Decent garage in West Berkshire?
Decent garage in West Berkshire?
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Discussion

Dakkon

Original Poster:

7,833 posts

284 months

Thursday 24th January 2019
quotequote all
I live in Newbury, west Bekshire and have been using Motorcycle Inspection Services for bike work, he is currently shut and even when he re-opens, it will be a reduced service.

I have a '97 Honda VFR750 and the exhaust has gone, I was advised last service that when the exhaust goes it will probably write the bike off as the bolts to the header are corroded and will probably snap if they are removed.

Anyway, I need to get the bike looked at to see what my options are, I might be able to get the exhaust welded for the time being.

There is Pro-bike in Newbury, but to be honest, when I have called them before about servicing and MOT's they have been very unhelpful as it is a Honda and they are not the cheapest place either.

Before it is suggested, I have the mechanical skills of a fish, so it is not something I am confident about trying myself.

So, any recommendations for other garages in maybe Basingstoke, Reading, Swindon, Andover etc?

dibblecorse

7,656 posts

223 months

Thursday 24th January 2019
quotequote all
Hi

I am going to recommend an outfit that I have never used but that my neighbour 2 doors down swears by and has looked after his SV650, Fazer and various other 'older bikes' that he has abused for commuting and he swears buy these guys.

http://www.nandtmotorcycles.co.uk/

Ignore the HD bias, they work on all sorts ...

moto_traxport

4,264 posts

252 months

Thursday 24th January 2019
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You could try PDQ a few junctions up the M4?

The owner has got a tricked up VFR800 now he’s sold my old RC30 on for an enormous profit (not bitter much) and the mechanic / dyno bloke there is classic racing a VFR750 this coming year and has got 3 of them in bits at the moment so he knows his way round them.

Just been into Pro Bike Newbury to kill 10 mins waiting for a Doctor’s appointment and it’s a bit like a morgue, not the same since it lost the Yamaha franchise last year.

dibblecorse

7,656 posts

223 months

Thursday 24th January 2019
quotequote all
moto_traxport said:
You could try PDQ a few junctions up the M4?

The owner has got a tricked up VFR800 now he’s sold my old RC30 on for an enormous profit (not bitter much) and the mechanic / dyno bloke there is classic racing a VFR750 this coming year and has got 3 of them in bits at the moment so he knows his way round them.

Just been into Pro Bike Newbury to kill 10 mins waiting for a Doctor’s appointment and it’s a bit like a morgue, not the same since it lost the Yamaha franchise last year.
Aren't PDQ going to be a bit 'top end' for this ???

Good outfit though, they have fettled my mates Bennelli ....

Bikesalot

1,888 posts

189 months

Thursday 24th January 2019
quotequote all
Get the penetrating fluid sprayed on those bolts every few days until you take it to said garage. It may be the difference between a write off and fixable.

Edit to add - by penetrating fluid I mean a can of Plus Gas. Good stuff.

dern

14,055 posts

310 months

Thursday 24th January 2019
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I don't want to speak for Dave at MIS nor do I know him personally but I'm aware that personal stuff has taken him away from work temporarily so please don't write them off.

I occasionally use pro-bike for anything that I don't do myself and have always found them ok. They've always done my mots and never had any complaints.

Nath911t

683 posts

228 months

Thursday 24th January 2019
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Try dyno tech nr Basingstoke. I use them for servicing and mot's.

Dakkon

Original Poster:

7,833 posts

284 months

Thursday 24th January 2019
quotequote all
Nath911t said:
Try dyno tech nr Basingstoke. I use them for servicing and mot's.
Yes, someone else has suggested them to me

Prof Prolapse

16,163 posts

221 months

Thursday 24th January 2019
quotequote all
Is that really reliable advice?

I mean, not an expert by any means, but removing rotten studs is a specialty of mine these days, and even heavily corroded exhaust header bolts are a piece of piss to remove with extractors. (Although you should be spraying them regularly with penetrating fluid as per the above). If it's the stud itself they have specialist "roller type" extractors, a monkey could use them.

Is access the issue? I mean I could see it being expensive in labour if you need to drop the v4 engine first to get access.



SteelerSE

2,028 posts

187 months

Thursday 24th January 2019
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I'd suggest Julian Cameron (mobile mechanic) who sorted my replacement exhaust on my vfr800. He did swear that he wouldn't do another one though...

http://juliancameron.co.uk

obscene

5,180 posts

216 months

Thursday 24th January 2019
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As others said, PDQ would get my vote.

mrdelmonti

1,420 posts

212 months

Thursday 24th January 2019
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Ash's Autos in Swindon. Really genuine guy that turns out good work without being "high end" also got a nice waiting area now.

S6 Gon

93 posts

266 months

Friday 25th January 2019
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Galloway Motorcycles in Reading, speak to Andy.