Text 29383, 88 rader
Skriven 2009-03-15 12:30:40 av Robert Bashe (2:2448/44)
  Kommentar till text 29205 av Michiel van der Vlist (2:280/5555)
Ärende: Bikes
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Michiel van der Vlist wrote to Robert Bashe on Saturday March 14 2009 at 15:30:

MV> So the situation *is* different. In Germany the one who does the
MV> inspection and the one making a profit on the required repairs is not
MV> the same.

No, there are special inspection installations here and they do no repairs.

MV> Here they are the same.

Now, that's a dangerous combination for the customer, as you go on to describe.

MV> One advantage of having the garage do the inspection is that when
MV> something turn up that needs to be repaired in order to pass, the
MV> garage may suspend the inspection, do the repairs and then continue
MV> with the inspection.

Here there are two classes of problems that can be found: the "minor" problems
such as not enough tread on a tire or a defective headlight or weak horn, and
"major" problems so serious that they present a safety risk.

If you have more than one or two "minor" problems, you'll have to get them
fixed and go back for a "post-inspection", which is pretty straight-forward and
inexpensive.

If the problems are really "major" (rust-ravaged frame, steering with a lot of
play, brakes inadequate, with totally different effect on the various wheels
(that could cause a skid if you have to brake hard sometime), the inspectors
can even declare your car unsafe and not allow you to drive away with it. But
that's a rare occasion.

Some people have their cars inspected by a garage before going for the
inspection, but most (including the inspectors) recommend first doing the
inspection and only then doing possibly necessary repairs - that's cheaper.

MV>>> I dearly miss my fathers garage. With grease pit, workbench and a 3
MV>>> meter wide rack of tools. In my youth I spend many hours there. Not
MV>>> shying away from removing an engine or a gear box and overhauling
MV>>> them.

RB>> Sounds like paradise...

MV> It was. Unfortunately one often does not fully appriciate these things
MV> until one no longer has them... :-(\

Reminds me of the old saying that "you never know you're living in paradise
until it ends" - never were truer words spoken.

RB>> I always wanted something like that, but am not too old for any
RB>> serious repair work.

MV> I take it you mean yor are *now* too old for it.

Right. I try to eliminate all the typos, but sometimes overlook one and this
one was really "good", totally changing the sense of the sentence. Glad you
caught it.

MV>>> Well, those days are past. I can only do light repairs now.

RB>> And I don't do much of anything, except that now I have to replace
RB>> the brake lever on the right side (end broken off in a fall, which
RB>> would be mentioned at the inspection),

MV> My guess is that here that would be a raison to not pass the
MV> inspection. Well, raplacing the brake lever should not be that hard,
MV> should it?

Easy as pie. Remove one screw pin and nut holding the lever, pull it out and
replace. I bought the spare parts (needed a new battery too) from an outfit
called MVH (Motorradverwertung Hamburg GmbH) through eBay, as they would have
been much too expensive here in the area, and got _very_ fast service. Replaced
the lever yesterday, and I'm "topping off" the battery with a charger before
installing it today. This is, incidently, a "gel" type battery, completely
sealed, that can be installed in any position and won't leak. Much more
practical than an open lead-acid battery, particularly for people like me who
repeatedly manage to (gently, but inexorably) allow their bikes to tip over on
one side.

MV> Same her. My Honda needs a new seal in the front suspension. Found it
MV> on the net...

In that respect, we're a good deal better off than earlier. Not so hard to find
parts now as it once was.

Cheers, Bob

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