[DUX]

I dropped off my father-in-law's 1300 for the first service that includes a valve-adjustment. I hadn't run the bike for a few weeks, and it was running rough. I had to use 1/2 choke for the 7 mile trip to get it there or else it would stall.

Dealer had the bike for a week (I was away.) When I picked the bike up, they said everything was checked and adjusted and that there were no problems.

I left the dealer, but turned around at the next light to go back. The bike still didn't run right. They were closing, but kicked the idle up and said the bike hadn't warmed up yet. I drove it home, still feeling like the bike wasn't running like it did in the fall when it was new (1k miles ago.)

It sat in the garage for a week and I took it out today. At a light, I heard a plastic grinding/vibration and thought it might be the famous headlight rattle. Bike still wasn't running properly. At this point I'm thinking bad ground, loose cables, or carb is clogged.

I pulled into my driveway and the vibration started again. I got off the bike and looked at the source:

One of the plug wires was completely disconnected and the radiator fan was grinding against it as it hung down along the frame!

The only explanation I can think of is that the wire was initially loose, but still under the cover. The mechanic must have pulled the side cover off, allowed the wire to drop, and then didn't reconnect it AT ALL before he put the cover back on.

I pulled everything apart, plugged it back in, and the bike runs like new. Good thing I spent $200

[literbike]

Its experiences like that and some others that Ive had that cause me to do as much maintenence/repair stuff myself as I can. Like the saying goes, "if you want something done right you have to do it yourself" correct?

[Getsome]

Ouch that has to suck....Nothing like good quality service... That's one of the reasons I do a pretty long look over the bike before I leave the shop whenever I have anything done unless I was there watching them the whole time which I tend to do on a regular basis even for oil changes if I get to lazy to do it myself.

[KJ's RR]

Post dealers name so others can avoid or be careful if THEY HAVE USE THEM

[Tornado bait]

Originally Posted by literbike

Its experiences like that and some others that Ive had that cause me to do as much maintenence/repair stuff myself as I can. Like the saying goes, "if you want something done right you have to do it yourself" correct?

Exactly...that's why my tool collection continues to grow. Id rather spend a little $ on good tools and get the satisfaction of a job well done.

[phobiaphobe]

I'm not a trained technician but I won't let anyone else work on my bike. I bought the shop manual and a torque wrench and some good craftsman tools and I'll do absolutely any work on that bike short of rebuilding the engine or tranny. I just don't trust a tech in a shop that's being paid flat rate. They're too hurried and they get careless. Of course there are exceptions but I feel that is the norm, until service departments come up with a new way to compensate technicians that problem isn't going to change.