If he could have done it himself , he probably would not have. You are a craftsman, not many left these days. I have seen you describe in detail, what, how and why, a particular component needed a particular remedy, and I could not have done better myself. Thank you Paul. Keep up the good work!
Paul you are old school, dont change . People like you who do a proper job are getting harder and harder to find. Having faith in someone who works on your bike is something you cannot put a price on.
As a past customer and repeat customer, I would say you always carefully explained and communicated extremely well, hid nothing and did a great job. Thank you. Look forward to using your services again soon! Show ponies are nice to look at but machines are best when used for the purpose they were built for.. in my opinion .. Life’s to short to not enjoy them fully.
Sir, you keep doing what you are doing. Trust me, your prices are very reasonable and never let anyone question you on that subject. I recently self-serviced my own 600cc (2022) motorcycle and had to go to the dealer to have the service icon reset. The four minutes it took to reset the dash with the computer, cost me £78.00 🫣 A full simple oil change etc, service would have cost me about £260.00! (The next service if I had the dealer do it, is likely to be £500.00 plus! ) If someone quibbles about the rates you are charging, they need to stop motorcycling and get the bus. They clearly can't afford their own transport! I'm looking forward to some more "Tuning content" as I really enjoy that side of things.
I found lots of people to work on my Tiger Cub, they’ve all taken lots of money, and they’ve all failed to fix anything. I’ve resorted to working on it myself; god help me! Paul, trustworthy decent competent people like you are hard to find and I wished I lived closer to you!
You are doing it the right way for Riders bikes and most owners that ride and not be too fussy about the general appearance of their pride and joy. The cost of your good work is understood by most with the un- initiated expecting you to do bits as you carry out the job they wanted in the first place for very little extra cost. Your hourly rate is bloody good for the level of skill and experience Keep the old stuff going Paul...
When I was running the restoration shop here in the US I found that people who wanted a full restoration understood the cost, I would tell them that at the beginning, and had no problem with the final bill. People just wanting repairs only always expected the work to be cheap. Consequently I stopped doing repairs very quickly.
Yes, but we still need people to do repairs. It's just a tougher game that's all. Because there's an unknown element that can be exploited by vagabonds. So the customer is always testing you out, which ,by the the way they definitely should. I admire Paul because he documents the whole process of doing repairs so that people get to see what it entails. I mean, who would want a customer crashing their bike because the brakes failed after you looked at it. That attitude is valuable. I love your channel as well, great stuff.
I am totally with you and your philosophy Paul. When I was a bike mechanic in the US my boss would tell me to stop if I found anything above what the customer asked for. That way the new quote was issued and approved. People seldom fully appreciate how long good engineering takes. Keep doing what you're doing.
I remember working on a Durkopp Diana scooter for a friend of a friend. Day one: Assemble a pile of bits Day 2 Get some electrics going,ride bike up and down the street...customer delighted.Can it be MoT'd? Day 3 Spent all day trying to get brake light to work reliably. Customer moans that I charge a days time for "Just getting a light to go on and off" Oh well. Why I went into buying old bikes,doing them up,and selling them myself.
Well said Paul. The open ended ones carry the greatest risk. The ones where the work arrives in the wrong order as also pretty bad, particularly when your work then spotlights other people's bodges.
As I've commented before, your honesty is commendable. Knowing that a bike has been worked on by you and that you have test ridden it would be confidence inspiring to me as I, like most people value my life.. There's no pleasing some people.
Paul, you are not alone in the world, with your dilemma. I find the most difficult part of doing thorough, quality repairs is getting paid. Some people understand the time it takes to do what we do, most don’t, even if you document and explain. I’ve watched you for years now, and I could tell from the start that you were a straight shooter and a fantastic, knowledge, caring technician and that my friend, is rare anywhere in the world. Bless you my friend. BTW. I charge around half of what the bigger retail shops charge and I’ve fixed lots of things that supposed trained professionals had they’re hands on and either couldn’t fix or they bodged things up even worse than when they started. I’ve made lots of mistakes but I always try my best too make things right and be fair. 🙏🏻🌞🏍
I spent all my working life in the motorcycle trade as a mechanic, in later years working at a workshop that did part restorations. In those cases you never really know what you are dealing with until you are into the job but we always stated that we would stop work if a problem came up. As you know time is money with a workshop but also you have to be fair with people. This one bike came in on a trailer, a BSA unit single and the owner had rebuilt the motor but it wouldn't turn over. I got the job and found the valve timing was out, inlet valve hitting the piston. In my view if someone has got that wrong what else have they done wrong? short phone call to the owner and they agreed to having the motor stripped and checked. I stripped the motor to find a horror story, crank sludge trap full, crank had been re ground but not had swarf removed from it before the shells and conrod were fitted, one new main bearing one knackered one, cylinder rebored with rough old piston and rings fitted and valve guides so worn the inner and outer valve springs were binding. The owner came down and was shown all of this but was still shocked when he was told how much it was all going to cost in parts and labour although he had the motor rebuilt and is enjoying the bike now. At that point where I worked offered people in that situation the option of paying labour to that point and taking the bike back in bits. Such is life in a motorcycle workshop.
