Bike Repair/Service You Can Trust?

[Formaleins]

Jesus, they couldn't have buried this forum much further down the list in the maze of odd ball topics could they?

 

OK, let me explain and maybe there is someone out there who knows what where when etc.

 

I am looking for a trustworthy bike mechanic who can do a good job checking over my Honda CBR 250R Abs - It needs the valve and valve shims checking and it also would be nice to get someone who is familiar with this bike to give the motor a once over while doing the valves to see if they can work out where this damn rattle is coming from.

I have had the bike serviced at Niyom Panich before, and they replaced the Cam Chain Tensioner, but made no difference. The head mechanic there however is nothing to write home about, nor is he the sharpest knife in the drawer. After checking the valves last time, they managed to pinch the fuelt tank breather/drain hose completely blocking it. I was lucky to notice it after washing the bike as the water around the inside of the filler was about 1cm from running into my fuel.

 

So, not wanting to chance these people again after having to fix the fuel pipe myself I wanted to try and find a decent mechanic to check everything over.

 

Now a few years back there was a guy in Chiang Mai called PIKEY - (I think his name is Geoff - but not sure) He worked in a repair shop off the moat with a miserable old German git. Does anyone know if Pikey is still around and fixing bikes? If anyone has any contact info I would be extremely grateful as these guys did a pretty good job on my old XLR.

 

If they aren't still fiddling with bikes, if anyone knows of a decent mechanic in the Chiang Mai area, (not bothered if they are Thai Brit or Martian  or whatever, as long as they do a good job) If you can post me their details I will buy you a pint one day if they fix this damn rattle at 5000 RPM!

 

Cheers.

[jvs]

Honda big bike shop?

[Formaleins]

9 minutes ago, jvs said:

Honda big bike shop?

No way! I (I take it you mean Honda Big Wing?) have never heard a good word about those lot, besides, I am not sure if they will service a 250. They seem more geared to the bigger bikes. But that asides, I would not be using these people, lots of stories about poor, sloppy and shoddy work and a very bad attitude in general. Not sure if there is another branch in Lamphun, but the branch in Chiang Mai will be given a very wide berth!

Edited January 14, 2019 by Formaleins

[ktm jeff]

25 minutes ago, jvs said:

Honda big bike shop?

He wants it fixed , not fuXXXd. Give the clowns at "bigwig" a swerve.  Try Nung. He is a good trials bike rider , who works on road and off-road bikes. He is based on the 108 HangDong road , almost opposite North Chiang Mai University. Sounds like the common Honda problem of cam chain and tensioner ( renew them together ) and maybe gears. Bike will need to be left with him to do the valve clearances correctly. His Line number is 081 724 7172. He is on google / facebook.

[Formaleins]

7 hours ago, ktm jeff said:

He wants it fixed , not fuXXXd. Give the clowns at "bigwig" a swerve.  Try Nung. He is a good trials bike rider , who works on road and off-road bikes. He is based on the 108 HangDong road , almost opposite North Chiang Mai University. Sounds like the common Honda problem of cam chain and tensioner ( renew them together ) and maybe gears. Bike will need to be left with him to do the valve clearances correctly. His Line number is 081 724 7172. He is on google / facebook.

Thanks for that, it sounds perfect for me to get as well!

[Formaleins]

11 hours ago, ktm jeff said:

He wants it fixed , not fuXXXd. Give the clowns at "bigwig" a swerve.  Try Nung. He is a good trials bike rider , who works on road and off-road bikes. He is based on the 108 HangDong road , almost opposite North Chiang Mai University. Sounds like the common Honda problem of cam chain and tensioner ( renew them together ) and maybe gears. Bike will need to be left with him to do the valve clearances correctly. His Line number is 081 724 7172. He is on google / facebook.

Just a quick one for you, you mentioned something in your post that kind of hit a nerve - You mentioned a common Honda problem, then you mention the gearbox. It is strange you said that as it is exactly where I thought the noise seemed to be coming from yet, there has not been one single post that I have found online that mention the gearbox. They all go on about valves and the rocker arms moving, the cam chain and the tensioner (they have been replaced and it isn't them) but no one has ever mentioned the gears.

 

What makes you think the gearing might be responsible? I have a very strong feeling that you might be 100% correct, but like I say, I had almost talked myself out of that problem as no one else seems to mention it.

 

Thanks a lot for your post, I will be giving him a call today, he is only about 15km from me, much better than having to go into the city.

[canthai55]

If you near San Kamphaeng MXMOTO has a good rep

FB will find it. Just past the 1006/121 intersection South side

[Formaleins]

14 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

If you near San Kamphaeng MXMOTO has a good rep

FB will find it. Just past the 1006/121 intersection South side

Thanks for the information - Never hurts to keep a list of these people, you never know when you might need them and a personal recommendation is worth a million ads! I am going to ring that guy in Hang Dong and see what he comes up with, if I get no joy there I will give your suggestion a ring, thanks a lot for taking time to post this, much appreciated.

