Opinions on Cycles 128 Service?

[schleppy]

I should have my 600 miles up on my new SV650 in a week or so, and I want to have a good dealer do the first service. Being that the first service is so critical for the bike I'd rather have a pro do the first one, and I'll do the subsequent ones.

Having bought the bike at Cycles and really liking their sales/parts guys I'm inclinded to take it back there for the 600 mile service. I'm just wondering if anyone knows if they are a good place to get the work done. If they aren't worthwhile, tell me why and reccomend an alternative...

Thanks all!

-Sean

[Tricky Mike]

I had a really bad experience with them (bought a bike there). If something goes wrong I'd be pretty surprised if they stood behind their work (based on my experience with them). In my case it took several weeks and a Honda intervention before they (reluctantly) gave me what I paid for. (bike not prepped well, not inspected, Parts missing, etc.). I'll never buy a quart of oil from them. Too bad for them, too. I have a KTM too, so they would have seen some business from me. Instead, I'll gladly drive out of my way to not give them my $$.
Unfortunately this isn't an uncommon "stealership" experience.

[LiononaLeash]

+1 here


If you say you are gonna learn to do this stuff anyway, go ahead and do it yourself. They are not paid to be meticulous on your bike, they are paid to get it through the shop(this is all from experience at various dealership shops in general).

Heck, I bet most of them don't even use a torque wrench when reassembling things.

Now before someone jumps all over me, this does not mean there aren't any competent mechanics/shops out there. I'm saying that there doesn't seem to be very many(I'm being optimisitic here).

Generally though, those certificates they proudly display on the wall in there service department just say they were taught how to read a troubleshooting flowchart, and not that they know how to think on their own once they encounter something that requires actual logical troubleshooting skills.

There have been a couple times where I want to rip those certs off the wall, throw em on the floor and jump up and down on them. There have been a couple instances where I would get the bike back running worse than it was beforehand and I had to go through the problem and fix it myself anyway.

Is all this scaring you a bit? I'm not trying to, but it should be something to put into the equation when you are trying to decide on whether or not you are gonna take the bike to a dealer shop.

Hope this helps!

Take care.

[schleppy]

Not scary at all, I'm familiar with dealing with the same crap when it comes to cars. That's why I've never brought a car that I own back to a dealer.

Can anyone reccomend a good shop? There has to be one somewhere...

[kmobrien76]

I bought my bike there, never used the service dept. Sales was great, I called, went in, negotiated, road it home a few hours later...

[Currently]

Plaistow Powersports did me good on a price for the bike and the first 600 mile service.

I would recommend them for what you want to do.

I also recommend that you have the first 600 mile service professionally done if you have very little bike mechanical experience.

After that, do everything yourself. The cost of having it done will pay for some good quality tools. Get a good torque wrench and get the service manual. Anything that is unclear, ask questions here or SVRider.com

[schleppy]

I have the factory service manual, and all of the right tools. I read up on the 600mi service and it doesn't seem too bad.I've been wrenching on cars for a while, so I'm not too worried about it.

I will tackle all that I can and if I'm not comfortable with part of the job i will get help, or pay someone to do it.

[bbhzx10]

Everyone has had horrible experiances with Cycles, not many have had any good ones including myself. Plaistow Power Sports is the same company however the service dept. there does a good job and is very good to deal with. You could also go to G&G cycles in Salisbury, they are always good to me in service.

[ratmloud]

Originally posted by schleppy

Having bought the bike at Cycles and really liking their sales/parts guys I'm inclinded to take it back there
-Sean

lol cycles is one of the worst dealerships around! I have not and never will buy a bike there so no personal stories of there sales/service but I have tried to get parts there, cycles parts guys are the WORST! They know NOTHING!

[schleppy]

I never said they were knowledgeable, they were nice and gave pretty competitive prices on certain items...

[neek]

no first hand experience but i've ONLY heard negative comments about the place. take it for what its worth....

[schleppy]

Well, with all of the comments I'm getting I'll forget ever going back there.

Thanks gang!