In the long run people prefer a job done well rather than a shit job done cheaply. I'm considering painting the mudguards on my A65, I was thinking of matching the tank with flamboyant red and a silver chevron, now you've got me thinking 🤔
Your selling yourself short.Its the bolt thats rusted snaps needs extracting retapping maybe.Submarine time to the owner .Unforseen invisible but very necessary. Keep up the good work Paul ...great to watch 👍
Like the plumber who came around to fix a guys ancient boiler system, he looks...he grunts, he stands and stares at the jumble of pipework then whips out a hide mallet and gives the boiler a wack on the side and it immediately springs into life. "Oh, that's brilliant" says the man, "how much do I owe you "? That'll be £10 and sixpence "what, you were only here 5 mins, why so much"?! Well says the plumber, that's sixpence for hitting it and £10 for knowing where to hit it.
The key when doing work for others who don’t understand the issues and complexities and consequences of fixing things, is to over communicate and spell out current-scope, effort, rate, cost, and time as best you can with an option to always come back with “change orders,” especially for old things that are full of surprises. For people who don’t want you to make it safe, like fix brakes, a “red letter” is required to make it clear who is accepting and owning risks of such customer decisions. Make sure all decisions and “important” communication is in writing and acknowledged. Verbal is prone to selective memory issues and “I don’t recall we said that.” Also your rate is too low. Working your nuts and bolts off on repairing antiques is HIGHLY SPECIALIZED and only a few can do it. This should also dictate price IMHO.
In a nutshell, very well said. In a world where fakery and deceit seem the norm, it’s refreshing to hear it how it is. I’ve been following your channel for a few years now and your down to Earth honest work ethics are a breath of fresh air. Carry on sir and very Best wishes.
Repairing old machines times time. I can lose days in the shed, fortunately for me it's only a hobby so I don't have to get involved with charging people who do not understand this. Keep the good work up.
We all know your an honest chap and very professionel, but you do have to explain to some people that some jobs may or may not take longer to get right, just like the A65 and the Triton, when one thing after another needed doing!!
Been there and done that. I once had a friend/ customer who got so mad at me that after he yelled at me our friendship was over. I had done many repairs and restorations for him..I later found out that he was having financial problems.. I learned a valuable lesson 💯.
@@paulhenshaw4514 Keeping up appearances while the ship is sinking. And people get rich by spending as little as possible on things that don't show their wealth. So they keep pushing the price down for the artisans building their marble bathroom with gold plated faucets.
A little firm nearby that works on mainly Triumphs and Nortons charge ca. 32 quids an hour. Perhaps hard to compere if fees differ UK from Sweden. Stay happy!
Well said Paul, If you own a classic bike, be prepared to pay to have it done properly. The courier cost alone for mine just to get to your place and pick it back up is £300 before you start.. and it's all part of owning a classic.. you won't be getting any moans from me! Lol. 😂😂 Incidently, my A7 must have one of the best front brakes in the uk.. it has a disc front end! But I'm certain, that when you work on mine, it will be a happy experience, as she's definately not a death trap- some lovely engineering has gone into her. Hopefully, it will be featured on your youtube too, in the not too distant future. But in the meantime Paul, it's onwards and upwards with your fantastic work ☝ All I need now, is your phone call, to put one of the biggest smiles on my face this year! Warm regards, Gary
Your videos are getting more interesting. Bikes in general will always be an expensive and time-consuming hobby, and in these times they'll not get any cheaper as mechanics and engineering shops close down. Just recently I had to post cylinders and pistons across the country to get a rebore, because 2 shops near me closed, and when you need skilled people to do a job, it simply costs what it costs (expensive). Goes with the territory.
