HeatedGrips
Registered user
Having read countless tales of woe involving Park Lane, do any of you London riders use Bracken Motorcycles for service/repairs. They claim to be long-time B*W experts.
Anyone in London use Bracken
- Thread starter HeatedGrips
- Start date
I'm sure if you contact Paul, the svc mgr at Park Lane, when you book it in, you might find the svc improves - he is trying to do so.
I've used Bracken a few times before, when I had my 650 (Adv still under warranty). However this info is 18 mths old.
You need to book it in and make sure they understand you want a loan bike if you need one. They're nearish to a BR train station, but there's sod all near them - I ended up nipping up a coupla stops to the Imperial War Museum as they didn't have a loaner for me (altho worth the visit, changed since I was a kid
)
They last serviced the 650 just before I went to Morocco in 2003. I told them as I booked it in where I was going. The guy who did the work did a good job making sure everything was as it should be - even made sure all the linkages were well lubed etc. We also had a chat about various things on the bike, due to the nature of the trip - nice guy.
My Police mate put me onto them - apparently quite a few Policemen use them.
Whether this is still the case I don't know. Would be worth a ride down to them if you haven't been, just so you know where they are. It's not your typical location for a bike place
Bracken Website
HTH
Jon
I've used Bracken a few times before, when I had my 650 (Adv still under warranty). However this info is 18 mths old.
You need to book it in and make sure they understand you want a loan bike if you need one. They're nearish to a BR train station, but there's sod all near them - I ended up nipping up a coupla stops to the Imperial War Museum as they didn't have a loaner for me (altho worth the visit, changed since I was a kid
)They last serviced the 650 just before I went to Morocco in 2003. I told them as I booked it in where I was going. The guy who did the work did a good job making sure everything was as it should be - even made sure all the linkages were well lubed etc. We also had a chat about various things on the bike, due to the nature of the trip - nice guy.
My Police mate put me onto them - apparently quite a few Policemen use them.
Whether this is still the case I don't know. Would be worth a ride down to them if you haven't been, just so you know where they are. It's not your typical location for a bike place
Bracken Website
HTH
Jon
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The workshop manager Paul [if he is still there?] is brilliant at his job and BWM's.
If you are in warranty though BWM do not recognise their service as being official BWM. [or didn't when I had a claim!].
This info is from when I lived in SE London [3 years ago].
If you are in warranty though BWM do not recognise their service as being official BWM. [or didn't when I had a claim!].
This info is from when I lived in SE London [3 years ago].
ArgyBargy
Guest
I bought my 1100 from Bracken, and had it serviced there. Last time I went (over a year ago), Paul told me they were stopping doing BMWs - they used to do parallel imports of GSs - to concentrate on being a KTM main dealer. He didn't seem too interested in doing a repair to my bike, so I went elsewhere. Shame, as they were really good/knowledgable etc and did off road prep for the overlanders. They had a ratty old beemer for a 'courtesy' bike. Not sure what they are up to at the mo', so let me know if they have returned to BMs.
I've been using Pat at Mobitec recently for servicing, as like many others here, I live and work in 2 BMW dealer free zones. Pat is not cheap, but wins on coming to you to pick the bike up, and drops it off when complete.
For tyres and basic work to brakes etc, I go to Chas Bikes in SE1 (the couriers friend) when I can't be bothered to DIY.
I've been using Pat at Mobitec recently for servicing, as like many others here, I live and work in 2 BMW dealer free zones. Pat is not cheap, but wins on coming to you to pick the bike up, and drops it off when complete.
For tyres and basic work to brakes etc, I go to Chas Bikes in SE1 (the couriers friend) when I can't be bothered to DIY.
bustah
Guest
bracken
I wasnt impressed with Bracken & Paul > he bad mouthed a GSer ad infintum. couldnt be bothered with BMWs.
Pity really, they supported Tiff by phone on her Africa adventures
I wasnt impressed with Bracken & Paul > he bad mouthed a GSer ad infintum. couldnt be bothered with BMWs.
Pity really, they supported Tiff by phone on her Africa adventures
Used to be brilliant, had all the Touratech stuff instock. Must have been good for me to travel from Norfolk. Had a lot of Basics at one time, imported. Then they just seemed to move towards KTM and seemed uninterested in the BMs.
I have used thier LOO its the best loo I have ever used 
Forgot, appart from the one behind our Village Cricket Povillion, thats BRILL, will photo one day and post.
Forgot, appart from the one behind our Village Cricket Povillion, thats BRILL, will photo one day and post.
Fanum
Toubab
Headline from Andover weekly news, next week......
"Respected Andover Baker arrested on cottaging charges
Steven Burbidge, formerly a respected Baker Andover, was arrested today for loitering in various public toilets around town.
When arrested, Mr Burbidge had a camera containing photographs of seventeen public toilets from the area...when asked what he was up to, Mr Burbidge admnitted he was 'taking photographs for a bunch of tossers'.
Mr Burbidge is due to appear in court next tuesday."
"Respected Andover Baker arrested on cottaging charges
Steven Burbidge, formerly a respected Baker Andover, was arrested today for loitering in various public toilets around town.
When arrested, Mr Burbidge had a camera containing photographs of seventeen public toilets from the area...when asked what he was up to, Mr Burbidge admnitted he was 'taking photographs for a bunch of tossers'.
Mr Burbidge is due to appear in court next tuesday."
pod
Guest
Fanum said:Headline from Andover weekly news, next week......
"Respected Andover Baker arrested on cottaging charges
Steven Burbidge, formerly a respected Baker Andover, was arrested today for loitering in various public toilets around town.
When arrested, Mr Burbidge had a camera containing photographs of seventeen public toilets from the area...when asked what he was up to, Mr Burbidge admnitted he was 'taking photographs for a bunch of tossers'.
Mr Burbidge is due to appear in court next tuesday."
Christ he kept that quite!
trotsky
Registered user
I bought a second hand bike from them and got royally stiffed - it was a real dog but tweaked and fiddled with enough to get past the warranty period after which they didn't care. It has cost me about as much to get it to a working state as it cost in the first place. Largely my own naivety - took them at their word on its condition - "Never had any major work done that I'm aware of, sir" and when I went back after buying it and got a print out of the service history it had been down the road and Bracken had replaced most of its right hand side - no insurance claim shows on its history so god knows what the owner was doing when he crashed it. They also managed to replace the brake pads and without telling me the disks were 5mm below spec because I had that done in the warranty period ("Pads aren't covered by the warranty - should have checked them before you left, sir, you'll have to pay for that.")
Wouldn't advise anyone to go anywhere near them.
Wouldn't advise anyone to go anywhere near them.
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