dealership dropped a $900 bomb on me today

[newtobikes]

i ran out of gas on my 250. stupid thing to do i know. so i refilled it and rode back home only that when i gave it throttle it sputtered/hesitated slightly. it got worse every day until one day now it only turns on for a second and then turns off. it is getting gas but looks like for 1 second only.

i got the bike towed to the dealer where i bought it.

they say the gas tank has a leak. i did drop the bike once when parking but not very hard as i was able to slow it down before it hit the ground. they said it needs carburator cleaned which it probably does. it was sitting there for like a month. it needs the engine fuel flushed. a new air filter and i think some seals replaced in the front forks maybe a new fuel filter i cant remember.

but a $900 bill for running out of gas on a 250? thats like 1/5 of what the bike cost. do i have any other options or should i just suck it up? incredible how expensive this is. im angry at myself

[ForceofWill]

$900 no way man. Do it yourself.

http://oemninjaparts.com/shop/gastank/

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Pull the tank and carbs. Clean them all out. If needed have this tank painted. Done.

[newtobikes]

if i have to i will do that, thanks.

i just spoke to the dealer and they told me the reason the tank leaks is the gasket was sort of worn out because i let the bike sit too long. i only use it maybe once or twice a week. so they said since i life in california they put some chemicals in the gas to help combat the damage smog can do. so letting the bike sit for a so many days a week the gas with those extra chemicals damaged the gasket.

so theyre recommending i buy some specific bottle of chemicals (that they sell, which combats the damage the gas does), put an ounce per gallon of gas every time i fill the bike up with gas. and it costs like 10 bucks for a bottle of that stuff. it has only 8 ounces of that stuff. i can see this would add up.

[Floki]

Find a new dealershit

[M42]

That's really par for the course for a stealership, it's why I do all my own maintenance. Tow it back home and fix all the stuff yourself, you won't come anywhere near the cost even with the second tow/parts/etc. That gasket chemical stuff sounds like pure BS, just put sta-bil in the tank if you're really worried.

[sjc88]

I don't have any personal experience with the service dept, but I read/hear its a so so place. I only really go there to check out bikes or their parts dept. $900 is alot of money for something you can do yourself imo... however I would look at other independent bikes shops around you and get quotes from them if you REALLY don't want to do it yourself.

[subxero]

stay away from those 's

[Klondike1020]

@newtobikes

You really are new. If you want to pay outrageous prices for convenience feel free to do just that.

But if you want motorcycling to be a more economical hobby, Please start researching on the DYIs on the net, this forum, youtube.

You will have to motivate yourself to be more inquisitive and attentive, but learning to work on these machines is not very difficult and requires minimal tools.

Also- this Crazy chemical they might be suggesting to add to your fuel is probably ETHANOL stabilizer. Ethanol has some nasty effects on soft parts. You can buy a fuel stabilizer with ethanol neutralizer anywhere.

The less you know, the more easily you will be victimized.

Please educate your self as this is a buyer beware world full of snake oil salesmen and the like.

Good luck with your bike and ride safe.

[accumack]

If it's blue it probably is STARTRON. I use it in my dirt bikes because they sit a long time between rides and it is an enzyme that stabilizes and changes the ethanol that is in gas these days . Buy it at Walmart or cycle gear for less Around $8 a bottle.

[Ninja Chris]

Originally Posted by newtobikes

but a $900 bill for running out of gas on a 250? thats like 1/5 of what the bike cost. do i have any other options or should i just suck it up? incredible how expensive this is. im angry at myself

Rarely does the first quote from a dealer's service department = what it actually cost to solve the problem. It's just what they'll charge to solve the problem for you.

I started riding a few years ago and found myself in a similar place when it came to deciding how to handle maintenance/repairs. Klondike is spot on. If you want to keep cost down you're going to have to take more than a passing interest in learning about your bike and how to keep it running safely/smoothly.

