Buying a new Honda

14346 Views 68 Replies 45 Participants Last post by wildwolf, Apr 2, 2012

AspectOne

Discussion Starter · Jun 13, 2009

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I recently purchased a used \wing. I wanted to take it to my local dealer for service and inspection. Nothing out of the ordinary, just what the HONDA manual said it should get at this service interval.

Upon arrivalI was told that my bike would not be serviced because it was too old!!! I was blown away! I have been a loyal Honda buyer practicly ALL MY LIFE. My first machine was a 1978 CB125 S model and have owned dozens of them since. The purchase of this wing was my first big tour bike and for that what else would you buy BUT a HONDA GOLDWING?

Well in shock I started to call around to the other Honda dealers in my area, these included Honda of North Little Rock, Richards Honda Yamaha, and EVEN the NUMBER ONE HONDA DEALER IN THE STATE Sunrise Honda. NONE of them will do normal maintanance or tires or even a freakin OIL CHANGE on my wing.

SoI finally found a place in Conway AR, that will do the prescribed work on my wing, but here is my question and suggestion for HONDAS GOLDWING TEAM... shouldn't you stand behind what you sell? I have always bought Honda, but you know what? I will never buy another one. I do not like having to go to some "shop" instead of my AUTHORIZED Hionda service center to get normal maintanance done. I guess my dad was right all those years when he told me to BUY AMERICAN.

This is the firt time in my lifeI have regretted buying a Honda motorcycle, I love my wing I really do, but now I have to worry about getting it worked on and if it is safe because some shade tree machanic at some "shop" had to work onit instead of the people I had put my trust in when I bought A HONDA.

Never again.

AspectOne

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Rudy

· #2 · Jun 13, 2009

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Honda has been a bit more than disappointing in it's support of the older bikes. Their separation from the dealership arrangement makes them even more distant.

I prefer to think of Honda only as a supplier of machines, nothing more.

They want to be distributors only and let the dealers do whatever they want to as long as they meet the buying quotas and adhere to a few rules.

As a commodity, I think it goes without saying that it is a well engineered and good product.

Honda has made this distant end user relationship evident for years. I don't expect anything more from them than that.

If China made a good bike at a good price that was better than the Honda, I would buy Chinese. Our national leaders gave away our commercial sovereignty years ago.
We are now enjoying the rewards of those policies.

The old saying is still true. You meet the nicest people on a Honda. You don't meet the nicest people at Honda.

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FatherWilliam57

· #3 · Jun 13, 2009

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Rudy wrote:

The old saying is still true. You meet the nicest people on a Honda. You don't meet the nicest people at Honda.

Sad, but all too often true.

But don't give up hope, AspectOne. They are great machines and there are great mechanics out there to work on them. Shop around a bit. One of my parishioners recommended a fellow who owns a shop. Worked as a Honda mechanic for over 20 years. He's retired now, but still works on bikes in his home shop and absolutely loves the older bikes. Knows them inside and out because he was there when they were brand new. Besides, I wouldn't really want a mechanic who is younger than my bike working on it anyway!

Rudy

· #4 · Jun 13, 2009

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FatherWilliam57 wrote:

Besides, I wouldn't really want a mechanic who is younger than my bike working on it anyway!

True that. :cooldevil:

Bikefix

· #5 · Jun 14, 2009

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Honda one of a few who wrote the book ( Dr. Deming's original processes) regarding continuous quality improvements. Knowing your customers needs while continuously improving your products including post sales follow-up services, solicit customer feedback and establish/alter processes that continuously improve products which not only meet customer expectations but exceed expectations while continuously reacting to new concepts and ideas.

What has happened to Honda folks? Is this change we see isolated to American Honda or is Honda actually reacting to global change/needs and expectations? Ask yourself this; how valid is soliciting existing/potential consumer feedback these days if all methods of monetary reimbursement is in limbo and global needs (not wants) are in such a state of (enigma) change?

Stay tuned folks, Mother Honda has not lost touch with consumers, rather they are merely re-tooling and adjusting to times (as a lot of businesses are doing or should be doing) and they will once again continue to amaze the world with innovation and produce products that not only meet the needs of time but will once again exceed expectations.

The unfortunate side of this is the ripple effect that is currently happening with local dealerships which have been forced into multiple brand consolidations to maintain livelihood and with this employee dedication and product loyalty is at an all time low.

It is truly a shame to hear the most common comment being said in the work force these days is "at least I have a job"

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Geezerglider

· #6 · Jun 15, 2009

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Rather than take my bike to the dealer in my home town, I take it to a trusted independent. The service manager here is a real jerk.
However, the dealer where I bought my bike (80 miles away) has enlarged their other dealership in a town closer by, and I have been well satisfied with them.

The reports I've heard about all the other brand dealers here are the same as the Honda dealer. Maybe it's just a dealer issue period.

Home town dealer update: Just heard on the morning news that our local dealer shut the doors this week. No surprise with their reputation for service.

Bikefix

· #7 · Jun 15, 2009

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Frank I think you are correct, one of the other brands lost me and my Vision

as a customer due to "jerk concepts". Wonderful products but wonderful seems to end when it gets behind the counter.

cntryboy1289

· #8 · Jun 27, 2009

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I have a dealer here that at least tries to help. I get tired of dropping in to check out a dealer somewhere that acts like they have no time to talk to you if you are not buying a bike from them.