If a jobs worth doing, it's worth doing well. Yes, you may get some bodger to do a job cheaper, but it won't be quality, reliable work. People with real experience of working on classic machines, know when a jobs done right, people without experience don't. You keep doing your quality work.
I have no time for concours d'elegance, I want my bike on the road, not the mantlepiece. My local garage was charging £25 per hour at least 15 years ago. The choice for most of us is that we have to sort our problems out ourselves, or if it is beyond what we can handle, we have to be prepared to pay for it. I think your position is only reasonable.
G'day Paul, mate you hit the nail right on the head, you set a good standard of workmanship and you have to pay for it, if your chances are only 35 pound 💷 my local Motorbike Mechanic charges $120 AUD that's more than twice your charge, any one using you should feel lucky, cheers mate ride safe Neil.
Absolutely correct paul, there are no shortcuts in your work from what i`ve seen ,and you can`t put a price on that, your reputation is on the line every time you post a video, any work has to be a `safety first` priority! its someones life !
Your a very good mechanic, as you know I love to see what you do in your videos. I've had people tell me how long it takes to do a job when they know fk all. At present, I've got a 1979 cb750k twin cam wich took me 8 hours of non stop work to service the carburettors. That's without not balancing with the gauges. Some say they can do them in a couple of hours. Yer right lol. A few people want professional work done for pennies, for what you do, you need to charge more. Your a star. Keep up the good work. Bet all your customers would say so to. 👍😎
What you charge is very reasonable, plumbers and electricians are double that. I like the way you investigate faults, please don’t change what you do there aren’t many people like repairing old motorcycles
I take my hat off to you Paul ! I'm pretty fussy myself mechanically ...but not cosmetically. You operate as I would.... but you've got way more patience with people than I have !! I wouldn't be able to bite my tongue 👍 love your pointed updates 😉😁
The people who can’t understand why labour costs whack the bill up so high, have clearly never spent half an hour undoing the genuine, probably never been undone in sixty years, nut and bolt holding a mudguard or battery frame in place. Then cleaning it and wire brushing it and chasing the nut up and down a few times, copper slipping it and reinstalling the right bit. ( where you could have ground it off and put a 13 mm screwfix bolt in , instead. ) Time evaporates working on old stuff because booked times have no meaning! Every bit has a wrong sized bolt or a bodged bit of wiring that needs remedying
I’m not religious…but the christians’ “good book” says “…a worker is worthy of his (or her) hire…”…a work”person” in todays world who is STILL proud of their work and proud of doing the job right should have no “compunction” of telling a client/customer where to “get off” if the client/customer becomes an arse…any United Kingdom followers who don’t understand some of the above american sayings, I’ll be happy to translate….keep up the good work Mr. Henshaw…..
You're a Godsend in whom I'd have total confidence. I have been to shops where I've had such appalling outcomes as wheel spindles fitted from the wrong side, and have myself supplied new discs, asking that a sticking brake caliper be attended to, only to ride away and be unable to touch a front disc just half a mile up the road without leaving the skin from the tips of my fingers on it. I shan't name the shop. Who wants to step into shit then talk about the turd at length ? Best regards from Burry Port.
Hi Paul. It's called having a conscience. And that, in my view, makes you a better person. I wish I could get my bloody Honda working for £30 an hour. I'd be knocking your door down. All the best David.
"Well that wipes out my pension this month", "I'm getting divorced from a money grabbing bit...woman" "How come yours are £24 when they're £9 over there?" "Excellent job, thank you and here's a tenner, get yourself a drink"
You only have to watch the Bangers & Cash show about auction purchases & rebuilds,how the rebuild costs escalate The people that repair the project cars & motorcycles do not work for £25 or even £30 per hours they charge a small fortune .More power to your elbow Paul & keep up the good work & I look forward to the next ride up Bantam hill on whatever you are riding.
People forget they're getting a personal service. How many bodges do you have to undo before you can start putting things right. Some folk really should stick to buying 2022 Hondas,something goes wrong the Honda dealer will be happy to fit brand new parts every time,they never fix broken parts.
Hi Paul, Your work is easily worth the rate and the care you obviously take is becoming a rarity. Long may you continue. I’ve only met you once, but you were very helpful, I liked you immediately and would not hesitate to bring any classic to you.
