Bike Service Labour rates

[whitedelight]

I would pay R250-R350 /hour without blinking an eyelid.Phone Harley and ask them for a labour quote??

[Trumpet]

All the work done at the agents is to a table set out by the manufacturer
you guys must remember that the special tools and computers that are needed to work on the modern day bikes is very expensive and have to be upgraded constantly
Look at the big picture and you bike be worth a lot more when you want to sell or trade it in at a later date.
Do you think that when you send your tax return inn and they charge you big bucks, that top accountant has done your return
well i can tell you that the junior sitting in the back has done it for him !!

All the work supposedly done at the agents is to a table set out by the manufacturer. That's the reality. In theory they are supposed to follow the table. In reality very few do. In fact, none, in my experience. That self same table you refer to also states the number of hours for the work. Another example - my Daytona is supposed to have the steering head bearings regreased at 20k km's, 40 k km's etc. Bike went for it's 20k service, being a pita customer I hung around. Steering head not done, but I'm charge the full hours for the service? After a "discussion" 4 hours of labour were removed from the bill. Cables weren't lubed either, clutch freeplay not checked etc. etc. I got charge for a new airfilter, except I have a BMC fitted which wasn't even cleaned & re-oiled!!

Thanks but no thanks, as stated I'll do 90% of it myself, other work only goes to a trusted workshop whom I have a good long standing relationship with.

[subie]

What is all the hooha about.
A mechanic can charge R1000 per hour if he wants to. To survive and keep his clients he will have to be very good
in which case he will probably keep his client base. Without your moaning and pissing. He knows his opposition very well and their standard. Pricing and quality of work.
I used to have a small  BIC business. I am proud to say I were considered expensive. I only bothered with the more upmarket type kitchens etc. Not that the profit was so much more but for the satisfaction of delivering a quality product. The joy of standing back at the end of the day and admiring my own work. Downside of these upmarket kitchens is that a small mistake could evaporate your hoped for profit easily 
Some of my prospective customers thought they could "force my hand" by showing me quotes halve the price of mine 
Usually the guy with a venter trailer behind his car and a jigsaw. I always made an effort to give these cheap quotes a glowing reference to be sure they gave the work to the cheapie.  It is lekker when you don't have to spend money on advertising. Your work is your advert
I wonder what price bikes the moaners ride?? Would be interesting to see.  R150000 bike + cheap service =

[bronzy]

All the work done at the agents is to a table set out by the manufacturer
you guys must remember that the special tools and computers that are needed to work on the modern day bikes is very expensive and have to be upgraded constantly
Look at the big picture and you bike be worth a lot more when you want to sell or trade it in at a later date.
Do you think that when you send your tax return inn and they charge you big bucks, that top accountant has done your return
well i can tell you that the junior sitting in the back has done it for him !!

All the work supposedly done at the agents is to a table set out by the manufacturer. That's the reality. In theory they are supposed to follow the table. In reality very few do. In fact, none, in my experience. That self same table you refer to also states the number of hours for the work. Another example - my Daytona is supposed to have the steering head bearings regreased at 20k km's, 40 k km's etc. Bike went for it's 20k service, being a pita customer I hung around. Steering head not done, but I'm charge the full hours for the service? After a "discussion" 4 hours of labour were removed from the bill. Cables weren't lubed either, clutch freeplay not checked etc. etc. I got charge for a new airfilter, except I have a BMC fitted which wasn't even cleaned & re-oiled!!

Thanks but no thanks, as stated I'll do 90% of it myself, other work only goes to a trusted workshop whom I have a good long standing relationship with.

cases like this should be reported to the importers so it can taken up with the dealerand they can loose the franchise

[Plaashaas]

Runner - I do 90% of the work myself for precisely the reasons I stated earlier in the thread!

That which I cannot do - either due to a lack of knowledge, time, or correct equipment I take the bikes to my "preferred" workshops & am more than happy to pay.

