RaWarrior
Well-Known Member
Man, I keep discovering new parts to VMF! I realized the page goes a lot farther down than just the Vboost room and burnout pit....figure I might as well chime in here.
Sovies Cycle Shop (Potsdam/Canton NY)
This shop is a bit of a mixed bag, but mostly bad. I'd stopped in there a couple times since it was near to where I go to school to gets parts. Once I went in when I had my Magna to get chain lube, they didn't have any (?), but sold me a still virtually full one from the shop for like 1/3 price. That's the one good.
Went in there another time with a friend who was restoring a 60's Honda Scrambler 160(rode it there). I needed something else but he went to the parts counter and asked about old Honda parts. The guy said they had TONS of old Honda stuff and probably had anything he needed. Think he asked for a muffler shield or something for a 196? Scrambler. The guy looked all offended and said something to the tune of "I'm a bike dealer, not an antiques shop". He might have been joking, but he sure didn't seem like it and wasn't laughing. Apparently his definition of "old" was from the 80's or 90's.
Last fall when the pins dropped out of my shift segment, I called Sovies to get the parts, again because they're the only Yamaha dealer around. When I called, got parts, and told them I wanted a shift segment for a '02 Vmax bike (to get the new style). He's all like "woah-woah-woah, a Yamaha what?". "Vmax". "Snowmobile?(there were Vmax sleds, why I said bike)" "No, motorcycle."....pause.....I can hear in the back ground him yelling to somebody else in the store....then he comes back on...."what part do you need". I read off all the part numbers slowly so he could write them down, or punch them in the computer. He didn't say anything, I finished reading. "So what's that?". 0_o "Those are the part numbers for the shift segment, pins, and bolt". Another long pause, I can hear mouse clicking. Probably a minute later..."where's that on the bike?" "Behind the clutch boss"....another pause...."I'm looking at the clutch diagram and don't see it. What's it look like?. I told him to open the picture labeled "shift segment", I had already looked this stuff up myself. "Oh oh oh oh, OK, got it. Which parts do you need?":bang head: I said the ones I read to him. He says that he can't manually enter numbers (BS) and has to click them out of the picture. I read the numbers again. You'd swear I was reciting long passages from the Bible or something, not 8 digit part numbers. Finally he gets them all copied down, and I tell him I need ONE segment, ONE bolt, FOUR of one pin and ONE of the other. I thought his brain had melted. "Wait wait wait....four of which....".
Anyway, after probably 20 minutes on the phone I'm reasonably sure he ordered the right parts for me, said they'd be in by the end of the week(called first thing Monday). Call Friday, get tossed around on the phone like 3 times because nobody knows about parts ordering. Finally I get an older guy, probably the manager. Says the parts haven't come in and that they must be backordered, and they'll be in early next week AT THE LATEST. Call again the following Tuesday, play phone tag again, get the old guy again. Still not in, I ask what's taking so long and I need the parts by the weekend. On hold for a while. Comes back on and said there was a "computer glitch" and the parts didn't actually get ordered. Said he would re-order them overnight so they would be in TOMORROW FOR SURE. Seemed quasi-apologetic for the issue. Wednesday, called, and asked for the old guy right away, forget his name. No parts, but "sometimes we get a second late truck at about 3. Call back then". Call back at 330. Sorry, they didn't come. This is really strange. I don't know why they haven't come in. Hung up, and called Sean at about 4. He had the parts I needed and overnighted them to me, I got them the next day. His price with $20 for express mail was still considerably cheaper than the dealer. The following Friday I got a call saying my parts had come in and "if I could come pick them up ASAP". Told them I got the parts elsewhere since they couldn't. Whoever was on the phone got all snotty and through his deductive reasoning super-powers suggested "so you don't want them anymore?". "No. Send them back". "Well there's a 25% restocking fee". "Great"(they didn't have my card, said I would pay when I picked them up). Apparently numb nuts didn't realize this and made some quasi-threat about raping my credit card if I didn't come get them. I said "go right ahead" and hung up. Didn't hear from them again.
Troy City Garage- Troy NY
The dealer local to my house, only like 5 minutes down the road. There's a good and bad side to this place, directly related to which employee you deal with. The guys at the parts counter are reasonably helpful and knowledgeable enough about powersports so you don't have to hold their hand through the parts lookup process. Their parts inventory is pretty good also. When I've ordered parts, they came in on time, and they called me promptly when they came in. Parts prices are pretty standard. No deals, but it's not outrageous either.
