How honest are they ?

[tmaker]

lets say ..

I get a 2nd hand big bike and then I send to a shop to do plating and paint job.

this shop also have plenty of big bikes around and they have of course friends with big bikes too.

so,the question is ? how honest will they be ?

let's assume my bike will be there for at least 2 weeks. what are the possibility they compared and replace some of my bike parts where they find is better ?

just asking... lol...

[HeijoshinCool]

I had my bike redone a few years ago.

I show up to claim it, the original seat (with HONDA across the back) is missing, replaced with a cheap POS.

The original chrome (in good shape) rack was missing.

All new chrome rusted in less than a month.

Paint bubbled from rust underneath, within a few months.

The guy claimed the seat was original, and there never was a rack. Despite photos of before and after. Police did nothing. I have no doubt the guy did not lose these, he sold them.

The shop came highly recommended.

Never again.

Edited September 20, 2014 by HeijoshinCool

[silomplaya]

they are trustable , why not leave your passport, credit card details, and drivers licence with them ............

[khunjamesjohnson]

I had my bike redone a few years ago.

I show up to claim it, the original seat (with HONDA across the back) is missing, replaced with a cheap POS.

The original chrome (in good shape) rack was missing.

All new chrome rusted in less than a month.

Paint bubbled from rust underneath, within a few months.

The guy claimed the seat was original, and there never was a rack. Despite photos of before and after. Police did nothing. I have no doubt the guy did not lose these, he sold them.

The shop came highly recommended.

Never again.

Typical. That's why I avoid doing business with Thais as much as possible.

A friend had some touchup paint work done at a shop and the kid was redlining the engine, racing up and down in front of the shop when he went to pick it up.

Wrecked the engine.

[ll2]

as an old trick, you can mark important parts with a marker in a way not visible directly to the eyes, on the back of the parts for example.

but inside engine case, hard to know of course. but you can mark the nuts and see if they unscrewed them.

also take lots of photos of your bike and parts and nuts to compare later.

good luck.

[tmaker]

I had my bike redone a few years ago.

I show up to claim it, the original seat (with HONDA across the back) is missing, replaced with a cheap POS.

The original chrome (in good shape) rack was missing.

All new chrome rusted in less than a month.

Paint bubbled from rust underneath, within a few months.

The guy claimed the seat was original, and there never was a rack. Despite photos of before and after. Police did nothing. I have no doubt the guy did not lose these, he sold them.

The shop came highly recommended.

Never again.

Typical. That's why I avoid doing business with Thais as much as possible.

A friend had some touchup paint work done at a shop and the kid was redlining the engine, racing up and down in front of the shop when he went to pick it up.

Wrecked the engine.

then again, how many non-Thai are in this business ? and where to find them, if any.

[kaorop]

I had my bike redone a few years ago.

I show up to claim it, the original seat (with HONDA across the back) is missing, replaced with a cheap POS.

The original chrome (in good shape) rack was missing.

All new chrome rusted in less than a month.

Paint bubbled from rust underneath, within a few months.

The guy claimed the seat was original, and there never was a rack. Despite photos of before and after. Police did nothing. I have no doubt the guy did not lose these, he sold them.

The shop came highly recommended.

Never again.

Typical. That's why I avoid doing business with Thais as much as possible.

A friend had some touchup paint work done at a shop and the kid was redlining the engine, racing up and down in front of the shop when he went to pick it up.

Wrecked the engine.

then again, how many non-Thai are in this business ? and where to find them, if any.

A friend of mine used to have people seeking him out, farang, due to the utter crap workmanship they had suffered at the hands of locals.

no business just word of mouth private stuff on expensive big bikes.

Just a couple of examples I've seen but very dangerous to the rider:

replaced fork seals, left out a spacer on one side, that meant the forks had different spring rates and damaged other internal parts

a large front disc fitted, used the wrong calliper adapter so the pads only contacted about 1/4 of the disc and only used 1 mounting bolt.

Many other examples

Im sure there is some, but very few and far between.

I do all my own, have the tools, the skills and the care.

Good luck to all that have no choice.

[HeijoshinCool]

as an old trick, you can mark important parts with a marker in a way not visible directly to the eyes, on the back of the parts for example.

but inside engine case, hard to know of course. but you can mark the nuts and see if they unscrewed them.

also take lots of photos of your bike and parts and nuts to compare later.

good luck.

.

Well ya know, there ain't much point in marking parts if they ain't there when you come back to pick the bike up, because they *@#* sold them, or gave them to a friend.

I had before and after photos. Guy just stared at them and shrugged. Cops wanted money to arrest him.

[guzzi850m2]

as an old trick, you can mark important parts with a marker in a way not visible directly to the eyes, on the back of the parts for example.

but inside engine case, hard to know of course. but you can mark the nuts and see if they unscrewed them.

also take lots of photos of your bike and parts and nuts to compare later.

good luck.

.

Well ya know, there ain't much point in marking parts if they ain't there when you come back to pick the bike up, because they *@#* sold them, or gave them to a friend.