The earlier post I made - I'm one of those pita customers who will hang around whilst my bike is being worked on. The experience I related actually happened. An oil change/minor service on the bike took 5 hours. Simply because they were working on 4 different bikes simultaneously. I b!tched about the 5 hour labour charge - it was reduced to 2 hours which I was told was "standard" for that type of service. Then I asked why part of the work required by the service schedule wasn't done, like lubing the cables etc. I was told it's not necessary. This was at an official dealer!! Last time they saw my bike.

I've happily paid R500 an hour - I understand all to clearly the cost of premises, tools, staff etc. & have no problem paying for quality service, but don't charge me qualified labour rates for an appie to work on my bike, let alone for the workshop cleaner to work on my bike.

Examples - I was quoted R1500-00 to do a fork service on my sons KX if I took the loose forks in. Excluding parts, so that's just labour. Parts cost me R480-00 for new seals & bushes. Time taken by me was 2 hours. Having never done it before. With more experience it would have taken less time - I did my CRF's forks a few weeks later, time taken 1 hour. So a "qualified" workshop wanted to charge me R1000-00 an hour? WTF?

I do forks, including labour, seals and oil for R980, on or off the bike, next time bring it, and you can have a beer while you wait

Kyk runner is goed en goedkoop maar nog nooit 'n bier geoffer nie (My TA en 800 was al daar paar keer)?? WTF

[Trumpet]

All the work done at the agents is to a table set out by the manufacturer
you guys must remember that the special tools and computers that are needed to work on the modern day bikes is very expensive and have to be upgraded constantly
Look at the big picture and you bike be worth a lot more when you want to sell or trade it in at a later date.
Do you think that when you send your tax return inn and they charge you big bucks, that top accountant has done your return
well i can tell you that the junior sitting in the back has done it for him !!

All the work supposedly done at the agents is to a table set out by the manufacturer. That's the reality. In theory they are supposed to follow the table. In reality very few do. In fact, none, in my experience. That self same table you refer to also states the number of hours for the work. Another example - my Daytona is supposed to have the steering head bearings regreased at 20k km's, 40 k km's etc. Bike went for it's 20k service, being a pita customer I hung around. Steering head not done, but I'm charge the full hours for the service? After a "discussion" 4 hours of labour were removed from the bill. Cables weren't lubed either, clutch freeplay not checked etc. etc. I got charge for a new airfilter, except I have a BMC fitted which wasn't even cleaned & re-oiled!!

Thanks but no thanks, as stated I'll do 90% of it myself, other work only goes to a trusted workshop whom I have a good long standing relationship with.

cases like this should be reported to the importers so it can taken up with the dealerand they can loose the franchise

A bit pointless when the dealership isn't a franchise but is owned by the importers holding company!

[Dux]

I presume you are referring to a Triumph Daytona , to the best of my knowledge none of the Triumph dealerships are owned by the importers or their holding company , Arnold Olivier at KMSA is the person to contact if you have issues .

[Trumpet]

I presume you are referring to a Triumph Daytona , to the best of my knowledge none of the Triumph dealerships are owned by the importers or their holding company , Arnold Olivier at KMSA is the person to contact if you have issues .

Arnold is a mate! One of their stores (if not more) is company owned. It was thanks to Arnold & Gavin at KMSA that the problems I had got sorted. Both of them are top classs blokes and an asset to the business as far as I'm concerned!

[IDR]

I presume you are referring to a Triumph Daytona , to the best of my knowledge none of the Triumph dealerships are owned by the importers or their holding company , Arnold Olivier at KMSA is the person to contact if you have issues .

Arnold is a mate! One of their stores (if not more) is company owned. It was thanks to Arnold & Gavin at KMSA that the problems I had got sorted. Both of them are top classs blokes and an asset to the business as far as I'm concerned!

4ways??

[Dux]

I presume you are referring to a Triumph Daytona , to the best of my knowledge none of the Triumph dealerships are owned by the importers or their holding company , Arnold Olivier at KMSA is the person to contact if you have issues .

Arnold is a mate! One of their stores (if not more) is company owned. It was thanks to Arnold & Gavin at KMSA that the problems I had got sorted. Both of them are top classs blokes and an asset to the business as far as I'm concerned!

Agreed , Arnold and Gavin are both excellent people .