I think that is the way most dealers do business and that is part of why they are closing their doors as well!

woodbutcher

· #9 · Jun 27, 2009

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AspectOne You are fortunate in one respect, you have several forum members within an hours ride from you that are Goldwing EXPERTS. I'm not going to mention names, but several of them have already helped me out more than I could thank them for. If not for physical help, but for helping solve problems with my 82 ASPY. If you need something, don't hesitate to ask.

Big Kahuna

· #10 · Jun 29, 2009

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Not that I want to get in the middle of this discussion, but...

I think that everyone has to keep in mind that many of us here on this forum drive old machines (happily I might add) but we cannot expect the dealers to keep parts and or service people that are familiar with some of these old machines, many which could have antique tags. This is one of the challenges of having a motorcycle that last forever (almost).

Bikefix

· #11 · Jun 29, 2009

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Big Kahuna wrote:

Not that I want to get in the middle of this discussion, but...

I think that everyone has to keep in mind that many of us here on this forum drive old machines (happily I might add) but we cannot expect the dealers to keep parts and or service people that are familiar with some of these old machines, many which could have antique tags. This is one of the challenges of having a motorcycle that last forever (almost).

Excellent point...

exavid

· #12 · Jun 30, 2009

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Interestingly the 1800s are coming up on ten years old soon now. These bikes are much more complicated than the older Goldwing models. So what are you 1800 owners going to do when your bike passes the 10 year mark? Funny isn't it, in two or three years an 1100 is going to be easier to keep going than an early 1800.

Moorhead WingFan

· #13 · Aug 2, 2009

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exavid wrote:

Interestingly the 1800s are coming up on ten years old soon now. These bikes are much more complicated than the older Goldwing models. So what are you 1800 owners going to do when your bike passes the 10 year mark? Funny isn't it, in two or three years an 1100 is going to be easier to keep going than an early 1800.

I'm not worried about that since the 09's are still basically the same stock bike as the 02. I would say when they change the model like they did from the 1500 to the 1800 ten years after that getting parts or service may be in question but that's a long time away. For me I'm going to enjoy today and not worry about 10 years from now. I feel for ya on not being able to find parts or qualified mechanics to work on it but I also agree with the poster who said at some point the dealers and manufactuerer have to look to the future and to be supporting bikes that are vintage with parts and service may not be a reasonable expectation. I have a 62 ford convertible in the garage. I'm not taking that to my ford dealership expecting a mechanic there to know how to work on it. He's probably never worked on a car with a mechanical fuel pump and carbs. Let me tell you finding parts for that car ain't easy either.

exavid

· #14 · Aug 2, 2009

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It isn't a matter of the model being the same for many years, many dealerships wouldn't work on an early 1500 when the last 1500s were under ten years old, so it's entirely possible a dealership may not be willing to work on a 2001 1800 in 2012. It doesn't matter to me since I don't rely on dealerships for anything, not even parts. That is a contrast with other makes of motorcycles I've been to a couple BMW shops that have no problem working on twenty five year old bikes. Ditto many Harley shops. Honda does not support Goldwings very well.

rcmatt007

· #15 · Aug 4, 2009

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starting in 1978.... I worked on my own bike

DaveO430

· #16 · Aug 4, 2009

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Any dealership of anything can refuse to work on whatever it is after the warranty period is over but most service depts. can use the work. I don't know why Honda motorcycle dealers are so unified in their 10 year rule. One good thing about it is independents can use the business.
By the time my 1800 is 10 years old, provided I still have it, I should be able to work on it blindfolded. Not that I'm likely to take it to a dealer anyway, unless something fails during the warranty.
AspectOne, you should learn to service it yourself. A lot of members here who knew next to nothing about working on their own bike are now comfortable with doing almost anything and have found a lot of self satisfaction in doing it.

Rudy

· #17 · Aug 4, 2009

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DaveO430 wrote:

Any dealership of anything can refuse to work on whatever it is after the warranty period is over but most service depts. can use the work. I don't know why Honda motorcycle dealers are so unified in their 10 year rule. One good thing about it is independents can use the business.
By the time my 1800 is 10 years old, provided I still have it, I should be able to work on it blindfolded. Not that I'm likely to take it to a dealer anyway, unless something fails during the warranty.
AspectOne, you should learn to service it yourself. A lot of members here who knew next to nothing about working on their own bike are now comfortable with doing almost anything and have found a lot of self satisfaction in doing it.

Not to mention personal safety.

exavid

· #18 · Aug 4, 2009

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The problem with Honda is their success. Honda dealers sell so many different products that their mechanics have to work on a huge spectrum of machinesfrom ATV, scooters, a whole menagerie of various bikes to the Goldwing. There is just too much to expect them to handle well.

Rick G

· #19 · Aug 7, 2009

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I had 1 dealer in town say they don't work on anything older than 20 years. So I called another dealer and they was glad to get the work.
We the customer can also choose where we buy our bikes, "Not from someone who doesn't service them".

METAL50501

· #20 · Aug 10, 2009

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Something you might want to try and ask the dealer if one of the mechanics there does work on the side. My best friend has been a motorcycle mechanic for 30 years worked for kaw dealer honda dealer and now back at a kaw dealer. He does a ton of work on the side and will work on about any year or brand of motorcycle. I might add he is a very good mechanic.

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