[PeteW]

Oddly, that job takes me 30 minutes to an hour on a good day and I don't have a lift.

Most of the time is changing the rear sprocket, followed by some cursing when reassembling the rear wheel. (Cut the chain off, don't break it)
I'll concede I have screwed up now and then and it's dragged on for two weeks , but the screwups were due to it being years since I last did the job and the delays were waiting for new master links. Neither are problems a real mechanic should have.

Confident that were I doing that often I'd be hitting 30 minutes/zero errors reliably.

Being ripped off like that are why I now do those jobs myself.

It does sometimes cost me some downtime waiting for parts and I occasionally screw up but delays are an issue with shops now, they don't keep common items in stock and order on demand, that appears save THEM a little money but it goes pear shaped spectacularly now and then.

All in all I'm well ahead, even allowing for the occasional redo. I'm not dissing you for using a shop but ask around and see if there's an independent somewhere who's less expensive.

 

[PeteW]

I don't object to $120/hour.

I do object to paying 4 hours for a 30 minute job. That would immediately put that shop into the "Not to be trusted" basket.

 

[PeteW]

To be fair there.
Officially mechanics do get trained on what to do with current machines, and machines they don't know may take a little longer. (I'm not saying that actually happens note, just that it's part of being a dealer that SHOULD be happening)

Charging that for something like a tire change or chain and sprockets does seem like gouging anyway. Fair enough for say a valve adjust where it's all new, you may be dealing with brittle plastics, corroded fasteners. What I actually believe is someone got away with that, then everyone followed because mo $

 

[PeteW]

The other comment is that DL650's haven't changed that much. Still made and even a 10 year old DL650 is mostly the same as the 2022 model once you get past "Bold new graphics"

 

[PeteW]

Manufacturers are only required to make parts for 10 yrs after building a machine. How much fun is it to track down after the oem quits supporting it because it never sold as a part.

It can get very frustrating the older the machine to try and find parts or make something work.

In this case there were no parts to hunt down, they were supplied. The job should take an hour tops.

I agree with POTENTIAL problems but if you are charging an hourly rate you've covered that.

 

[PeteW]

I have to work on all types of industrial material handling equipment and can completely understand the surcharge on older machines. Just removing screws and bolts can be a real chore as steel and aluminum don't get along well at that age and breakage is common due to the metals bonding from galvanic action. All bikes and quads I work on get anti seize on the hardware.

Sure, if you are quoting up front that's fair.

Charging by the hour not so fair, probably technically illegal because of the double billing.

Pete