sv650 with european headlight

Bear says...

I don't think they are that blatant about it. Obviously they want to
promote Honda products wherever possible, but they can't control what a
dealer stocks in the way of used machines. They do make noises when
dealers are stocking parallels though, as they have a major downer on
them for obvious reasons. Just think back to the fight they had in the
European courts with importers like Granby's in Ilkeston.

Hondas corporate image is all encompassing. They are actively
encouraging chosen dealers to become solus dealerships, which is a hell
of an undertaking if you do it Honda's way. Eventually they plan to have
their bike dealer network running in the same manner as their car side
does, with no other vehicles sharing showroom floor space with the
Hondas.[1] They control just about every step involved and things like
shopfronts and internal fittings can only be manufactured and installed
by their own chosen contractors. This naturally doesn't come cheap
because you can bet your arse that Honda themselves are taking a cut,
and many dealers just can't be arsed to do this with the bike market the
way it is. Many older and more traditional dealers who've sold Honda in
small numbers since the 60s and 70s are dumping them as they just don't
have the backing to go this route. The bigger boys are obviously doing
enough sales to pay for it and forcing the smaller ones out.

Personally, I wouldn't be interested in a Honda franchise, too much tail
wagging the dog for my liking. I've worked with Honda UK on numerous
approved aftermarket accessory leather trim projects and they were so
very demanding that we came close to telling them to piss off on almost
every one of them.

[1] Back in 1995 I spent 3 months selling new Honda cars for Davenport
Vernon Honda in Milton Keynes. We weren't even allowed to prep used cars
from other manufacturers in the Honda workshops, we had to use the
Jaguar one. Honda stipulate that if you run a multi-franchise dealership
then you have to have a seperate buildings and seperate workshops for
the Honda franchise. We even used to transfer some used other franchise
cars to the Jaguar side just to keep them happy. You can't have their
product and anyone elses under the same roof.

--
Lozzo
Track pixie
GSX-R1000 K1
ZX-7R
GPZ500S

 

I suspect once you threaten them with it, or actually serve it, they'll
just pay up. It's a real PITA for them too - and if they know they are
in the wrong, they know they'll lose in court (whereas if they know they
are in the wrong, they might not necessarily just pay up because you're
shouting without taking them to court).

Personally I'd ask them to give you a new light (if it really is a
foreign, illegal, one). If they refuse, tell them that if you haven't
got one in 14 days, you'll get one and charge them for it. Then get one
yourself. Get a mate to fit it and have him bill you. Then ask them for
the £75 + fitting + re-MOT fee.

If they don't pay up, ask them again and warn them you'll be taking the
matter to court in 14 days.

If they don't pay up, call their bluff and do it. If people just roll
over and accept these things, companies will continue to shaft us.

You could even consider:

https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/csmco2/index.jsp

And get the £75, fitting, court fee and any re-MOT charges.

Ask in uk.legal.moderated (but beware - there are some complete nutters
in there).

 

Oops, must put brain into gear next time.

Yes, you're right - but Lozzo's comment is interesting.

 

Which is presumably the reason behind the existence of Daytona, then.
--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SE-V/CBR1100XX-X/CBX1000Z
|_\_____/_| ..78875.../...19923.../..31251.
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 YTC#4
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 two#11
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17 IbB#4 PM#5 WG*
'^' RBR 2005: Abandoned - Bronze Award.

 

Maybe he's like me and hardly ever rides at night. It's very dangrous
you know.

--

Paul.
CBR1100XX SuperBlackbird
BOTAFOT #4
BOTAFOF #30
MRO #24

 

Salad Dodger says...

You mean HGB/Daytona in Ruislip? Daytona are also on Pentonville Road.

For those that don't know, HGB/Daytona have two showrooms sort of over
the road from each other in Ruislip. One doing solely Honda, the other
doing other marques. There's also a Goldwing centre 3 doors up from the
Honda place with a spares and accesories shop next door. Why the ****
they don't just find a decent site and relocate the whole lot on one
site with proper workshops, I'll never know.

--
Lozzo
Track pixie
GSX-R1000 K1
I haven't lost my mind, it's
backed up to a floppy disc
that's around here somewhere.

 

Proper workshops would be an improvement. A spares dept that didn't
treat its customers as if they were a fucking inconvenience would be
handy, too.
--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SE-V/CBR1100XX-X/CBX1000Z
|_\_____/_| ..78875.../...19923.../..31251.
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 YTC#4
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 two#11
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17 IbB#4 PM#5 WG*
'^' RBR 2005: Abandoned - Bronze Award.

 

Salad Dodger says...

This is what I think of them:

http://groups.google.co.uk/group/uk.rec.motorcycles/browse_frm/thread/72
66f8231c86da43/08ee1d4d1f830723?
lnk=st&q=Bandit++group:uk.rec.motorcycles+author:lozzo&rnum=201&hl=en#
08ee1d4d1f830723

--
Lozzo
Track pixie
GSX-R1000 K1
I haven't lost my mind, it's
backed up to a floppy disc
that's around here somewhere.

 

I see my comments are included in that thread, too.
--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SE-V/CBR1100XX-X/CBX1000Z
|_\_____/_| ..78875.../...19923.../..31251.
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 YTC#4
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 two#11
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17 IbB#4 PM#5 WG*
'^' RBR 2005: Abandoned - Bronze Award.

 

In uk.rec.motorcycles, amazed us all with this pearl of wisdom:

Get a bit of tape and put it on the headlight on the part that makes the
beam dip the wrong way.