-S

[jwm2k3]

Ive got to chime in on this one. Its important to have the Suzuki 600 mile service done at a Suzuki dealer. This will keep you in good shape for any possible warranty claims in the future with Suzuki. The manufacturer can deny claims if there is no record of the 600 mile service being done.

ratmloud, never having done business with a place and then talking trash, without experience, just seems kinda silly to me....

[SQUIZZ636]

yes I agree, at PPS we had a problem with a 750 that suzuki ended up buying back but they were looking to the service records, mainly the 1st service. The 1st service is the one you should have done by a dealer just because of warr. issuses.

[ratmloud]

Originally posted by jwm2k3


ratmloud, never having done business with a place and then talking trash, without experience, just seems kinda silly to me....

jwm2k3- I said i never had service or sales, thats because they suck so no deal was made, thus no stories of there service on new bike sales.
also I said I have done parts buisness and the parts guys are BAD, you have to look up your own parts to get the right stuff, They seem like they dont even know what a bike is!

I was looking at a used 2001 sv 650 last year, they wanted $4800 for a 4-5 year old bike that is 5800 new!
and when asked about new bike purchases they add on all kinds of fees and dont budge on price.

so, I can talk all I want, I have enough reason, should of been more clear on the reasons.

while I am thinking of it, why dont you head on down to cycles and buy some stuff, I highly recommend them , but only to YOU!

[schleppy]

So which dealer should I go to? Plaistow PS seems like a good place, though it's a bit of a hike from here...

If I had recepits for the Suzuki oil + filter, plus typed up a sheet telling all the torque specs I checked, etc I wouldn't be covered?

-Sean

[SQUIZZ636]

you could try parkway, I know that every one seems to hate them but they have a new service man. named eric and hes a good guy. the service dept. is trying to turn there act around. same with there parts dept.. pps, cycles, parkway and gbm are all the same corp. but I know the guys at PPS (were i used to work) and parkway pretty well.

[schleppy]

Parkway is not far from my apartment, so that wouldn't be a bad choice...

I just really want what's best for my bike. Especially for such a critical service.

Can anyone else vouch from Parkway?

-S

[rjh200]

Do it yourself, keep receipts and a maintenance log of any service or repairs you do. Then if you have any problems they CAN NOT deny you because the the service was not done at a dealer unless they can prove that it is something you did specifically with out a doubt that caused the problem.

[schleppy]

I just called Riverside and asked about the 600mi service. The guy took the time to sit on the phone with me and describe damn near everything they do, and was very polite and courteous. Seeing as they are so close to my apartment, I think I'm going to go there for the service. Unless of course anyone has any objections...

[SQUIZZ636]

every dealer is diff. if they are willing to give you the time then thats the way to go. make sure you go and see the service writer you talked. and aks for a copy of the check list they do, they get it out of the factory service manuals. so you can see every thing they did, and for your records just in case you have any problems later on. I used to do parts and some service writing for PPS so that were I get all my info from.

[schleppy]

Thanks for the tips!

-S

[jwm2k3]

Originally posted by ratmloud
jwm2k3- why dont you head on down to cycles and buy some stuff, I highly recommend them , but only to YOU!

Listen, ease up a bit. Lifes too short. In through the nose, out through the mouth, in through the nose, out through the mouth....

[tonyd]

I dont think they even inspect the valves on the new SV at 600 miles so if you can change the oil do it yourself. Everything else is a check and tighten routine basically to charge you to make sure they didn't F up prepping it the first time.

[SQUIZZ636]

Everything else is a check and tighten routine basically to charge you to make sure they didn't F up prepping it the first time.

no they do it because some bolts do come loose around that time frame lick any thing you could tighten a bolt one day then its loose then next till it wears in and they have a suzuki or yamaha or any major manufac. check list. ( I am not saying that some set up guys are not monkeys) but some of the things are like adjusting the cables you laugh but so many people over tighten them and then come back with cluch problems and then they want a warr. done on the clutch. not to say you couldn't do this your self, but I use to see it all the time. You can also till if things are not waring in right. but there is no valve adj. in the first service of almost any street bike, it oils filter and check and adjust by the man. check list. I did my fisrt service only because I use to work for a dealer so I could doc. what I did, plus I had no choice I was at deals last year.