Chicago Area Kawasaki Dealerships (for service)

[wersedated]

Has anyone found a dealership in Chicago that does an oil change for less than $90 (what Champions charged) or actually has a repair shop that doesn't tell you just to drop it off and they'll get to it when they get to it (Chicago Cycle)?

I'm in utter shock (maybe I'm just naive) but I've never dealt with service departments that give you either no real time line ("hopefully sometime next week") or still living in 1982 (Champions has no internet access and couldn't reprint a recall notice that "they didn't know about"). I can understand a shop not being in a hurry in the off season (and realizing they are busy in season) but charging $80/hr plus parts and not having the ability to even give me an idea whether or not I should cancel my planned ride in two weeks is nuts.

If I took my cage into the dealership (same hourly rates by the way) I'd turn around and leave if they told me just to leave the car and they'd call me sometime next week if they happened to "get it finished by then."

I've only dealt with Champions (who did manage to complete an oil change in a 24 hour period) and Chicago Cycle (told me I can drop the bike off either Tuesday or Thursday as that's the only days they take bikes in service).

[Pecos]

You can check with the other guys in the Windy City VROC chapter. I haven't had a reason to take any of mine in for service yet and I do my own oil changes -- it's way cheaper and I don't trust mechanics unless I know them really well or they're highly recommended.

[FL Vulcan Rider]

you can do oil changes yourself... not that hard.

take the screw out of the bottom, drain the oil... prop up bike level so that all oil comes out. put screw in. fill up with 20w50 oil and then change the airfilter. use the hex set under your seat, unscrew all four screws on filter... take the filter out and put a new one in. screw in four screws and thats it. there might be a few more things to do based on how many miles you have

[Pokey]

I agree with Pecos...buy yourself a shop manual (usually around 30 bucks) and do it yourself. Most servicing can be done by yourself and you end up with a more intimate knowledge of your ride. I just stripped my Vulcan 800 down a few weeks ago to repaint and I serviced it while everything was taken off. I also "explored" it so I could know it better. I understand, though, that this could be falling on "mechanically DIS-inclined" ears. There again, you end up with better knowledge of what you ride and a good feeling about yourself when you stand in the garage looking at that beautiful piece of machinery on two wheels.

[wersedated]

I have no problem doing my own oil changes (I just had no time last week).

I'm shortly going to be purchasing the Scootworks front pulley for my VN900 though and wanted to find a dealership with the expected dealership type service department to put it on. Oil is one thing, a new pulley is another. I'm just not that mechanically inclined.

Thanks for the advice guys.

[StanB]

I'll change the oil for a 6 pack of Schlitz.

[The Vulcaniser]

less than $90!!!! i got mine serviced last week, which was basically an oil change, a check over (6,000km service) and it cost me $123 and that was cheaper than what most places charge. The unfortunate part is, i have to get it serviced at a licensed mechanic and get my service book stamped so i don't void my warranty. The most expensive part of it was the $53 it cost for 4 litres of 10w-40 Motul engine oil.

[wersedated]

Originally Posted by StanB

I'll change the oil for a 6 pack of Schlitz.

I do a lot of homebrewing...and some of it's actually drinkable!!

[Pecos]

Originally Posted by StanB

I'll change the oil for a 6 pack of Schlitz.

Have you tried the Schlitz Gusto yet? I think they've targeted Milwaukee, Chicago and maybe Florida. It's actually not too bad, but we were on day three of fishing on Reel Foot Lake, TN and will drink about anything.

[Pokey]

Hey, Wersedated, I didnt mean to imply anything about your mechanical abilities. I understand the more "involved" add-ons and changes can be more scary. I dont blame you wanting to find someone who is supposed to have a little more experience working on bikes. Have you got any "mom-and-pop" shops around that work on any bikes? There is a guy that lives near me that started in the corporate owned shops and finally decided to strike out on his own and open his own shop. He is very knowledgeable about a wide variety of bikes and he is very helpful, often telling you what to do over the phone if he doesnt have time to get to it that day. Not saying you should come down here but the "mom-and-pops" are usually more appreciative of your business.

[Pokey]

I just realized that was a stupid reply! You ARE looking for someone and I didnt help one bit! Maybe that post could help someone, though.

[wersedated]

Originally Posted by Pokey

I just realized that was a stupid reply! You ARE looking for someone and I didnt help one bit! Maybe that post could help someone, though.

No worries Pokey...I actually think I found someone on the WCVOC boards. I grew up on a farm working on just about everything but now, with 5 years in IT sitting at a desk and staring at databases, I seem to have lost the concept of what a "bolt" is.

[Pecos]

Originally Posted by wersedated

No worries Pokey...I actually think I found someone on the WCVOC boards. I grew up on a farm working on just about everything but now, with 5 years in IT sitting at a desk and staring at databases, I seem to have lost the concept of what a "bolt" is.

Ha, I'm a computer jockey too, but it does feel good to use tools that don't require mouse clicks.

[furious70]

I've used both Woodfield motorsports and BBK in Elgin. To be honest, I've not been impressed with either. I know they have to manage staff levels and equipment very carefully up here in the snowbelt, cuz they don't sell enough snowmobiles to keep busy in the winter, but I hate the 'drop it off and we'll get to it next week' routine as well. The work done on my bike wasn't exceptional either to top it off.
I wrench on old muscle cars, and am slowly expanding what I do on the bikes, but haven't taken complete ownership of all the wrenching on them....yet. I'm out in the NW burbs if that helps ya out.

[StanB]

Originally Posted by Pecos

Have you tried the Schlitz Gusto yet? I think they've targeted Milwaukee, Chicago and maybe Florida. It's actually not too bad, but we were on day three of fishing on Reel Foot Lake, TN and will drink about anything.

I'm making a trip to downtown this weekend to pick some up. Looking forward to it.

[FL Vulcan Rider]

Originally Posted by Pecos

Ha, I'm a computer jockey too, but it does feel good to use tools that don't require mouse clicks.

Ain't that the truth... I like working on my bike. I would rather work on my bike than a stupid computer. I do Linux programming and computers get old after a while... that's why I love my bike! Something different to work on.

[furious70]

<--- also a nerd in front of a computer by day

[Pokey]

Originally Posted by furious70

<--- also a nerd in front of a computer by day

What's this world coming to? Computer jockeys running rampant. I too have to chain myself to one everyday designing utility power trucks. I hate to touch a computer after work but this site got me hooked.

[jwred306]

Originally Posted by The Vulcaniser

less than $90!!!! i got mine serviced last week, which was basically an oil change, a check over (6,000km service) and it cost me $123 and that was cheaper than what most places charge. The unfortunate part is, i have to get it serviced at a licensed mechanic and get my service book stamped so i don't void my warranty. The most expensive part of it was the $53 it cost for 4 litres of 10w-40 Motul engine oil.

I thought all the bike shops by me were expensive, $53 for motul, I buy the same stuff and thought $35.00 was high. I am a mechanic myself and there are alot of bad ones out there that give everyone a bad name, but I have noticed it more whenever I go into a bike shop.

[su1kil]

Is it very common in US that the shops take so long period to work on bikes? Whether it is oil change or tire mount, about one week seems to be the standard. Not only I ride almost every day, it is not easy to find someone to give me a ride back and forth to the shop. I have been doing oil myself, but not up to the tire mount yet. I usually take the rim out to the shop. Of course it takes a while to call and find any shop that would do it in the same day. I might as well just try it myself next time... BTW, I am in NW chicago...