View Full Version : Decent Bike garage nr Bracknell?
StreetHawk
20-01-08, 04:10 PM
Can anyone recommend me a decent bike garage near Bracknell?
Need to get mine checked out as it seems like it jumps out of gear sometimes :-(
Define "near"?
I've never had any trouble with George White in Slough. Don't know any Kwak dealers nearer than Reading though, and the only time I've had cause to talk to them they weren't phenomenally helpful.
StreetHawk
20-01-08, 04:45 PM
Within 10 miles or so... ??
I know George Whites but was think of a smaller independant (cheaper hourly rate!).. I've spoken to Pegasus Kwak in Reading before and the guy was rude and unhelpful.
ASM-Forever
20-01-08, 06:25 PM
Nope. :(
Its never an easy thing to find a garage IMO. I travel to Aylesbury to DWR.
StreetHawk
20-01-08, 07:12 PM
Nope. :(
Its never an easy thing to find a garage IMO. I travel to Aylesbury to DWR.
Do you know if you can book a time to bring it in so they can look at it while you wait?
flibble
20-01-08, 07:56 PM
What bike have you got?
I've always taken the SV to Geroge White's in Slough and not had any problems. Dan, my hubby takes his ZX6R to CBS Whitton, Twickenham and I'll probably take my CBR to Honda in Chiswick :)
StreetHawk
20-01-08, 08:26 PM
ZX6R - It was actually serviced by CBS Whitton all it's life by the previous owner. It's a bit far out for me though.. May try GW in Slough then, have been in there several times and they are always helpful.
ASM-Forever
20-01-08, 10:51 PM
Do you know if you can book a time to bring it in so they can look at it while you wait?
Yep, thats what i usually do, although i have been known to turn up unannounced and scupper their best laid plans.
StreetHawk
23-01-08, 05:41 PM
Got my bike booked in here (http://www.amsmotorcycles.org.uk/).
Getting a full service and they are gonna check out the drivetrain problem.
They collect and deliver for free too which is handy :)
Will report back when the bike returns..
ASM-Forever
23-01-08, 06:01 PM
So how long are they taking it for?
Also did you get an approximate quote?
ASM-Forever
23-01-08, 06:02 PM
Ooh AMS motorcyles.....so nearly ASM motorcycles then i would have to sue.
Having just looked at the site, they look very Harley Davidson. Are you sure it won't come back covered in chrome and leather? :)
StreetHawk
23-01-08, 07:39 PM
Didn't say how long it would take, for the service I would say one day but depends if it needs other work.. Full service ?190 inc valve clearance check. Seems reasonable..
ASM-Forever
23-01-08, 08:34 PM
Didn't say how long it would take, for the service I would say one day but depends if it needs other work.. Full service ?190 inc valve clearance check. Seems reasonable..
+parts?
Not a bad price, especially as they collect/return.
StreetHawk
23-01-08, 08:36 PM
Yep, all in! Email copied here -
Nick,
Thanks for your enquiry, the cost for 24k service would be ?190.00. This
includes brakes, brake fluid, oil, coolent, oil/air filter, plugs, valve
clearence, clutch adjustment. It covers valve clearence but excludes any
shims. If you require fork oil replacement that is a further ?45.00.
We can check the chain and sprockets and the jumping out of gear when in for
service and quote accordingly.
Cheers
Simon
AMS Motorcycles
01189 695600
ASM-Forever
23-01-08, 08:59 PM
We can check the chain and sprockets and the jumping out of gear when in for
service and quote accordingly.
Hopefully its nothing major, as it could be a money pit.
When were the C+S last changed?
StreetHawk
23-01-08, 09:15 PM
C & S were changed 10k ago. I hope it's nothing major too!
I assume it includes VAT, but will check..
StreetHawk
24-01-08, 09:54 PM
Includes VAT... :-)
45 smackers for a fork oil change.. Is this worth doing? Will I feel the benefit?
Depends what you change it to and if you think the forks are under-damped as they are.
ASM-Forever
24-01-08, 10:11 PM
Depends what you change it to and if you think the forks are under-damped as they are.