They also have a sizable inventory of new machines, and prices are VERY competitive on new. However, the sales staff(one old guy that looks like he constantly has to shit really bad) is about as friendly as a pit bull to an old lady covered in A1 sauce. His attitude is "buy something or get out". They had a GenII in there a while ago and I sat on it, this guy came over in the haughtiest brisk-walk he could manage to sternly tell me to not sit on the bikes without assistance. I told him that I wasn't handicapped and did not need assistance to get on the bike, but thanks for his concern. His expression turned from extreme constipation to unadulterated hatred, but he just turned away and didn't say anything else. They key wasn't in the bike, otherwise I would have honked the horn and flashed the lights to be more of a nuisance to this jerkoff.
So for parts or buying a new machine where you clearly know what you want and can deal with a not-so-friendly salesman, you'll do fine and get a decent price.
Brownell's (Schaticoke? NY)
This is a tiny little Yamaha shop that only stocks quads, sleds, and generators. His showroom holds four machines at a time. His parts prices are very good, considerably cheaper than Troy City but the inventory is pretty limited given the size of the operation. The owner is also a technician, the salesman, and the parts guy. Extremely knowledgeable, and advice is always free, even over the phone. During the winter if there's snow on the ground, test rides are handed out like candy. Friendly, great service, reasonable(bargain by dealer standards) prices. Thumbs-up here. Doesn't stock bike parts but can order them in a timely manner.
Tony's Sports (Ticonderoga NY)
A smallish Yamaha/ Bombardier dealer. Big selection of used, not a whole lot of new. Mostly jetskis and off-road, not a whole lot of street. Tony is usually at the counter and while he's a no-BS, cut to the chase kind of guy, he's helpful and knowledgeable. Will give you advice or suggestions over the phone, and realistic estimates off the bat, rather than the actual bill being 3x the "estimate". Don't know about recently, but used to have smokin' deals on Amsoil stuff. Service is reasonable, done right, and done quickly. Did the fork seals for me on the Honda even though they're not a Honda dealer. I brought him the bike and parts, he charged me $100 to install them. I had no idea how to take apart forks(still don't), and I though $100 was a reasonable price to get it done rather than me try and screw something up. They don't stock much but are a dealer for all sorts of parts/accessories companies and can get you virtually anything under the sun.
Whew! That's all the local ones I've had experiences with.
Sovies Cycle Shop (Potsdam/Canton NY)
This shop is a bit of a mixed bag, but mostly bad. I'd stopped in there a couple times since it was near to where I go to school to gets parts. Once I went in when I had my Magna to get chain lube, they didn't have any (?), but sold me a still virtually full one from the shop for like 1/3 price. That's the one good.
Went in there another time with a friend who was restoring a 60's Honda Scrambler 160(rode it there). I needed something else but he went to the parts counter and asked about old Honda parts. The guy said they had TONS of old Honda stuff and probably had anything he needed. Think he asked for a muffler shield or something for a 196? Scrambler. The guy looked all offended and said something to the tune of "I'm a bike dealer, not an antiques shop". He might have been joking, but he sure didn't seem like it and wasn't laughing. Apparently his definition of "old" was from the 80's or 90's.
Last fall when the pins dropped out of my shift segment, I called Sovies to get the parts, again because they're the only Yamaha dealer around. When I called, got parts, and told them I wanted a shift segment for a '02 Vmax bike (to get the new style). He's all like "woah-woah-woah, a Yamaha what?". "Vmax". "Snowmobile?(there were Vmax sleds, why I said bike)" "No, motorcycle."....pause.....I can hear in the back ground him yelling to somebody else in the store....then he comes back on...."what part do you need". I read off all the part numbers slowly so he could write them down, or punch them in the computer. He didn't say anything, I finished reading. "So what's that?". 0_o "Those are the part numbers for the shift segment, pins, and bolt". Another long pause, I can hear mouse clicking. Probably a minute later..."where's that on the bike?" "Behind the clutch boss"....another pause...."I'm looking at the clutch diagram and don't see it. What's it look like?. I told him to open the picture labeled "shift segment", I had already looked this stuff up myself. "Oh oh oh oh, OK, got it. Which parts do you need?":bang head: I said the ones I read to him. He says that he can't manually enter numbers (BS) and has to click them out of the picture. I read the numbers again. You'd swear I was reciting long passages from the Bible or something, not 8 digit part numbers. Finally he gets them all copied down, and I tell him I need ONE segment, ONE bolt, FOUR of one pin and ONE of the other. I thought his brain had melted. "Wait wait wait....four of which....".
