Midland Superbikes
Monday 22nd October
So I bought my bike from a dealer (who shall remain nameless other than in the title of this post and a little bit further down) which was about 30 miles away, and at the time I consciously figured - due to the distance - that I would treat it like a private sale, helped by the fact that the price I paid was lower than the book price for a private sale.
While I was looking at it to buy, I noticed the chain looked a little old and corroded and pointed this out to them. “Oh yes… we give it a full service and pre-delivery inspection, so if it needs a new chain, it’ll have one”.
So it’s a good job I did treat it as a private sale because while lubricating the chain today, I noticed a mark on the swingarm which says “replace chain” and the chain tension adjuster was many millimeters past this mark. So their pre-delivery inspection didn’t involve making sure the chain was ok.
Oh yeah… nor did it involve putting the right amount of air in the tyres.
So, my advice would be go, by all means, to Midland Superbikes for your bike - but, as I did, treat it as a private sale.
And check the tyres asap.
At least it has fixed the funny, nervousness-inducing handling problem I was experiencing.
Oh, and I’m getting the chain and sprockets done on Thursday. So that’s nice.
Update 18-January-08: They said they had fitted a new battery, too. Well yesterday I had my new battery fitted. I’m not sure that was true either.
I’ve had to put my bike riding ambitions on the back burner. Grrr.
loretta
22 Oct 07 at 9:03 pm
Awww
Still… it’ll wait. It did for me
Though if you wait until next October, that’s when the new Impossible To Pass™ test comes in.
stu
22 Oct 07 at 9:05 pm
Selling dodgy bikes means they need a good slap.
JG
22 Oct 07 at 9:25 pm
Did they ever address you as ‘mate’?
“Orright mate, whatcha afta?”
Motorcycling, I enjoy. Conversations with melonheads who work in motorcycle shops, I do not.
Phil
22 Oct 07 at 9:26 pm
Hehe… no Phil, they didn’t address me as mate, thankfully. They even made me a cup of tea, and I’m afraid after tea, I’m anybody’s.
And the bike isn’t ‘dodgy’ per se, JG. Just not up to the standard I would expect from a reputable dealer.
stu
22 Oct 07 at 9:27 pm
I wouldn’t class midland superbikes as a reputable dealer.
I can think of a few places that I would rather go to if I was getting a new motorbike. I think I would be trying car dealers before Midland superbikes.
plumsie
23 Oct 07 at 6:48 am
Haha… good comment, Plumsie.
stu
23 Oct 07 at 8:09 am
So they are replacing the chain FOC? Still, I think, they should have checked total road safety before handing it over to somebody who has just passed his test. They weren’t to know that you are technically good enough to work all this out yourself.
(and note to self…..”and I’m afraid after tea, I’m anybody’s”….good to know)
Kika
23 Oct 07 at 8:17 am
No, they’re not, Kika… like I said, I’m treating it as a private sale, and not letting them touch my bike again. I’ve booked into a local shop for the chain and sprockets.
Yes, they should have checked it, but they didn’t. I had a gut feeling when I went there that they weren’t up to scratch - but it got me the bike I wanted for cheaper than I could get it anywhere else, and after the fixes it still comes out way below a dealer price. So I am the winner!
stu
23 Oct 07 at 8:21 am
Just remember, With the new chain and sprockets you will have more power than you would have with the old one.
Be careful when you get back on.
plumsie
23 Oct 07 at 9:44 pm
Noted. Thanks, I hadn’t considered that.
stu
23 Oct 07 at 9:45 pm
Badly maintained chains can snap. That can lead to, well, no I won’t say. Imagine the _worst_ possible thing that can happen when you’re riding a motorbike.
Get it fixed, pronto. Possibly get Midland Arseheads to foot the bill, although that’s deffo secondary.
