New Bike - Help Please! (Monster 750)

[Multimental]

Originally Posted by AdrianK

If you have any further problems.......and you aren't confident in dealing with them yourself you might try Bill Bailey (no not the stand up comic!).
Bill is Ducati factory trained (so he's the guy to talk to) and works at APC Motorcycles on Eastcote Lane between South Ruislip and South Harrow tel no. 0208 4233122.

They do MOTs (had my bikes MOT'd there for years). It is what I might describe (in a positive sense) as an 'old fashioned bike shop'. For those too young to remember what that is like ...there are no pot plants, not much to buy in the way of accessories but a workshop with machine tools and people who know how to use them and (in my experience) understand bikes rather than just being interested in taking your money.

If you judge places on appearances I wouldn't bother going. Bill has done the valves, replaced the steering head bearings and changed the fork springs on my 900s together with roughly 7 or 8 MOTs on both of my bikes. The work has been very reasonably priced and I have been impressed by their friendliness and lack of b*llsh*t

Adrian, do you know what APC would be like on later bikes? As I've been looking for somewhere other than Aylesbury or Daytona to do my servicing.

[michel couque]

dear multi,have you ever tried baines at silverstone,alovely ride from your area,and excellence of service from them.

[NedLudd]

Originally Posted by michel couque

dear multi,have you ever tried baines at silverstone,alovely ride from your area,and excellence of service from them.

Absolutely right, look no further. For testimonials see:

Baines Racing (Silverstone)

[AdrianK]

Originally Posted by Multimental

Adrian, do you know what APC would be like on later bikes? As I've been looking for somewhere other than Aylesbury or Daytona to do my servicing.

Recommending places for servicing is fraught with difficulty.....one person can have a totally different experience to another......so I think you have to trust your instinct.

If you are still within warranty you'd be 'better off' going to an authorised dealer.

I couldn't disagree with the recommendations for Baines Racing at Silverstone..they are nice people, know the bikes inside out and they did some of the early mods to my 900SS... but like most Ducati specialists they are not cheap.

We could now get into a philosophical discussion along the lines of 'you get what you pay for etc. etc.' but I would venture to suggest that there have been enough posts on the 'Dealers' section of the website to indicate that that is not necessarily the case!
If you look through the Ducati classifieds you'll see second-hand bikes ranging from £16000 for a nearly new R-model to old aircooled ones for less than £1000. That suggests that at least some of the fraternity are doing Italian 'on the cheap' and find it difficult (quite reasonably) to contemplate a servicing bill which might run to 50% of the purchase price of the bike.
What are the options? First tell the kids Christmas is cancelled and take the bike to one of the well known specialists....secondly do the work yourself...thirdly try to find someone who is competent but who won't take you to the cleaners! (or a mixture of all three depending upon the state of your bank balance!)

APC are NOT a Ducati dealer but if a substantial number of owners can do a lot of the work themselves, then it follows that a competent mechanic should be able to do likewise.......and as I said I understand that Bill has done the factory courses ..................so in answer to your question I know Bill does work on the four-valvers (if that is what you meant by 'later bikes' no offence taken!) but I haven't got one so I could only suggest you talk to him and make your own decision.
I have, to date, found his charges to be very reasonable (no problem if you want to supply spare parts...if you don't they are 15 mins from Daytona) and I haven't felt either unhappy with the work or ripped off....but above all, make your own judgement....but as I said don't expect carpets, pot plants, coffee machines or pretty receptionists (they ALWAYS cost !!)

[Multimental]

My bike has already had a couple of services at Baines as the previous owner lived in Bletchly. So maybe I'll give then a go.

[AdrianK]

No doubt about it, they are very good.

[mcr998]

Gav,

I get all my bikes serviced by Baines, and they are cheaper than Ducati Aylesbury

[Desmo Dave]

Originally Posted by AdrianK

If you have any further problems.......and you aren't confident in dealing with them yourself you might try Bill Bailey (no not the stand up comic!).
Bill is Ducati factory trained (so he's the guy to talk to) and works at APC Motorcycles on Eastcote Lane between South Ruislip and South Harrow tel no. 0208 4233122.

Thats the guy I was on about earlier! For some reason I remembered his name as Rob rather than Bill!

I was impressed with his work and his prices. Always took my bikes to him when I was in London. Fairly gruff type of guy, a man of few words, if I remember rightly. But dependable and genuine. You can trust him to do a good job. The first time I took my M750 to him, It ran like a new bike after he had finished with it.

[Desmo Dave]

Originally Posted by Multimental

Adrian, do you know what APC would be like on later bikes? As I've been looking for somewhere other than Aylesbury or Daytona to do my servicing.

Wouldn't have thought Bill would have any problem with your bike. He was factory trained in the early 90's on 888's etc and had been working on Ducatis ever since. I was recommended him by the Monster club - a member was taking his new Monster S4 to him because he trusted him more than Daytona, where he had bought the bike, even though his bike was still under warranty.