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-   -   "V Care Bikes" - Way better than Authorised service centers (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorbikes/12950-v-care-bikes-way-better-than-authorised-service-centers.html)

To all die hard bikers,Do you guys love your bikes so much?? Then stop
servicing your bikes at the authorised services centres!!!!!!

They service large number of bikes each day and will not be able to service each bike with care. Its just a wash and polish job that all service centers do. They have targets and are racing to get the work done. How can they give individual attention? Do you know why they dont allow you to watch your bikes being serviced? Have you ever thought about this? I have..

Here is my true story.
I brought a HH Ambition way back in January 2003. I chose this bike primarily because it gave me some individuality compared to the pulsars
and others. I used to ride a 1990 model RX 100 before. Moving to a 4
stroke was initially hard to digest. I was zero on my knowledge about 4stroke technology. All I knew was how 2stroke worked. Hence the service people started taking me for a ride. I just
filled my bike and rode on. Later I learned a lot about 4stroke
technology.I saw that service center guys were not doing the services as it was supposed to be done.

My bike ran about 40000kms. It is giving me 55kms to the litre (something unheard of on HH Ambition).Of late, my bike started becoming rough. Engine noise, vibrations, bad suspensions, low pickup, clutch wear etc. I started combing Chennai city for a good mechanic. Incidentally my friend Jacob suggested a person to me. V care bikes was the name. I visited the center. I was surprised to see no bikes standing there. It was practically a residencial area. Behind the trees, I saw a sign board that said "SERVICING BY APPOINTMENT". I thought to myself, what is going on here??The gates were locked, I shook the gates and the owner, Vincent Raj came and invited me to come in. I spent about 2 hours with him since he was free. He showed his menu card. Hold your breath....RS I780 for servicing my bike.He explained in detail how he would do the service step by step. I fixed an appointment with him and went away. He said that I need to be there by 6am and need to be with him through the full service.

Heres an account of what happened on that day...

5:50am - I set out from my home to V care Bikes

6:15am - I am at his place

6:20am - My bike is in the wash area

6:25am - 9:45am - Vincent raj and his team of 3 helpers start off. My bike
is stripped to the last nut and all the parts except the engine and gear box are fulled washed in diesel and other cleaning liquids. A lot of care was taken to remove parts without damaging them and carefully removed of all dust,grease and rust.The engine oil was replaced when still hot cause as per him, oil is more thinner when hot and full removal is possible only when hot.My engine is flushed with a special liquid to remove any carbon deposits or dust. Fuel tank was emptied and cleaned.(Believe me, there was about a litre of water in it)The fork tube oil was replaced after cleaning the springs. I have never replaced the oil in 40000kms.(or never
was suggested by the service center). He opened the race bearing to see that the specified number of ball bearing were not present.42 is the number. Hero Honda factory has just put 40 ball bearing on my race bearings.He said that I am lucky to have atleast 40. He has seen 38 on many splendors.This was the reason for the wobling on the front wheel from day one.

9:50am - The frame is on the ramp for assembly.

9:55am - 7:45pm - Painstaking 9 hours of assembly, breaking only for 30 minutes in between. Each nut is lubricated with special grease before it is fitted. All the components are refitted with great detail and care. The Carb was already cleaned with special liquids and fitted with utmost care.The frame and rusted portions were combed with steel wool and painted. The swing arm was totally dismantled and its inner moving parts replaced and lubricated. So much that I cant explain here was carried out.

7:45pm - The bike was fully assembled. Time to check the valve clearance and tune the carb. To my horror,Vincent showed me that there was absolutely no valve clearance at all. Both valves were tighted to the max by the authorised service center guys. I was lucky to have not blown the valves. He set the valve timing and tuned the carb.

8:05pm - Bike was down from the ramp and Vincent went for a test ride.

8:15pm - My observations:
1. The bike was much smoother than
before
2. Both suspensions were working
better
3. Braking ability improved
4.My cables were much free than before
5.My headlight were brighter cause the
reflector was well cleaned.
6.There was no rust on any of my parts, it was sparkling like new,especially my rims and handle bar.(My wife asked me whether I changed the rims and the handle!!!!!)
8:20pm - Settled the bill. It came to Rs 2450 inclusive of Rs 750 of spare parts.I rode off happyily. Vincent asked me to be back in 5000kms to repeat the same process but without replacing any spares.

Guys from Chennai, If you want your bike to be in ship shape, rush your
bikes to V care bikes. But be sure to fix an appointment or you may get
disappointed.

Rs.1,750/- every 5k kms for a BIKE????????????????????????????????:Shockked:

Why would you want your bike re-assembled/overhauled every 5000 kms? Once every 20k should be more like it.

its not worth to spend close to 2K on ur bike every 5000km dude. You will still be able to find gud mech who do their job well w/o actually charging you too much. Since u had many issues with ur bike spending Rs/ 1750 would have been worth, but then think again is it really required after 5K km's !!

Buddy spending so much on a bike that too after just 5000 kms doesnt sound right unless the road condition where you ride your bike is very bad and its been used in a very rough manner.Last time i got my karizma serviced was at 10,000 kms and nows its crossed 15,500 but it still runs smooth as ever and that too after riding it on bad roads and rough use.

Cheers Ed...

Uh! well u are right about your experience at the authorized service center but I have had an experience otherwise. Only once had I gone for a service outside the authorized service station for my lml adreno. It had a lasting effect on my bike. never again will I go for anything outside the authorized dealers.


