Motions (Marietta)

[Towedjmpr]

Anyone have any input? Good, bad, indifferent?

They have my X right now and are starting to piss me off.

[BIGT FROM F.B.]

I always take mine to the small local bike shops. They do all the police bikes and everyone always has high regards for them. I found out that people who own their own business usually treat customers and their posessions very well.

[clewis]

Anyone have any input? Good, bad, indifferent?

They have my X right now and are starting to piss me off.

Do a search on this blog and you will see, some have had problems and some not. Just stay away from Canton Honda!

[Towedjmpr]

OK, here's the deal.

My X was overheating, it is in warranty so I dropped it off at the only stealership I am familiar with. (Last Thursday) They called me Friday and said the problem was that the lower radiator mount was broken and they say it is because of my Paladin Crashbars when mounted (2 years ago when purchased) must have bent the radiator and the spot weld broke. This cause there to be no pressure in the radiator etc...... I can't believe it would take 2 years for the spot weld to pop.

I drove over to the stealership since the had not called me since Friday. I was told that Honda said they won't cover it at all because it was caused by an after market part that I installed. I called Honda and they said Wah, get over it.

Motions wants $160 for the part and $231 for the installation and diagnostics.

What do you all think I should do? Are there any other options. I am not a wrench, I would probably make it worse.

[BIGT FROM F.B.]

I hear ya' man. I'm not a wrench either. If I can go on the tech board and someone explain how to fix something myself, and I do it; anyone can. There are also several mechanically enclined people on this board to help you.

I didn't look at your profile to see where you're located before posting this, but Lawrenceville has a good mechanic at Scooter World on Hwy 20 near Grayson. He's treated me right several times.

[GeminiII]

Several things you should do…

1. Visually inspect the Paladin Crash bars and the lower radiator mount to see if what they are telling you as being the cause of the problem is a possibility. Were they saying the installer of the bars bent the radiator or the bars themselves bent the radiator? If it were the installer - well, you will usually see what the total cost is much later when you pay someone to work on your cycle. What’s to guarantee you Motions, or any stealership, won’t screw something else up for you to deal with?

2. If it were the bars hitting the radiator, (which from your picture looks impossible) you’ll need to correct the problem with the Crash bars some way, either by adjusting them or replacing them.

3. If Motions has already special ordered the radiator part, they will want you to pay for it. If the part on your radiator is damaged, buy the part and with the $231 you saved on installation buy the Honda Service Manual.

Note: Learning to take care of your cycle yourself, even if it requires buying a manual and a ton of tools, I think you’ll save yourself a ton of money and maybe even a ton of headaches in the long run.

I have bought parts and accessories from Motions and have had no bad experiences…. But…. I wouldn’t leave my bike there for them to work on.

P.S. Personally, I doubt the crash bars or installer of them caused the weld on the radiator to break loose. I'd rather think it was from laying the bike down, hitting something on the road, riding over a curb or it was a bad weld to begin with. Motions is just looking for a reason to deny coverage under warrenty and the crash bars literally stood out. You could argue the crash bars had nothing to do with the problem and they can't prove they did... But Good Luck with that one.

[Motorcycle Mike]

If you'r Paladin engine gaurds are touching anything on the radiator, they are installed wrong. I have the same bars and don't see how they could have anything to do with the problem. Mine dont touch anything on the radiator or it's mounts. Make them SHOW YOU how this could be the problem. I'm calling foul!

[Orange Crush/GJC]

One thing which is not clear in your post is whether or not Motions is where you bought the bike or not. I suspect not or this conversation really shouldn't be happening. If any Honda dealer installed these crash bars on your NEW scooter, then they should be part of the warranty and as such ANY Honda dealer should cover the problem. If it was another dealer and the installation was done after purchase, Motions may be able to rightly argue that a poor install caused the failure. Get the details in writing and with pictures. contact the other dealer and ask them to pay for the repairs. If they won't, then decide if it is worth going after the other dealer in small claims court for the "corrective surgery."

[Motorcycle Mike]

Looking at your sig. pic. Those don't look like NC Paladin's. I wen't to the garage to look at mine. There is no way to mount NC Paladin's so they will even touch the radiator.

[Towedjmpr]

The bars don't touch the radiator, the radiator was moved so that the bars could attach to the frame. I installed the bars according to the instructions as the dealer in Colorado told me he would need a week to do it.

What they claim is that when the radiator was moved to mount the upper spacer, the lower mount bent. I have no way to fight that argument. I still say it is BS as I mounted the bars in September of 05, the bike has never been dropped and I haven't hit anything on the road or otherwise. It just started to overheat and then leak in the last two weeks or less.

Honda said I can take it to another dealer and have them give their take on it, but I don't have that as an option now. (No trailer)

So my options now are to buy the radiator from HDL and install it myself, get another local shop to do it or pay Motions $391+ and be sure that my warranty is maintained. (Still have 2 more years coverage)

[BIGT FROM F.B.]

Don't take it to motions. Every stealer finds a way to screw you out of the warranty. No matter what vehicle you buy!

[Orange Crush/GJC]

I'm sure someone around has a trailer and would be glad to loan it or help you haul it elsewhere for a second opinion. Sorry, I don't have one. At the very least, it would be worth calling a couple more dealers and/or independent shops for a quote/opinion over the phone. Some may not want to do that, but you don't know if you don't ask.

With that said, Honda cannot deny future warranties on this or anything else based on this being fixed anywhere besides a Honda dealer - including by you in your garage. After all, it's not a warranty repair. Just follow the instructions in the manual, log it and keep the receipts just like you would any other service you do. I assume, however, that you are gonna owe them something just for taking a look. If you are already into it for a small fortune, and you would be more comfortable with someone else being responsible, maybe its time to suck it up and let them finish it. And I would still make them show me the problem and how they think it was bent that much.

[GTvtx]

A complete radiator direct from Honda is $155.

If the issue was 'running hot', you would think it would be something different than a bent brackett holding the radiator.

Maybe a broke bracket tearing into the water jacket in the radiator and causing it to leak fluid.

That being said. The part price for a new radiator is completely inline.

Labor runs 50 to 60 dollars per hour to the consumer in a business.

So that's 3 or 4 hours total. I don't think they are to far out of line with the estimate.


GT

[HotFix]

Motions blows... don't get me started.

[dotcomdewd]

Motions blows... don't get me started.

I agree... bought a bike there before, had one serviced before, I won't be going back any time soon...

[Towedjmpr]

Anyone have any recommendations for local shops near Dallas/Hiram/Kennesaw that may be a better bet?

I have tried Bebo Motorsports in Dallas but they haven't returned my message.

[littleJohnnyfromNJ]

[quote="Towedjmpr"]Anyone have any input? Good, bad, indifferent?[quote]

I think you said it best in your original statement... you said "indifferent"... that is how they are towards their customers....

I took my x to Canton for warranty work on my coolant overflow tank which was cracked and they were good and fast...

good luck, man... I feel your pain...

[Frog]

Free Wheeling in Douglasville , Fairburn Rd. about a block from Bankhead.

Frog
USMV M/C

[trueblueXrider]

You might try J & R Cycle shop - 1431 Canton Rd. Marietta, next to Burger's Market (770)528-0940, I've heard good things about him but haven't as of yet had personal dealings with him. That is if you've exhausted your efforts on the warranty thing.