Long story, but there is a point

When I first got my ride I took her in for it's 600mi maintenance and paid ~$170. The "maintenance" amounted to an oil change and making sure no nuts were loose. Parts were about $30, while labor made up the rest of the total. Did I enjoy it? Nope. But when weighing my options, I did not feel comfortable with the responsibility of making sure she was road worthy. Nor did I have the tools to do the work.

After a couple more trips to the service department deflated my wallet, I made finding alternatives for repair/maintenance a priority. I asked around IRL/forums and found a mechanic who was willing to teach me how to work on my bike. It wasn't free (nor should it have been), but he charged waaaaaaaaay less than what the local service department quoted and I had the added benefit of using his tools and expertise to make sure things were done right. I visit the shop about once a year and use the abundance of excellent technical advice on this forum and my service manual to fill in the gaps.

Now to the point.
Starting out and learning how to keep a bike mechanically safe can be a bit intimidating (she was my sole transportation and I did NOT have a lot of cash). But there are options. You just have to be honest about how confident you are doing the work yourself. I wasn't at first, so I paid handsomely for peace of mind.

For me, using the dealership option wasn't sustainable or satisfying, so I looked for trustworthy, affordable help (you'll have to decide what affordable means for you). Now that I've got more experience and better/appropriate tools, I enjoy doing work I used to pay for others to do

I recommend identifying the problem as best you can (call a couple more reputable mechanics/shops). Evaluate your situation (available finances, time, transportation), then decide which route you're most comfortable with. There are excellent DIY instructions here on Ninjette if you decide to go that route.

I don't know any L.A. area mechanics (I'm in OC) but if you PM me, I'm happy to share my mechanics info.

[Singh2jz]

Three letters.. D I Y!!!!

get your bike out of their facility asap..

[Old Lemon]

well to be fair, i had a coolant leak and it was because an o-ring was going bad like at the valves, it was the most expensive o-ring ever since i had to take the gas tank and like valve covers off to replace it. Sometimes simple things go bad in the worst areas

[capt_bugaloo]

Find somewhere else.

I had a fuel tap leak on an old EX500 and it flooded the carbs and engine. I drained everything and changed the oil. Problem solved, and the bike ran just fine after that.

They sound like cartoon characters with dollar signs in their eyes: cha-ching, cha-ching!

[krolinked]

Hey Mark, I'd be happy to help you find out the problem with your ninja and even do the repairs if you'd like. I've done this for a couple other ninja 250 owners and they've always been more than happy with my prices and service. Shoot me an email if your interested. I'm near los angeles also.
Don't throw away all your money.

[xorbe]

I don't think that running out of gas had anything to do with the problem that developed after. Just coincidence not causality.

[newtobikes]

thanks for the comments fellas. i went down there and i got the bill down to 800. i told them not to replace the forks bearings. ill take this as a big lesson learned. they got me and i deserve it for being dumb enough to not check how much gas was in the tank. i bought two motorcycles from them but i will not be back for another and i wont be giving them anymore business ie oil changes etc.

[ForceofWill]

Sweet Jesus man. You have to authorize work, so if they just did it and then expected you to pay. ..

Do you have the receipt?

[newtobikes]

i authorized the work when i went back and got the bill down some. im just sick of this whole ordeal. i have a lot to learn regarding maintenance etc

[sjc88]

Bummer, yeah consider it a pricey lesson...maintenance isn't that hard on these bikes if you give yourself a chance to learn, especially with all the DIY's and helpful forum members. Sidenote, I can vouch for Krolinked, great guy and does good work.

[Trailerboy531]

You know... when I saw where you were and the price I figured it was Del Amo. Next time ask on Ninjette first or hit me up. I will help you if I can. I'm in Hermosa.

[DmbShn41]

Originally Posted by krolinked

Hey Mark, I'd be happy to help you find out the problem with your ninja and even do the repairs if you'd like. I've done this for a couple other ninja 250 owners and they've always been more than happy with my prices and service. Shoot me an email if your interested. I'm near los angeles also.
Don't throw away all your money.

