Good bike shops , Bad bike shops

[ecr959]

Hello Guys,
Its been a long time I don't post. I wanted to tell you about an experience I had today. Some of you know that I just moved to Raleigh, NC about 10 months ago. Well, I was riding around with NY plates and NY license, so last week I finally got my NC license and today I wanted to get my plates. Well I needed an inspection first.

THE BAD FIRST: Well I went to a place called MotoMax, and they failed my inspection because they said "the brakes squeak, gotta fix the front brakes." Then they said "oh, both tires are dry rot. Gotta gettem replaced." Then the guy quoted me $325 plus a little more for tax. That was gonna be for 2 new tires and front brake and labor. I still had to pay $13 for the failed inspection.
I went to a poolroom to shoot and think about it, then I decided that I'm gonna get a 2nd opinion. I made a few calls and found another place just a mile away.
THE GOOD: This 2nd place was called North Raleigh Cycle. I told these guys what the first place said, and I told them that if they also think my tires were bad, I would buy at least the rear tire from them. Well... these guys said , and I quote " Those other guys are full of shit". He told me he had almost 30 years on bikes and fixing bikes
(and he looked it) well he looked at both tires and said there was absolutely nothing wrong with the front tire, and that he barely saw a small sign of dry rot on the rear tire. Then he told me that the law now says the the first inspection should have passed, with the shop just warning me that the tire might have some dry rot. He told me to report the first shop to the DMV.
This guy impressed me with his honesty. He passed my inspection, I was happy to pay $13 again.

Now, I can go next week and get registered and get plates.
SO THE MORAL IS: if it sounds funny or your gut tells you something is fishy, go get a 2nd opinion.

Eddie
BTW ... I wanted to share that I've been working at a good, fulltime job for 5 months, I got 40 hrs a week, a medical plan , I got paid days off. I got a nice little furnished room with a private bath, and I'm visiting a few churches until I find one I like. I ride my gz every day to work and back, and on weekends for groceries and going all over town. Some of you know that last year I was unemployed and broke for a long time. I started rough in Raleigh, but now I'm doing really good in comparison. And the whole idea for moving to Raleigh was from a few posts in this forum.