[nickors]

Hi all,

Seeking opinions from the experienced with servicing in Sydney.

I have an 800ie 04 model and need to organise the 10K service.Have done the ring around to the following:

Gowanlochs
Duc Penrith
Frasers
Northside.

From others' posts, it seems that either Gowanlochs or Penrith are the recommended ones in Sydney. Gowanlochs is certainly easier for me to get to.

Now here's the thing. Some say that the belts do not need to be replaced, others say that they may depending on how old the bike is - they say its either 20Kms or 2 Years, which ever first. Anyone have any knowledge which is right?

Also, they are all quoting about $800 for the service, which seems pretty excessive to me. What have others found? Is there anyopne else I should ring...

Thanks in advance,

Nick

 

[shrek_52]

I'm not in Sydney, but my brother had all his work done at Gowanlochs, and swears by them. I've heard nothing bad about them.

20,000 km for belts. Do it by the book.

$800 sounds mid-range to me. I've had them from $500 to $1,000 for a 20,000km service.

 

[cookiemonster]

I can totally recommend Gowanlochs. They are top blokes there. And always have given me a fair price.

Northside and Frasers are bloody crooks and I wouldnt go there unless you absolutely have to. Also, if it is still under warranty, you may need to go to a ducati certified dealer (aka one of the crooks) to maintain the warranty. I see its an 04 so you might was to check into it.

Ronny from Gowanlochs has since left and now has a place down in alexandria called something like "flight cycles" or similar. They are located on McEvoy street in Alexandria (between george st and fountain rd). He was a nice guy and expect he would still treat you right.

good luck, let us know how you go and keep it safe out there, we had a riding partner killed last weekend. RIP

 

[nickors]

Thanks for the replies,

I have already met Mike from Gowanlochs for a small thing a little while ago, and was very impressed with their dedication to customer service. Thought that I'd get the opinions of others to confirm what I already knew.

Thanks again, this list is awesome!

Nick

BTW, davey and I had an awesome afternoon of riding in the RNP last Sunday. I am sure we'll be doing it again soon, hopefully with some more monsters for the next! We did see a couple of other monsters in the park and down to Bulli - anyone on the list down there last Sunday afternoon?

 

[nickors]

I'm not in Sydney, but my brother had all his work done at Gowanlochs, and swears by them. I've heard nothing bad about them.

20,000 km for belts. Do it by the book.

$800 sounds mid-range to me. I've had them from $500 to $1,000 for a 20,000km service.

It's for a 10K service, so no belts included in the price. From what people have told me, the belts replacements should be around another $100 on top.

So the question is $800ish for 10K service is on the mark? They all seem to be around that price.

Nick

 

[mostro900]

I had my belts changed about 3 months ago for around $200 at Northside. Parts alone for the belts runs at around $100 and then labour on top. I then had my 10K service done there about 2 weeks ago - just prior to the weekend that we were meant to go to RNP together!

I had done my own oil, air filter & had just done the belts, so it cost me $435 for the 10K service - picked the bike up on the Friday and was on my way to RNP on the Sunday, when the bike stalled on me - just out of the city on the south side.

Even though the fault was the dodgy Shell fuel(standard unleaded) that I had put into the bike, Northside were great. They covered the cost of retreiving my bike, flushing out the tank of fuel, replacing it with Caltex(if I recall correctly) and checked a couple of other things. They didn't charge me for any of that additional work.

I know Northside get caned a lot, but in my experience, whilst they can be more expensive, they have at least always treated me & my bike well.

 

[nickors]

Thanks Monstro900, it sound like they did the right thing by you.

It's equally important to hear about the good things as well. Glad you were looked after.

None the less, I think I will try gowanlochs as they seem to have the goods and are easy for where I am.

Thanks again

Nick

 

[test-reg]

I know Northside get caned a lot, but in my experience, whilst they can be more expensive, they have at least always treated me & my bike well.

My bike came back from Northside looking like this:

http://www.mightymedia.com.au/~bigiain/monster_jigsaw/engine.html
http://www.mightymedia.com.au/~bigiain/monster_jigsaw/frame.html
http://www.mightymedia.com.au/~bigiain/monster_jigsaw/rear_wheel_and_exh.html

I persoanally advise extreme caution to anyone considering using Northside. Do not believe _anything_ Karl say unless you get it in writing, and even if you get it in writing, get a second opinion...

Gowies or Flywheels are the only places I've got 1st hand good experience with, and I hear good things from people I trust about Reds (Duc Penrith). I've personally been burnt by both Northside and Frasers, and its amazing how many other bad stories you hear about those two when you start talking to people about them...

big

 

[cookiemonster]

Flywheels!! Thats the one that I was talking about!

 

[nickors]

Thanks for the post big.

I have seen your jigsaw site, and had read other posts from you about Northside, and now the pieces fit (sorry about the corny pun!). I assume it is back together now and back where it belongs, between you legs!

Hey I notice in your sig that you have staintunes. What do you think of them? I have been contemplating new exausts, as I feel that the stock's don't have the deep throaty note that I think should come out of a duc... I have been looking at termis, remus and sil motors but I am a little cautious about being too loud. I want the note, but do not necessarily want to set of car alarms etc etc. I have spent my career as an audio professional, and whilst I have custom moulded ear attentuators (plugs) and the like, I don't necessarily want to _have_ to ride with them all the time. I value my hearing far too much to risk damage, and know plenty of people with tinitus, enough to make me know I don't want to join them.

