station in his garage.. he charges $25 a tire.... yea i know.... but he atleast balances it right and that includes a new track legal valve stem.

i know his machine fits hawks SSSA wheel too...

give me a call sometime after 6pm... 843 729 7146

[MrDude_1]

That was weird the end got cut off....

The Harley shop is the best for customer service and they even like my RZ350.

I went in there for the first time a little over a month ago. Not only were they helpful and understanding, I thought they went the extra mile for things they don't normally work on. There were lots of customers there and they were all pleasant and supportive when we all started talking about the Hawk GT. Try that shit at champion with some new school ducati owners.

meh, its all in the attitude i guess.... Jason at champion loved my hawk... and my hawk was owned by the former service manager of champion...