Modern bikes - repairs costs.YIKES!

[MaxPete]

I am presently on a ride through the Maritimes on my trusty ‘83 BMW R100RS (Gretel) and today in Stellarton NS I ran into a guy on a 2022 BMW K1600…whatever. He was very interested in my old R-bike, so we chatted.

He asked if she has been much trouble on the big ride from Harrow, ON (about 5600 km so far) and I said “Nope - except for a slightly sticky carb float valve the odd time”. I asked him about the K1600 and he said that his bike hasn’t been too bad so far except that last week, the main headlight blew and he had to have it replaced at the dealer.

The cost was $3800 labour and $500 for the bulb itself.

I told him that his repair cost is just about $200 less than I had paid for my ‘83 R100RS in 2019 and that she came with both the solo and dual seats, the hard bags and a bunch of extra parts, that she ran perfectly when I got her and I have put about 30,000 trouble-free kilometers on her since then.

Modern bikes……YIKES!

 

[jetmechmarty]

Yes, I’ve thought about that. What are the chances of an XS650 going hard down out on the long road trip. I know what spares to carry.

My attitude is exactly the same with cars. Pre CAN bus is best for me.

 

[Jan_P]

Yes to that . I have heard of mechanically good cars with complicated electrical faults .Being scrapped
Because said CAN buses are Bosch secret .And not many knows how to filter information out of the White noise all micro controllers are transmitting on said CAN bus. Need special equipment Laptop with software sometimes.

I have a friend with a VOLVO station wagon ,Getting error message on gas pedal sensor .Entering reduced power protected mode
Its been replaced not changing anything.
He gave around $ 3000 for the car
Smaller shops cannot do the fault finding and taking it to the Brand shop
and the costs rises .- Good car otherwise not so many miles either
But he is thinking of an exit plan.

 

[GLJ]

The cost was $3800 labour and $500 for the bulb itself.

Pete I have no doubt that's what he told you. I would have to see the receipt in order to believe him.
Then again I would not trade my R model air head for any of the newer BMWs even up.
I like to think I can fix anything that could go wrong with it.

 

[Downeaster]

GEE-zus!

I just paid $1700 for intake gaskets, valve cover gaskets, thermostat, serpentine belt and battery for the Vette and thought I got hosed!

 

[RC4MAN]

Why I don't own anything less than 20 years old

 

[jetmechmarty]

Why I don't own anything less than 20 years old

I’m all about fixing what I have. I’m still spinning records on a 1914 Victrola. It’s been in my family since about 1965. That thing was built to last.

 

[jetmechmarty]

Speaking of….

I’m making plans to ride an XS650 on a trip next month. It’s 21 hours in the saddle each way. Tell me why that’s a bad idea.

If my headlight burns out, I have a functional reserve lighting unit. It’s certainly not an $1,800 fix!

 

[cra-z1]

Before I spent that kind of money on a headlight I would be getting off the road before dark. The BMW's are extremely expensive to have the dealer do anything and the cost of parts are high. So on my K1200S BMW if you need a new clutch from BMW you just cant buy the plates, they sell you a laminar package with includes pressure plates steels and friction plates for a cool $1,000. Lucky EBC sells just the friction plates for $100. But a lot of guys dont know and spend the $1,000 plus labor. On the 1600 when you need to do any valve work it's costly. Most bike have a shim you change out on top or under a bucket for maybe $8.00, well on the BMW1600 they dont use shims, you need to change the entire bucket for $50.00 each. Imagine if 6 or 8 valves are out of spec. They have 4 valves per cylinder on a 6 cylinder machine, so 24 valves

 

[John Regular]

The HD dealer wanted 2K to put new tires on my Sportster which is about what I spent on my Triumph last time I had it serviced at the dealer (and my dash still keeps going out). I always tell people to remember that you are paying for someones hourly wage which I understand because I have seen what they charge for me at my job to smack scaffold together with a hammer. The thing that chapps me is that I found out what the HD mechanics make and it's not that good. I respect what you gurus can do because so far I can't, at least not very well, and feel like the dealers are ripping off the crew, But what do I know. I decided I could save money buying tires from cycle gear and having them mount them and so far it has been so good. However, changing the Sporty's tires has been a chore as HD uses very little axle grease on the axles. It took me half a day to remove the rear axle without destroying it. I then discovered that the sealed bearings were nearly frozen, I couldn't find a part number for them in the manual but found the part number for the HD official bearing puller tool which was about 150$ luckily China will ripp off anyones design and I got an ebay puller kit for 20$, We'll see how that gos. Anyway, I seem to have lost my point, Oh Yeah! It was that the mechanics should earn a decent wage for what they can do and I can't believe that I make well more than them for erecting life sized tinker toys on the sides of buildings. I have been exploring mechanic training for a change in work as I am aging out of my current trade but then found out what they are paid so abandoned that idea.