Its £100.00 at my local tyre bay now. Recently I had my forkseals done on my Blackbird. £155.00 the lot, supply fit and oil with seals, Honda Original seals too ! Good deal I thought. They guy told me that BMW charge £160.00/hr GeeeZZ :(
Ahhh the motor trade .... customers.., 😅😅😅😅. 35 years for me .... IMHO. The skill is to estimate the job time. I prefer set price and I don't charge for thinking so sometimes I win ( quick turn around job) and sometimes I lose ... Occasionally I walk into a minefield. One thing I can say ..there isn't a roller parked in me driveway 😅.....
You shouldn't have to feel like you need to explain yourself, or the way you work. Some people just don't understand the process, or the time that must go into doing decent and conscientious work. I've been in the same position many times myself and most of the time, I try my best to give my clients the best value for their money. Luckily, I'm retired and these days I get to pick and choose who I want to work for and what I want to work on. Anyhoo, don't let em get to you... keep up the good work.
I can remember taking ages to set up my own Bullet front brake, it had been "modified," by a previous owner. Ended up making a custom adjusting rod to suit, worked great after that. But it was hours of work and I could machine my own parts. I think your growing popularity has lead to people thinking you have a cheep magic wand, you tap the handle bars three times and Poof, it's fixed.😅
It's the old thing, if you do things yourself you can appreciate how long jobs can take to get it right. I don't suppose I'm the only one who has read a workshop manual which says, next remove the bolt connecting A to B, a simple job which has then taken me an hour! A carpenter once said to me don't be a painter because everyone thinks they know how to paint.
Paul this made me laugh, my local Yamaha dealer was £84.00 per hour 2 years ago ( I was checking local rates never used them). My neighbour works for Sytner BMW ok cars however their current hourly labour rate standard hours £162.00 per hour. I work in an industry where the headline rate is £90:00 but discounted for volume work at 38% netting out before VAT at £55:00 per hour (approximately). Putting your rate up from £25.00 by 20% to £30.00 could be seen as a larger increase than the current CPI / RPI index it is still very competitive for a SME (Small to Medium Enterprise). Hope you don't mind me saying that. £300.00 for ten of your labour hours would be cheap. Put the moaners who do not value your work at the bottom of the list LOL. Keep up the good work 👍
Just console the bike's owner with the knowledge that by the time he's finished paying you to fix the bike, it will be worth what he originally paid for it! 😊
Paul,there is always someone who will attempt to negotiate if they think they can lose a quid or two from the bill (and i come from yorkshire), keep doing what you are doing and keep telling them up front what you are doing and it wont be a surprise. In todays climate tell me where you can get an old skool caring classic bike guy for less than 45 per hour to work on their pride and joy.
The problem with a full restoration is that the owner may want the bike finished perfectly, but if some of the finishes are not quite up to the owner's expectation then that opens up a can of worms.
Happens the same in Portugal, there is nomore the amount of people that know how to fix these old horses, these bikes gives lots of work to do and if the mechanic charge all the time spent it would cost more than the vallue of the bike... or some bikes...
If l added up all the houses l spend restoring my bikes it wouldn't be worthwhile, currently my Arrow is causing me headaches as t I've just discovered the crankcase us scrap!fortunately l have a spare. Time is money ,old ikes need the knowledge to do so carry on as you do !
You'll never become a millionaire Paul. Most of the successful business people I've known have no conscience or empathy for others and have become well off simply by exploiting every opportunity they get to charge maximum $$$. They usually have very limited expertise as well but make up for this with the gift of the gab. I'm enjoying following your work from the other side of the world and love seeing all the different and interesting bikes that come though your doors. It takes a brave man to reveal to the masses exactly how they work and I marvel at the evidence I keep seeing of your vast experience and expertise. Keep up the good work.😊
Hi Paul, I understand that customers think it's not a lot of work and it shouldn't cost that much. However, once you've done it yourself, you know what work it is. Especially since you still have to be a little more careful for customers than for yourself. £25 is more than fair. Here in Germany, workshops charge more than €100, i.e. at least four times as much.
