BRP "Sytstem" resulting in lost customer

[h0gr1der]

I tried something with my dealer.

My 2018 RTL is experiencing the dreaded parking brake not releasing issue. Once it sits awhile it clears up, leaving only the code behind. So in anticipation I called my dealer parts department and asked them if they have in stock a #278003071 control gear motor (commonly called the parking brake motor) and a #710006574 Left Housing Switch, Automatic. They did have the motor, but were back-ordered until June 3rd on the switch housing. I need to schedule a warranty fix, and strongly suspect the motor, because each time the bike recognized the brake had been released as it didn't beep when I tried (unsuccessfully) to drive off.

So, as a small litmus test, if the dealer isn't stocking, or have on backorder the very parts that are failing the most, you have to wonder if they're really doing as good as they can to serve the customer. If they don't carry the common wear items, like brake pads, belts, etc., I'd consider a change of venue. Just my $0.02

 

[Easy Rider]

… in fact I've heard of Warranty claims were denied ……

That should NOT be a problem if the conversion is DONE by a Honda dealer.

A lot of the ones I've seen converted were out of warranty anyway.

 

[UtahPete]

BRP's dealer network is without a doubt their weakest link.

:agree: It's not set up for servicing road bikes.

 

[canamjhb]

I suspect a Ridenow dealer in the mix here. Try here for parts:https://www.cheapcycleparts.com/lp2...e6845ba1a/cooling-system-all-models#&panel1-1 I stand by my statement that if the dealer had diagnosed your problem sooner they could have ordered the parts and been ready to repair your Spyder sooner.

You are completely missing my point. The dealer was able to diagonose the problem within an hour! Getting the techs time to get TO my bike took over 3 weeks. Then they WOULD NOT order the new water pump/thermostat assembly until after they opened a "case" with BRP and confirmed warranty coverage. This process took 28 days. Again, the diagonosis happened quickly. The dealer is at the mercy of getting parts directly from Canada (BRP). I understand you and I can get parts quicker from Cheap Cycle Parts but the dealer cannot! Now the parts are ordered and I am in line (again) for the tech. I have an appointment for the techs time to put my bike back together in 2 weeks. Hopefully the parts are here by then. It is the process that BRP fosters that is driving me away. A month and a half to RR a water pump assembly is unacceptable. After the bike is fixed I plan to keep it. That is, until the next hickup. If and when that happens, I will get the bike fixed and you will see it for sale on this forum. And, no. Ride Now is not involved. I will not set foot in any of their stores.... Jim

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

And it is just the monopoly that I think BRP thrives on fostering. Warranty expires in 2 weeks. This will be my very last BRP product. BRP, you created a monopoly that requires proprietary diagnosis, products, and mechanics. That's your business model and you can live with it. I will not.

And you don't think that Ford, GM, Volvo, Lexus, and so on, do the same? Especially with their newer cars with advanced electronics.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I can order from my local auto parts store and get parts over night,why can BRP not do this ?

It's called market volume. Years ago when I lived and had a print shop in McCall, ID, two couples from California moved up there. They set up a bakery/deli. One of the owners was complaining that they could not get good sourdough bread in McCall like they were used to in San Francisco. The reason they could get it in San Francisco, and not in McCall, was exactly the same reason they left California - population density! The overall market for all things related to Can Am Spyders is small compared to most all other vehicles, be it motorcycles or cars. When you have to have a scale of operations that is profitable serving a small market, massive amounts of stocked parts isn't part of the picture. Your local auto parts store isn't buying just one or two parts for one or two customers every day. They're buying dozens of parts for dozens of customers and sharing transportation costs with every other store in the area. The Spyder service market doesn't fit that mold.

 

[canamjhb]

And you don't think that Ford, GM, Volvo, Lexus, and so on, do the same? Especially with their newer cars with advanced electronics.

NO I don't. You can go to ANY shop, auto parts store, etc and they have the ability to check engine light for codes. Not so with BRP products. There are plenty of independent shops who can and WILL work on Fords, GMs, Volvos, Lexus, and so on. Lots of independent shops for metric bikes, HDs, Vtwin, etc. NOT so for BRP products. If there is an independent shop that would even look at a Spyder, I would give them my business. BRP is so unique and secretive about their BUDS system that no one seems to be willing to spring for the expense and training necessary to accommodate customers...... Jim

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

NO I don't. You can go to ANY shop, auto parts store, etc and they have the ability to check engine light for codes. Not so with BRP products. There are plenty of independent shops who can and WILL work on Fords, GMs, Volvos, Lexus, and so on.

Unless things have changed in the past few years everyone could read codes on any car that are related to emissions. But there have been many codes the shop had to have a dealer's system to read and interpret because they are proprietary codes not related to emissions. In fact, Spyder codes we can read that are related to emissions are the same codes as for cars.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

BRP is so unique and secretive about their BUDS system that no one seems to be willing to spring for the expense and training necessary to accommodate customers...... Jim

You sure it isn't market volume that is the primary inhibitor? Cruzr Joe has and uses BUDS as do Joe & Ann Meyers, and they aren't dealers. Cruzr Joe is connected to a dealership though.

 

[Spyder Insyder]

Personally, I think there are systems available to BRP that could ease the problems with parts distribution. I had a Ural sidecar outfit for a couple years. By industry standards Ural is a very tiny company, selling 600 - 800 units in the U.S. annually. But their dealers have access to a networking system where they are able to access parts inventory from other dealers nationwide. So if they don't have the part they need for a repair, they are able to see (online) who does, and have it shipped from that dealer. Also, The American importer / business partner in Washington stocks nearly every part for every model made. Granted, Urals are much simpler machines with smaller parts counts, but they have a system to support dealers.