[Kwasaki]

14 hours ago, Formaleins said:

see if they can work out where this damn rattle is coming from.

It's a motorbike it will always rattle somewhere. ????

[BBJ]

There is a western pro machanic at Tire Tech CM.  His name is Andrew.

1014, Tambon Ton Pao, Amphoe San Kamphaeng, Chang Wat Chiang Mai 50130

 

Edited January 15, 2019 by BBJ

[Formaleins]

2 hours ago, BBJ said:

There is a western pro machanic at Tire Tech CM.  His name is Andrew.

1014, Tambon Ton Pao, Amphoe San Kamphaeng, Chang Wat Chiang Mai 50130

 

Many thanks, appreciated.

[ktm jeff]

AH , sorry. I should have clarified gears. Camshaft and crankshaft gears. If the chain tensioner / chain is bad   ( again ? ) it could have damaged these gears.  The gearbox gears dont seem to be causing much problems , as you said , but the clutch may be noisy too. You will need to leave the bike with him for a few days - awkward as he is out of town , so a lift may be required , or a bus ride. Confirm he will use OEM genuine Honda parts. 

[ktm jeff]

As the camchain tensioner is one of Honda,s weak links - along with their voltage regulator / rectifiers , i would ask Nung if he recommends an adjustable after-marked camchain tensioner.  From Lamphun , take the 1015 to the 108 / Hang Dong road , then head North to Nungs. His shop will be on your left - West side of the road - and has spirit houses for sale at the front. Look out for the orange and black sign.

[Formaleins]

On 1/14/2019 at 8:28 PM, ktm jeff said:

He wants it fixed , not fuXXXd. Give the clowns at "bigwig" a swerve.  Try Nung. He is a good trials bike rider , who works on road and off-road bikes. He is based on the 108 HangDong road , almost opposite North Chiang Mai University. Sounds like the common Honda problem of cam chain and tensioner ( renew them together ) and maybe gears. Bike will need to be left with him to do the valve clearances correctly. His Line number is 081 724 7172. He is on google / facebook.

Hello again, do you know if this guy Nung is still working on bikes? I have tried his phone it goes straight to messaging, tried his Line ID and that gets nothing, just wondered if the guy hasd disappeared or something? maybe he doesn't want to be found eh?

[Formaleins]

On 1/16/2019 at 2:19 AM, ktm jeff said:

As the camchain tensioner is one of Honda,s weak links - along with their voltage regulator / rectifiers , i would ask Nung if he recommends an adjustable after-marked camchain tensioner.  From Lamphun , take the 1015 to the 108 / Hang Dong road , then head North to Nungs. His shop will be on your left - West side of the road - and has spirit houses for sale at the front. Look out for the orange and black sign.

Cheers for the directions. I passed by that place a thousand times and I would never have guessed it was there.

[jchfriis]

I can recommend Piston Shop. It's on the road between the north east corner of the moat and the super highway (easy to find on Google Maps). The owner speaks perfect english and I've had my PCX and a Kawasaki Ninja serviced there. They did good work.

[BurgerGung]

A friend has a Thai mechanic he swears is great - in Lamphun. And he rides a CBR 929 Fireblade. If you are in Lamphun, my friend owns a small gym and works as English teacher. 

 

Just sharing.

 

 

[BurgerGung]

P.S.: I know Pikey, from the GT-Riders forum and as co-owner of Tony's Big Bikes. That shop got rid of almost all bikes in favour of the CBR 300. Guess they knowa thing or two about that model.

 

They had a great mechanic 2 years ago - not sure whom they use now?

 

Pikey has been riding a Triumph...

[ktm jeff]

I will call Nung , find out whats happened / if he is on holiday. The above two recommendations sound good. May i ask where the Fireblade riding mechanic is in Lamphun. 

[ktm jeff]

I,ve tried calling him - no answer. His LINE number is active. Maybe you could pop in to see him. Let us know how you get on.

[Formaleins]

On 1/22/2019 at 8:23 PM, ktm jeff said:

I,ve tried calling him - no answer. His LINE number is active. Maybe you could pop in to see him. Let us know how you get on.

Hi,

I got hold of Nung, went out to see the guy. Seems like a good bloke. Showed me and my son all of his bikes, all his trials bike trophies. Even let me have a sit on a Honda 1300 parked up there. Anyway, he knows what he is doing, but boy he is slow. The bike has been with him now for over 3 weeks, he reckons it is a pig of a job getting all the plastics and crap off the bike to do the shims and the timing chain etc. (I didn't like to tell him that that was the exact reason it ook it to him - I have no problem doing the valves and timing on a "Normal" bike, but the crap you need to strip off the Honda just to get at the rockers is another thing!) anyway, he has also promised to do the forks - new oil and seals etc. and anything else that needs fixing while he is at it. Reckons the bike is in great condition so I doubt anything major will come of it. Thanks for putting his name to me, he is pretty close and knows what he is doing - He even reckoned Honda at Niyom had not stripped the bike properly last time - which would explain the pinched hose and no new shims as to me I could clearly hear the tappets.