If i was changing the fork oil, i would be inclined to stick some uprated springs(Ohlins or more likely Racetech) in there as well. If you were feeling flash you could go for cartridges/emulators.
The bike has a reasonable mileage(mid twenties?) so might benefit from a spruce up.
Ogden is right though...depends how you currently find the front end. I do seem to remember you saying it wasn't as nice as the CBR.
StreetHawk
24-01-08, 10:26 PM
The bike jumps and skits around, never settles and is a pain in da ass most of the time. Does that sound like underdamped? I'd like to make it smoother and more assured but TBH I can't (don't want to) spend too much on it. I get the feeling that if I start changing fork springs then I'll have to get the rear shock sorted/replaced aswell to gain the benefit..
Hi Nick,
Could you do me (and others) a favour and let us know what you think once you have the bike back?
Website would suggest that it's a really handy place to know about.
Cheers
BOFH
StreetHawk
24-01-08, 10:44 PM
Hi Nick,
Could you do me (and others) a favour and let us know what you think once you have the bike back?
Website would suggest that it's a really handy place to know about.
Cheers
BOFH
Will do.. They seem very helpful so far..
ASM-Forever
25-01-08, 12:14 AM
The bike jumps and skits around, never settles and is a pain in da ass most of the time. Does that sound like underdamped? I'd like to make it smoother and more assured but TBH I can't (don't want to) spend too much on it. I get the feeling that if I start changing fork springs then I'll have to get the rear shock sorted/replaced aswell to gain the benefit..
I wouldn't say that you would necessarily need to change the rear shock. I find the front is far more important. Having said that the shock is probably a little tired at that mileage.
IMHO i think you have two options:
1: Do as little as possible to the bike (maybe not even change the fork oil) and just get it sorted(jumping out of gear) so its roadworthy. It will save you some cash but you would have to cope with it until you get your new bike.
OR
2: Spend a little bit of money on it and sort the front forks with new oil/springs. I would think that would cost a little over £100. You can then see how the rear shock is, although i imagine it will be fine. Worst case scenario you get a cheap, low mile one off ebay for peanuts. Hopefully that might make it handle better. Alternatively getting the suspension properly set up for your weight/riding style may help. The negative is that you probably won't recoup this money when you come to sell the bike.
Depending on when you plan to sell it, i would probably spend £100-150 on it to make it better to ride. Obviously if you are buying a new bike imminently, then don't bother.
Your decision at the end of the day. its your money and your the person who rides it.
Are we talking about the 6R here? If so, the forks are probably fine mechanically but just need setting up properly as kwaks generally have some of the best front-ends in the business (with a historical weakness at the rear).
An hour or so spent with someone who knows springs and damping would probably be far better spent than chucking more or less runny oil at the problem - or have a google for a few basic setups for your model - and a wholesale fork overhaul would be overkill. A click here and a turn there can work wonders.
StreetHawk
25-01-08, 10:13 PM
Yeah, it's my ZX6R.. Will speak to the garage and see what they recommend. I can live with the suspension as i'm gonna be doing a few trackdays this year and hopefully the bike will come into it's own..
ASM-Forever
26-01-08, 12:35 AM
hopefully the bike will come into it's own..
Is that how it works? :grin:
Are we talking about the 6R here? If so, the forks are probably fine mechanically but just need setting up properly as kwaks generally have some of the best front-ends in the business (with a historical weakness at the rear).
An hour or so spent with someone who knows springs and damping would probably be far better spent than chucking more or less runny oil at the problem - or have a google for a few basic setups for your model - and a wholesale fork overhaul would be overkill. A click here and a turn there can work wonders.
For an untrained clueless twonk, Ogden seems to be bang on the money here :D
Search out a suspension guru in your area and have him take a look at the set up you have. if it really bothers you there's a guy called Ralph who owns a bike servicing place called Motorcycle Pitstop in Letchworth, Herts. He used to be on the Kawasaki works BSB team as their suspension set up man, so if anyone can sort he can. I'd leave the fork oil change until it's been seen by someone who knows their stuff about set up though.
