Anyone have any experience with the following shops? New to Honda and am looking for a decent place to take it. These shops are within 20 miles of my house: Western Honda in Scottsdale Ridenow Powersports Chandler Thanks!
I know it's a trek, but the guys at the Helmet Center in West Phoenix are awesome. Jeff in particular has helped me out on many occasion. If you go, tell him Jason Plummer referred you. They will talk bikes with you all day long, and they do most minor services. They specialize in apparel and parts. Good luck. I've found that RideNow is very commercial and have heard several negative reviews.
Western is the oldest of old-line dealerships, been around forever and does good Honda work but expensive. Except for the odd trade-in, they work exclusively on Hondas & have the special tools and technical manuals needed. The shop at AZ Powersports on McDowell near Hayden also is good Don't have a "helmet center" work on your bike except for very minor stuff.......even though they might be great to talk to. Bottom line, however, is that it's your bike ......but you're missing out on some fun if you don't work on it yourself.
Like I said, minor services. Great customer service (a forgotten core value in business these days), better rates and quality, guaranteed work. I don't care what they call themselves as long as the work is top notch. My .02 I will agree and say that there is a great satisfaction to be had working on your bike yourself. Good luck!
Any Ride Now is a mistake and you WILL be sorry you ever stepped foot in the door. (Do some googling!) Western is Good. North Valley is better. Doing your self is best. (Or with friends on a maintenace party weekend)
I'll admit my shopping ignorance on this, but one of Helmet Center's reps basically lied to me and mildly ripped me off at the 2008 Int. Motorcycle Show for a leather jacket. They told me I was getting a "great deal" on the jacket at this event. Anyway I bought it and a few days later saw the same one for $20 cheaper out of a magazine and also at local dealers for the retail price they were claiming sale price on. That's not the kind of image I would think a dealer wants create. They made some money off me........once. Too bad for them.
You need to find some fella that has worked for a bullshit chain cycle shop or other dealer and now has their own thing in their garage. Go to events in Phoenix and talk to people. Word gets around fast when there's an independent mechanic who's trustworthy. Also, check craiglist too. I am lucky enough to have been acquainted with a mechanic like this. Trustworthy, fast, reliable, and charges reasonable hourly rates.
That sucks man sorry to hear that. I guess I can only speak for myself. As always I do alot of research online before buying pretty much anything these days, and all the apparel they've sold me has been below anything I could find online, including eBay. I do know they price match and I'm always up front with them...."I've found this product online for $xx, how close can you come to beating it?" is my approach. Either they can or they can't...so far, they have. Mind if I ask who your mechanic buddy is? I might want to do something simple like replace the front sprocket, just don't have the time or space to do it really.
