Maybe I have been unlucky but in recommissioning my A65, I have bought some pretty awful parts from a number of what seemed like decent retailers. Without turning this into too much of a Moan Zone, the following are examples:
1. Centre stand and fixing kit. The centre stand itself needed the threads cleaning up substantially and so did the nuts. The bolts were so bad that they were nearly beyond the capability of my die set, which I have for these purposes. As purchased they were all unusable.
2. Main Wiring Loom. Apparently made by Lucas but not in a Lucas box and every bullet needed reshaping and the colouring of 50% of the wires is appalling and thus confusing. The headlamp loom from another supplier was genuine and fine with a bit of reshaping of a couple of bullets.
3. Choke cable splitter. I thought I would go for a metal one as the plastic one was breaking up. The new one just does not work. The brass bullet only has room to move about a 10th of an inch as a) it is too big for the upper part of the tube and too loose in the lower part b) even if it was small enough would catch on the 'hip' of the upper part of the casing.
Is it always this much of a struggle?
yes
from someone providing a service to others its frustrating. Ive done a few square 4 motors, they need a large nut sat in a recessed washer. the hex bar stock is metric, the mm socket wont fit into the washer, you have to skim the front of the socket to remove the internal chamfer as it would only drive on a small length to 60lbft. so, I set up the milling machine an after drilling and tapping round bar, milled new nut hex to the correct size.
bushes with oversize head thickness, chinese bearings wrong fit, M5 screws instead of 2BA.. I could go on.
trouble is, there are no production lines or old stock to buy. SO, you have to wait until one hub gets big enough orders to put an order in with a manufacturer. that order is then made, returned to the hub. the hub then distributes to shops. when shops cant wait, they sometimes sub out to local manufacturers, who dont know the purpose or fit. Chinese whispers, making a component from a pattern of a pattern of a copy means sizes grow or lengths shorten.
Normal day for me. Constant delays to customer repairs.
I think my phone number must be on a list at many suppliers.
If its crapilet them know its rubbish hopefully they will omprove their quality. I have had successes with suppliers upgrading or changing suppliers.
If its wrong/rubbish for God's sake tell the supplier don't just moan to others about it.
The only way to improve things is to return rubbish a use suppliers who care and respond to negative feedback.⁹
I was sent 5 pairs of footrest rubbers. one pair for me and 4 to sell.
on fitting them the square central hole was cast off centre to the outside. the result looks bad that they rise or drop on the outer end. Rang supplier and they checked others found me a good pack and asked me to destroy the first ones. Presumably, they found other while looking in their stock. I still have the faulty ones , could offer them around but they dont look or feel right.. unless you have a bent footrest!!
Thanks guys, it certainly needs push back to suppliers. I gave detailed feedback in each of the three cases I mentioned. The first two (centre stand and loom) were sloppy. The third case (cable junction box)was astonishing as nothing fitted right and the design was plain wrong. 4mm cable movement was possible when it needs over 10 times that amount. I gave detailed feedback on what was wrong but I have a horrible feeling it will just be greeted with a 'whatever'.
The problem is too many people dont complain. They either bodge it or throw it and buy another. Suppliers don't need to up their game if customers don't push back.
If you have rubbish parts tell your supplier if they don't respond in s responsible manner tell.others hit them where it hurts, in their pockets.
:) :) :) :)
I have found that a lot of M/cycle spares dealers and of 2nd hand bikes don't give a toss. A high percentage of their cliental is very young, people that can easily be palmed off. So the few of us more senior folks don't stand a chance.
At the moment I am having a conversation with FEKED about A65 fork bushes that don't fit. My letter of complaint has been ignored(at least unanswered) I am advised to write one more time and shall then take it to Dorset Trading Standards.
Such a pity as I have always had satisfactory service from them in the past.
As stated so much of this bad rubbish is accepted, bodged--- forced to fit. Its no wonder that some ofus are agrieved at the ignoring attitude of some dealers.
Its Sunday, its sunny and tim alone will tell.
Mike 8) 8) 8) 8)
I had problems with an exhaust pipe from Fexed that wasn't resolved telling me that the bike was at fault. Shame as they were good to deal with up to then. I don't use them anymore.
:) :) :) :)
As you say its a shame and indeed tho they may lose by it, the loss is insignifican. I think one of the problems revolves around them not doing quality checks. I am prepared to bet that no-one has bothered to take a fork bush from stock and check it. Makes yu wonder dunnit..
Whether that is can't or simply don't is moot point.
We'll see
Mike 8) 8) 8)
Ref to wiring looms i always make my own, better quality wire and connectors with soldered ends no crimps. for basic parts this is a good place. https://www.vehiclewiringproducts.co.uk/c-82-motorcycle-parts. I had the same problems with brake shoes for my a65. in the end i ended up at Burton bike bits, every thing i purchased from there has been quality.
In my dealings with suppliers and customers, the main problem is that today we have lost all of the skills.
My apprenticeship took in turning, milling, fitting, electrical, fabrication and inspection. 1 year basic workshops, then 3 years on the shop floor , the first 6 to 9 months in the m/c shop basic training workshop , the final 2 years on production machines producing useable components.
A lot of parts were made on shop floor , at the end of my apprenticeship , I could turn, mill, drill , grind and gear cut what I needed and yet my last two years were as a inspector going from final view, to patrol to first off responsible for batch production. we had micrometers of all descriptions, today the checking is done with digital calipers and cmm machines. no manual skills. the management idea is to de-skill the shop floor. This causes problems with maintaining finishes and knowing what to alter.
small workshops have closed, so you have to rely on what is available, even down to brass being used instead of phosphor bronze for bushes. Today, I make a lot of my own parts where I can , you can generally get dimensions needed from the used parts , we need to be more skilled and make it ourselves or find one manufacturer who can be relied on, might cost a bit more but at least it fits first time.
:) :) :) :)
For my pat on the back top three
Kidderminster
Burton
Draganfly
In that order
Mike 8) 8) 8)
I gave up buying valve guides ages ago, soo much rubbish out there. I either have the old ones k lined or new ones made in colsibro. I make nearly all of my own cables. I'm lucky to have a couple of superb engineers who do jobs for me. Not only do they repair/make things for me they invariably improve on the original design.