[Gixxus]

I really felt like I should share this. I bought my GSXS1000F back in October from a local dealer and had massive issues. This is part of the letter I wrote to Suzuki's and their response below. I really hope this helps someone in the future.

"I had been waiting to buy a GSX S1000F for over one year ever since I first saw it online. I even went this entire season without a bike to make sure I could afford one when they were finally released this fall. There is nothing else like this bike for comfort and power and I knew it was the one for me when I saw it at a motorcycle show in Minneapolis last February. I called dealers every month after that viewing to get in line for my purchase. Last month I put in an order with Leo’s South in Lakeville, MN to have a GSX S1000F delivered. To say I was excited is an understatement. I even went so far as to order Suzuki heated grips, tank protectors, and valve stem caps.
On October 17th I went to pick up my bike and I got a less than good feeling right away. When I completed the paperwork and went out to see my bike, I was greeted by a left mirror that had a rounded adjustment nut, forks that were in position 1 on the Renthal fat bar instead of the “dot” being lined up with the top clamps, and my heated grip controller being way out of alignment with my other controls. I spoke to the service writer and explained that I wanted these things corrected. The issues were corrected but I got a lot of excuses like “this bike is so new we don’t know how to set it up” and “we can’t help but scratch up the mirror nuts because Suzuki made them out of black painted aluminum”. I stated that the bar has a “dot” for alignment and why would you think I would accept a mirror with a nut that is rounded off?
I found more problems when I got the bike to my house. The adjuster for compression on the right fork was really deformed as if it was turned hard against the internal stop with a screwdriver. This was straight from the factory as far as I can tell. I managed to very lightly sand down the aluminum adjuster with 600 grit abrasive paper to take out the damage and polish out the adjuster to a very nice shine. I did this because if it were warrantied, I don’t trust Leo’s South not to do damage to the fork or other parts as they would be removed and installed. Most concerning is that I will always wonder if the compression adjuster was damaged internally from being over torqued. I guess I will never know.
Then I noticed a scratch on the pointed part of my blue fairing side panel. It is about 1/8” long and down to the plastic. It was really disappointing on a new bike. I have asked Leo’s South to look into warranty replacement on this. The final let down for me was how the heated grip control is mounted. It almost guarantees that the plating on the bracket is scratched off as the mirror is tightened down and cannot be set in a fixed position as the mirror is tightened. This makes alignment of the mirror and heated grip controls an incredibly difficult task.
After all of this I went for a 100 mile ride on October 17th. About 60 miles in I noticed that my right mirror kept coming loose and swinging around. I went back to the dealer to have this addressed and once again it was excuse after excuse about Suzuki build quality. Leo’s South ended up removing my front windshield to adjust my right mirror which I felt was unnecessary and will not guarantee the mirror will stay in position. I also let them know that I had a hard time seeing out of the mirrors and it looks as if they rotated my controls to move the mirrors. They did not state this was done but I have a chip on my front brake master cylinder now that was not there before I brought it in. I really wanted my controls in the stock position. I even went so far as to purchase the Suzuki shop manual to see if there is a dot or some other procedure to line up the controls but I could find nothing in the manual. This was really disappointing and gave the dealer another excuse to set my bike up any way they want. Another issue I pointed out after Leo’s South re-tightened my right mirror was that the heated grip control on my left mirror was out of place and up against my left hand controls. I stated that they must have tried to tighten my left mirror. The response from the technician was “I did not move the left mirror”. I responded with “then why has my heated grip control been moved”? At this point the technician became frustrated and loosened the mirror with his hands adjusted the bracket and retightened the mirror with his hands. No tools were used and this was completely unprofessional.
After all of this I have a bike in my garage that is 2 weeks old with suspension adjusters I had to sand and polish with possible internal damage, a chipped master cylinder bracket, a scratched fairing, mirrors with scratched up adjuster nuts, and a heated grip bracket that has plating scratched off by the adjuster nut. There is no guarantee my mirrors will stay in place and I cannot trust Leo’s South. I just wanted you to know about this experience because it has me wanting to sell my bike and go back to the many Honda motorcycles I have had over the years. Honda build quality seems to be taken with greater consideration to error proofing and the dealers I have dealt with are more quality and customer service oriented.
Now that I have brought my concerns about build quality and dealer support to light, I wanted to offer a solution instead of just pointing out flaws. If Suzuki could have all of my damaged parts replaced with new ones at a new dealer under warranty that would be a reasonable solution to me. This would consist of new forks, new mirrors, a new painted side fairing, master cylinder and heated grip controller. I realize that these are a lot of expensive items so I am relying on Suzuki’s honor and reputation to make this right."

I got a call today from Suzuki after reading my letter and they said they would stand behind their dealer and will do NOTHING for me. Suzuki said the dealer trumps the customer. Not even a "we are sorry about your experience". Unbelievable. I hate to say this but as great as this bike is, I have owned my last Suzuki.

 

[j0oftheworld]

Sounds like a dealer problem not a Suzuki issue..
From my experiences the big 'dealerships' often have the weakest mechanics. If I can't do it myself I take it to someone who's reputation depends on their work.
Sorry you're going through this man. It's tough when you trust something you've worked hard for in someone's hands and they neglect it.
If the rebound adjuster is unusable you might have to get nasty.. other than that maybe look for a solid mechanic in your area!

