Join me in this seven part journey of purchases, regrets, mistakes and successes, I have endured the painful process of dealing with shady second hand motorcycle shops in Taipei to come out of it a better person, more aware and cautious.
I. FIRST IMPRESSIONS
I was first interested in getting a scooter/motorcycle for the sheer convenience of traveling around Taipei. I had my apprehensions at first, mainly dealing with the seemingly suicidal motorists in this part of the world and the high likelihood of an accident or collision. It was about a week into April, if I remember correctly, when I was doing more research into pursuing this interest of mine. I really wanted to try learning some new stuff while out here, so it seemed like a good opportunity.
Midway through April I suggested checking out scooters/motorcycles with my friend and her boyfriend. I saw some bikes online at a shop near 大橋頭, so I figured it wouldn’t hurt to check it out. That weekend we went out and saw some of the shops. At first I was looking into getting a Yamaha Vino after being drawn to that classic look. However for the price of those scooters I could just as easily get a more powerful motorcycle that also looked just as classic. I was pretty torn.
The first shop we went into had a bunch of second hand scooters and motorcycles. It was a little run down and crude, which in retrospect should have been a clear indicator of the huge mistake I was going to make. I saw a few of the motorcycles and scooters that I also saw were online. They seemed okay at first and seeing one of the Vinos run steered me into liking the motorcycles more. A bit in the back I saw a nice looking “Honda” motorcycle. I say “Honda” in quotes because it’s just a normal SYM 125cc Wolf that happened to have 2 identical Honda stickers conveniently placed on the sides of the fuel tank. At least they told me that upfront…
I had no experience at this point on any two wheeled vehicle with a motor. I had a limited idea of how to ride a motorcycle. I knew of the terms “clutch”, “gears”, “shifting” and other various important things, however I couldn’t immediately put them together into motions and reflexes that would allow me to fully and safely operate this motor vehicle.
Upon taking it out to learn and practice, I felt an exhilaration beyond what I thought possible. I was on two wheels with an engine between my legs propelling my body at a speed I would not be able to achieve naturally. It was wonderful.
And then I dropped the bike while trying to make a slow counter-clockwise u-turn.
I panicked and overrevved the throttle and put it down quick with the throttle handle sliding off the handlebar and the clear plastic turn signal covers cracking off the body. I was shaken and discouraged from learning, but with the help of my friends there I was able to overcome my senses and get back on and handle the basics well enough to feel like I could get started learning.
Proud new owner of a motorcycle.
At that point I was pretty sold on the bike, so in getting it I handed the main guy who worked there my ARC and health insurance card to get all the paperwork done to have the vehicle registration in my name. I was told that on the Monday following the weekend my motorcycle would be delivered to the MRT station exit near my apartment.
II. A FEW REGRETS?
Sunday was a rough day. I was already immediately regretting my purchase. I kept running through scenarios of crashes and problems with getting injured and dealing with troublesome motorists. I read stories from forums online about how people on scooters have had nothing but trouble and danger follow them everywhere they went. Something in me broke and I caved into the fear of trying something new. I told my friend to cancel the purchase if at all possible because I no longer had any interest in owning and riding.
Didn’t work. The shop said they had “already finished” the paperwork for me. I was stuck with this “problem” for the foreseeable future.
I went to my friends who have had experience riding about and weren’t biased with the anti-riding sentiments that many people had. They encouraged me to keep trying for new things and not to lose that enthusiasm that comes with the territory. I felt the spark once on the motorcycle, there was absolutely no reason why I couldn’t feel it again. I was re-energized with confidence and perspective ready to take to this challenge.
Then for whatever reason they had to reschedule the delivery of my motorcycle. Apparently it was quite busy somewhere and they couldn’t get it to me until the next day, the Tuesday of the same week. Tuesday comes and I’m even more nervous than I expected.