Omally
24 Oct 07 at 7:13 pm
Yes they can. It’s going in at 9am tomorrow.
stu
24 Oct 07 at 9:09 pm
Ya I bought a bike of them two weeks ago nice people tasty aromatic coffee lovely big dogs BUT no pdi and fxxk if they did the service work shop mechanics banch of clouns
eli lee
31 Jan 08 at 5:51 am
That’s very well put, eli lee… exactly how I would have summed it up if I had though of it!
stu
31 Jan 08 at 9:26 am
For gods sake dont waste your money at midlands superbikes, the biggest con men. since trying 4 fazers all with somthing quite major wrong with them i settled on a 1998 model that they assured me would be ready when i picked it up. They took my money & the bike stayed in having repair after repair i only had it home for one night in a month. they refused a refund & it came out with a coolant leak they broke the fuel gauge & a flat battery. I sold it on ebay, since i have heard loads of horror stories from other dealers so stay away & lets hope they go bust
pete
12 Feb 08 at 8:32 pm
Bugger!! Just swapped a couple of high..ish mileage bikes for a bike from there. Bloody thing keeps registering as the stand being down even when its up so i can’t go anywhere!!! Waiting for a call back as I write this!!! I’ll let yiou know when the call comes…………………………………………
Ian
23 Feb 08 at 11:45 am
Interesting….The power of the Internet to comment on service provided by a business…. bought my bike from MSB about a year ago. They included a free engine service, oil / filter / plugs - however when I looked the oil filter bolt looked completely unmarked by a spanner - slightly rusty. I questioned them about this several times and always got the answer that the service had been done. I doubt it.
Warranty appointment for two faults not properly booked. Declined to fix one fault until I went back for a service - which I have no intention of doing. I suggest that the (non essential) part cost was too high for them to meet.
However can’t complain about mechanic - suspect that they have massive turnover of bikes at lowish mergins and administration cannot match throughput required of service & warranty.
Can’t complain about accessories - Bike cover which failed after 1 year was replaced with no quibble.
Buy with your eyes on the condition of the machine and ignore what you are told - They are sales men after all.
I bought my bike because it was low mileage supported by evidence of MOTs and service book and I like it and because it suits my needs.
seawolf
24 Mar 08 at 10:00 pm
booked in my honda (bought from msb 3 months earlier) for service , on arrival was met with “what do you want”.
A service, my bike is booked in for a service at 9.00am.
“theres not a mechanic working today”
Good god you took the booking and now your saying theres not a mechanic avaliable.
“Yeah book it in next week their should be someone here then”
So i went home disgruntled, re-booked through the manager of msb and on arrival for said service for the second time i was met with “what do you want” ?
fuckwits!!!
RIV
27 Apr 08 at 8:11 pm
Another thing i never recieved my log book they said they’d send it, dvla had it as ‘unknown keeper’? And about the mechanic he gun gummed my exhaust instead of replacing part & snapped a wire of my fuel sender unit & didn’t admit to it? I tell anyone i meet to steer clear hopefully the t**ts will go bust soon or appear on watch dog
pete
11 May 08 at 8:11 pm
Fancy that I purchased a bike from them and they assured me the log book had been sent away, they had not taxed the bike so I couldnt tax it without the log book. DVLA said they had not got the log book. Guess what it was still with previous owner. Day after I purchased the bike the sprocket went so they had to come and collect it. Like Stu I also live a distance away. They never contacted me to say whether it was ready or what they were doing had the bike over a weekGot it back but still no log book so had to wait again before I could ride it. Got tax now fingers crossed.
Ben Parkes
14 Jun 08 at 5:04 pm
when i said id have the bike salesman said full service and pdi and a valet and a tail tidy and crash bungs will be fitted. so when i got there the flys that i got on it on a test ride were still on it dust all over it too. the chain was rusty and the crash bungs and tail tidy were still in the box like a twat i took it home because my old bike had no tax or mot or insurance and did not want to take it home.
when i called them to complain they said they said they would call me back im still waiting that was 2 weeks ago now w~~~#-=s!!!
i love the bike and it will never go in their workshops for the unqualified mechanics to work on it.
oh yeah while i was there i got talkin to a chap and he was bringin his bike back after a service cuz the muppets overfilled it with oil. i learnt a expensive lesson and will tell everyone i know to avoid them!!!!!!!
jacko
17 Jun 08 at 8:18 am
Having recently passed my CBT, I was thinking about buying a Varadero 125 from Midland Superbikes. Having been chastened enough by previous comments can someone tell me where best to buy.
