Do not get anything serviced at Al's Cycle in Hamilton. I was recommended by a friend who is a customer of Al's Cycle to take my motorcycle to them to be serviced. It is an older bike, and I had just purchased it and wanted a safety inspection done. I also mentioned how it failed a T-CLOCS inspection, so I wanted the throttle checked, along with the brakes and a couple other minor things I noticed when riding it. I had no budget limit, but requested a quote before work got started. 2 weeks go by until I finally get a call. They say it's finished but never bothered to contact me with an estimate. Nonetheless, the work cost $240 and I felt like a satisfied customer when the man told me nothing major was wrong with the bike and that it was "bulletproof." I hop on and ride home. When I get home I immediately notice the vintage air box cover is no longer there. I call and ask about it and the mechanic assures me he put it on personally and that it was there when I drove off. I decide to check the road and sure enough, there it is, a mangled mess. Unsalvagable by any means. I call back and all he says is, I'm sorry sweetie, nothing I can do, frame must be stripped. I was upset because these covers aren't produced anymore and most cost over $100 to replace, given you can find them. When I later ordered one at my own expense I noted the frame of the bike was NOT stripped. It was simply carelessness on their part that caused it to fall off. If it were the screw that were stripped, he should have noticed it when replacing the original cover. I also notice my throttle still wasn't snapping shut and my braking power was still poor. But I figured it's an older bike and took their word that it was fixed to the best of their ability. After all, I was charged for these things and told they were addressed. Anyways, a couple days later my friend who recommended me to Al's comes over and asks when I'm taking my bike to them. I was confused and said I already did. He was very upset and said the bike looked like shit, that he wouldn't even sit on it, let alone ride it in the current condition. He called them right away, requested to speak to the owner, and explained that my bike wasn't even cleaned up, the throttled was still sticking, and there appeared to be a glaze on my break pads from a front fork leak, causing them to not work properly. Also fuses kept blowing, making my signals and lights fail.They tell my friend I never asked for a safety check, that I just asked for a few minor things to be looked at. We present the receipt that clearly states they charged me for a safety check and their attitude changed. Al's seemed apologetic and requested I bring my bike back that same day so they can make it up to me. They promised me 2 free hours labor since they charged me for something they never did, and said they would make it priority for missing such big issues. We bring the bike back in good faith. 2 weeks go by and I hear nothing. So I decide to call and check up. (I let them know my bike was my main source of transportation, so the sooner the better) they tell me they haven't even started on it yet and were in the process of finding parts, and to give them another week. (Mind you, this is a Honda Rebel and parts can be found at almost any auto parts store) I call back the next week. They say it's $325 and the parts will be in NEXT Monday or Tuesday, and they would have it done Wednesday, Thursday at very latest. I ask if that includes the 2 free hours promised and the owner then states that he can not provide free labor but would give me a $50 discount. (Labor is $85 an hour, 2 free hours would have saved me $170) I was tired of waiting by then but reluctantly agreed to ANOTHER week and the reduced discount. The week goes by and I call to see what time it will be ready for pick up. They tell me they STILL haven't gotten around to it. It's been over a month at this point and I'm extremely frustrated. Another week goes by and they tell me it's all ready for pick up. FINALLY. I double check if it's $325 like agreed upon weeks ago. They tell me it is now $380 because they forgot to include the service charge. Whatever, I pay, double check all the bolts on my bike so nothing falls off this time, and ride out. I'm not 1/4 mile away from the shop on the highway when my bike cuts out. I notice I'm already on the reserve tank for some reason. I brought the bike in with well over a half tank. I make an emergency stop on the side of the road to check the fuel level. Dry. I manage to start the bike again and barely roll into the gas station where, of course, no ethonol free gas. After much more frustration, I make it home safely. My roommate mentions my turn signals didn't work on the ride home. So I attempt to start the bike and see for myself. No sound at all. Dead. Turns out they put a 7amp fuse where a 15 goes and that's why they have been blowing. Carelessness. Wouldn't trust them with a pedal bike. Never again. read more
