Halford V Bikebitz

[catsbum]

BikeBitz Yateley

Need to do that oil change, last one didnt get filter

Go to Yateley, Bikebitz, £8.50 please. Ok, so its a genuine Yamaha part.
How much for the Oil? £33 please, bought the filter and rode off into the pouring rain.

Stopped off at Halfords.. Champion 302 Filter. £2.45ish [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ohmy.gif[/img]

Same Oil...........£28.00

Nuff said

I go to Bikebitz once a year, bit like KFC, then after remember how bad they were

Moving on

cats

[dapleb]

You probably didnt get the big O ring with the genuine filter either (which you do with the CHUMPion X302).

[catsbum]

<!--quoteo(post=164142:date=Sat 29th May 2010, 11:23 AM:name=dapleb)-->QUOTE(dapleb @ Sat 29th May 2010, 11:23 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->You probably didnt get the big O ring with the genuine filter either (which you do with the CHUMPion X302).<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ranting.gif[/img] [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ranting.gif[/img]

[Studley Ramrod]

Or the free set of screwdrivers, if you buy the oil at the right time [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif[/img]

[erny]

or the 2 for 1 big mac and fries offer you get from maccy D's next door

[Guest]

Did you try Hein Gericke,

They were doing an offer---- Oil and Filter for £20 [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/clapping.gif[/img]

[stu]

<!--quoteo(post=164154:date=Sat 29th May 2010, 03:44 PM:name=Paddy900)-->QUOTE(Paddy900 @ Sat 29th May 2010, 03:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Did you try Hein Gericke,

They were doing an offer---- Oil and Filter for £20 [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/clapping.gif[/img]<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->



Kick a man while he's down, why dontcha

[TonyDevil]

unlike most independant local bike shops the guys are bikebitz are extremely unhelpful, especially when you compare the service & prices to the likes of MPC in Reading
i can forgive the sometimes slightly higher prices the independant shops have to charge to stay afloat but there has to be something there that makes it worth dealing with them
not only are the people in Bikebitz unhelpful, most of them aint got a clue what a bike is, last time i was in there around 18months ago neither of the shop 'assistants' actually rode a bike

[catsbum]

Well, if it wasnt for me going past there this morning I would have gone to Reading\MPC

Thanks for the Hairy Girkin tipoff, 8 hours too late [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dry.gif[/img]

This post was last modified: 29-05-2010, 04:33 PM by catsbum.

[TonyDevil]

<!--quoteo(post=164165:date=Sat 29th May 2010, 05:32 PM:name=CatsBum)-->QUOTE(CatsBum @ Sat 29th May 2010, 05:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Well, if it wasnt for me going past there this morning I would have gone to Reading\MPC

Thanks for the Hairy Girkin tipoff, 8 hours too late [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dry.gif[/img]<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/giveusahug.gif[/img]
gimme a shout mate

[catsbum]

<!--quoteo(post=164168:date=Sat 29th May 2010, 05:53 PM:name=TonyDevil)-->QUOTE(TonyDevil @ Sat 29th May 2010, 05:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/giveusahug.gif[/img]
gimme a shout mate<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->


Bit of a flat spin tonight, Lost all thrust..... [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/blink.gif[/img]

[ChrisG]

Has Bykebitz changed hands or something? Iv'e not been in there in a while but thay always used to be really helpfull.

[catsbum]

Chris,
The shop layout was shit. normally I would put my lid down and browse, it was cluttered and messy. hand written signs and 2 staff, in n out in less than 4 mins

[AlunL]

Just my opinion, but I prefer using local independants wherever possible. Bought a battery for my GS550 and oil/filter and paid about £3 more than Halfords charge... But if I get a problem, Halfords are shite where as Syd and Phil in my local bike shop (South Wales Superbikes) always help me out. I used to use Cwmbran Motorcycles, but they had to close a couple of years ago saying they can't compete with the multiples any more. That was a shame because again the owner/mechanic/salesperson/tea maker Ash always sorted my TDM and gave free advice/tea/rollies etc. You wont get that from Helfords or any other chain store multiples etc...

If all the independants close, what would our world look like? Is it really worth saving a few pennies to risk loosing some great shops? On the other hand, sounds like Bikebitz are shooting themselves in the foot.

[TonyDevil]

if those independants are just another shop where the people staffing it can offer little or no advice about the products they sell (like Halfords ***) then i see no value in their existence

***not all Halfords are bad, a couple of times i've been caught out with problems and the shop in Southend which is run by a motorcycle enthuasiast has been more than helpful [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif[/img]