GS service Inverness

ThreeDawg

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I normally do routine servicing on my '97 GS myself, but it has sprung a bit of a leak around the head gaskets, both sides. Not sure if I can be bothered to tackle it myself, so I was wondering if there was anyone reliable nearby to do the job. It has been to Calterdons before and last time a Romanian mechanic did a brilliant job on it, but I think he left before they were bought out by Harry Fairbairns. I assume it would be massively expensive to have the job done there anyhow, unless I can get a discount off Paul S if he's still around - it's one of his old bikes...:augie
 
Not sure about any independents but Paul S (I assume you mean Stirling?) is still working upstairs in the new building, along with Ivor Ross.
The tech/mech who was there - forget his name but it was Pino or similar??... - has definitely gone, which was a shame as he knew his stuff, not sure about the names of any of the current bike guys in the workshop, it's not located on the same site so they don't feature in the new corporate image... also a shame, I like to get to know them by name - hey ho!
Not been much help really :-/
Andy
 
Yeah, Paul Stirling. Haven't seen him since a Loch Ness Rally several years ago. Quite like to catch up with him, especially given where I've taken his old bike. If the bike workshop isn't at the new building on Harbour Road, where is it?
 
You drop it off at the new building and then in disappears into nowhere...
I genuinely don't know, I drop mine off outside the door to the service desk, given them my keys, confirm what needs doing to it (usually includes a warranty issue... it is a GSA LC! ;-) ), then pick up the courtesy bike and head off, they give me a time to be back or call me to say it's done. I live in Moray so I tend to make a day of it, using someone else's bike to have a whizz around the best roads in Uk - Winner :) Think I have the R1200RS "Ironic" edition for my next one (9th March - 3 yearly/18000 miler) :)
I may of course be completely wrong and it's hidden away on site, but if it is, it's well hidden!
Andy
 
When they first opened I did a recce of the facilities and the bikes were serviced in a back corner behind the Mercedes garage workshop (a dark hole). They didn't, and probably still don't, do MOTs or change tyres which is a real pain as these are your annual requirements normally!
 
AndyR34 said:
Not sure about any independents but Paul S (I assume you mean Stirling?) is still working upstairs in the new building, along with Ivor Ross.
The tech/mech who was there - forget his name but it was Pino or similar??... - has definitely gone, which was a shame as he knew his stuff, not sure about the names of any of the current bike guys in the workshop, it's not located on the same site so they don't feature in the new corporate image... also a shame, I like to get to know them by name - hey ho!
Not been much help really :-/
Andy
Click to expand...

I take it whoever they now have as a bike mechanic is BMW trained and fully competent? I've always done my own servicing, on all bikes I've owned, apart from my GSA TC service last year - I've not become at one with all my GSA's nuts and bolts yet. Probably next year. :thumb2:thumb2
 
I take it whoever they now have as a bike mechanic is BMW trained and fully competent?
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Ah, well you'd hope so, but I worked at the (happily) now defunct Wheels International BMW in London (formerly Gus Kuhns) and I've seen everything from masterful work through to the worst bodgery. Rattle gun to tighten fork nuts (they do round off a bit...)? No problem, there's a nice pad going over the whole lot, the punter will never know! Etc. Not saying anything like that goes on at HFs of course, and I heard nothing but good things about the chap who left, he made the ol' heap purr last time he looked at it.

But he's gone now and I do wonder if a main dealer would take as much care over an old 1100 not bought from them as they would over a customer's new pride and joy.

Really, what I am after with such an old bike is a good independent somewhere not too far away, like the guy who looks after my equallly ancient Merc. Factory trained without the main dealer prices.
 
I believe they are still going,a mate of mine was just singing their praises at the weekend,he normally does all his own servicing but reckons his 1200 AdV has never run as well since he bought after they serviced it and they sorted out a lot of small niggles on his Airhead too all for a very reasonable fee.
 
Khulu said:
When they first opened I did a recce of the facilities and the bikes were serviced in a back corner behind the Mercedes garage workshop (a dark hole). They didn't, and probably still don't, do MOTs or change tyres which is a real pain as these are your annual requirements normally!
Click to expand...

I sincerely hopw they do do MOTs, I rang them last week to add the need for this to be done at the same time as the service, the service desk said it would not be a problem and she added it to my list of things they need to do... will not be impressed if I find they don't do them. Tyreswise I am sure they do not do, they fire them out to Mitchells' I believe.

Andy
 
AndyR34 said:
I sincerely hopw they do do MOTs, I rang them last week to add the need for this to be done at the same time as the service, the service desk said it would not be a problem and she added it to my list of things they need to do... will not be impressed if I find they don't do them. Tyreswise I am sure they do not do, they fire them out to Mitchells' I believe.

Andy
Click to expand...

Maybe they put the bikes to Mitchells for MOTs too. HF didn't do MOTs last September when I needed one - I'll ask again on Saturday when I'm there.
 
MOTs are a bit of pain for dealers like HF - they don't want skanky old Suzukis and Hondas cluttering up the place. Wheels International used to put out all their MOT stuff for that reason. There must be some arrangement between dealers when there is a retest situation.

No info on the web about Keith Garage - it was for sale at one point on Daltons but the listing is not withdrawn (sold maybe?) The link to their website takes you to Keith FC. If anyone is passing through maybe they could just have a look and update here?
 
I'm through quite often and it certainly did NOT look closed last week, all the bikes/clothes/helmets are still in the windows and the shutters were up and lights on - it's never heaving with people though, funny location with no parking I suppose (plus Keith's not exactly a sprawling metropolis!).

They did have a car drive through the window/frame a while back which meant they had boarding up while the repairs were being done but that was ages ago.

Khulu - what bike are you riding on Saturday? Weather looks wet n windy but I'll still be going and the others 'should' be too (I'm on a Blue GSA LC).

Andy
 
Keith garage

A few weeks ago I passed by on a Saturday and it looked very closed. Then, when I passed by during the week last week and the lights were on and the place dertainly looks like it is still in business.
 
AndyR34 said:
Khulu - what bike are you riding on Saturday? Weather looks wet n windy but I'll still be going and the others 'should' be too (I'm on a Blue GSA LC).

Andy
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If it's nice weather (I don't want to spend more time cleaning than riding) I'll be on my TB TC GSA but, as I suspect, the weather will be shite I'll be in a dirty grey '52 plate Land Cruiser.
Looking forward to chatting bikes with you.
 
Ask to see the owners collection (of bikes!!), he has an eclectic taste and some real beauties.
The RGV250SP stuck out to me as a treat, absolutely mint and WILL NOT SELL!!
He doesn't have them all on display but has a fair few hidden away and rotates them around - to show off I guess - I definitely would too.

A
 
AndyR34 said:
Ask to see the owners collection (of bikes!!), he has an eclectic taste and some real beauties.
The RGV250SP stuck out to me as a treat, absolutely mint and WILL NOT SELL!!
He doesn't have them all on display but has a fair few hidden away and rotates them around - to show off I guess - I definitely would too.

A
Click to expand...

That sounds like they're worth a good look at!
 
The Stimulator said:
ThreeDawg, depends how far you want to travel. The mechanic in Keith Garage is I believe BMW factory trained, and also did a cracking job on my old 1150 last year. Got it running really sweetly.
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AFAIK he is not BMW trained but he came from Shirlaws in Aberdeen. The owner is BMW trained I think. Unless they have had a new guy start in the last couple of years,I haven't been there because I do my own servicing.

BTW, they are closed on a Saturday AFAIK
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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