I need an XS expert!

[mro]

Where I'm going with this diatribe

I'm as guilty as anyone for making "smartA$$" remarks,
BUT..........I'm more "smartA$$" than mechanic.

Never intended to be other than a little humorous, and sorry if my remarks were out of line.

If not for this site, ((and the dearly departed ), (sorry....did I mention I'm a smartA$$)) I would not be an XSive. Had planned to sell the first XS I got after I got it running.

Pretty sure I try to insult everyone tho, and thought Prom gave better than I did.

Reading there posts here has made it possible for me to rebuild several XS's. Sharing there expertise has saved me many hours figuring out problems with these bikes, and even tho I am a professional mechanic, I do not have there wealth of knowledge and experience and my posting "answers" to questions has been one of my ways to learn/remember more about the XS.

XS11 is less w/o you guys


mro

[strom]

You guys said it.
I know a great yamaha mechanic. And a very nice guy!
But....
A friend got his XS 1100 there to replace the front tire.
After he mounted the front wheel, he didnt slit the speedo gears in the holding thingie on the left fork which resulted in a rather unpleasent braking of the speedo thingies.
Not a week later he worked on another XS 400... messed something up too (forgot what it was).
Why?
He does good work and he works mostly alone. So no screw ups would happen. But they do. He gets bout 500 calls a day, ppl are stopping by for a quick chat or just an oil change and he gets distracted. I guess it happens to most of them. If there arent any idiot helpers around to mess things up for them.
In the end, we cannot really blame them, but its not quite right either.
Besides... the ones on this forum are not good mechanics. They are XSellent. But I would still rather do all the stuff I can on the bike myself. Their advice is however invaluable.

LP

[Geezer]

Originally posted by strom
But I would still rather do all the stuff I can on the bike myself. Their advice is however invaluable.
LP

I have always advocated for riders to learn how to do all the easy stuff themselves. Especially safety related stuff. Everyone that rides should know how to check brake pads, know if cables are too stiff, check tire pressure and fluid levels at a bare minimum.

There's plenty of work left for good bike mechanics even if all riders did minimal maintenance on their own.

Some of the shops I worked at frowned on mechanics giving advice but that's why the internet is so great... However I dropped posting in news groups for the same BS reasons and some Gurus have left here.

Geezer

[pggg]

Where's all this coming from?!! What garbage!! I don't believe a word of it!! It's people trying to make mountains outta molehills is what this is!! GNE and PROM are big enough and ugly enough to look after themselves!! Guarantee they both agree with that, and I know they're both ugly coz I've seen photos!!

It's a close call, but I think PROM is slightly more ugly than GNE, but not much in it!! And they certainly never came across as tut-tutting crybabies to me!! I don't believe that either GNE or PROM got the huff at all!!

[HobbyMan]

No hard feelings guys. Come back! Where are you? You can't refute the evidence that there are a lot of dumb lackies out there but not everyone has the benefit of professionals out there such as PROMETHUIS and GNEPIG. MAby we need a new term to distinguish the two. I consider myself a mechanic, jsut not a professional one. ALL of my spare time is spent building things, working on cars and motorcycles, and turning wrenches in general. I think I speak for everyone when I say that peple like PRO and GNE are more than just mechanics, they are PROFESSIONALS! So lets not let the confusion or negative comments drive anyone away like TC said.

[skids]

Now THAT is what I call flame bait!

Originally posted by pggg
GNE and PROM are big enough and ugly enough to look after themselves!! Guarantee they both agree with that, and I know they're both ugly coz I've seen photos!!

It's a close call, but I think PROM is slightly more ugly than GNE, but not much in it!! And they certainly never came across as tut-tutting crybabies to me!! I don't believe that either GNE or PROM got the huff at all!!

[showtime]

You keep talking like that and they'll be back alright...back at your front door. Ready to 'assist' you with "rebuilding" your manners, and "adjusting" your attitude.

[trbig]

I am in NO way trying to speak for anyone else.. these are just my personal feelings on this issue.

A motorcycle mechanic is a pretty much thankless job anyway. If you fix everything perfectly... the people get what they expect.. nothing special.. nothing to write home about. But screw up once and see if the same applies. People are human, and eventually EVERYONE will make a mistake. Most people on here have gotten great service from a dealership or local mechanic (Tech) at some point. We just don't come on here and talk about that. But ohhhh.. if they ever screw up trying to do YOU a favor working on your antique.... The venting begins! I think that's what's happened.

So imagine making your living at a thankless job trying to help people, then coming home to kick back, relaxe, and try to impart some helpfull knowledge to "Friends" online... only to have your profession and way of life slammed over and over by the same "Friends". Especially when you actually work at one of those "Stealerships" as they have been named over and over. I am XStremely thick skinned and can take a jab better than most.. but yeah, I think that would get on my nerves too. Call it tut-tutting... being a cry baby.. whatever. But if you go somehwere for enjoyment and to help people, only to be slammed repeatedly... you'd quit coming exentually too. Probably without the same amount of class that it takes to simply walk away quietly. If I am guilty of these types of comments about your respectable professions.. please accept my applogies. Just my 2 cents....


Tod

[HobbyMan]

Yeah, I agree completely. I think we all need to reflect on what we have said. Like mentioned before, we have all said things that we should not have. I think this has been a great awakening, so to speak, and we should learn from it. Personally, I think PRO and GNE are some of our most valued members on this thread and it would not be the same without them. I am glad that we have the opportunity to correct this problem now so that we do not pliantly loose members. I believe it is ok to vent a little on the forum, but when that venting causes harm to other people, then it is out of line. We are all guilty of that in some point in time weather here on this board or somewhere else. I know that I must be careful because I do a lot of typing late at night when I am not fully awake. This has become the thing I do when I can not sleep. (Like Email) That leaves an opportunity for me to say something that might offend someone on here as I know it has. Sorry Bout that. Remember think twice before you speak/type.

[Pat Kelly]

That is one of the reasons I'm no longer a mechanic (other than my own vehicles).
Customers are always grouchy.
My car's broke and I need it NOW!
The parts cost too much!
It takes too long!
There goes our Xmas money you robber!

My response is:
I didn't break your car. You did that by not maintaining it.
I don't set the price of parts.
If you have a 30 year old car (or bike) it may take some time to find parts for it.
I'm just trying to feed my family too.

Installing accessories was nicer. Lift kits or lowering kits (which I think is stupid but it pays my bills) and chrome goodies are things people want and are happier to pay for. When your car (or bike) breaks down it's a PITA.
I'm in that exact situation right now. Engine went out on our Suburban and I can't work on it anymore (the dizzyness). So a $1700 rebuilt that I could do myself is now a $3500 bill at the shop. SWMBO is driving my truck and I don't like that at all.
That said, when the Burb comes back home I'm looking everything (that I can) over XStremely carefully. After all, I didn't do the work.