Rave: A good shop can make all the difference

[Jarvicious]

I was on the BMW this weekend, but the basic principals still apply to motorbikes in general  

Ma and I are planning a ride out to NYC this fall for a wedding so she decided to drive down to Columbia where we'd meet and head over to St. Louis where we were planning on shopping for a full face for her.  The ride was only 140 miles or so and a slabby as it gets, but it was pleasant enough. 

An hour or so at the shop trying on lids and talking to the shop "expert" (I didn't want to undermine him, but long story short Mary Poppins knows more about helmets) and we decided to head out empty handed.  Apparently mom has a tiny head that won't even fit into a SM HJC  

I'm staying in Stl visiting friends for the night so we say our goodbyes and I start to back the bike out.  Now the Beemer isn't nearly as light as my Duc, but it was never this heavy.  I also feel like I'm sitting really low.  Shit.  I ask mom to check out my back tire and it's flat as a pancake.  I think, what a better place to get a flat tire than at a bike shop. 

I roll carefully around back to have the tech look at it and to see about getting a replacement (the rear tire was shot anyway).  Keep in mind it's around 4:10 on a Saturday.  The guy gives me the stink eye when I ask him to take a look but he checks it out and gives me a fill.  Turns out the tire is fine but the valve stem is leaking, and unfortunately not from the core.  How does this even happen?  I ask him if they had a tire for me. 

No. 

Do you think you could at least put in a new valve stem? 

No, we're closing. 

Shit.  My home isn't that far away, so a ride isn't out of the question, but I don't want to deal with this. 

Frustrated by the less than cordial tech, I decide just to brave the slow leak and make my way over to Gateway BMW (I'm not gonna go into which shop I was at first) to see if they could give me a hand.  By the time I roll into the parking lot it's around 4:30 and there are still a handfull of bikes in the lot.  Good they're still here!  I walk up and glance at the "4:00" closing sign as I pull on the locked door.  A moment of panic and I decide to wander around to the shop to see if someone's around to find a handful of guys hanging around talking in the lobby.  I tell them my situation and mildly beg them to at least take a look at it to give me a best/worst case scenario. 

Long story short, they jack up my bike yank the wheel off, get me situated on a new tire, and get me back on the road, all the while mildly postponing their short evening camping trip.  I was make the beast with two backsing floored.  I can't even think of a gift or letter of praise that could possibly express my grattitude to Hans (Owner) and the other guys that helped out.  I've read a lot about you folks having issues with under tightening brake bolts, over inflating tires, and shops just being general pains in the ass.  I just wanted to give a huuuuuuuge thumbs up to Gateway BMW and to let everyone else know you can't rely on everyone these days, but there are those you can.  I'd be willing to spend more money at this shop now (regardless of competing prices) just because of the help they gave me.  It went beyond being shop techs (though I paid them) to being a bunch of guys willing to help out a fellow cyclist and if there is ever any of you near Columbia, MO, there's a garage waiting for ya

[red baron]

To good peeps everywhere.

[herm]

I was on the BMW this weekend, but the basic principals still apply to motorbikes in general  

Ma and I are planning a ride out to NYC this fall for a wedding so she decided to drive down to Columbia where we'd meet and head over to St. Louis where we were planning on shopping for a full face for her.  The ride was only 140 miles or so and a slabby as it gets, but it was pleasant enough. 

An hour or so at the shop trying on lids and talking to the shop "expert" (I didn't want to undermine him, but long story short Mary Poppins knows more about helmets) and we decided to head out empty handed.  Apparently mom has a tiny head that won't even fit into a SM HJC  

I'm staying in Stl visiting friends for the night so we say our goodbyes and I start to back the bike out.  Now the Beemer isn't nearly as light as my Duc, but it was never this heavy.  I also feel like I'm sitting really low.  Shit.  I ask mom to check out my back tire and it's flat as a pancake.  I think, what a better place to get a flat tire than at a bike shop. 

I roll carefully around back to have the tech look at it and to see about getting a replacement (the rear tire was shot anyway).  Keep in mind it's around 4:10 on a Saturday.  The guy gives me the stink eye when I ask him to take a look but he checks it out and gives me a fill.  Turns out the tire is fine but the valve stem is leaking, and unfortunately not from the core.  How does this even happen?  I ask him if they had a tire for me. 