 

[Highpower]

Paying for someone else’s labor is what drove me into being a mechanic in the first place. I’m sorry, it can’t be $3800 hard to replace a headlight and for that kind of money, I would learn how to do it myself and make a business out of that sort of repair.

But, I much prefer to stick to the old junk I seem to gravitate towards and as such, I do 100% of my own repairs. As a retired seasoned citizen, I have way more time than money and if a particular job takes me more time to do than a professional, so be it.

 

[AUTOMAN]

Paying for someone else’s labor is what drove me into being a mechanic in the first place. I’m sorry, it can’t be $3800 hard to replace a headlight and for that kind of money, I would learn how to do it myself and make a business out of that sort of repair.

But, I much prefer to stick to the old junk I seem to gravitate towards and as such, I do 100% of my own repairs. As a retired seasoned citizen, I have way more time than money and if a particular job takes me more time to do than a professional, so be it.

Some day, after seasoning, you may find you have more money than time.

THAT is why it costs so much.


Speaking of, what is the going rate for motorcycle repair/maint. labor wise?

 

[John Regular]

Some day, after seasoning, you may find you have more money than time.

THAT is why it costs so much.


Speaking of, what is the going rate for motorcycle repair/maint. labor wise?

According to A-1, 60-80$ for the shade tree shop rate with Mechanic wages anywhere from McDonalds new hire to 30-ish $/hr and the dealerships anywhere from 120 $/hr to infinity and staff making similar wages as the shade tree guys there are just alot more of them and some are part time.

 

[John Regular]

I found this, what do you guys think? Adam? Ray?

 

[Ratranger]

Dealers around me are $160/hr shp rate with mechanics making $20-30/hr flat rate. I'm sorry but if it's $120+ to get a tire mounted I'll do it myself. A 2nd hand no mar stand has way more than paid for itself.

 

[AUTOMAN]

So, 60-120usd++ an hr. is not bad.
Used to be 65$usd at a car dealership. They still screwed it up 3x and yes, I am the fool.

Mc Don's pay to 120+ per hr. sure is accurate?!

3800/120=30 hrs to change a 500 buck bulb/assembly?

 

[John Regular]

So, 60-120usd++ an hr. is not bad.
Used to be 65$usd at a car dealership. They still screwed it up 3x and yes, I am the fool.

Mc Don's pay to 120+ per hr. sure is accurate?!

3800/120=30 hrs to change a 500 buck bulb/assembly?

I got that from the AI stating new hires at HD make about 16$ which my Niece makes at her part time job at, guess where. And I thought it sounded funny. The 120 per hour was for the dealers shop rate not what the mechanics get payed.

As for auto shops, never mind, I need to save that one for the rant thread. I do have a local tire shop that does some mechanic stuff for around 65$ an hour and do good work.

 

[John Regular]

All Balls bearings from jp cycles-40$, Chinese bearing puller/installer kit from Amazon- 32$, front and rear tire removal- aprx 6 hours, Tires 240$, mounting and ballance-60$, Bearing removal- aprx 1 hour, Bearing installation- indeterminate, stripped threads, thrown tools, nonsensical sized hex nut (17.8mm or .7 inch???) denial, anger, self-doubt, hopelessness, acceptance, Lesson in trying to save a little by buying shit tools for critical procedures- Priceless.
Chinese bearing tool, you let me down.
I also installed the wrong side first, according to the sportster forum. the last one I had to beat in place because the nut stripped out. they are pretty tight. If i spin one side the other spins as well, don't think that is supposed to happen. At least the removal tool works.

 

[MaxPete]

I will admit that the $4300 repair bill sounded absurd but a riding buddy has a modern R1150RT and he said that changing the headlight is a very complex task.

 

[MaxPete]

Before I spent that kind of money on a headlight I would be getting off the road before dark. The BMW's are extremely expensive to have the dealer do anything and the cost of parts are high. So on my K1200S BMW if you need a new clutch from BMW you just cant buy the plates, they sell you a laminar package with includes pressure plates steels and friction plates for a cool $1,000. Lucky EBC sells just the friction plates for $100. But a lot of guys dont know and spend the $1,000 plus labor. On the 1600 when you need to do any valve work it's costly. Most bike have a shim you change out on top or under a bucket for maybe $8.00, well on the BMW1600 they dont use shims, you need to change the entire bucket for $50.00 each. Imagine if 6 or 8 valves are out of spec. They have 4 valves per cylinder on a 6 cylinder machine, so 24 valves

When I bought the ‘83 R100RS, it needed 3 new brake rotors and I was stunned to find that the retail price for OE rotors was I think about $500 USD each.

By the time I pay the currency exchange, that would have been $2000 CAD for three dumb iron brake rotors FFS!

So, I bought EBC full floaters for around $350 for the set.