Its always awkward when this happens , know the feeling. I once restored a BSA for a customer who phoned me two weeks later to tell me he was taking me to court for the lights failing on his bike(turned out a broken switch) so i arranged to up lift the bike and sort it free of charge and quite a considerable distance from me , when i got there the mag was stripped partial because thats what make the lights work?.Then told me it wont even run now. mmmmmmmmmm see you in court buddy.
Properly restoring old machinery is not normally a cheap operation and even at thirty an hour there is no way you are overselling yourself. There are fewer and fewer people like you about. Over here in the just about everyone has retired.
The very people that complain are usually the same people that complain when a good place closes,even though they only used that place once,if you put the hours in you deserve to be paid!
£25 an hour is nothing and anyone who complains are living in a different world. Main dealers are minimum of a £100 an hour and they certainly do not take the care and give the attention that you clearly do.
I don't get some people if you want it right and done properly be prepared to pay for it blokes like yourself are very few and far between im lucky theres a chap same as you locally he doesn't call up with updates he just does the jobs I Need doing an I pay him good video paul 👍
Older mechanical things no matter what they are require more maintenance and attention just like older people most often require more trips to the Clinic.........it's just the way it is and anyone who is surprised otherwise doesn't have a grip on reality. It's a hobby and if the cost are bothering someone they are into the wrong hobby.........old bikes require more specialized attention and that's just the territory.
This may upset a lot of people, but if you have an older bike, you either need to do all the work yourself, or accept that repairs will be expensive. One job on an older bike will/can lead to other unrelated jobs; nature of the beast. In IT, if someone brings in a phone with a cracked screen and says change the battery, the shop will probably refuse the job. Even though the screen is not the battery, if something went wrong later, the owner will blame the shop for what they did to the battery. Bit like you, if you fix a big end and when the bike is collected and the headlamp bulb has gone, they’ll blame you. I assume the owner will know that the carburetion may be different when you’ve worked on the engine! Don’t let it get to you Paul, to the point where you end up giving up because some people are £&@&&£):
Practical advice which someone already mentioned - telling a customer rough quotation 150% higher than what it be really costing and giving some discount in final bill. You are fighting expectations which are on average completely unreal. In my area a plumber or electrician charges $100 for coming and investigating a problem, the cost of repair is extra with hourly cost of work between $ 100 - 150 + cost of parts. Some of them try to charge $300 per hour ( and this is reality, I met them trying to install a water softener in my basement ). So your rates and your quality of work they simply don't much, but not many of your customers fought these old machines with not fitting parts, worn nuts and bolts and very limited area to work on, so they simply don't appreciate it. Even on your videos everything looks easy, but I know how many hours of swearing takes me every little thing done on my Trident.
You carry on charging for your time paul. your experience is worth far more than you charge and I think you're perhaps, selling yourself short! but that said, I wish I could find a motorcycle mechanic who charges the hourly rate you do..
thats cheap, try taking a modern bike or car into a main dealer, £80, £90 per hour, £80 just to scan my Merc.... dont undersell yourself, good jobs cost, not just for the work but all the knowledge
Not many like us left, don't know if people are too lazy or just can't do the work themselves. They spend many hours just talking about how great their bike is. A custom builder I know charges 'thinking time'' I wonder how many such hours you spend. Up your rates Paul, where else will they go.
You talk a lot of sense Paul and £30 an hour is not a lot these days especially for your quality of workmanship "do it right do it once"as I always say it is cheaper in the long run and less chance of leaving you at the side of the road.
If he could have done it himself , he probably would not have. You are a craftsman, not many left these days. I have seen you describe in detail, what, how and why, a particular component needed a particular remedy, and I could not have done better myself. Thank you Paul. Keep up the good work!
Your doing great ! Thanks.
Paul you are old school, dont change . People like you who do a proper job are getting harder and harder to find. Having faith in someone who works on your bike is something you cannot put a price on.
To right. I wish everyone was like you
Rise above it buddy, doing great work to keep these bikes alive.
As a past customer and repeat customer, I would say you always carefully explained and communicated extremely well, hid nothing and did a great job. Thank you. Look forward to using your services again soon!
Show ponies are nice to look at but machines are best when used for the purpose they were built for.. in my opinion ..
Life’s to short to not enjoy them fully.
When done Paul stay the way you are there are not many like you about these days.I do enjoy your videos as a ex biker myself.Take heart be strong.😊
Grande insight into the money-side of your business. Merci !