 

[Gixxus]

Sounds like a dealer problem not a Suzuki issue..
From my experiences the big 'dealerships' often have the weakest mechanics. If I can't do it myself I take it to someone who's reputation depends on their work.
Sorry you're going through this man. It's tough when you trust something you've worked hard for in someone's hands and they neglect it.
If the rebound adjuster is unusable you might have to get nasty.. other than that maybe look for a solid mechanic in your area!

Yeah. The dealer is certainly more at fault but Suzuki really should'nt let this slide.

 

[Mythic]

i phoned around dealers and spoke with the mechanic before i purchased my bike. My local dealer is not just bad but dangerous. The solution i ended upon was buying from a dealer 11 hours away however this was the best decision i ever made. When my bike was delayed the dealer provided me with a bike to tide me over free of charge. when my bike turned up they called me and said your bike is here its inside and still in the crate when would you like to come and put it together with us. Even better was when i did arrive the mechanic blatantly said i know you worked in bike shops and if you have any special tips you can pass on i am interested i respect the old school mechanics and am willing to consider any tips you can offer. The bike i took away with me was setup to my exact liking and no corners were cut.

Finally the dealer has identified my area as a possible area to start another shop that offers quality rather than rock bottom prices. If this works out one of the services they considering is a viewing chair where you can sit and watch your pride and joy being serviced/ fixed and can be consulted on your personal opinions should you wish. I have spent time discussing with the owner of the dealership and his aim is to 1. do a 100% job no short cuts 2. fix things that Must be fixed and build a trust with the customer so they understand must means must and finally offer advice as if it were his own bike on things he thinks might want doing or keeping an eye on.

I really hope his plans work out and i will support him wherever and however i can. When i worked in a dealership people came to me as a person because they trusted me and i was honest about the things that needed doing. I also found i made more money and sold more things by stating things like your rear brake works fine but the pads need replacing soon they are not under the limit but you should keep an eye on them. If it were my bike i would be replacing them within the next month or so. the usual response was ok can you do them now so i don't worry or i cant afford it right now but i will bring it back in for you to do next month. I usually found they would and no i did not take their details and harass them on email 30 days later. I left it up to the customer to decide. Simple business provide a good service that people trust and they come back !!

 

[Czechmate]

Good and bad every where and I'm not just talking about Suzuki. I consider myself both lucky and pleased that I researched the dealer as I was buying the bike blind because there were no test ride bikes in the country, the bottom line was that with quick responses to emails and phone calls and speaking with the sales department I gained confidence in their reply's and attitude to customer questions, nothing was a problem or an annoyance. When the bike arrived at my house, there was a quick inspection and all was good.

There are always dealers who hire poor quality staff and provide poor quality service but they never last very long and are only in it to make as much as possible in the time available. Sometimes the cheapest price should be a warning. I for one will stick with the long established dealerships rather than the all new flash discount places that are gone as quickly as they arrived.

Just saying : - )

 

[Gixxus]

Yeah. The shop I bought from is a bigger one but it's family owned and the techs are relatives. That should be a warning right there.

 

[blueglue]

To be fair when the laquer/clear coat had worn on my 300 mile tank the dealership covered it with a tank pad and charged me for it. when Suzuki themselves found out they instructed the dealership to replace the whole tank.

Your dealership sounds awful though. Suzuki send out compulsory delivery settings on bikes as my dealer wouldn't deviate from them. Basically we should all receive our bikes identical.

I had a Peugeot once that went to a normal garage with a misfire, it was there for two weeks before being towed to a so called 'specialist' who charge me £400 and didnt fix the issue (ECU, sensors all replaced).

A friend then diagnosed the problem as a coil pack (1 of 4) within 20 minutes. Total cost £50, but i had already bought another car as this one would stall as you slowed down for junctions.
Lots of phone calls and letters got me nowhere and they never had my business again.

 

[ackack]

Researching dealers is what I did as well.
I now go to a dealer that's 30 miles away when I could go to one that's 7 miles away.
They are all franchises as far as I know and some care and some don't but to get crap from Suzuki head office is not on.

 

[Gixxus]

Researching dealers is what I did as well.
I now go to a dealer that's 30 miles away when I could go to one that's 7 miles away.
They are all franchises as far as I know and some care and some don't but to get crap from Suzuki head office is not on.

I appreciate the comments. Thanks.

 

[Gregg]

Researching dealers is what I did as well.
I now go to a dealer that's 30 miles away when I could go to one that's 7 miles away.
They are all franchises as far as I know and some care and some don't but to get crap from Suzuki head office is not on.

I tend to agree with this. Unfortunately, from the content of your letter to Suzuki USA, it appears that most, if not all, of the damage was done by the dealer. Having seen the condition the bikes come in when crated, I'd also lay the problems you attributed to Suzuki fit/finish/quality on your dealer's doorstep as well.

