Need A New Decent Independent BMW Mechanic in the South East

[HangWongsSon]

So after several years my local mechanic (BMW Independent) has sent out a message saying he will no longer be working on any F Series or S Series bikes due to spiralling costs & complexity issues from BMW ( their making it hard ). He’s going to concentrate on the R Series (all years).

MQI - does anyone know of any independent mechanics working the South East? Or should I move back to a R series GS from F series GS .

Thanks in advance


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[SuperTed]

Might be too far for you but try Bemer Bikes in Woodford Green, Essex (East London). Their phone number is: 0208 550 9200. They might be able to help with your flakey wheel hub as well.

 

[bobbsy]

Well, unless this actually is your local mechanic that's changing...Mark Holden motorcycles in Bromley

 

[HangWongsSon]

Cheers Bromley is closer. The chap I used is in Worthing . Thumbs up


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[scooter paul]

Motorrad Service Centre (MSC) Chessington has been used by a friend and he was happy with the work done

 

[Santa-2512]

You could always ask Steptoe of this parish ,

he services BMW,s i know he does GS's

 

[Santa-2512]

Cheers Bromley is closer. The chap I used is in Worthing . Thumbs up


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Was that ECM , they are in Worthing

 

[LockieP]

I’ve used SBS in Lancing since I moved here nearly 2 years ago. Podge looked after my K1600 & my ‘22 GS is in with him next week for a 6k service. He has bikes of all makes & ages there & he & Steve really know their stuff. They also help out Alf’s Motorcycles & vice versa.

 

[HangWongsSon]

I used Steptoe when I had my 1150’s but again he doesn’t do the F800GS’s & yes it was ECM in Worthing. I’ll look at the place in Lancing.


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[Steve398]

Motorrad Service Centre (MSC) Chessington has been used by a friend and he was happy with the work done

I had some work done by MSC, he is very good but is more expensive and further from me than ECM, and fortunately I have an R series bike.

 

[SuperTed]

Might be too far for you but try Bemer Bikes in Woodford Green, Essex (East London). Their phone number is: 0208 550 9200. They might be able to help with your flakey wheel hub as well.

Okay, my bad. Beemer Bikes aren’t in Woodford anymore. For a variety of reasons they have moved to Snetterton in Norfolk, to a site that’s much much closer to where Russ Small lives.

 

[Rusty]

Mark Holden in Bromley is very good .. used him back in my Met commuting days. 5* and very happy with him.
Podge down in Lancing at SBS motorcycles is equally good and thorough.
Do NOT be put off by the ramshackle untidy mess that is his place ! About as far removed from a BMW dealership as you can get but again he was recommended and has in my non mechanical opinion been very good. Serviced and changed my tyres etc and as I live in Worthing he is only 10 minutes away.

 

[LockieP]

Mark Holden in Bromley is very good .. used him back in my Met commuting days. 5* and very happy with him.
Podge down in Lancing at SBS motorcycles is equally good and thorough.
Do NOT be put off by the ramshackle untidy mess that is his place ! About as far removed from a BMW dealership as you can get but again he was recommended and has in my non mechanical opinion been very good. Serviced and changed my tyres etc and as I live in Worthing he is only 10 minutes away.

I agree totally about Podge at SBS. No coffee, no swanky sofas & magazines to read-in fact fuck all! But Podge & Steve are brilliant spanner guys. Serviced my K1600 when I had it & now do any work on my 22 reg GS. Just had a pair of Conti TA3’s fitted by Podge too. Think all in they were £300ish.

 

[Richie N]

Thanks to this thread I came across Mark Holden and got booked in for a service in July

 

[Richie N]

Bike was serviced and MOT’d yesterday at Mark Holden’s and very happy, great service will definitely go back.

 

[HangWongsSon]

I was informed by a BMW spanner guy (who couldn’t help with my question) to contact Brian at BGM in Tunbridge Wells. I contacted him very helpful so might be one to add to the list


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[MotoRevive]

Complexity of new bikes is killing many an independent.

It's not that the'yre' not competent mechanics. You just can't get hold of a manual or wiring diagram. And almost everything now needs calibrating, coding or setting up on the dealer computer. It's not just BMW either. Most manuafacturers hold all their technical documents online now.

BMW don't want you to fix your bike. They want you to keep swapping new ones on PCP's until you die.

 

[Pukmeister]

BMW don't want you to fix your bike. They want you to keep swapping new ones on PCP's until you die.

Part of the reason why I regret trading my Hexhead GSA for a 2019 1250GSA. I need to procure some special tooling if I am to maintain the new bike myself, not really something I needed when I had my heaxhead. It was all doable in my home garage.