My initial experience with Honda Yamaha North in Kansas City, MO was very good. The sales manager, Gary Goddard, took the time to talk with me and encouraged me to take a rider safety course; which I did. The service department at the Honda dealership has been disappointing at best.
I purchased my 2005 Honda Rebel on August 10. I followed the break in instructions as indicated in the owner's manual as well as having the first (at 700 mi.) service performed at the dealership. I was pleased to regularly get an average of 90 mpg.
On Sunday October 17th, at approximately 2,900 miles, while riding 65 mph on the highway, the engine suddenly quit and would not restart. I did not have the Honda Rider's Club phone number with me so I had to walk two miles in 40 degree weather to call a taxi to get home. The next day (Monday the 18th), I called the Honda Riders Club towing service, but they never showed up.in order to be at the tow site Monday afternoon, I had to miss a half day's work.
I was not able to get the bike towed to the dealership until the evening of Tuesday the 19th of October. On Wednesday the 20th, Honda Yamaha North told my wife, who dropped off the key in the morning while I was at work, that they only had two bikes before mine and would be able to give me a prognosis by the end of the day. I called the service department every day for a week. Each day the mechanic said that he had too many bikes in line before mine.
When I asked the mechanic if I could have a loaner bike to get to work on, he said that they did not provide that service. I ride my motorcycle to work every day. I bought this motorcycle because of its reputation for being an excellent commuting vehicle. When it is running, it is an excellent commuting vehicle. The service department finally had my bike ready on Wednesday November 17. I was without my commuting vehicle from Sunday October 17 to Wednesday November 17. I therefore had to find alternate transportation to and from work for four weeks.
At the end of the work day, Wednesday January 12 my motorcycle would not start. I called the service department at Honda Yamaha North. He recommended that I have it towed to them, approximately 23 miles away. This time, they were able to fix the problem the same day, charging $136.92. I was charged for the 4,000 mile service, not because the bike broke down.
When I picked up my motorcycle Thursday evening, it would still not start. The mechanic on duty finally was able to get it started and rode it around the parking lot to make sure it would not die. A week later on Friday January 21 the bike died on my commute from work to home. As I explained to the mechanic, I was in heavy rush hour traffic and narrowly missed getting hit by two separate SUVs. After pushing the bike to the side of the road and trying to start it for about five minutes, I was finally able to get it started. I was able to ride to the Honda dealership. This time the mechanic had the bike ready the next morning on Saturday January 22.
On Tuesday February 8, the motorcycle's engine died once again. It was the same problem I experienced on January 21. This problem was compounded by wet roads. I was riding at about 20 mph and the engine died. Because power to the rear wheel stopped, the bike lost traction, fish tailed, and the bike and I fell on our left side. Surprisingly, the bike sustained little damage. Because I was wearing full riding safety gear, I sustained only minor bruising on my legs and back and got a sprained neck.
About a month after contacting American Honda, I received a phone call from one of their customer representatives. She explained that I would need to take my motorcycle to a new dealership at my cost for an inspection. I explained that this was too much of a burden and that I would like either the dealership (Honda Yamaha North) or American Honda to either replace my motorcycle or buy it back. At the very least I believe they should compensate me for work time lost due to the problems I have been having with this 2005 motorcycle.
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