[David]

I went to Joe Harrison here in San Antonio (one of the 3 "local" Honda dealerships). I got there without an appointment. It took the inspector about 2 minutes to get to my bike, about that long to do the inspection, & then he even removed the other dealership's license tag frame & put on a generic inspection sticker plate ($3.95 for the part). From the time I called them from home to inquire if they were doing safety inspections today, until I was back home with my new sticker, it was just a hair under an hour - & this place is all the way across San Antonio from my home. This is the second bike safety inspection I've had done by them. The other one was done on a Thursday afternoon, after work, & they were just as quick to get it done. Dang shame they weren't open LAST (2006) New Year's, I just might have bought my bike from THEM instead. But, that's another story.

We talk so much about dealers who do bad things, & I'm no different. I just wanted to post how well they have treated me for this service.

 

[AngryHatter]

Cools beans.

 

[jjsagain]

Amen brother, I have posted in the past about dealers that treat you well. Action Honda in Hudson Fl has always treated me right and I am sure there are many more out there.
Jeff

 

[thunderglass]

That's interesting on how other states do the inspections if at all. Here in Memphis the city runs three inspection stations which takes both bikes and cages. The bikes pull up to the inspection office which skips waiting in line with the cages. You go in and tell them you need a bike inspected and they come out and make sure all your lights work along with the horn and both brakes operate properly. They print off a form that you must send in with you license plate tag renewal (along with the check as it's all about the money) and then you get it in the mail a week later.

 

[David]

That's interesting on how other states do the inspections if at all. Here in Memphis the city runs three inspection stations which takes both bikes and cages. The bikes pull up to the inspection office which skips waiting in line with the cages. You go in and tell them you need a bike inspected and they come out and make sure all your lights work along with the horn and both brakes operate properly. They print off a form that you must send in with you license plate tag renewal (along with the check as it's all about the money) and then you get it in the mail a week later.

Used to be, at least in Texas, you could get your car inspected at a gas station, back when a gas station was a "gas station" (not an "ice house") & they had full service at every pump. As the oil companies streamlined the gas stations & went to higher profit candy bars & chips & flavored waters, they got rid of the inspection service they provided.

Now, we have privately owned inspection stations that do nothing but inspections, & they stay busy enough. But, they don't do bikes, cages only. So, bike shops are the only ones who do bike inspections.

This guy, who inspected my bike, did it very quickly. He didn't ride the bike, but he did check the lights & pull on the brake lever & press the brake pedal. Of course, inspecting a 1 yr old bike with just a hair under 5k miles means it's less likely to have safety inspection issues, so it was an easy pass for him.

Still, the thing that grabbed my attention was how quickly the guy was ready to do my bike, & how quickly it was finished. Time is about the only thing that we have that can not be either recovered or replaced. When someone provides me with that gift, I consider it exceptional customer service. When someone kills my time, that's inexcusable customer service. This was exceptional. I was able to get home & get my car inspected, get 4 loads of laundry washed & dried & put away, play with the kids, & be finished in time to watch the Cowboy game (currently ahead by 7 & under 11 min left). So, I'm extremely pleased with the service I got from them today.

 

[shroomhead]

Around here when my vehicles need an updated inspection sticker, I drive it up, tell the guy I need an inspection, he asks me if there's anything wrong with it, I say nope, he disappears for a couple minutes and returns with the new sticker. I hand him $15 ($10 for the bike) and we're done. Last October I did all 4 of the vehicles (2 cars, a pickup, and the bike) in just over an hour total. I love living in the sticks.

 

[morepower]

Around here when my vehicles need an updated inspection sticker, I drive it up, tell the guy I need an inspection, he asks me if there's anything wrong with it, I say nope, he disappears for a couple minutes and returns with the new sticker. I hand him $15 ($10 for the bike) and we're done. Last October I did all 4 of the vehicles (2 cars, a pickup, and the bike) in just over an hour total. I love living in the sticks.

I have pretty much the same deal here. The shop I use checks the lights and horn, asks if the brakes are OK and puts on the sticker. If I want ball joints, etc. checked, I ask them to do it for me. Buying all my tires and getting suspension parts replaced there doesn't hurt I'm sure.

 

[xrayr]

My bike inspections have always been super quick by the dealer. If ALL my dealings with the dealer were like the inspections, I'd be very happy.....

 

[chornbe]

I got all three bikes done at a local Harley dealer because they offered me better pricing, better and faster service than my Honda dealer. In addition, since they had one of my bikes the whole time (I swapped them out as they were each ready), I only had to pay once for all three. Very convenient. I've gotten consistently excellent service from Hannum's Harley Davidson of Chadds Ford, PA - from parts, to rentals to certain gear to the inspections and tires. *thumbs up*

 

[texmjr]

I get my bike inspected at my dealer and they have always been very fast and friendly. They spend about 5 minutes inspecting it though and they do actually ride it.

 

[AverageJoe]

Cools beans.

AngryHatter, you ever live in the north east? I've only heard it used in boston...

 

[David]

Cools beans.

AngryHatter, you ever live in the north east? I've only heard it used in boston...

My wife uses it all the time! She was born in Nebraska, but both her parents are from Texas, & she moved back to Texas shortly after she was born, so she's more Texan that Nebraskan. I've heard a couple of other folks using it down here, but I never have - I didn't hear it at a young enough age to make it part of my language habits. Still, Cool Beans!

 

[Jon Krol]

Here in FL......

We don't have vehicle inspections. Did away with them several years ago. I don't think even then though that they inspected bikes, I don't believe they ever have.

 

[shrek]

Cools beans.

AngryHatter, you ever live in the north east? I've only heard it used in boston...

My wife uses it all the time! She was born in Nebraska, but both her parents are from Texas, & she moved back to Texas shortly after she was born, so she's more Texan that Nebraskan. I've heard a couple of other folks using it down here, but I never have - I didn't hear it at a young enough age to make it part of my language habits. Still, Cool Beans!

We use that expression here in NC too...


AS far as inspections go, my dealer forgot to inspect eh bike before selling it to me. Bought the bike in April, got it inspected in August. After that and my clutch cable coming undone shortly after buying the bike....I stopped dealing with the local Honda place.

 

[Gumpy]

AngryHatter wrote:
Cools beans.


AngryHatter, you ever live in the north east? I've only heard it used in boston...

Cool Beans is Wicked Awesome around Boston (a.k.a. Beantown!?!?)

Gumpy

 

[AverageJoe]

AngryHatter wrote:
Cools beans.


AngryHatter, you ever live in the north east? I've only heard it used in boston...

Cool Beans is Wicked Awesome around Boston (a.k.a. Beantown!?!?)

Gumpy

I'm pretty sure you meant "wicked pissa". And yes, I use the term all the time

 

[TaubBaer]

I'm so sorry for you guys/gals to have to go through the inspections...
Only you need to take your cagers (drum please, no 2 wheels!) to place for smog test every other year.