III. THE MOTORCYCLE DELIVERED
They arrive with the bike in tow and some other free swag. I’m left checking out the bike. A friend of mine saw that there was a leak of oil coming from the engine. This is the source of the problem that spread over the course of this whole mess. The same guy who handled my paperwork said it wasn’t a big deal… F**k this guy, I should have known at the time this fool knows nothing of his word and treats nothing with respect. He takes it to a shop to “fix” it and brings it back claiming the problem has been resolved.
I pay him, he leaves and we both go on with our lives.
I’m still too jittery and nervous to get the bike over to my apartment. My friend rides the bike with me backseating it over to where I live. I at this point don’t have a license to ride the motorcycle, nor do I really have any comfortable experience with it yet. I decided to take my time and get a license in the following week and practice riding around my area.
The first ride around the block I took on a Saturday afternoon I counted three instances within the 5 minute span of my ride where I could have easily hit, been hit, and hit again three different people. I was shaken even more than I had been before.
In short, I practiced, practiced, practiced and finally got my license and felt truly comfortable on the bike. I wanted to name her after having overcome my initial terror of her and accomplishing what I set out to. I asked a friend what a good name would have been. She told me, “Ramona” and it was settled like that.
IV. THE MAIN PROBLEM SURFACES AGAIN
The following month went by without major issue. The leak from the engine was sporadic, but still there. I’d ridden around Taipei frequently enough without any hitches, so I wasn’t complaining. I brought it over to a few of my mechanically inclined friends and they both mentioned that the leak wasn’t all the detrimental, but it’d be a good idea to get it fixed. After that month wrapped up, I noticed my suede boots were ruined because of this oil leak. That was the last straw.
The problem at its very core.
In my impatient foolishness, I took Ramona to the shop by myself for the first time since I bought it and saw the guy that handled the documents and “fixed” it. He mentioned when I bought the bike that if I had any problems with the engine I can bring it back and they’d fix it free of charge. Well it was about damn time and I wanted that problem fixed for real. The a**hole had the audacity to mess with the fuel hose and say that’s where the leak was coming from and then sent me on my way. I told him that wasn’t where the leak was happening, but he assured me that if the problem continues I can come back.
Well the problem did continue because that f**kface didn’t do anything to solve it.
V. 我不知道怎麼講
It was then I knew I couldn’t get this problem resolved solo on my rudimentary Chinese. After I got back from the Philippines on June 7th, I asked friends of mine to accompany me that weekend in sorting out this bullshit the second time I went to the shop. My friend talked to the same d***head that “helped” me earlier and he told me that at 8:30 the next day, which would be Sunday, the bike would be fixed and I could pick it up.
I go to pick up at 8:30 Sunday night, as was his word, and they were closed. I was furious. I couldn’t believe that someone could be so dishonest and deceitful. I had to go back with my friend to sort out this huge mess that I got stuck in.
Monday night I arrive with my friend and the bike hasn’t even been touched. A young employee who was working at the time tried to assure me about this issue and gave me a loaner scooter for using while Ramona was getting fixed. He told me Wednesday afternoon I could come back, it would be fixed and I could pick it up. Wednesday afternoon and I’m there taking Ramona out for a spin and parked her after taking her around the block. The leak was still there…
At this point I’m completely blown away at how incompetent this shop is. They managed to sell me a run down motorcycle and claim that the problem was something minor. When confronted with the truth that the problem was engine related, they said they could fix it. Upon saying they would fix it, they didn’t even touch the bike, Finally, when they actually try to fix the bike, they couldn’t even fix it. The young shop mechanic said I could get it on Friday that week and it would be solved.
Friday rolls around and before I wasted time heading out to their sh***y shop I asked people at work to call in and verify what was going on and if it was ready. This is where even more miscommunication and trouble happens as I heard nothing consistent from the people at the shop. It was along the lines of: “It’s not covered under a ‘warranty’ so you’ll have to pay.”, “What motorcycle?”, “The boss (the guy that “fixed it”) no longer works here.”, and even just hanging up mid call.
