Recommendations for mechanic in Seattle?

[dale914]

I stopped by the Ural office in Redmond today, and they couldn't have been nicer. They were great people. They said they'd cover my gas tank on warrantee if a mechanic couldn't fix it up since the finish shouldn't spoil on first contact with gas, and they said that most first/500 mile service jobs should cost around 150 instead of 600 as quoted from Lynwood Motoplex. They recommended that I check out Cycl Path, but they said their Ural guy left a year ago. So, I'll contact them again, but their advice was also "check with the forums on who'd they recommend, the forums are very helpful and a good community" so there you go, straight from IMZ HQ! So I'm looking for a competent, straight shooter mechanic in the Seattle area, any pointers?
Thanks guys and gals

[windmill]

It's not hard to do, if you want to learn how to do it, I could walk you through it.

[AndyH]

What did they say about the absolutely JUNK gearbox?

[cateyetech]

What did they say about the absolutely JUNK gearbox?

Hewy AH
They said you should drive a older one & check that out

[dale914]

What did they say about the absolutely JUNK gearbox?

They said they are often like that when new and usually get better by 1,600 miles, but to try and put it into reverse and back to forward next time, which is what I've found that works. I've also just pushed on the forward step and without feeling any movement it seems to help.

[dale914]

It's not hard to do, if you want to learn how to do it, I could walk you through it.

It all seems very straight forward, I'll need to get the geese gun adaptor, washers and gaskets and shouldbe set. I won't hesitate to send you a message of I get hung up and cry into the oil pan.

[AndyH]

What did they say about the absolutely JUNK gearbox?

They said they are often like that when new and usually get better by 1,600 miles, but to try and put it into reverse and back to forward next time, which is what I've found that works. I've also just pushed on the forward step and without feeling any movement it seems to help.

The really interesting thing about this, and the lesson for IMWA, is that dealers who don't understand the bike are selling a commodity and not an experience. This is the best way to get horrible feedback and lose a new user base. IMWA need to nurture the new user base and they won't do that with clowns in the industry. If the sales person spent 10 minutes explaining the vagaries of the bike before Dale914 rode away, including the slightly odd gear change and the service cost, he wouldn't have posted here and might have been happily posting about what a great machine he owned.

[dale914]

What did they say about the absolutely JUNK gearbox?

They said they are often like that when new and usually get better by 1,600 miles, but to try and put it into reverse and back to forward next time, which is what I've found that works. I've also just pushed on the forward step and without feeling any movement it seems to help.

The really interesting thing about this, and the lesson for IMWA, is that dealers who don't understand the bike are selling a commodity and not an experience. This is the best way to get horrible feedback and lose a new user base. IMWA need to nurture the new user base and they won't do that with clowns in the industry. If the sales person spent 10 minutes explaining the vagaries of the bike before Dale914 rode away, including the slightly odd gear change and the service cost, he wouldn't have posted here and might have been happily posting about what a great machine he owned.

And that's feedback that I gave them and they understood, they said "yes we have some big box stores that push products and don't care about customers and some that care so much that are developing like we are"
Sounds like they are a small company with a dozen or so ( I counted 7) employees in the US pushing barely more than a thousand units a year here, Europe and domestic Russia where the bikes cost almost twice what Russian SUVs and sedans cost, down 99% productive from 20 years ago. "They are what they are" as you may be trying to convey to me, but how can a dozen people manage all of the dealers throughout the works that put out a few bikes each? They have a dealer in Idaho Falls, both parties could be amazing, but a dealer in a town of 60k people making 30k GDP, that's their reality, they aren't Harley. I get it, they get it, we get it.

[stickerbush]

So I'm looking for a competent, straight shooter mechanic in the Seattle area, any pointers?

dale914, were you ever able to locate someone to service your rig? Have you tried Vallantine Motor Works? They specialize in BMWs but service all makes of motorcycles. I can vouch that they are good, honest mechanics but don't know how much if any experience they have with Urals.

[Claus]

What did they say about the absolutely JUNK gearbox?

Hewy AH
They said you should drive a older one & check that out

Honestly speaking, the 2017 and 2018 Ural gearboxes are the best Ural gearboxes I have ever used. They have so much improved since ,say 2007 0r 2008, it´s unbelievable. Shifts like you´re on a real motor cycle.

[rivers]

Not in Seattle but one of the oldest established Ural dealers is UralNW up in Ferndale. Haven't heard much about them in a couple years but they used to know Urals really well. They changed their name and their major line is now BMW with Ural a secondary line so don't know how much of their old crew is still around. They used to have a stellar reputation and a google search for UralNW will get you there.

[Marine Corps Codu]

I used Ural NW in Ferndale for my 2nd service and some adjustment/warranty issues. Nice people. I took in 3 days ahead of my scheduled appointment as they said they might be able to fit it in early. 11 days later finally got it back. While I was disappointed with the delay they did good work. It DOES seem that Urals are their secondary brand, hence not their top priority. But MUCH less expensive than Lynnwood MotoPlex. Just my humble opinion.

[dale914]

thanks guys

[atlasheating]

The guys in Ferndale are really good and know their stuff. I bought my first 2004 Ural from them (used). They had gone through the entire rig and had it in perfect condition. I did have one problem with the Rotor and when I got it into the service department, they found the problem and fixed it in a couple of hours. You may have to wait, but they are good.