Rocket Trouble: Epilogue

[pbbeck]

Well... I picked up my bike from the shop today. After all the trouble I had with it (see Rocket Trouble and Rocket Trouble, Pt. 2), it runs like a dream. It idles silky smooth. It's like a different bike.

The official diagnosis? According to the mechanics, they told me the bike was badly out of tune because it was never set up properly! Mind you, this is a gently ridden engine w/ 3000 miles on it. The throttle bodies were so far out of sync that the ECU couldn't compensate, however valiantly it tried. The stepper motor was "off its nut." (cute British colloquialism?) They said that the dealer mechanic "should be ashamed of himself" for allowing a new bike in that condition to leave the shop.

Furthermore, they told me that none of the adjustments that should have been made at the 500-mile service appeared to be done. There was a small coolant leak and an oil leak that hadn't been tended to among other things.

I'm so angry at the dealer but I'm not sure how big of a stink I should make. I'll start by zero-ing them out in the service department when the dealer satisfaction survey arrives. Also, I'll offer the dealer's name to anyone in the LA/OC area that wants it. PM me.

It steams me that dealers who should (a) be the most qualified and competent service resource and (b) be the MOST concerned with earning its customers' loyalty fall so far from the mark. Triumph USA - I hope you are listening.

[ This message was edited by: pbbeck on 2005-06-30 20:54 ]

[IndyRocket3]

Sorry to here about your Stealership whoes..... its really hard nowadays to find a good mechanic.... or a dealer that will let them do thier work properly. My father once worked for one;which I wont state their name, that had a cycle that ran really rough. It was just in need of a good tune-up but the dealer called the client and told them they needed a new motor cause theirs was shot. To make a long story short my father found out what they where doing and called the client and told him what they where doing to him......then he called me for the use of my pick-up truck to haul all his tools home. I just dont know how some people can live with themselves...........

Amen, Brother!!!!! :gpst:

[Toystoretom]

Hi pbbeck!!

Glad to hear your baby's feeling better!!!

Some of you folks were wondering what they do during services so here is a scan of the service chart out of the factory workshop manual.. as always.. click to enlarge:



Now... don't show this to your dealer AFTER he's done the service.. you will get your I dotted :-D Show it to him before and highlight some stuff you are concerned with. That way they can pay close attention to your concerns and make notataions. Its just the adult way to do it and will pay dividends as you develope a close working relationship with your friendly mechanics.

I don't know about other countries around this big world but here in the States the relationship between Dealerships of any kind and the retail consumer has degraded into pure open warfare. It really shouldn't be this way and it doesn't have to. I think it has to do with car salesmen :-D :-D

Just play nice.....

Tomo

(Who just had a great idea on how to screw his customers)

Just kidding.... :-D :-D

[RickL]

Tomo,

I think you're exactly right in how to work with your mechanic. My experience with other bikes and with cars/trucks has been that, if you show some interest in and knowledge of your vehicle, and some respect for the mechanic's technical knowledge, things will go better between you.

I am in New Jersey a mere spit away from Dragoneye. I bought my Rock from a dealership in North Jersey. When I took it in for the 500 I was not happy with the service. Now I am trolling for a reliable mechanic. I went to see the shop in Freehold NJ with a complaint about riding hot, (actually burned my trouser leg), and they told me that no amount of code changing will help. I guess that they saved me some money but honestly I felt that they just weren't interested in small beans work and didn't really need new customers. Go figure. :???:
Ben

[pbbeck]

I had a similar experience. From about 500 miles on, my Rocket seemed to put out an excessive amount of heat from the right side. It went away after about 1000 miles. At the time I chalked it up to normal break in friction. Looking back, I'm sure the fact that my bike was never properly tuned had a bit to do with it. But mostly I think the heat issue was the result of a heavy throttle hand.

When the Rocket was new I was drunk with all that torque and horsepower. At every light, I'd get my "fix." (always within break-in parameters of course!) Several months and several thousand miles later, I'm still a horsepower junkie, but I ride a bit more conservatively. Consequently, I don't experience that toasty right leg at all. On those more spirited rides when I have to get my "fix," my right leg still gets a bit warm.

[ This message was edited by: pbbeck on 2005-07-04 10:16 ]

[RocketEd]

On 2005-07-04 10:14, pbbeck wrote:
I had a similar experience. From about 500 miles on, my Rocket seemed to put out an excessive amount of heat from the right side. It went away after about 1000 miles. At the time I chalked it up to normal break in friction. Looking back, I'm sure the fact that my bike was never properly tuned had a bit to do with it. But mostly I think the heat issue was the result of a heavy throttle hand.

Mine had issues right from the get -go too, but the worst case for me was after cruising DOWN a long mountain pass a 55 to 60 with minimal throttle opening. Air temp at the top in the 70s, in the 90s at the bottom. Probably 2500 miles on the bike. Like habegaad, I'm not talking engine heat, I'm talking being burned. Turned out it did have a screwed tune in it and it is much better now, but then the average high temp so far this Washington summer is like 68. I do know this is the defining issue for me and my Rocket. I've put no money into it and done no changes other than sissy bar until I'm certain this is no longer an issue. I'm going on vacation next week and taking the Vic' simply because I'm not willing at this point to risk a repeat of last summer.

[ This message was edited by: RocketEd on 2005-07-05 21:49 ]