Anyway, after probably 20 minutes on the phone I'm reasonably sure he ordered the right parts for me, said they'd be in by the end of the week(called first thing Monday). Call Friday, get tossed around on the phone like 3 times because nobody knows about parts ordering. Finally I get an older guy, probably the manager. Says the parts haven't come in and that they must be backordered, and they'll be in early next week AT THE LATEST. Call again the following Tuesday, play phone tag again, get the old guy again. Still not in, I ask what's taking so long and I need the parts by the weekend. On hold for a while. Comes back on and said there was a "computer glitch" and the parts didn't actually get ordered. Said he would re-order them overnight so they would be in TOMORROW FOR SURE. Seemed quasi-apologetic for the issue. Wednesday, called, and asked for the old guy right away, forget his name. No parts, but "sometimes we get a second late truck at about 3. Call back then". Call back at 330. Sorry, they didn't come. This is really strange. I don't know why they haven't come in. Hung up, and called Sean at about 4. He had the parts I needed and overnighted them to me, I got them the next day. His price with $20 for express mail was still considerably cheaper than the dealer. The following Friday I got a call saying my parts had come in and "if I could come pick them up ASAP". Told them I got the parts elsewhere since they couldn't. Whoever was on the phone got all snotty and through his deductive reasoning super-powers suggested "so you don't want them anymore?". "No. Send them back". "Well there's a 25% restocking fee". "Great"(they didn't have my card, said I would pay when I picked them up). Apparently numb nuts didn't realize this and made some quasi-threat about raping my credit card if I didn't come get them. I said "go right ahead" and hung up. Didn't hear from them again.
Troy City Garage- Troy NY
The dealer local to my house, only like 5 minutes down the road. There's a good and bad side to this place, directly related to which employee you deal with. The guys at the parts counter are reasonably helpful and knowledgeable enough about powersports so you don't have to hold their hand through the parts lookup process. Their parts inventory is pretty good also. When I've ordered parts, they came in on time, and they called me promptly when they came in. Parts prices are pretty standard. No deals, but it's not outrageous either.
They also have a sizable inventory of new machines, and prices are VERY competitive on new. However, the sales staff(one old guy that looks like he constantly has to shit really bad) is about as friendly as a pit bull to an old lady covered in A1 sauce. His attitude is "buy something or get out". They had a GenII in there a while ago and I sat on it, this guy came over in the haughtiest brisk-walk he could manage to sternly tell me to not sit on the bikes without assistance. I told him that I wasn't handicapped and did not need assistance to get on the bike, but thanks for his concern. His expression turned from extreme constipation to unadulterated hatred, but he just turned away and didn't say anything else. They key wasn't in the bike, otherwise I would have honked the horn and flashed the lights to be more of a nuisance to this jerkoff.
So for parts or buying a new machine where you clearly know what you want and can deal with a not-so-friendly salesman, you'll do fine and get a decent price.
Brownell's (Schaticoke? NY)
This is a tiny little Yamaha shop that only stocks quads, sleds, and generators. His showroom holds four machines at a time. His parts prices are very good, considerably cheaper than Troy City but the inventory is pretty limited given the size of the operation. The owner is also a technician, the salesman, and the parts guy. Extremely knowledgeable, and advice is always free, even over the phone. During the winter if there's snow on the ground, test rides are handed out like candy. Friendly, great service, reasonable(bargain by dealer standards) prices. Thumbs-up here. Doesn't stock bike parts but can order them in a timely manner.
Tony's Sports (Ticonderoga NY)
A smallish Yamaha/ Bombardier dealer. Big selection of used, not a whole lot of new. Mostly jetskis and off-road, not a whole lot of street. Tony is usually at the counter and while he's a no-BS, cut to the chase kind of guy, he's helpful and knowledgeable. Will give you advice or suggestions over the phone, and realistic estimates off the bat, rather than the actual bill being 3x the "estimate". Don't know about recently, but used to have smokin' deals on Amsoil stuff. Service is reasonable, done right, and done quickly. Did the fork seals for me on the Honda even though they're not a Honda dealer. I brought him the bike and parts, he charged me $100 to install them. I had no idea how to take apart forks(still don't), and I though $100 was a reasonable price to get it done rather than me try and screw something up. They don't stock much but are a dealer for all sorts of parts/accessories companies and can get you virtually anything under the sun.
Whew! That's all the local ones I've had experiences with.
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