So the question is, will the stains provide me with the deep throaty note, without being 105dB? I believe the stocks are rated around 80dB, so probably looking in between for a compromise...

Nick

 

[davey]

Nick, you need new pipes.
you know you want them.
why deny yourself?
io'll come down your way this weekend/next and you can listen to the arrows again if you need more convincing.
I've only heard really good things about the staintunes btw

 

[mostro900]

My bike came back from Northside looking like this:

http://www.mightymedia.com.au/~bigiain/monster_jigsaw/engine.html
http://www.mightymedia.com.au/~bigiain/monster_jigsaw/frame.html
http://www.mightymedia.com.au/~bigiain/monster_jigsaw/rear_wheel_and_exh.html

I persoanally advise extreme caution to anyone considering using Northside. Do not believe _anything_ Karl say unless you get it in writing, and even if you get it in writing, get a second opinion...

big

Hi Big,
I read your website and the story beind the jigsaw...just wondering...how on earth could they give you back your bike in peices like that ? did you investigate any legal/other avenues for recompense ?

 

[mostro900]

...I want the note, but do not necessarily want to set of car alarms etc etc.

Nick,
I have the stock pipes on my 900 and it invariably sets of car alarms if I give it a squirt. I've also been thinking about new pipes, but maybe not if mine are already loud enough...

 

[s4grrr]

Gowies or Flywheels are the only places I've got 1st hand good experience with, and I hear good things from people I trust about Reds (Duc Penrith). I've personally been burnt by both Northside and Frasers, and its amazing how many other bad stories you hear about those two when you start talking to people about them...

big

when i lived in sydney i used reds (ducati penrith) exclusively, geoff never let me down and was always straight up with me. i now live in brissie and i still spend heaps of cash with him. here in brisbane eurotwins looks after me great.
not sure about in the U.S but from my experience here a good mechanic and shop is harder to find than hens teeth! so when you find a good one you've gotta pass it on. [thumbsup]

 

[test-reg]

Hi Big,
I read your website and the story beind the jigsaw...just wondering...how on earth could they give you back your bike in peices like that ?  did you investigate any legal/other avenues for recompense ?

It was more me taking it off them like that, rather than them giving it back to me...

They'd already done about $1000 worth of work on it, and quoted me $2000 all up to fix and reassemble it. I told them to do it, and that I was about to head overseas for a month or two, so unless they could get it done before I left in two weeks, just have it ready for when I get home.

"No problem", they say...

When I got back, the old service manager had "left", the new service manager had no idea what the story was, and had done nothing on the bike in 6 weeks, and now all of a sudden they wanted over $4000 to put it back together.

"I think I need to speak with your boss" I said. "Errrm, he's not here right now"...

After calling every day for a week and being told "the owner would call me back this afternoon" every time, 'cause he was always "with a customer" or "out for lunch", when I finally did get to talk to him (by getting a friend to call up and ask for him) he blatantly lied to me about what they'd previously agreed to, about what was wrong with the bike, and about what they'd already done, so I turned up with a friend and a ute and said "I'm taking my bike back - now!"... He wasn't very happy, but I only had to threaten to call the police on him, I didn't actually have to do it (but I did get as far as dialling them in front of him before he capitulated...)

big

 

[nickors]

Nick, you need new pipes.
you know you want them.
why deny yourself?
io'll come down your way this weekend/next and you can listen to the arrows again if you need more convincing.
I've only heard really good things about the staintunes btw

Yeah you're right... It's an addiction this monster thing, fuelled by this list.

I am out getting tyres on Sat. but should be around on Sun for a play in the park!

Nick

 

[nickors]

Nick,
I have the stock pipes on my 900 and it invariably sets of car alarms if I give it a squirt. I've also been thinking about new pipes, but maybe not if mine are already loud enough...

Not so for the 800 i'm 'fraid. It's real quiet (like 80dB(A) -ish stamped on the noise emmission test plate)..... Dayey is right, I DO need new pipes! I better listen to daveys arrows again this weekend!

Nick

 

[Juzzie]

Hey Guy's

Steer clear of Frasers! Took me 4 months to get my 999 back after my stack. She was never the same after that. They also busted the new monotail whilst they were fitting it.

 

[nickors]

Juzzie,

Welcome to the DML Oz style! I see you have already met melvin the mad bling sorry "aesthetically pleasing performance enhancements" evangelist.

Watch out for him if you don't want a bling addiction ;D

Seriously, we try to be a good natured friendly bunch, and don't bother with all that crap about doughnuts and beers (have you introduced yourself in the general monster forum yet??)

We are also starting to get a bit of a group going for monster riders around Syd, so welcome aboard the DML, and hope you can make it to a ride!

Regarding servicing, I think the consencus is that most people have had good service from gowanlochs and flywheels. Most tales of the dealers in Syd (certainly nothside and frasers) are not really complementary, perhaps with the exception of Duc Penrith.

My FHE with Ron @ Flywheels was great for my recent 10K service!

 

[Juzzie]

Hah better introduce myself then. BTW I have heard they have patches now for the bling addiction