I think I'm done with owning Triumphs

[JetdocX]

Selling the tiger and buying something else similar is only gonna cost even more.

Why is it that cars need servicing every 12000 or even more but bikes only manage 6000 at best?

Service interval on my Aprilia is 12,000 miles.  But I do change the oil at six.

[AK Tiger]

Tazshido, may I suggest that you sell the Triumph and buy a Honda ... Civic.  Before flaming me, please consider the remarks made from others on this site.  The Triumph is as maintenance intensive as any other motorcycle.  They all require it.  As Sasquatch said, the motorcycle is tuned to a much higher level than is an automobile and requires more loving care.  My BMW has almost 100K miles on it and my Tiger is cresting 50K.  Neither of my bikes have seen the inside of a dealership since I purchased them.  Owner maintenance is one of the "perks" of motorcycle ownership.  Get to know it, take care of it, and it will take care of you.  Whether it's a Tiger or a Tiberon, a K1200LT or a F250, all vehicles run on gas, oil, and parts.

Japanese bikes, like their cars, require maintenance.  A very good friend just took his Goldwing in for service with only 10K on it.  Yup, the fork seals went out.  Not covered by extended warranty.  Keep in mind that all machines yet devised by man or God require periodic maintenance.  Bike shops in my area (Southern Cal) all seem to charge around $80/hr, which is nothing compared to many, MANY car dealerships.

In closing, please reconsider your decision.  This forum stands ready to help you as you begin doing you own maintenance on your Tiger.  You may, in time, even find yourself looking forward to your maintenance  time with your machine.  I know this to be true...

[iansoady]

You may, in time, even find yourself looking forward to your maintenance  time with your machine.  I know this to be true...

Absolutely. There's nothing like the satisfaction of knowing that you've done something and done it properly. Even by the time you've bought a few tools and broken the odd part, you'll still be ahead financially and with a nice warm glow of achievement.

Of course, there are some people for whom changing a domestic lightbulb is a challenge - but they're few and far between.

[BIG BILL]

I agree with all, I was new to spannering and bought a 1979 CBX 1000 and the cost of running that was horendous (now gone) and I mean rip off, yes Dealers/garages have to make money we all do but with a manual and a few tools you can easily service your own bike at a fraction of the cost and actually enjoy it. ( surfing the internet for oil and filters ect )

I now change oil and filter and brake pads ect.

Try it and you will love it.


BIG BILL

[TheMule]

Ride that thing to southern Utah once a year and we'll do your service work together, you'll just have to buy the beer!!

[HappyMan]

You've only got 18K on that bike?  Darn near brand new.....

[atokad]

Ride that thing to southern Utah once a year and we'll do your service work together, you'll just have to buy the beer!!

Or Castle Rock, CO.  I did all of my 12k service except for the valve check.  That was a mistake. The stealer managed to fugg-up more sh*t just getting the tank on or off than you would believe!!  They fixed it all but I was not happy. It was soooo bad I was actually laughing in the end that they even bother to keep that particular mechanic on staff. The dumb a@@ must not know what a torque wrench is as he just tightened everything until he broke the bolts!

I ended up talking for two months with the Triumph USA Zone manager from NJ.  Now THAT just dam near put me over the top of ever wanting anything to do with Triumph again.  But hey, all makes/brands/dealers have the potential of the same type of service.

There is one BMW dealer near by that seems to never have a bad word said about them and if I change brands in the future, that is the direction i would likely go. However, the thought of BMW parts/prices/quirks just keeps me with what I now know as 'comfortable'. Besides, the network on here more than makes up for the sh@tty dealer/Triumph USA if you are willing to read/learn and do yourself.


I will be doing my own valves next time and that about covers everything short of a major tear down, which I don't anticipate ever needing to do.

[TxTiger]

Shops need to make money.  Most shops barely make enough money on the sale of a bike to make it worth selling them.  They make up the difference in parts and service.  I know of a local dealer to me pays $22,000 a month just to floor their Triumph bikes for sales.  Where do you think that money comes from?

I charge $70/hr for my suspension services.  Sure, seems like a lot.  And if I billed 8 hours a day, every day, I'd  be a happy boy.  Not the case though.  I can spend literally hours with a customer on the phone and in emails doing everything from giving bids and answering his every question, all to have him buy his stuff from somewhere else.  It is part of the gig though, and I do it with a smile.

Shops also have insane overhead.  Do you realize what they pay just for liability insurance?  As soon as you mention "motorcycle" to an insurance sales man he starts planning the next Bentley he is going to  buy with your money.  Then you have the salaries of all the employees, tools, training for the mechanics, and tons of parts on the shelf that may sit there for months before they sell.  It all has to be paid for.

And then top that off with the fact that America is the second most expensive country to own a business in, thank our government for that one.