Don't throw it all away, save some for beer...To the OP, DIY it! Start with this forum and all the experience and knowledge, DIY's and TouYobe for videos. And quit paying dealerships money for oil changes. I love changing my own oil, cause I get to take the fairings off, and then I see something on the bike that I saw recently in a DIY, and boom, I'm buying parts and upgrades and changing things out...Oil changes are simple and easy, and so much cheaper when you do it yourself...

[M42]

Yeah, every bike dealership/mechanic shop I've been to, they charge $90!!!!!!! for an oil change. Ninety freakin dollars for what amounts to a few bolts and like 5 entire minutes of work.

[Finesse]

Motorcycle shops have to make their money somehow. $90/hr is the going rate for labor. There are also fees for chemical/oil disposal, tire disposal, fresh oil, etc.... You're going to pay A LOT for labor, and you can do A LOT of that labor yourself. It's not 5 minutes for an oil change - but it's not an hour, either. Shops don't charge per minute, they charge based on how long they think the job will take.

You should be concerned about fork seals, by the way. If your forks are leaking fork oil onto your brake rotor, it could totally disable your front brake while you are riding. Fork seals keep the dust out and the oil in your forks. They are expensive to replace (I'm guessing half your bill was fork seals?) because you need special tools to take apart the forks.

I agree with what others have said about you needing to be more proactive in learning about your bike and what keeps it running and riding smoothly if you want to save yourself a lot of money.

[gantt]

Originally Posted by krolinked

Hey Mark, I'd be happy to help you find out the problem with your ninja and even do the repairs if you'd like. I've done this for a couple other ninja 250 owners and they've always been more than happy with my prices and service. Shoot me an email if your interested. I'm near los angeles also.
Don't throw away all your money.

DO throw away all your money, just not on labor. use the labor $ and buy the tools you need. and then with the money your not pissing away at the stealership you will be able to buy more parts to mod!!! once you start getting an idea of whats going on when working on a bike it gets much easier.

[jgcable]

the gasket they are talking about is from the petcock to the tank. That's a $2.00 part.

Now.. here is the thing.. if you can't do it yourself you are at the mercy of a dealership or repair shop.

They mentioned your fork seals leaking. Didn't you know it? When they leak its VERY obvious. That's at least a 2-3 hour job at a repair shop at roughly $100 an hour.
Cleaning the carbs is another 2 solid hours.. maybe 3.

For all that work.. for a person who can't or won't do it themselves.. doesn't sound out of line to me at all. It actually sounds reasonable.

Here is the thing...when you buy an inexpensive bike that doesn't mean its inexpensive to repair UNLESS you can do it yourself.

[cookiebug79]

Call Mike's Garage in Venice.

424-835-1098

Top notch service for low price!

[NinjaZX6R123]

I wouldn't mess with Del Amo's service department. They're terrible and slow. All of that would cost you about $200 tops to DIY.

Carb clean is probably the most expensive service out of that. Usually runs $350 to $450. If I was you, I'd buy a bottle of SeaFoam and pour it in. Sway the bike back and fourth, then start the bike once or twice. Then let it sit over night and try to start again. Most of the time that'll work, but if it doesn't, then yeah, you'll need to clean the carb.

[newtobikes]

...

[NinjaZX6R123]

They're notoriously known to let the bikes sit there. Read the Yelp reviews. By the time they work on your bike, your carbs will definitely need to be cleaned. I bet if you put SeaFoam in your tank now and let it sit for a day that would've fixed the issue. The rest of the issues, if they aren't bs-ing, are easy fixes. 250R are easy to work on with minimal tools (less than $100). You should start doing most of the maintenance yourself. Del Amo is only good to window shop or buy small accessories if you're in a quick hurry. Other than that, their service is bad and prices are high.

For $800 you could've done it yourself and made some killer mods/upgrades to your bike too AND finished before they would. People on this forum are helpful if you have questions.

Look up Motowhoops. It's a hole in wall one man shop on 190th and Normandie (near K1 Racing). The guy is Japanese and doesn't speak much English but he works fast and charges a reasonable price.

