Courtesy bikes

Sprint is due its 12k mile service in next few weeks and it's a job for
the dealer. Do dealers often offer a courtesy bike, does it depend on
the size of the job, or do they "hire" a courtesy bike ever?

 

Most do, but due them not having a great many, you may have to book
early to guarantee one.

I know Carl Rosners have courtesy bikes, for example, but I was told to
book at least a couple of weeks in advance.

 

Lots/most have them, but may only let you have one if you bought your
bike from them. Even then, you'll probably have to book it weeks in
advance.

--
Krusty
www.MuddyStuff.co.uk
Off-Road Classifieds

'02 MV Senna '03 Tigtona 955i '96 Tiger '79 Fantic Hiro 250

 

It was Carl Rosner I bought the bike from, not really convenient for me
(best part of an hour each way), dropped them an email earlier to
enquire.

 

in my experience, most do, but you need to book well in advance.
Usually courtesy bikes are completely shit:

Lloyd Coopers: CB500 - shit, ran out of petrol 200m from the shop
Bikesmart: Fazer600 - totally shit
Bikesmart: Aprilia SR125 - nearly new, but inherently shit
The Yamaha place in Fulham - XT660 - not shit, but knobbly tyres on
wet manhole covers can lead to shitting yourself.

etc. etc.

 

oh - maybe it was one of those I had - now I think about it, it was
shaftie (which CB500s aren't?), so probably the NTV.

totally horrible fucked-over shed.

*SR* not *RS* - look it up.

nah - I've just looked it up "The Yamaha Service Centre", on Grimstone
Road

more like "it's not gripped - let's hold onto the seat with your
sphincter".

 

Varies greatly. Last time I had a franchised dealer service they wanted £25
to cover their insurance costs. I told them to **** off and walked the 1.5
miles home via a few pubs. Collected the bike the following day. This was
during my student days when I didn't have to worry about getting to work on
time.

It's a coincidence, I'm sure, but this dealer no longer exists...

 

< snip >

Kawasaki Newcastle used to do courtesy bikes, but their insurance got
stricter each time about what they were allowed to let customers ride.

In chronological order, something like:

W650: interesting, in a retro kind of way; got accused of having "given
it some" when I parked it up, due to the way the engine was ticking;

ER-5 (several times): dull, but capable;

GPz750 (no, not a turbo): shitter than the shittiest bits from my GPz550
and GT750 mixed together in a bucket of shit. Still enjoyed it, mind.

 

KIngs Road, and yes, it was.

 

Triumph Bonneville
*shudder*

--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 75 TS 156 TS S2 166 V6 2.5
Suzuki Bandit 600
Triumph Sprint ST 1050: It's blue, see.
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

How long ago was that, I have a courtesy bike booked with LC when my bike
goes in for it's 4K service at the end of July.

Mind you not that it matters, any courtesy bike is likely to be an
improvement on my ER-5.

Had to book it 4 weeks in advance and in my case they were the supplying
dealer back in March. Blimey at that rate I will have done 9K by the end of
the year... nothing compared with some I suppose.

David

 

I ride those at work sometimes - they are a gentleman's 2-wheeled
conveyance.

 

Jeremy came into sight through the beans and said

Portsmouth Motorcycles do, £10 for the day plus refill the tank with
what you've used.

Last time I had a reasonable CBF500 (yes I'm vertically challenged)

 

Is this some kind of code?

--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 75 TS 156 TS S2 166 V6 2.5
Suzuki Bandit 600
Triumph Sprint ST 1050: It's blue, see.
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

Ahh, yes. That's a perfect description. Although, I'd include
'uncomfortable' as well.

--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 75 TS 156 TS S2 166 V6 2.5
Suzuki Bandit 600
Triumph Sprint ST 1050: It's blue, see.
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

Christ! I hope noone thought I was American!

--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 75 TS 156 TS S2 166 V6 2.5
Suzuki Bandit 600
Triumph Sprint ST 1050: It's blue, see.
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

<re-adds to Christmas card list>