Is it me?

[PDBusa]

So, I've had the Busa for about 16 months and 7500 miles now. That equates to three rear tire changes and one front. I remove wheels from bike and purchase tires from Charles@SnT  

, take to dealer and have them mount&balance new rubber.

I clean and wax rims before hand so the tech knows I'm pretty anal about my stuff and hopefully they will take care of it too.The first two rear changes were fine.  First one had a clip wt. attached to center of rim as OEM. The second one the tech took forever. When he came back with tire mounted he said the manufacturer mark (lite/heavy?) was approx 110* off and he wanted to balance it without any weights, so he spent the extra time messing around with it. I was floored. Should've thrown him a 5 spot tip for going the extra distance for me.

So I went back with my new PP the other day expecting the same "step above service". Was hoping same tech would do them again so I could take care of him, but didn't get his name.  

 Had my son with me and anyone with a 5yo son knows what it can be like with them in a motorcycle store. Especially with about 60 bikes including everything from American Iron Horse to the jr & kdx 50's.

Tires done, threw them in back of truck and head 15 minutes home. Pull them out to mount only to find the tech attached the stick on weights. But he didn't even put them towards the center of rim. He put the things on the outer edge of the freaking rims. What if these were custom chrome rims? It also appears that the front and rear tires took the exact amount of weight to balance? Thinking maybe he put the tire "dot" in the wrong place?

WTF? Didn't have time to go back and am hoping to head out with some fellow .Orgers Sunday so I needed to try to get wheels installed and tires scuffed.

I will be taking wheels off again and having them re-balanced by another shop next week.

So am I out of line with my expectations or just too anal?  

Agree or flame away, I can take it, and so can Hank.

 

[StuckInBaghdad]

I feel you. Being a mechanic myself, I get sick to my stomach when I have to drop anything off to be worked on. When I had to have warrenty work done on my truck, I begged the dealer to let me have the parts to fix myself and I would bring the old parts back to turn in to warrenty. (they would not go for it) Many times I just fix it and don't bother taking it in. I don't think I have ever been fully satisfied with any kind of work I had to have someone else do. Knowbody will ever take care of you stuff like you will!

 

[johnstein]

first tire change i let the dealer do didnt notice till i cleaned the bike the following week , front and rear wheels scratched to hell i let them take the wheels off the bike , i think they tried pulling the front rim through the calipers , then rotated the wheel 360 degres wiggling it side to side till it came off , same with the rear wheel !

most of the techs workin at the dealers are under 25 and they dont give a rats ass bout your bike !

i would love to find a small local shop with a good tech , but most are speed shops and specialize in a few things , not tire changing or oil changes ?

 

[ike]

I can't stand anyone working on my stuff. I've had to many things go wrong at stealerships. This year I am treating myself to a bike lift.

 

[ike]

Oh and PDbusa. A stealership did the same shid to me with those stick on weights. I got the bike and said hey what the hell are those. They told me thats all they had. Pist me off. Would you trust one at say 170 mph + speeds? I wouldn't, not that I plan on ever going that fast AGAIN with those stick on things anyway.

 

[bmbusa]

I am an auto tech. at a Toyota dealership, been wrenching for 25+ years. I do all my work myself, but tire mounting and balancing. I use to mount them myself back when the tires were alot easier, ( motorcycle tires ) but with the low profile tires today it makes it very hard to mount by hand. The dealership I work at does not have a tire changer that will adapt to motorcycle wheels, so I am forced to go elsewhere for mounting and balancing, I do remove the wheels myself though. I have gone to several places and every time my wheels get scratched, and I am pi$$ed off. I always say something to the shop who does the work, but their reply is they point to a sign that states they are not responsible for scratches on motorcycle wheels. I have lived with it and I always have color matched spray paint in my garage to touch up the scratches.
  With all that said, I also mount tires and balance them that are on custom wheels, (automotive low profile) and if I scratched them, well,we'll just say that won't fly. The tire machine we have has plastic protectors for the tire irons.
   I guess I am on a  

 because I have not found a good source to do my tire mounting and balancing, and I can relate to StuckInBaghdad about other people working on my stuff.
   Sorry to  

 , just venting, but to your problem about the weight positioning issue, I would not be concerned about the positioning of the weight to the outside, because the tech. who performed the work performed a dynamic balance which is better balance than placing the weight in the center, which is a static balance. It sounds like the shop you take it to did use protective equipment and no scratches on the wheel.



Just my 2 cents. Hope you enjoy the new tread.

 

[TIMMYDUCK]

I've been using the stick on weights for years.
You just have to make sure you put a dab of crazy glue on the paper backing,but I have never lost one.
As for the positioning, the guys at the track selling and mounting the tires put then on the outside also.

Who knows what is really best ?

 

[GSXcite]

I'm lucky that I have a friend who has a tire machine designed for motorcycle wheels. I take them off the bike and he mounts and balances them for me. Before he puts them on the machine he uses duct tape to protect the wheels from scratches, but even with the extra protection the wheels get a few marks from the machine. I touch them up and live with it.

 

[BA BUSA]

The stick on weights are fine...if you don't like where they put them, just buy some new weights...put them closer to the center and remove the other ones

WE should always inspect any work done to our bikes before and after the job is done

 

[greyrocket]

i guess i'am lucky i know my car mech who is a friend, also my dealer who works on my busa i know the owner of the shop that helps never had a problem. find a place that does good work.

 

[Copperone]

I'm just like you in that I do all of my own work except for mounting tires. I don't want to screw up the wheels. I could change the tires but it takes forever at home, and they usually do an OK job at the shop. However, if there's anything wrong, I am upset. No offense to any tech out there but some times you get a mech that really cares about the customers bike/tire mounting, sometimes you don't. I try to keep calm and tell the service dept what my expectations are, and I also say that if they want my continued business they need to pay closer attention to what they are doing. Hope the place who did your mounting is willing to work with you.