If you dont want to pay, learn to turn your own wrenches.  That is the bottom line.  If you think it is going to be cheaper to service a Jap bike, think again.  How many jap bikes have hydraulic lifters?????  Very few.  Very very few.  And there is a reason for that.  Hydraulic lifters do not like the high lifts, steep ramps and high RPM's that motorcycles have.  Shims are much more reliable.

Very well said, obviously by someone who knows how hard it is to own a small business, to make a payrole, to comply with government regulations, to take a skill and turn it into a business. Well done Sasq, I salute you. Being a small business owner, I know what you mean.

[HappyMan]

Shops need to make money.  Most shops barely make enough money on the sale of a bike to make it worth selling them.  They make up the difference in parts and service.  I know of a local dealer to me pays $22,000 a month just to floor their Triumph bikes for sales.  Where do you think that money comes from?

I charge $70/hr for my suspension services.  Sure, seems like a lot.  And if I billed 8 hours a day, every day, I'd  be a happy boy.  Not the case though.  I can spend literally hours with a customer on the phone and in emails doing everything from giving bids and answering his every question, all to have him buy his stuff from somewhere else.  It is part of the gig though, and I do it with a smile.

Shops also have insane overhead.  Do you realize what they pay just for liability insurance?  As soon as you mention "motorcycle" to an insurance sales man he starts planning the next Bentley he is going to  buy with your money.  Then you have the salaries of all the employees, tools, training for the mechanics, and tons of parts on the shelf that may sit there for months before they sell.  It all has to be paid for.

And then top that off with the fact that America is the second most expensive country to own a business in, thank our government for that one.

If you dont want to pay, learn to turn your own wrenches.  That is the bottom line.  If you think it is going to be cheaper to service a Jap bike, think again.  How many jap bikes have hydraulic lifters?????  Very few.  Very very few.  And there is a reason for that.  Hydraulic lifters do not like the high lifts, steep ramps and high RPM's that motorcycles have.  Shims are much more reliable.

Very well said, obviously by someone who knows how hard it is to own a small business, to make a payrole, to comply with government regulations, to take a skill and turn it into a business. Well done Sasq, I salute you. Being a small business owner, I know what you mean.

Ditto!

[Brit/Man]

I absolutely love to hear an owner bitch about the high cost of dealership maintenance. :roll:

$900 roughly equals how many man-hours of labor?

What do you have against businesses making money?  

Not a lot till this happens  :shock:
 http://tigertriple.com/forum/index.php/topic,9023 (http://tigertriple.com/forum/index.php/topic,9023)

and she still has a leak

[JetdocX]

I'll give them a chance to do it right and meet my expectations.  If they do, I'll recommend them to my pals who don't like to or are unable to do their own wrenching.  If they don't, I'll give them a chance to make it right.  If they don't, they are dead to me.  

I do all the work on both of my bikes, so that might tell you what I think of the present state of the motorcycle technician.  There are still a few good shops out there, but if the dealership looks like a boutique, the shop is going to cost you and the work will be mediocre at best.

That's my experience so far.  YMMV.

[D-Fuzz]

The thing with owning a 1996 Triumph Tiger in these parts is no dealership will touch it with a 10-foot pole, so I sort of have to learn to do stuff myself.  I don't have a problem with a business making money though as long as the work is done properly and the people are good to deal with.

[tazshido]

So maybe I was letting my angst at having been charged so much get to me a little. They DID do a valve clearance check and had to replace 2 shims, oil change with synthetic, full brake system flush and replacement, new plugs and a download of a custom tune for my pipes. I really do love the way this bike performs and even though I've been wanting a cruiser, I'm not sure I'm willing to give up THIS bike, It's simply that much fun.
HOWEVER,,,,,, All my friends that own Jap cruisers with hydraulic valve adjusters have never, EVER paid more than $300 for a service. So Y'all saying the japanese are just as expensive to service are full of crap.
Most of you are correct though, now that I've learned a bit about this fantastic motorcycle, I just need to buy the tools and do the maintenance myself. And so I magnanimously say to all who replied, "Cheers,,,,,,, AND screw you!" (said in jest of course)
James (tazshido)

[JTT]

HOWEVER,,,,,, All my friends that own Jap cruisers with hydraulic valve adjusters have never, EVER paid more than $300 for a service. So Y'all saying the japanese are just as expensive to service are full of crap.
Most of you are correct though, now that I've learned a bit about this fantastic motorcycle, I just need to buy the tools and do the maintenance myself. And so I magnanimously say to all who replied, "Cheers,,,,,,, AND screw you!" (said in jest of course)
James (tazshido)

Hope it works out for you James.  I know I service 5 of my bikes myself for less than many friends spend each year on chrome and tassels for their Jap crusiers...and they are limited to only the smoothest asphalt and sunniest days, but they are happy and that's all that matters in the end.  Just far too limiting to me.

[NKL]

What we were saying is a Jap equivelant to the Tiger would be just as expensive to service, not a totally different type alltogether, a little two stroke moped is much cheeper to service as well  
Glad to hear your sticking with a great bike tho' and you know it makes sense doing your maintenance yourself,