I think if each BRP Spyder dealer was given a unique list of mandatory parts to stock, and if the total inventory lists nationwide included nearly every part for every model of Spyder, this would form a national network where each dealer would have access to the nationwide dealer inventory, and parts could be ordered as needed from the stocking dealer. In such a scenario, delivery times should average 5-7 days.

 

[Airborne]

Just had to say. All very good points! Hope things improve!

Iwonder if BRP wonders how many sales they may miss by there System's poor performance.

 

[Easy Rider]

It's called market volume.

That only applies to the local dealer and his stock of parts.

When it comes to BRP, it is just penny pinching.....at the expense of good customer service.

Except for cost, there is NO reason that BRP could not ship parts that they have in stock via "overnight" or "second day".
They just don't understand good customer service. There is a MOUNTAIN of other evidence to support that.

Alas, a lot of big companies are like that these days.

 

[Musashi]

It's not a BRP "system" issue. You should try owning a boat or helicopter. Almost all trikes are harder to get serviced and repaired than a Spyder. Maybe you just don't want to own anything exotic or high-tech?

 

[canamjhb]

It's not a BRP "system" issue. You should try owning a boat or helicopter. Almost all trikes are harder to get serviced and repaired than a Spyder. Maybe you just don't want to own anything exotic or high-tech?

I've owned boats my entire life. Raced hydroplanes. Have had everything from 8' Hydros to 45' twin diesel cruiser. Never experienced anything remotely as ridiculous as this Spyder repair process. And, there is a good Honda dealer here, Western Honda, that does a lot of trike conversions (and service) as well as D & D Discount. They are an independent shop that also does many trike conversions, repairs, service. Then there is American Trike & Bike. Another independent that will do service and trike conversions. That's 3 shops all within 20 mile of where I live. And NONE of them will even look at a Spyder. I'am done with my rant. My points have been clearly stated. Over and OUT..... Jim

 

[Joe T.]

I can sympathize with you! I don't own a Spyder. But, in a sense, something much worse happened to me because of a 'business' model. I have a large 3-axis CNC router I use to make composite patterns, etc. I bought it used, but it had very few hours on it. A 'hangar queen,' so to speak.

Well, it had a problem that took me forever to diagnose. The machine uses TEKNIC 'drives,' industrial computers in a box that drive the servos. Each servo, there are 4, has a drive. The drives are identical except for the parameters which are unique for each servo.

To make a long, VERY LONG, story short, when the control system sent commands to all three axis (four drives), apparently the signal power was below a degrading threshold on the X-Axis drive. So, move three axis at once, and you would get an error in the X-Axis. Typically, the X-axis moved too far.

Move any two axes, including X, and everything worked great!

So, once I diagnosed it, I tried to buy a new drive from TEKNIC. Humm, they made a business decision around 2000 to not deal directly with the end user!! All service work, questions, etc. had to go through the OEM.

My OEM is a small company, CNT MOTION in the Pittsburg area. CNT did not have much time to help, unless I brought one of their CNC tech to Wichita for a few days to trouble shoot the problem, order parts, etc. Well, that was not going to happen! They do not have trained service techs anywhere but their shop.

I finally got it fixed. Works great now. But, I will NEVER buy anything that has TEKNIC part in it again! And, no more CNT Motion equipment, either.

Now here is the fun part: TEKNIC came out with a new line of servos with built in drives. They are called 'Clear Path.' These are very affordable units and, for this product line, they will deal directly with the end user!!!

Their website:

https://www.teknic.com/


Thanks for letting me rant.

Joe T.

 

[bikerbillone]

I see a lot of reasons here why BRP can't get parts shipped in a timely manner, taking a long time for shops to fix, or not fix a problem. Seems to me this is BRP's problem to 'fix' a systemic problem only they can fix. I know BRP is a huge company with people that can fix the problem, but maybe that is the problem, the company is so big that it is not manageable. BRP seems to build a good product with a production to fill all needs, but consider how successful General Electric was at one time but not managed well, GE is about a $9 stock now. If buyers over time loose confidence in a product for for whatever reason, that is not good.

 

[Cobwebs]

By way of comparison this is lifted from Ducati information.................


''One of Ducati’s main goals is to offer every Ducatista the chance to enjoy unlimited and safe travel all over the world. To achieve this aim, Ducati offers a “fast delivery” original spares service, with delivery in 24/48 hours across 85% of the areas in which it operates. With a distribution network that covers more than 90 countries, thanks to 783 official Dealers and Service Points, choosing a Ducati means you can travel worry-free and in total freedom, wherever the road may take you, and count on capillary support that ensures Ducati quality and professionalism is always close at hand.''

Not sure how it works in practise and it may incur extra costs but at least its available.

 

[UtahPete]

By way of comparison this is lifted from Ducati information.................


''One of Ducati’s main goals is to offer every Ducatista the chance to enjoy unlimited and safe travel all over the world. To achieve this aim, Ducati offers a “fast delivery” original spares service, with delivery in 24/48 hours across 85% of the areas in which it operates. With a distribution network that covers more than 90 countries, thanks to 783 official Dealers and Service Points, choosing a Ducati means you can travel worry-free and in total freedom, wherever the road may take you, and count on capillary support that ensures Ducati quality and professionalism is always close at hand.''

Not sure how it works in practise and it may incur extra costs but at least its available.

I'd be willing to pay an annual fee to gain access to a customer-centric service system. The Spyder is an expensive TOURING bike, for ***** sake!

 

[Freddy]

Just had to say. All very good points! Hope things improve!

Iwonder if BRP wonders how many sales they may miss by there System's poor performance.

They don't care - they have a captive market.

 

[SuperG]

I dunno...

I just ordered a driver back rest online from BRP on Sunday evening, picked it up from the dealer on Thursday. 3-4 days has been avg for as long as I can remember buying parts for MC's.