No. 

Do you think you could at least put in a new valve stem? 

No, we're closing. 

Shit.  My home isn't that far away, so a ride isn't out of the question, but I don't want to deal with this. 

Frustrated by the less than cordial tech, I decide just to brave the slow leak and make my way over to Gateway BMW (I'm not gonna go into which shop I was at first) to see if they could give me a hand.  By the time I roll into the parking lot it's around 4:30 and there are still a handfull of bikes in the lot.  Good they're still here!  I walk up and glance at the "4:00" closing sign as I pull on the locked door.  A moment of panic and I decide to wander around to the shop to see if someone's around to find a handful of guys hanging around talking in the lobby.  I tell them my situation and mildly beg them to at least take a look at it to give me a best/worst case scenario. 

Long story short, they jack up my bike yank the wheel off, get me situated on a new tire, and get me back on the road, all the while mildly postponing their short evening camping trip.  I was make the beast with two backsing floored.  I can't even think of a gift or letter of praise that could possibly express my grattitude to Hans (Owner) and the other guys that helped out.  I've read a lot about you folks having issues with under tightening brake bolts, over inflating tires, and shops just being general pains in the ass.  I just wanted to give a huuuuuuuge thumbs up to Gateway BMW and to let everyone else know you can't rely on everyone these days, but there are those you can.  I'd be willing to spend more money at this shop now (regardless of competing prices) just because of the help they gave me.  It went beyond being shop techs (though I paid them) to being a bunch of guys willing to help out a fellow cyclist and if there is ever any of you near Columbia, MO, there's a garage waiting for ya

  to those guys.
it is amazing that more businesses do not comprehend this.

[sbrguy]

amazing, that its gotten to the point that when you actually get "good" customer service we are amazed by it..

i agree places that understand "good customer service" are called "real mechanics and great local shops", those that don't are just called "a shop".

nick out in valley ducati, and when stu was working on bikes were exactly the same as the place you found.  well worth every dollar you paid them and always willing to help and educate a fellow motorcycle rider, in other words they are "real mechanics and run a first class shop".

[hbliam]

This isn't even a story of good vs. bad customer service. It's more a story of motorcyclists vs. non-motorcyclists.

[corndog67]

You know, there aren't many shops around that will do that for people any more.   Anybody remember the old "race" shops, that had their little dirt bike or road race teams, had a really good mechanic around back, that you could count on for good, reliable advise, maybe even push a bearing or seal in for you for free or a coke or burger or something of the sort?   Or adjust your suspension for you when you didn't know how yet?  Or give you parts at "Racers Net".   Or order your parts, tell the distributor that it was for their racebike and they needed it in a day, and got you your stuff real quick, for no extra charge?  

How about a shop that would open up for you on a Saturday night (that's right, you had the owners number), to get you a set of levers or bars or  a throttle cable or whatever so you could go riding the next morning.  Or give you a tire on credit so you could get to work for a week and then pay them?   Been a long time since those guys were around.   Salinas Yamaha used to be like that.   I don't live there any more, so I don't know the deal there now.  Rosa's Yamaha in Seaside was like that, years, and years ago.   I guess things are just too corporate to do that stuff any more.  

[junior varsity]

That's great when it happens. I have found a few great shops over the years:

In Nashville, TN: Corse Motorsports (Alain and Andy are fantastic)

In Atlanta, GA: DucShop. Everybody there is wonderful.

In DFW, TX: AMS - the guys listen when you have a problem and help you out asap.

In Las Vegas, NV - Pat Clark Motorsports. I couldn't have had a BETTER experience at a shop when I needed some help on my long voyage.

[sugarcrook]

I have to chime in here for Nichols in the Bay Area.  There are few places I've been to that inspire such rabid loyalty. 

[wantingaduc]

I have to recomend Rockwell's Cycles in Fort Montgomery, NY. The whole staff there is top notch and it still has that old school bike shop feel.

They have a great service department with Nick as the service manger, their parts guy Will is on the ball, and Marian in sales works the follr and helps you out with accessories and gear. I have been using them for a while now and I can't say anythhing bad about them.

jimi

[redxblack]

There's a really big Suzuki dealership in my area that sounds a lot like that first shop. Crooked River is a lot like the second shop. I try to never leave Crooked River empty handed. I could always use another sticker or pocket knife or something.