FJRocket
Doctor Throckenstein !!!
I had a great trip overall and a happy ending to this minor trouble story. Regrettably, this trip I decided to leave some of my tools at home, and that included the 36mm socket for that big steering head nut.
Long story short, I stopped in midmorning to the Yamaha shop enroute to Glacier NP and asked if they could retorque my steering nut because it had come loose and the front end was rattling pretty badly... with about 3K miles to go on my trip. I got a rather curt NO. Then an he added NOT TODAY. I said it was an easy down and dirty less than an hour cash repair and that I need to be at Glacier this afternoon. NO. I pleaded. No. With a shoulder shrug and an exclamation of disbelief, I left, thinking that I wouldn't find another Yamaha dealer or the proper tools to do the job for another 1000 miles.
On my way out, another customer who was buying parts (Yamalube), came up to me rather pleasantly and told me he had heard my story. He exclaimed that it was a very typical situation for that dealership. I explained to him that I had never heard of any dealership refusing a transient service (although admittedly they didn't really "refuse"). The fellow was on a gold wing and was asking about my trip and if I was having fun out "FJ-ing". I said until this point I was. Gearing up and getting ready to press on to Babb to hook up with Griff, the guy all of a sudden says FOLLOW ME and we'll fix the problem! Turns out that Bill Ryder in Helena Montana has a one man motorcycle repair shop. He asked if I knew how to do the "repair" and I said yes and admitted it was my fault that the thing came loose. He said he would lend me the tools and that I could do the work at his shop!
So I follow Bill to his horse barn and he immediately comes up with all the tools. As I'm taking off the bars we are chatting and it was a very pleasant time. He offers "shade tree" knowledge and lends a big hand where necessary. Having been an LD rider and mechanic for 30 years, Bill had a lot to offer. Less than an hour later, I was back on the road.
Big kudos for Bill Ryder in Helena Montana, and a thumb down to the dealership.
Long story short, I stopped in midmorning to the Yamaha shop enroute to Glacier NP and asked if they could retorque my steering nut because it had come loose and the front end was rattling pretty badly... with about 3K miles to go on my trip. I got a rather curt NO. Then an he added NOT TODAY. I said it was an easy down and dirty less than an hour cash repair and that I need to be at Glacier this afternoon. NO. I pleaded. No. With a shoulder shrug and an exclamation of disbelief, I left, thinking that I wouldn't find another Yamaha dealer or the proper tools to do the job for another 1000 miles.
On my way out, another customer who was buying parts (Yamalube), came up to me rather pleasantly and told me he had heard my story. He exclaimed that it was a very typical situation for that dealership. I explained to him that I had never heard of any dealership refusing a transient service (although admittedly they didn't really "refuse"). The fellow was on a gold wing and was asking about my trip and if I was having fun out "FJ-ing". I said until this point I was. Gearing up and getting ready to press on to Babb to hook up with Griff, the guy all of a sudden says FOLLOW ME and we'll fix the problem! Turns out that Bill Ryder in Helena Montana has a one man motorcycle repair shop. He asked if I knew how to do the "repair" and I said yes and admitted it was my fault that the thing came loose. He said he would lend me the tools and that I could do the work at his shop!
So I follow Bill to his horse barn and he immediately comes up with all the tools. As I'm taking off the bars we are chatting and it was a very pleasant time. He offers "shade tree" knowledge and lends a big hand where necessary. Having been an LD rider and mechanic for 30 years, Bill had a lot to offer. Less than an hour later, I was back on the road.
Big kudos for Bill Ryder in Helena Montana, and a thumb down to the dealership.
