I've owned Honda big bikes for decades, going back to a CB 750 F2 tourer. Presently, a VFR 800 and miscellaneous scooters. Back in Thailand, wherever I go to a dealership, they have done a great job. Helpful, with a mechanic looking at the bike and coordinating the stuff that gets written on the order form with some lady on a PC.
The mechanic would check the bike and the the order will be amended. (E.g., there might be wheel bearings being added to the list of parts).
The other day, the women on the PCs would not let me consult with a technician (unless 750,000 VND be paid as a flat--rate consulting fee what I reckon will be a 5 minute job. Diagnosis? 10 seconds. Repair: 4 minutes, 40 seconds, as the idle speed was way too low. => The engine will start, then stutter and stall due to being starved of fuel. To keep it running, one has to give it more ffuel by turning the wrist.
- "We have no parts".
- " Your bike has no EFI (I used Google Translate on an Ipad and wrote 'PGM-FI' and she was adamant that my 2012 WH-125 has a carburettor).
- "It will cost 750,000 VND". She also tried to make me go away, and I was polite and patient and offered to return at some other time.
- First, she said they will take credit cards. The place is HUGE, there are more than 100 bikeks in the showroom. Then it had to be cash.
In TH, Honda seems to operate a "try to break even" policy, subsidizing the service, IMHO. The same is true for Yamaha. And it makes no sense, having ignoirant women handle the diagnostics on motorcacles with techniciaans standing by, looking on. Where a demonstration would reveal the issue in 8 seconds!!!!!!
Think discussing all aspects of your root canal treatment with the receptionist. Think a paediatrician seeing a child with a running nose and a cough. He will k n o w what to prescribe! But the receptionist wants to do it all without consulting the specialist.
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Sorry for the rant. I want to complain to HONDA's HQ. This can't be their new corporate policy. The locals wouldn't stand it. (From what I observed, things work just like in TH. They get to talk to a mechanic first...) Got contact details for me?
Their PGM-FI diagnostics will not be made available to the backstreet garages. Or am I mistaken and there is a low-cost copy of an adapter, allowing garages to use a laptop??
Shocking experience at a HONDA bike service center
Every time I took our 2012 Air Blade in to Honda for service we were met by a service manager who wrote down what we wanted to do. We never needed any major repairs but I did go over whatever maintenance I wanted to do with my wife who told the service manager. I also made a sheet from Google Translate of what I wanted as my wife's mechanical knowledge is between little and none. The service manager turned the job over to the mechanic. The dealership I used (not where we purchased the bike) had a glass wall between the service bay and the waiting area so that customers could watch as their bikes were serviced. Sometimes a mechanic would come out to show us a worn part and seek permission to replace it. The only contact with female staff was to pay the invoice.
I wonder if my experience is not more typical than yours. Have you tried another Honda outlet? Perhaps you encountered a problem unique to one place.
Good points. I will have a Vietnamese take the bike eto some other Honda dealer. - Mine had the glass partition as well. Also, next time, if alone, I would hire a translator or have someone pretend to be the Vietnamese owner.
The whole event was utterly bizarre.
KruChris wrote:Good points. I will have a Vietnamese take the bike eto some other Honda dealer. - Mine had the glass partition as well. Also, next time, if alone, I would hire a translator or have someone pretend to be the Vietnamese owner.
The whole event was utterly bizarre.
It does seem to me that your problem is 90% communication. Taking someone with you is probably a good bet. You don't have to pretend they are the owner. Just have them along to facilitate.
I don't know about the carburetor issue. I did find that 125cc Hondas in the UK had EFI since 2009 but only because of UK emission laws. It is possible that if your bike was sold in Thailand or Vietnam that it has a carburetor. Doesn't this model have an unshielded engine so you could just take a look? A carburetor should be pretty easy to spot.
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