[Trailerboy531]

Honestly if it's still sitting there you could see if they have done any work and maybe pick that bitch up..

[xorbe]

Well, that escalated quickly!

[capt_bugaloo]

Do you have family or friends with a van/truck?
Call the shop and tell them you are coming today to pick up the bike and take it somewhere else.
That's ridiculous - it's not just bad customer service, it's nonexistent.

[newtobikes]

i got the bike and it runs perfectly now. several of you say the 250 is easy to work on and cost of tools would be around $100 to do maintenance. mine is a 2010.

recommendations for tools i need and maybe a good youtube link or website link to learn how to work on the bike? i bought some oil filters on amazon

http://www.amazon.com/KN-401-Motorcy...ype=motorcycle

im not paying them 90 bucks again for an oil change.

[Trailerboy531]

Where in LA do you actually live?

Maybe I can show you what tools I use to work on my pile?

Get a set of box/open ended wrenches up to 22mm (everything in metric, no standard/SAS on a bike)

get a good socket/ratchet set. For the rear wheel you will need up to a 24mm in back. Get a few socket extensions too.

A set of T-handle style allen/hex keys. Up to 10mm but you'll never use over 8mm IIRC.

Set of screw drivers.

Needle nose pliers, dikes, adjustable wrench, now we're cookin!

Get a few of the magnetic metal trays to hold bolts (egg cartons work very well too)

Having these things will make you a happy guy and you'll be able to do most errthang on your bike.

[newtobikes]

i see on a previous post here you live in hermosa. im in hawthorne. my favorite cruise with the bike is 105 to dockweiler, then take highland to manhattan, hermosa, redondo and up to palos verdes. i stop and have a smoke at that spot where you see the queens necklace, i think thats what its called.

i keep going passing trader joes admiral risty etc. until i reach marymount college campus to reminisce, walk around, see how things have changed. (im an alumni there). then i ride until gaffey in san pedro on 25th. i stayed in apartment complex there while attending marymount. finally i turn around and do the same route backwards until im home.

maybe learning how to work on the 250 will be easier than i think. i need a new hobby.

Originally Posted by Trailerboy531

Where in LA do you actually live?

Maybe I can show you what tools I use to work on my pile?

Get a set of box/open ended wrenches up to 22mm (everything in metric, no standard/SAS on a bike)

get a good socket/ratchet set. For the rear wheel you will need up to a 24mm in back. Get a few socket extensions too.

A set of T-handle style allen/hex keys. Up to 10mm but you'll never use over 8mm IIRC.

Set of screw drivers.

Needle nose pliers, dikes, adjustable wrench, now we're cookin!

Get a few of the magnetic metal trays to hold bolts (egg cartons work very well too)

Having these things will make you a happy guy and you'll be able to do most errthang on your bike.

[Trailerboy531]

It's actually very easy to work on.

I love riding down highland along the beach by dockweiler. Have an ex that lives on Highland and hates the motorcycles - she says they're too loud. I drop an extra gear now

If you ever need help working on the thing PM me. I can show you what I know.

[ninja250r81]

I think you can fly me from Australia and ill do it for free

[Hero Danny]

Originally Posted by newtobikes

im not paying them 90 bucks again for an oil change.

Why anyone would pay a dealer to change their oil is beyond me. I always do it myself, that way I know it's done right and I save money. Plus I like to do it myself.

[gantt]

Originally Posted by Finesse

Motorcycle shops have to make their money somehow. $90/hr is the going rate for labor. There are also fees for chemical/oil disposal, tire disposal, fresh oil, etc....

.

used oil is bought by recycling companies that come on site and pick it up. I used to work at a shop that got $1.37 a gallon for used oil. which equals $6.85 for a five quart oil change. that really helps the profit margin for sure.

[xorbe]

Originally Posted by gantt

used oil is bought by recycling companies that come on site and pick it up. I used to work at a shop that got $1.37 a gallon for used oil. which equals $6.85 for a five quart oil change. that really helps the profit margin for sure.

$1.71 for 5 qt