New 07 Rear shock adjustment screw looks striped. What to do?

I bought a new 07 VFR ABS last week. Today I was going to adjust the rear shock damping setting. When I looked in there, I saw that theadjustment screw looks like someone stripped flat blade screwdriver slot. What should I do....?

Flash

 

It's new. Take it back and let them fix it! Or do you mean it's new to you but it's a used bike? New bikes shouldn't have stripped screws.

 

Its new (left over new 2007). I guess I'll take it back. What a pain in the arse.

Flash

 

gotta wonder how it would have happened on a new bike. Why would the shop be adjusting it, an why would they not use the proper tool? When you first posted, I just assumed it was a used bike, and it was stripped by the previous owner. How many miles were on it? Could it have been a "test rider?"

 

Hope this shop wasn't playing games and trading parts with new bikes on the floor. I would be very leery of a new bike with seemingly used or adjusted parts. This bike should not have a mark on it! I would call it to the owners attention and see what kind of explanation he has, then make up you mind if it is BS or legit.

 

Just so I know, is there a special tool to adjust the rear shock on an ABS model?

Flash

 

The only thing on the rear shock of an ABS model that requires a tool is the rebound adjuster. Flat head screw at the bottom of the shock facing the left side of the bike. On a non ABS you would also need the supplied wrench to adjust the pre-load rings.

oh and stripping the rebound adjuster screw would require a lot of negative talent, if that happened at the dealer then I wouldn't even ride the thing in fear that the forks would fall out. Take a good look around, do your first inspection as per the manual and check every nut and bolt you can reach.

 

If your sitting on the bike the damping adjust screw on the rear shock is on the left side? Got a pic of it by chance?

Thanks,

Flash

 

Well, the owner's manual should have a picture. Sorry i don't have access to anything right now. I know on the ABS model there is the plastic knob thingy on the right side and then there is the screw above the rear tire?
I have the non-ABS model but the owners manual has a picture.
But yeah if it is stripped and new, i would take it to the dealer.

 

Here is the screw from the manual. It is on the left side.

 

I grantee that's what they did. Dealerships do this all of the time. The owner of my dealership needed front wheel bearings for his Road Star the day before going on a long trip. None in stock, but he found that the FZ1 uses the same bearing. Roll one in the back... pop the bearings out of the wheel... put those in the Road Star.... install new ones in the FZ1 when they come in. I think each person has their own position on the ethics of this, but regardless it does happen.

 

Jamie, I don't like the idea of this happening. A new bike should be untouched. But, if I was on the road and a dealersip was out of parts and took one off a new bike and gave it to me I would be thrilled! So I guess it's how you look at it.

 

I know when my brother was getting some parts on his BMW powdercoated, the powdercoater had a hard time removing the factory finish on his cylinder heads, and it was taking much longer than it should have, or was expected. The bike was done of all its mods, except the powder coated heads. Even though the dealer wasn't the one holding up the work, since they had recommended the powder coater, they offered to take the heads of a bike on the lot, put them on his bike so that he could ride it, and they switch them back out when the powder coater was done. I really thought that was a great offer at the time, and great customer service. I guess I never thought about it from the view point of the owner of the bike who had it heads removed and reinstalled...

This contrasted nicely with my brother in law, ex brother in law now, who had a Hardley Fat Boy. Something broke on it, can't remember what. But it was under warranty still, less than a year old I think, maybe 4-6 months. Anyway, it was a stock Hardley part, like the starter or something. Nothing that had been modified in any way. That bike was laid up for a a couple of months while they waited for the part to come in. It was back ordered for a long time, even though Hardley was still producing the bike. They wouldn't take the part off the line to satisfy an existing customer with a warranty issue? Nor would the dealer take the part of a bike on the floor for him, when he asked. Their respnse was that they couldn't sell the bike without that part, and didn't know when it would be in. ;-) His bike was laid up before my brother's BMW, and was still laid up after the BMW was long on the road. In fact the hardley rider missed most of the riding season because of the broken part.