Should I go bitch to the dealer or fix myself?

[Goose Rider]

In my other thread I asked about the removal of a gas tank....it goes a bit further


In a nutshell, brought the bike in to the dealer to have the CCTL replaced under warranty..no problem, covered...ride off into the sunset all happy and shit

Get home last night and take a look at the bike and noticed that the gap between the frame and the tank is bigger on the right than the left and the rubber curtain or whatever it is called between the tank and underneath it is bunched up and not lying flat and doing it's covering job....I wiggle my finger in there and try to pull it back a bit..I am able to do it a bit but not to where it should be...so I'm a littl miffed thinking "Damn, no attention to detail" I"ll see what I can do in the morning


Ride my 50 miles to work and in the daylight you can see a lot more...I'm looking down at the plastic piece that sits right and in front of the gas tank and under the right grip (I think someone called them the piece that sits above the air intake?) In any event it looks like they took that piece off to get at the CCTL and probably the right fairing...when they put it back together he didn't line the crap up correctly and you can see where that plastic piece is supposed to line up behind a clip under the windscreen but he didn't get it behind the clip so there is a gap between that and the fairing and also where the back end of it clips into the frame, it is not clipped


Hard to explain, I'll see if I can get a pic and that will probably make things easier to see


Bottom line is I'm sort of pissed like wtf?? Talk about not having any pride in your work....I could probably fix it myself as I have the star driver to undo the stuff and hopefully get it back the way it is supposed be...however part of me wants to go back to the dealer (NAULTS) and ask the guys wtf?


Would you try to fix it yourself or go back to the dealer and ask them to do it?



Goose

[Royal Tiger]

Take it back. They might throw in a free oil and filter change for your inconvience.

[dynamite196]

take it back and bitch, get them to throw something in (not more service lol) for the hassle. i would find another dealer to do the work next time, good thing they were only sloppy with the body work what happens if you need a brake job next time? finding out you don't have brakes when you're doing 90 would probably go into your list of shit you don't wanna have happen

[BikerRob]

I'd fix it myself. I take off and put back on my own plastics before I take the bike in anyway. That way they're less likely to be damaged and I know they're put back together correctly.

On your original question about the gas tank, you may not need to lift the tank to straighten the rubber skirt you're talking about. It tucks down against the frame on the engine side of the frame. If you take off the plastics you can probably get your fingers up there and pull it down straight. If you have to lift the tank, you only have to remove the two bolts up front at the steering end of the frame. With those removed you can lift the tank up a few inches (the rear bolts under the seat are on rubber mounts that will flex) without putting too much strain on the fuel lines/hoses and have enough room to straighten out the skirts.

[metalrat]

The average "mouth breathing belly scratcher" is what you get at stealerships.(.02)

No one will love your bike as much as you.
They will want your your bike done and gone ASAP.
I go over my bike with the patience of Moses.

[User Name]

Fairings can be tricky to get back on, theres all kinds of little clips and tabs to line up. Honest mistake, IMO. Bring it back if you want, but don't bitch the guy out and don't be surprised if he laughs in your face when you ask him to throw in some free service of some sort. If it was me, I'd just "fix" it myself (I say fix in quotes, because it's really not broken). Hell, it should only take you about 2 minutes... literally. I have a hard time understanding people being reluctant to change their own oil, but tweaking the alignment of a fairing? Damn!

[Goose Rider]

Originally Posted by User Name

Hell, it should only take you about 2 minutes... literally. I have a hard time understanding people being reluctant to change their own oil, but tweaking the alignment of a fairing? Damn!

You are right..took an allen wrench out into the lot and took like a minute and a half if not less..actually it was a good thing as I was able to see how all that crap goes together and was not as intimidating as I thought


So my shit is back together and I don't need to trek to Manchester in rush hour during bike week

Still can't figure how 1 side of the tank is up a bit higher than the other but maybe it has always been like that and the rubber curtain thingy just drew my attention to it

Maybe I'm just a stickler for quality in work but it is still pretty piss poor the shoddy work in putting something so simple back together and not paying any attention to detail..aw screw it..not the end of the world and I probably over reacted a bit


Thanks guys



Goose

[RayOSV]

Before reading your last post, I was going to say try to fix it yourself if you have the tools and confidence. Or take it back to the dealer if it's not grossly inconvenient.

Now, if you're at all unsure that things are put back correctly, take it back and make them fix it while you wait/watch.

It is good to know your bike, but it's also good to know what's correct and what isn't.

[User Name]

Originally Posted by Goose Rider

Maybe I'm just a stickler for quality in work but it is still pretty piss poor the shoddy work in putting something so simple back together and not paying any attention to detail..aw screw it..not the end of the world and I probably over reacted a bit

Don't get me wrong, the dealer should have gotten it back together correctly, it's not THAT hard and it does speak to the quality of the work. But it's always good to know how to fix things yourself lest you want to be continually at the mercy of others.

First the fairings, next changing your own oil, pretty soon, you'll have your engine all apart...

[SloppyJoseph]

I've never had any of my bikes worked on at a shop except for a tire change. I do everything myself so i know it's done right.

[Goose Rider]

Originally Posted by User Name

First the fairings, next changing your own oil, pretty soon, you'll have your engine all apart...

Thanks guys...ironic thing is I have already changed the oil twice on the bike...that is easy!! lol I'm pretty good once things have been shown to me or I do it at least once...I guess it is just the unnkown that spooks ya sometimes

Was real easy of a fix though


Goose

[bdubble]

Originally Posted by User Name

Don't get me wrong, the dealer should have gotten it back together correctly, it's not THAT hard and it does speak to the quality of the work. But it's always good to know how to fix things yourself lest you want to be continually at the mercy of others.

First the fairings, next changing your own oil, pretty soon, you'll have your engine all apart...

No lie there!! That's exactly how it starts... starts with taking off fairings, then changing oil, then routine maintenance, changing fluids, removing tires....pretty soon (hopefully after some good miles and good advice) tweaking suspension and removing/replacing/upgrading small engine doohickeys.

In the end you'll save a ton, learn A LOT about how your bike operates since you'll have to ask for help sooner or later, and become a better rider because you'll learn your bike's limits and capabilities.

Then you'll find a reason to want another.

[bumblebee]

Originally Posted by SloppyJoseph

I've never had any of my bikes worked on at a shop except for a tire change. I do everything myself so i know it's done right.

...Last time I had a dealer put tires on, they mounted the front tire backwards...When I showed up to get the bike, I saw it and asked, "What's wrong with this picture?" When I said the tire was backward, they said I didn't understand...I said, "Well that may be...it's not like there is an arrow that points which way to install the tire or anything..."

I got a free oil change for that one...

[SloppyJoseph]

Originally Posted by bumblebee

...Last time I had a dealer put tires on, they mounted the front tire backwards...When I showed up to get the bike, I saw it and asked, "What's wrong with this picture?" When I said the tire was backward, they said I didn't understand...I said, "Well that may be...it's not like there is an arrow that points which way to install the tire or anything..."

I got a free oil change for that one...

Damn maybe i better start doin that too haha.

[GrandeGixxer]

I would find another place to get your service done.