I had before and after photos. Guy just stared at them and shrugged. Cops wanted money to arrest him.

I think I would had given the cops money just to nail the bastard and teach him a lesson.

[kaorop]

as an old trick, you can mark important parts with a marker in a way not visible directly to the eyes, on the back of the parts for example.

but inside engine case, hard to know of course. but you can mark the nuts and see if they unscrewed them.

also take lots of photos of your bike and parts and nuts to compare later.

good luck.

.

Well ya know, there ain't much point in marking parts if they ain't there when you come back to pick the bike up, because they *@#* sold them, or gave them to a friend.

I had before and after photos. Guy just stared at them and shrugged. Cops wanted money to arrest him.

I think I would had given the cops money just to nail the bastard and teach him a lesson.

not if you live local and he has friends, which is quite often the case

stay and watch is the only tried and true method of checking the work done and parts used or abused

doesn't mean the work will be any better just you'll know about it if you have some knowledge.

I forgot, took a head and NEW valves in to be cut, returned with secondhand valves not even lapped after being cut

oh oh

and the time I got a rebore, bored the first 3mm about 1mm to big for the new piston, tried to cover it up said nothing,

I saw it then told me it wouldn't matter, then after much to-ing and fro-ing got half my money back (for the rebore not the damaged barrel).

beyond afooking joke and I tell every farang I speak to about motocys not to use them, my only recourse.

those were different shops in the same area that have the machinery to do that stuff.

[Dutchbike]

I also had a similair experience with a small local shop. I left one of my bikes there for a while, so he could sell it for me ( it was just a 10/15K bike) after 2 months , I decided to keep it and picked it up, back home i found out some parts where replaced ( sprocket/chain) some bolts missing. I took the mrs with me to the shop and kept my cool.His comment was "Oooh i thought i would sell the bike so changed some parts" as saying it helpt staying polite and smiling, it ended with him buying all the replaced parts new ( I made a list) so you can't trust them all, I'm pretty sure they pull this trick also on Thai customers.

I do almost all of my maintenance myself. I'm not saying every Thai shop is like this, but it looks like this behavior is not a exception.

[WitawatWatawit]

I was thinking of getting my old Virago back and restoring it, but you guys are scaring me.

(Lost the book for it - not sure how to get another one.)

[robblok]

I was thinking of getting my old Virago back and restoring it, but you guys are scaring me.

(Lost the book for it - not sure how to get another one.)

Dr bike in BKK is known for good work and there are other reputable garages. The Kawasaki garage is good too. I bet if you can find a Yamaha garage it would be ok. Not everyone is out to rip you off the big branches usually wont.

[moe666]

I know it is not the sure fire answer but I take my PCX to the local Honda shop where I have had good service sometime it is a communication problem but you just do not know who you can trust.

[yankee99]

unless your painting the frame think i would just take the parts to a paint shop and the rest to a zinc plating shop.

[aitch52]

Hi Witawat, had a lot of work done on my 1994 Virago in Phitsanulok. Excellent work and a very skilled engineer, so it's not all bad. Big Nay was the owner of the workshop, he was a motocross champion on the Thai circuit.

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE 2.5 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[WitawatWatawit]

Hi Witawat, had a lot of work done on my 1994 Virago in Phitsanulok. Excellent work and a very skilled engineer, so it's not all bad. Big Nay was the owner of the workshop, he was a motocross champion on the Thai circuit.

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE 2.5 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Thanks for that - nice to know, but a little outside my "jurisdiction". It would be a hassle getting parts to him that I source from overseas (like the wretched starter motor). Would prefer someone closer to Chonburi.

Cheers,

Wit.

[aitch52]

Sure understand that, I had the wretched starter motor replaced here, sourced from a company in BKK. Probably paid too much for it but there we go.

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE 2.5 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[yankee99]

heres a shop in chonburi.

https://m.facebook.com/Xridersuperbike

[tmaker]

heres a shop in chonburi.

https://m.facebook.com/Xridersuperbike

so, this shop is reccomended ? quite near to me .

[ll2]

as an old trick, you can mark important parts with a marker in a way not visible directly to the eyes, on the back of the parts for example.

but inside engine case, hard to know of course. but you can mark the nuts and see if they unscrewed them.

also take lots of photos of your bike and parts and nuts to compare later.

good luck.

.

Well ya know, there ain't much point in marking parts if they ain't there when you come back to pick the bike up, because they *@#* sold them, or gave them to a friend.

I had before and after photos. Guy just stared at them and shrugged. Cops wanted money to arrest him.

you can show the markers to the guy which might prevent him getting parts from your bike.

also go there with a Thai friend and take photos together.

[tmaker]

guess only time will tell... lol..

got myself a Steed 600 from a bike shop. haggled with him to do it up with paintwork,chrome job and well, some sort of major servicing and all checked thru.

and agreed to do some mods.

gonna fix up classic fenders for front and rear , some other welding job I request.

Gonna see my new toy prolly by month end.

will post pics here....