Even with help, I was in a serious predicament with my motorcycle in the hands of unintelligent and dishonest mechanics. I needed as much help as possible so I asked a few more friends to help me finally get this issue resolved.
VI. PLAYING BY THEIR GAME
The next Sunday I had planned to go with a friend to finally see what was going on, but they never picked up the phone until it was too late for my friend to go with me to get my bike. I had to wait until the next week where my other friends could join me in Mission: Rescue Ramona.
We arrive that Tuesday under the assumption that my motorcycle was still there and probably not fixed. Lo and behold, neither of these were true. Ramona was at the other shop where she had already been fixed. My friends couldn’t make it out that week to help pick her up, but the weekend was a better time to head there together to finally reach the goal of getting Ramona back.
I get there with the loaner scooter and my friends joining me. The people at the shop tell us that they completely swapped out the broken part from the engine with a new one and that I’d have to pay for since there was no “warranty” with this purchase. That was unavoidable. I was “compensated” in that I didn’t have to pay labor, but I now had to pay for a relatively expensive fix that I was not informed of…
They also explain that whoever was riding the loaner scooter got two tickets for speeding. The photo captured speeding ticket reveals a large brown man traveling on the same loaner scooter as I was using. Un-f***ing-believable. I was unlucky enough to have the loaner scooter without any sort of date or receipt attached to my name, so my word was garbage.
I had a bit of luck though. I was arriving from the Philippines on June 7th, the same time that one of the tickets was issued, thus clearing my name of any potential legal issues of “speeding”. I was completely and utterly set up by this shop. Regardless of whether it was intentional or not, it happened. These f***ers pulled a fast one and almost got away with it.
I wasn’t in the clear yet though. They wanted hard proof I couldn’t have done it. They wanted to see everything that was related to me arriving from the Philippines that day. I was pretty much left having to head back outside the city to where I live in traffic on a day I was already triple booked. Rescheduling would be a terrible idea, who knows what bulls**t they would spew out if I had gone another day. Thankfully my friend helped me drive way out of town to help pick up the necessary documents to ensure that legally I would not be held responsible.
VII. IT IS WHAT IT IS
Running late for meeting my friends I finally get back to the shop with papers in hand and they were skeptical at first, but complied with the evidence that I could not have possibly earned those speeding tickets. Had they kept demanding I pay for falsely accused speeding tickets or if I wasn’t lucky enough to be returning from the Philippines when I did, I would have no option other than to escalate this already drawn out issue and be going to court to clear my name.
At long last I got back on Ramona for the first time in over three weeks and she felt different. A little stronger and a little hotter, she was running smoothly like she never had any problems to begin with. When I first brought her in she had a full tank of gas. Now it was practically empty. I stated this firmly and the guy at the shop was kind enough to compensate by lowering the payment of the fix.
Finally getting Ramona back after 3.5 weeks of trouble.
I took her out to town and met up with my friends while being a bit late, but all has been good so far.
Although it went for far longer than I expected, I crossed the finish line. I seriously could not have done it without my great friends and their unwavering patience and unparalleled support. I went into buying a motorcycle with absolutely the least amount of knowledge as I should have had, but this has been an incredible learning experience.
In short I learned a few things about myself and about Taipei in general:
[ul]1. My Chinese still sucks.
2. I've met amazing people in the short amount of time living here.
3. Second hand motorcycle shops are gangster affiliated. Hence the dishonesty and shadiness.
4. Foreigners can easily get taken advantage of if they aren't careful.
5. Riding a motorcycle is amazing.[/ul]
Thanks everyone for the help that I very much needed. Many a beer are owed, and you now have my most endearing thanks that I could ever give.
Oh one more thing:
[ul]6. Don’t go to that motorcycle shop.[/ul]
Seriously, don’t ever fucking go here.
