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Tbird said:
O.K. you sound like a "glass half-empty" kind of guy. Like I have a tendency to be.
How bout you try this "glass half-full" exercise.

Look at the bright side of things.

1) It'll be fixed back to NEW condition.

2) and...you'll probably get the 600mi service done for FREE.

3) and...from now on they'll probably treat you and the bike pretty special.

Accidents happen. It doesn't necessarily mean they are incompetent or careless.

I hope it works out well without any great frustration.
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sprtdiver - First off, let me welcome you to the forum.

I'm sorry your bike got dropped. The best advise I can give is to remind you that we're talking about a hunk of tin here (albeit an expensive one).

+1 on Tbird's message...ASSUMING his #1, 2 & 3 criteria are met. Also the "accidents happen", etc line sure is true.

Short story: in '96 I was watching development of the coming '97 Suzuki TL 1000 S. Decided to buy one. As it turned out, the first one the dealership was to receive! When it finally arrived and I went to the dealership to pick it up, I was informed by my salesman ( had known him many years) the

bike had been dropped during assembly! I thought he was kidding! He wasn't!

Long story short, the above #1 and #3 points were carried out to a "t" AND they gave me the damaged parts too. Some of the parts were VERY slightly nicked.

I hope your experience works out as well. In the long run I figured I made out like a bandit!

JC

 
exskibum said:
Seems to me like much hand wringing and hair splitting for a group of men. Why does it matter who dropped it or how or why if it gets fixed???? Isn't this really only about perspective at this point?
Don't know about anyone else, but I've finally accepted that I can't change the past. And complaining doesn't ever seem to do me much good (even if I still do it). But it happened -- the bike got dropped. You can feel anyway you want about it, but it's YOUR decision about how shitty you want to feel and you're free to decide on any reasons to justify that decision. Or you can choose to see it another way. That was my simple point. I won't argue against your position that it's more bitch worthy because the shop dropped yours than when *I* drop mine. Fact is that if you think so, then it is so; that makes you right.

I'm sorry your bike was dropped and damaged. If you choose to feel worse about the dealership having done it than you, again: your choice. Another perspective might be that at least this way IT'S GONNA GET FIXED. And if you'd done it, the fixin' would be on your dime. NOW -- if they won't fix it (something a dealer would surely regret attempting with me), then it's another story. If they are insensitive to having damaged a customer's bike -- also fucked up, but there are a$$holes in the world, and if the manager or owner won't deal with that attitude, I'd walk with my business.
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Ouch. Sprtdiver, so sorry about that. I'll have nightmares about that prior to 'dropping' my bike off for the 600. I would be mad, but mostly I'd be disappointed. BUT...

I wanted to acknowledge the terrific feedback here. I'm new to the forum and new to the FJR family (definitely not new to sport touring), and I found myself re-reading some of the posts because they were so thoughtful. Particularly exskibum's post above and the simple (but excellent) point made by Silent - did you (or I) get the bike to ride it or sell it?

It's going to be over 100 heat index here today and is supposed to rain. I was going to leave it in the garage and drive the car. After reading some posts this morning, screw it - I'm riding.

 
First I will say I really feel for you. My FJR is my dream bike. I had been pining for it since before they got here. I actually sat on one in Switzerland before I had ever seen one in the States. When I finally pulled the trigger and got one in 2006, it was the culmination of a long standing lust. I hated to even see the first bug on it. But realistically I know that it is for riding, and I know the wife won't let me keep it next to the bed or in the livingroom. I have since ridden it and not spent a lot of time washing it. Man, what a bike!

But, I would have applauded the service writer for telling me what happened. I would have asked how long it would take to repair it. This one would definately follow the "let the first among you that have never sinned throw the first stone" approach. I have screwed up before. We all have. It is often (but not in every case) how we fix mistakes that really matters. If they had done this to my bike I would be bummed, but it wouldn't wreck it for me that my mechanic was the last to screw on my fairing instead of someone in Japan.

If they wouldn't make it right, and the cost was high enough, that is what lawyers do. necessary evil things they are. However in the future, you might want to invest in doing your own work so you have better access to the person that does the damage.

I see that I need a dealer around, so I try and maintain a decent relationship with them. I am lucky that I have a good one near. If they were further away, well, that is part of the cost of ownership. About that simple. Be rational but confront them. They may have had something going on that day. I try and remember that I am far from perfect, and I can't ask of others more than I am willing to do.

OK, having said all that, if they really were making fun of your concerns, they suck. Get what you can and the hell with them in the future. If I were the owner I would want to know and would try to make it right. If he is ignoring you, he doesn't want your business. You can't force him to want you, you can only take it somewhere else.

