Would you use this mechanic again?

I found a new (to me) bike shop in Harlow today to swap my front sprocket over. Apparently he's been there for over a decade.

Bloke seems a laugh, but he did say a few things which didnt quite sound right to me...

1. I asked him how much he would charge to check and adjust valve clearances for me. He said unless I'm tracking the bike every 5 mins, its not a job worth doing and I wouldnt notice any difference, esp at 30k miles...

2. He said if I'm after improving acceleration I should have gone 1 down at the front and 2 up at the back. Whilst this is the right direction, if I did that the SV would pretty much be on the redline all day long right?!

3. 1 tooth down = 4 up at the back - is this right? I thought it was 1:2.

There were more but I cant remember, I'll post up if I do.

Dont get me wrong, he did the job just fine, friendly, re-adjusted my clutch for me and realigned and set the chain slack etc.

But those few comments just threw me off a bit.

Thoughts?

Oh, that was it.

Not torque settings on the rear axle nut and front sprocket nut, just did em up with a electric power rachet thing.

Am I being a bit anal about the fact he didnt use a torque wrench?

I stopped using a popular garage in Cwmbran because they guy went on about my "alloy" banjo bolts not being suitable for road use. I have Hel braided lines with stainless steel banjo bolts... E-git!

I also never used a garage which is 2 miles from my house because the two times I went in there he talked to me like I was an idiot. I now use a garage that is 15 miles away because they were very friendly & willing to take my race cans & not fully legal horn

Yeah...he was also going on about how I'd kill R1's on the track if I upgraded to ceramic brakes...

I've no doubt he is capable, just some of the things he said/did makes me wonder if it affects the quality of the work he does...

[andrewsmith]

I'd avoid like the clap by the sounds.

The guy's talking crap about the ceramic brakes, if you were able to get the most out of them, you'd be lining up on the WSB or MotoGP grid

[Teejayexc]

Originally Posted by hongman

Oh, that was it.

Not torque settings on the rear axle nut and front sprocket nut, just did em up with a electric power rachet thing.

Am I being a bit anal about the fact he didnt use a torque wrench?

How to fnck up the rear axle nut

Originally Posted by andrewsmith

I'd avoid like the clap by the sounds.

The guy's talking crap about the ceramic brakes, if you were able to get the most out of them, you'd be lining up on the WSB or MotoGP grid

Even MotoGP bikes change to steel discs in the wet/cold! How often do we get dry hot days in the UK!?

[yorkie_chris]

It's not a massive torque setting for the rear spindle. Don't use rattle gun to do it up.

Re. sprockets, the ratio of front teeth change to rear teeth change depends on the initial ratios you're talking about. Go on gearing commander site to see effect of changes. 14/46 is rideable but quite revvy on motorway, lower than I would like to go.

Re. ceramic brakes.

Yeah...wont be going back there again then.

[flymo]

A power ratchet isnt normally anywhere near precise enough for fastening to a particular torque for the kind of torque values used on many motorcycles. Many of them dont even come with torque adjusters. Great for undoing problem bolts though.

Some expensive units are fine but rarely found in a typical garage, more at home in an F1 pit lane. You see them regularly used to do the initial tightening, followed by a more accurate torque wrench to finish off.