That being the case, I think it's unreasonable for Suzuki to eat the cost of damage done by the dealer or to rectify modifications that you undertook on your own accord. While I would hope that they might assist and mediate any resolution discussions you might have with the dealer once you have exhausted all avenues w/ the dealer yourself, it doesn't sound like you had gotten to that point yet.

From your letter it sounds like most of your interraction w/ the dealer was with the service director and the tech staff. What I would have done was compose a letter and make phone calls to the shop's GM or owner. Give them the opportunity to make things right and when that's been exhausted, provide Suzuki USA with all documentation (not just your letter above, but all work orders, responses from the GM, etc).

I purchased my bike from a dealer that's 70mi away from home and plan on letting them do major service rather than the biggest dealer in the area (just 5mi from home) because they have a much better reputation in the both sales department and service department. How do I know that? Research, word of mouth from friends (who have bought multiple bikes there and had them services), and experience (I brought my old SV there a few years ago and found them to competent, transparent, and fair. I realize that buying a bike isn't the same as buying a car because typically the dealer network is much smaller, but you always have choices.

Good luck and I sincerely hope you get the many problems resolved to your satisfaction.

 

[Gixxus]

Working with the dealer would'nt matter. I spoke to the owner and he gave lip service to making it right but just had his "warranty" lady deal with it. Ultimately, she told me Suzuki would do nothing. Even when I spoke to the owner he looked pissed as if I was a bother and said his son was the mechanic. How far do you really think I would have gotten after that response. Trust me they would not have helped. Also, the only modification I made was to clean up the adjusters, which I only did since I hadn't gotten any help with the paint scratch (because I had "accepted" the bike and taken it home). Not only that but if they changed the fork, the dealer would just have done more damage. Ultimately, I will not accept that Suzuki would not advocate for me with the dealer. Completely unacceptable.

 

[Gregg]

I guess my point is that your letter to Suzuki, while awfully touching, is asking them to compensate you directly (by paying for fixing / replacing) at a different dealer rather than mediating anything at all with the dealer that did the damage and should be on the hook. You did not ask them to advocate for you. You proposed that something completely different.

I would recommend sending a similar letter to the owner / GM and let them respond(you want to have all communication documented). If you fail to get satisfaction, contact the Better Business Bureau or your local TV station if they have a consumer reporter.

I get the impression from your letter and your last post that you are swayed into inaction by the looks and responses of those who are being (rightfully) backed into a corner. Don't let they weasel out of the corner. If the "warranty lady" says the Suzuki won't do anything, then you tell her that you don't expect Suzuki to do anything. You expect the dealer to make things right...and if they refuse to do so, get it in writing.

 

[Czechmate]

Yeah. The shop I bought from is a bigger one but it's family owned and the techs are relatives. That should be a warning right there.

Your not from Alabama are you? I have seen 'My Cousin Vinny' So I know what goes on down there. Was billed as a comedy but I got the sneaking impression it was a documentary.

Just saying : - )

 

[Gixxus]

I guess my point is that your letter to Suzuki, while awfully touching, is asking them to compensate you directly (by paying for fixing / replacing) at a different dealer rather than mediating anything at all with the dealer that did the damage and should be on the hook. You did not ask them to advocate for you. You proposed that something completely different.

I would recommend sending a similar letter to the owner / GM and let them respond(you want to have all communication documented). If you fail to get satisfaction, contact the Better Business Bureau or your local TV station if they have a consumer reporter.

I get the impression from your letter and your last post that you are swayed into inaction by the looks and responses of those who are being (rightfully) backed into a corner. Don't let they weasel out of the corner. If the "warranty lady" says the Suzuki won't do anything, then you tell her that you don't expect Suzuki to do anything. You expect the dealer to make things right...and if they refuse to do so, get it in writing.

I understand what you are saying but I just don't want them near my motorcycle so going to them is pointless. Good input though.

 

[blueglue]

There google reviews make some interesting reading

https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#q=leo's+south+motorsports+lakeville&lrd=0x87f63995acd82045:0xd693a27f99982f0d,1

 

[TTNorth]

My left mirror keeps getting loose and swings back into my arm. I re-tighten and it still does it.

 

[Gixxus]

My left mirror keeps getting loose and swings back into my arm. I re-tighten and it still does it.

This is good info. The F mirrors look way too big for their mounting post. In fact, the first time I saw an F on line I noticed the non fairing mounted mirrors and thought this might be an issue.

 

[tonyt]

This is good info. The F mirrors look way too big for their mounting post. In fact, the first time I saw an F on line I noticed the non fairing mounted mirrors and thought this might be an issue.

Have the same problem on my SV1000...

 

[Stromer]

I really felt like I should share this. I bought my GSXS1000F back in October from a local dealer and had massive issues. This is part of the letter I wrote to Suzuki's and their response below. I really hope this helps someone in the future.

You should copy and past that entire letter into reviews for the dealership on Google and Yelp, just to ward others.

 

[Gixxus]

You should copy and past that entire letter into reviews for the dealership on Google and Yelp, just to ward others.

Stromer, I was hoping you would respond after I saw your scratch ordeal. I just might take your advice. The only thing that has stopped me from posting is that they might call me and I don't want anything to do with them.