Let Yamaha know. They want to know. I just had mine in for service (dreaded ignition switch failure-under YES) and the service manager called me right away to make sure I was satisfied. He stated that he needed to keep his rating high with Yamaha as they survey customers about service. Yesterday what shows up in the mail but a service survey from mother Yamaha. I WILL filll it out.

Good luck re-loving your bike. It is worth the trouble. Fix it and call it yours. It is still the same great ride you bought.

ok, probably my 3 cents instead of 2. I know I am long winded. sorry.

paul from Minnesota

 
sprtdiver said:
Finally, the dealer has the bike and the reason, I don't have warm fuzzies is because they made NO mention of fixing it. Wasn't clear on that earlier. .
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Of course they are going to fix it, don't let them give you any crap. Check everything over when they are done to make sure it is 100%, make sure the handlebars are properly aligned, do a test ride, if it isn't right make them fix it, and then get on with your life. The bike will be fine

 
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Be sure to push it over on the other side. That way it'll be scuffed on both sides. It's all about symmetry.

:headbonk:

Seriously, make damn sure that they replace anything that got scuffed. It is their obligation, not their option.

 
When I hear the term"has it ever been down" that means to me it was in a crash not dropped in the garage or at the dealers. Huge diff between dropped and crashed. Being dropped is nothing except a couple of superficial scratches. <_< :blink:

 
Vermonta said:
When I hear the term"has it ever been down" that means to me it was in a crash not dropped in the garage or at the dealers. Huge diff between dropped and crashed. Being dropped is nothing except a couple of superficial scratches. <_< :blink:
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I agree. There is a big difference between crashing and dropping a bike. Since the bike was only dropped, the damage is most likely superficial and not structural. Some new plastic and it'll be back to new.

I wouldn't call Yamaha into question because of a dealer. Keep in mind that there are many different types of dealers out there covering the range of integrity, knowledge, and customer service. Yamaha may not necessarily be happy with every dealer. I recommend keeping your emotions in check when thinking the dealership personnel were mocking you. Remember, in the heat of the moment, things (and people) are usually never quite as bad as you think they are.

Let the dealer fix your bike and then ride the crap out of it!

 
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A tip over at standstill is not the same as a crash. You're not going to bend the frame. You're not going to twist the forks. You're not going to affect the structural integrity of the bike. The damages are, most likely, just cosmetic. Let them fix it and forget about it. It sucks, I know, but, at the end of the day, it's a consumable. You didn't buy it to put it on a pedestal and admire. When it's fixed, only you and the dealer will know. When you go to sell it, if the buyer asks if it was ever down, tell him 'i'm the original owner and i never dropped it'.

 
Everyone seems to be assuming that the bike was dropped gently and has only cosmetic damage. That is probably true and your only concern is 'how long will it take to fix it?' If, on the other hand, the bike was up on a lift and came down hard you need to check for more than cosmetic damage. Look it over very carefully and make sure the dealer agrees to all of your observations.

The dealer will probably need to order body parts. In the mean time, you will want to ride your bike. If you decide to ride the sratched bike while you wait for parts, then take a bunch of pictures before you take it from the dealership so you don't have to discuss what scratches were there and what might have happened later.

Make sure the tech. resets the tip-over code in the ecu before you take the bike back.

 
Geezer said:
Everyone seems to be assuming that the bike was dropped gently and has only cosmetic damage. That is probably true and your only concern is 'how long will it take to fix it?' If, on the other hand, the bike was up on a lift and came down hard you need to check for more than cosmetic damage. Look it over very carefully and make sure the dealer agrees to all of your observations.
The dealer will probably need to order body parts. In the mean time, you will want to ride your bike. If you decide to ride the sratched bike while you wait for parts, then take a bunch of pictures before you take it from the dealership so you don't have to discuss what scratches were there and what might have happened later.

Make sure the tech. resets the tip-over code in the ecu before you take the bike back.
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Like myself, I think most are assuming it was a gentle drop because it was reported that the tech tripped over a hose. It sounds like he may have been walking the bike and lost his footing.

Still, sound advice from Geezer.

 
actually, this whole thread is a perfect reason not to buy a new bike. Since my used bike already came complete with it's first scratches, I have no angst about the next (inevitable) one.

 
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shredder said:
My worst dealer experience ever came from a Suzuki shop. Does not mean Suzuki sucks... just means that dealer sucked.
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The jury's out on whether the dealer sucked. Could suck, could not suck, depends on whether they step up and make good. Mechanics are independent too (and human--they screw up just like you and me), and they move from dealer to dealer. Doesn't necessarily mean that the dealer DOESN'T suck, but at least the service writer immediately fessed up. We also don't know what if anything the owner was told about this. In the absence of the owner coming forward, the bike owner should have sought him out and asked him if he knew about this and what he thought should be done.

Getting rid of the bike because of something like this? Guy needs to grow up.

 

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