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General Topics/Tech TipsDiscussion on break in periods, rider comfort, seats and pad suggestions. Tech tips as they become available will be posted here.
my hd dealer picks my bike up with an enclosed trailer if the weather is bad. charges an honest rate of $55 an hour, cleans my bike, and returns it to me and allows me to pay his driver for the bill and gives me a receipt. that's service! i buy the whole shop lunch everytime i have work done. small shop, about a $50 tip. i am also in the service feild and reconize when someone is doin their job. i am an average guy with an average paying job and appreciate when my customers acknowledge that they're getting the best job their money can buy. if you feel that you're getting ripped off by your dealer than that's your fault for going back!
I tip my bartender and she is doing something I could do myself at home so why not tip your wrench if he is doing something you canât do yourself? I find a 12 pack does wonders and I usually get to sit around and drink it with him. [sm=icon_guiness.gif]
Before my first service I asked the mechanic what his favorite drink was. He liked bourbon so when the service came due I gave him a bottle of his favorite bourbon. I think it is a cheap way to get him to remember me and take a little extra care with my ride.
-Moderator-"Wench with a Wrench and Queen of Quips"
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 10,252
Likes: 1,980
From: Breaux Bridge, LA
RE: Do you tip your bike mechanic?
I used to be a mechanic in an aircraft paint shop. Every time an airplane went out we supplied Subway sandwiches, bottled water & soda pop (on ice) for the pilots, along with a small gift box (Tabasco sauce & a few local spices with a ball cap). The pilots loved it &, when one flew a bird in from say, Germany, there was German beer for the mechanics...Belgium? Chocolate.
Folks DO appreciate when you go above & beyond!
I'm still rotflmfao, have been for 2 days. I made my living with wrenches my whole life and NEVER GOT A TIP. Maybe I should have worked on Harleys instead of industrial trucks. But I suppose that if one of my customers had tipped me they would have gotten a little extra attention: IE: if the bike is in for a head light bulb does the mechanic check all fluid levels, tire and shock pressure, battery, etc?? are they working flat rate?? You want attention, How about a case of beer on ice in the hard bags? ( It's snowing big f'in flakes now )
Why do you find this so funny especially as a mechanic? Ive tipped the mechanic at the HD dealer several times usually $50. I can tell you this dealer covered 2 issues under warranty that would have cost me a couple thousand when my bike was 12 months out of warranty! My bike always comes back better than new, I can tell they go k we everything.
I tip the bar maid, the gal that cuts my hair and the gal that brings me my food. Never thought about tipping the techs. But then again the dealer don't work on my bikes or cars.
Once in awhile i give the ol" lady just the tip. Then i go all in !
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