BTW its nice to know that the guys provided you with a detailed and careful service. but according to me such a service would be more suitable after atleast 10k. 20k is more preferable. But depends on how much care you want to take for your bike.

Hey Ajo, that sounds interesting. And looks like just what the doc would order for my bike which has not been serviced in like years (I do regular oil changes though). I had always thought of getting this kind of service done somewhere, but was afraid to go to an authorised service centre as they would rip me off. Where exactly in Chennai is this place ?

I also feel that it may not be required evry 5000kms. Every 8-10000kms should be good.

But like I said, its for only people who want their bikes always in ship shape every day. This guy is pretty good and has been in servicing bikes for many years together. He is in the top 10 mechanics that manufacturers choose for their training programs. His office room is filled with such certificates and Awards.

Biju, this guy is in Paul wells road near to Guindy Roundana. PM me if you want the driving details or just call him on 22348558. Name is Vincent. He is a engg graduate and speaks well.

hey mail4ajo !!
its a good thing tat u got such a mechanic....but as all said tat such servicing shld be done mayb after 10000 kms....

Guys can anybody tell me where in mbai can i find such a service center ?? my pulsar is around 3yrs old and its givin me problems like vibrations and hard gears...
if anybody knows, please let me kno.. and since i live in thane, a service center in thane itself would be could !!

Hey Mail4ajo,

It is honestly a blessing to have a mechanic who knows what he is doing!

This guy sounds very good, and im sure your bike benifited a lot more than Rs 2,xxx in the long run!

I guess the whole dismantling etc procedure every 5k km is a little too soon, as you know, but i would definitely go back to this guy the next time your bike needed servicing.

cya
R

WELL it all comes down to which bike you are having...
if its a Splender, Karizama or any new Bike it should be say 10000-20000K

but if your a re having a bike like
RD350
bullet
it can be every 5000Km...

i user to spend almost 1000-1500 per month on my RD350.
Any thing goes wrong i use to replace it or get it repaired...

that is why my RD use to give me 20+ millage...
the max i got was 25KMPL...
i know some dont belive me....

i have seen a person who use to get 30KMPL on his RD 350...
it was the best condition i had ever seen he use to go the Mech evey weekend...
and he use to cross 60KMPH very rare....

I have seen many RDs being treated like gods while servicing. These bikes are still in Top shape. V care also has a few RDs they maintain regularly. These people keep coming back to him over again and again. I think I might also stick to this guy for long. Say a visit every 7000kms would be apt.(changing only oil in between). His service quality and perfection is hard to resist.

sounds pretty interesting any idea who does similar work in bangalore

The approach here is similar to the old concept of bicycle 'overhauling' where the whole cycle is stripped to its last components, cleaned and put back.

I am not sure if engines are meant to be stripped similarly, or that they're not engineered to stay together for a period of time that is definitely longer than 5k kms.

What you have described is a bike rebuild. I am not sure whether a mechanic can claim to have better facilities to put a bike together than a manufacturing plant, but I'm betting that he doesnt have the same kind of tooling required.

This kind of servicing is fine either when the bike has run too many kms or if it has been abused to the extent that it needs to be rebuilt. Otherwise it is an overkill - I am sure the guy is competent, but in my very humble opinion prescribing this sort of treatment every 5,000 kms is an overkill.

Regular servicing of a bike is no big deal - oil change, cleaning of plugs and filters, checking plug gaps and other such stuff can be done at home over a weekend. You dont need to spend money on a 'pro' outfit to do your regular service. Not for a bike, not in this age.

The money saved by doing regular services yourselves can then be used for a periodic strip and rebuild as a similarly equiped and dedicated facility - every 20k kms, maybe.

I would look at a bike which dosent need servicing ,except for oil changes and regular maintenance .. talking abt bicycles ,i still remember the days when I used to spend days together in the cycle workshop ,and by the way ,to overhaul a cycle ,it costs arnd 400 rs ,which is much costlier than getting a motorcycle serviced ,most of the motorcycle dealers charge 300 for a complete service ...lol

I am not sure if engines are meant to be stripped similarly, or that they're not engineered to stay together for a period of time that is definitely longer than 5k kms.

Please note the engine is not stripped here. Only the valve clearance was checked and the oil changed.

What you have described is a bike rebuild. I am not sure whether a mechanic can claim to have better facilities to put a bike together than a manufacturing plant, but I'm betting that he doesnt have the same kind of tooling required.

You think so. Not always. Take this simple example.. In the factory, a magnet tool is used to take the race bearing from a sack and inserted on the cone set. I was shocked to see about 3 ball bearings less than the specified quantity. Here it is set up by hand slowly and meticulously. So no ball bearings are lost.

This kind of servicing is fine either when the bike has run too many kms or if it has been abused to the extent that it needs to be rebuilt. Otherwise it is an overkill - I am sure the guy is competent, but in my very humble opinion prescribing this sort of treatment every 5,000 kms is an overkill.

I agree. 7000-8000kms will be fine.

Regular servicing of a bike is no big deal - oil change, cleaning of plugs and filters, checking plug gaps and other such stuff can be done at home over a weekend. You dont need to spend money on a 'pro' outfit to do your regular service. Not for a bike, not in this age.

As mentioned earlier, this is for people who want their bike to be in ship shape. These kind of people will not mind spending for the perfect condition.