StreetHawk
26-01-08, 08:27 AM
For an untrained clueless twonk, Ogden seems to be bang on the money here :D
Search out a suspension guru in your area and have him take a look at the set up you have. if it really bothers you there's a guy called Ralph who owns a bike servicing place called Motorcycle Pitstop in Letchworth, Herts. He used to be on the Kawasaki works BSB team as their suspension set up man, so if anyone can sort he can. I'd leave the fork oil change until it's been seen by someone who knows their stuff about set up though.
:thumbsup:
Thats exactly what I wanted to hear, thanks Lozzo, i'll go along with that. :D
For an untrained clueless twonk, Ogden seems to be bang on the money here :D
It had to happen one day, you cheeky spic.
Are we talking about the 6R here? If so, the forks are probably fine mechanically but just need setting up properly as kwaks generally have some of the best front-ends in the business (with a historical weakness at the rear).
An hour or so spent with someone who knows springs and damping would probably be far better spent than chucking more or less runny oil at the problem - or have a google for a few basic setups for your model - and a wholesale fork overhaul would be overkill. A click here and a turn there can work wonders.
Search out a suspension guru in your area and have him take a look at the set up you have. if it really bothers you there's a guy called Ralph who owns a bike servicing place called Motorcycle Pitstop in Letchworth, Herts. He used to be on the Kawasaki works BSB team as their suspension set up man, so if anyone can sort he can. I'd leave the fork oil change until it's been seen by someone who knows their stuff about set up though.
I know a particular lady who has a very nice Mille but said it was crap and handled like crap and scared her all the time. A quick few miles ride I had to agree. It was but only because the suspension was all over the place. If the bike is not set up for you personally, you are always going to be riding around a crap handling bike. That is unless by pure chance the previous owner already had the suspension set up exactly as you would want it. (unlikely). She got the suspension set up for her (including most importantly, the rider say) and hey presto, a fine handling motorcycle that no longer handled like a bag of nails.
I can live with the suspension as i'm gonna be doing a few trackdays this year and hopefully the bike will come into it's own..
Is that how it works? :grin:
I'm sure he wrote that as a joke. :lol:
For an untrained clueless twonk, Ogden seems to be bang on the money here :D
It had to happen one day, you cheeky spic.
Funny. Really funny. :lol:
StreetHawk
31-01-08, 07:34 PM
Got it back tonight.. 216 pounds for the service and they did the rear brake pads as they were v low. The valve clearances were checked and all good, no shims needed. The cam chain was rattling too but that was another 138 quid which I don't have so that was put on hold for now. Said it doesn't affect the running of the engine, just a slightly annoying rattle heard at low revs. Well I started it up and was a lot quieter that before :D.
They couldn't see any issues with gearbox or chain/sprockets so the 'jumping out of gear' thing was probably user error :rolleyes: It didn't happen once on the last rideout though so hopefully its nothing.
All in all was good service, they collected and delivered (in a van) when they said they would and gave it a quick clean too :D.
Worth mentioning tho that as it's a small business they only accept cash/cheque and give a hand written receipt.
Don't delay getting the cam chain sorted for too long. It could end up very expensive.
ASM-Forever
31-01-08, 09:10 PM
Don't delay getting the cam chain sorted for too long. It could end up very expensive.
I was going to say...if it goes wrong could be a new engine job, or an expensive rebuild.
I think ljharmitt was in the same position, before it all went wrong.
StreetHawk
31-01-08, 09:49 PM
Really? He didn't tell me any of this. Hmmmm... Maybe I should have got it done while they had it all apart :-(
What kind of old shed is it to have cam chain problems?
Or is it just the tensioner (bit of a Kwak special, that)?
StreetHawk
31-01-08, 10:38 PM
It'a no old shed but it has done a healthy 27k miles. A look around a kwak forum shows it's common on B1's and most owners just live with it. It was quite noticable before it went into the garage but I started it tonight and it sounded much better so i'll wait until I give it a good run before deciding if i'm gonna get it replaced..
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