The one I bought of ebay was about 5 years older then the photo and a total pile of s**te.
dutch
27 Jun 08 at 12:29 pm
i cant understand ALL of the previous comments. I bought a bike from here and I can not fault them. The service was great, friendly bunch of guys. i have told a few of my mates who are looking for bikes, and they will pay MS a visit.
kevin
27 Jun 08 at 2:00 pm
Bought mine from Midland Superbikes. Had my bike for 3 weeks, a nut came off part of the engine cover, hit the chain and put a hole in the engine casing or so the mechanic said. Took it back under warranty and have had it for 7 weeks and still not back yet. They say they ordered an enging 2 weeks ago but hasn’t turned up yet… strange. They are ok until something goes wrong. Bought in on credit card so they have until next week then I pass them over to the credit card people.
Stephen
2 Sep 08 at 3:26 pm
eh just picked up my bike with a replaced engine and replaced brand new back tyre cos part of the old engine ended up in the tyre and it was caked in oil aswell. bike looks spotless and they have fixed the number plate holder for me aswell. credit where it’s due and i didn’t even have to threaten them neither. i did wait 7 weeks but they had problems getting another engine for me. all done on warranty aswell
Stephen
11 Sep 08 at 8:37 pm
That’s great, Stephen! It’s excellent to hear some good news amongst the gloom!
Thanks for posting your experience.
stu
12 Sep 08 at 6:35 am
Well here goes with my experiance of midland superbikes.So i fancied myself a nice twin, they had a ducati 748 bip in yellow with leo vinci cans ohlins rear 1999 s-reg went out for a test ride the same day it was part ex in 11/10/2008. The bike rode great nice and sharp this is the bike for me, my bike valued and hpi all good sale price agreed. Went home to have a think all good phoned up on sunday 12/10/2008 paid my deposit over the phone, well chuffed. Popped down on monday 13/10/2008 to sort paper work out agreed to pick bike up on 15/10/2008,all done and happy, Untill tuesday 14/10/2008 when got a phone call to say the ducati had outstanding finance against it with the previous owner,alarm bells started to ring so they didn’t hpi it before they took it in?. told it would take 2-3 weeks to sort out but keep smiling. Got the bike hpi myself came back all clear.so whats going on ?.
challanged midland sb about this,was told they would look into it.no phone calls back i rang again and was told all ok now just got to service it and cambelts and its ready for you. day after day went by still no bike parts delay was now the excuss,but keep smiling.
13 days later got a call from the workshop manager to say the bikes got major problems its been to bits before and the camshaft wood druf key is scrap and its been loctited together so the bikes of the road untill we get in touch with the seller because its on sale or return, are you sure i was told it was part ex. Being curious i drove across to have a look at the damage, only to find the bike sitting back in the showroom all put back together shiney and pretty.Got told back together so we dont loose anything.Went home some what pissed off and worried. Rang midland superbikes on sunday 26/10/2008 to find out the stat of play and looking for some answers,”the bike cannot be run we are waiting on the previous owner let you know in a couple of days”. went to work that day doing a job in the hilton hotel leicester and to my surprise at lunch time my ducati 748 bip reg no s781kvv rode by me what the fuck. Rang msb straight the way “no its not your bike” dont take me for a twat any more, got put on hold then the workshop manager told me its gone back to the previous owner we have bodged it back together with loctite,utter bollocks told this morning it couldnt be started.tell me the truth. 10 minutes later they phoned me back and convessed all apprently the bike had been doubled sold and the boss pulled rank and let the other salesman have it. so my advise is steer well clear very unprofessional and total liers but dont worry very nice letter sent to trading standards,hope they get shut down.
adam
30 Oct 08 at 9:22 pm