labor rates

[fernando]

i just paid $ 96.00 for an oil change .

filter $20.00 and labor 56.00 plus oil.

 

and, $357 .00 for the fork oil change.

 

i know the oil charge is high but nothing i can do about it now.

 

but ,what is the number of hours needed for the fork oil ?

 

at $ 75.00 per hour labor rate i was hit for 4.76 hours to do it. does this time period sound right.

 

i am not complainning .only trying to get my facts correct so the i know where to go next time.

 

fernando

[dlaing]

Sonny Angel Motorcycles

December 27, 2001

Change oil and filter

Change gear oil and rear oil

adjust valves

change brake fluid

change fork oil

labor US$337.80

parts US$ 63.86

tax US$ 4.79

total US$406.45

In looking over my bill, I suspect they forgot to add the cost of the fork oil.

They charged $50 per hour four years ago, and this job took nearly 7 hours.

The same job would take me twice as long to do, so when I work on my bike, I figure I am saving $25 per hour.

I guess I got a really good deal, especially considering the cost of living in San Diego.

I suspect if you are in some place more expensive like Tokyo, San Francisco, Manhattan, London, or Rome, you are going to pay a lot more. If you are in Little Rock Arkansas, and they charge $75 per hour, I'd be complaining and would find another mechanic.

[pete roper]

To do it properly you have to take the legs out and invert them and pump 'em a bit to empty the cartridges before you turn 'em back up the right way and fill 'em up again. It's a fairly time consuming job. I haven't done one lately and can't remember how much it cost but the time figures are ball park I'd suggest.

 

Pete.

[Steve G.]

I just did this last month, changing the fork oil I mean. The toughest part of this job is getting the front end of the bike in the air. Otherwise this job is easy, perhaps a bit time consuming. Best to take one leg off at a time, and as Pete said, flip it upside down and pump it some. I let the thing stand upside down overnight as well.

I would never consider paying someone, or a shop, to do this job. I consider this part of the ownership of what is essentially a big boys toy to me.

Plus I'm cheap!

Ciao, Steve G.