Sir, you keep doing what you are doing. Trust me, your prices are very reasonable and never let anyone question you on that subject. I recently self-serviced my own 600cc (2022) motorcycle and had to go to the dealer to have the service icon reset. The four minutes it took to reset the dash with the computer, cost me £78.00 🫣 A full simple oil change etc, service would have cost me about £260.00! (The next service if I had the dealer do it, is likely to be £500.00 plus! ) If someone quibbles about the rates you are charging, they need to stop motorcycling and get the bus. They clearly can't afford their own transport! I'm looking forward to some more "Tuning content" as I really enjoy that side of things.
I found lots of people to work on my Tiger Cub, they’ve all taken lots of money, and they’ve all failed to fix anything. I’ve resorted to working on it myself; god help me! Paul, trustworthy decent competent people like you are hard to find and I wished I lived closer to you!
You are doing it the right way for Riders bikes and most owners that ride and not be too fussy about the general appearance of their pride and joy. The cost of your good work is understood by most with the un- initiated expecting you to do bits as you carry out the job they wanted in the first place for very little extra cost. Your hourly rate is bloody good for the level of skill and experience Keep the old stuff going Paul...
When I was running the restoration shop here in the US I found that people who wanted a full restoration understood the cost, I would tell them that at the beginning, and had no problem with the final bill. People just wanting repairs only always expected the work to be cheap. Consequently I stopped doing repairs very quickly.
Yes, but we still need people to do repairs. It's just a tougher game that's all. Because there's an unknown element that can be exploited by vagabonds. So the customer is always testing you out, which ,by the the way they definitely should. I admire Paul because he documents the whole process of doing repairs so that people get to see what it entails. I mean, who would want a customer crashing their bike because the brakes failed after you looked at it. That attitude is valuable. I love your channel as well, great stuff.
I am totally with you and your philosophy Paul.
When I was a bike mechanic in the US my boss would tell me to stop if I found anything above what the customer asked for. That way the new quote was issued and approved.
People seldom fully appreciate how long good engineering takes.
Keep doing what you're doing.
I reckon you know what it takes.Finding, fixing,fettling. Keep doing what you're doing. You're doing it well.
I remember working on a Durkopp Diana scooter for a friend of a friend.
Day one: Assemble a pile of bits
Day 2 Get some electrics going,ride bike up and down the street...customer delighted.Can it be MoT'd?
Day 3 Spent all day trying to get brake light to work reliably. Customer moans that I charge a days time for "Just getting a light to go on and off"
Oh well.
Why I went into buying old bikes,doing them up,and selling them myself.
Well said Paul. The open ended ones carry the greatest risk. The ones where the work arrives in the wrong order as also pretty bad, particularly when your work then spotlights other people's bodges.
As I've commented before, your honesty is commendable. Knowing that a bike has been worked on by you and that you have test ridden it would be confidence inspiring to me as I, like most people value my life.. There's no pleasing some people.
You ain't wrong. That's the way it should be done.
Paul, you are not alone in the world, with your dilemma. I find the most difficult part of doing thorough, quality repairs is getting
paid. Some people understand the time it takes to do what we do, most don’t, even if you document and explain.
I’ve watched you for years now, and I could tell from the start that you were a straight shooter and a fantastic, knowledge, caring technician and that my friend, is rare anywhere in the world.
Bless you my friend.
BTW. I charge around half of what the bigger retail shops charge and I’ve fixed lots of things that supposed trained professionals had they’re hands on and either couldn’t fix or they bodged things up even worse than when they started. I’ve made lots of mistakes but I always try my best too make things right and be fair.
🙏🏻🌞🏍
Anyone complaining about your prices should try a Main Stealer! they’d definitely be in for a shock then!
I spent all my working life in the motorcycle trade as a mechanic, in later years working at a workshop that did part restorations. In those cases you never really know what you are dealing with until you are into the job but we always stated that we would stop work if a problem came up. As you know time is money with a workshop but also you have to be fair with people. This one bike came in on a trailer, a BSA unit single and the owner had rebuilt the motor but it wouldn't turn over. I got the job and found the valve timing was out, inlet valve hitting the piston. In my view if someone has got that wrong what else have they done wrong? short phone call to the owner and they agreed to having the motor stripped and checked. I stripped the motor to find a horror story, crank sludge trap full, crank had been re ground but not had swarf removed from it before the shells and conrod were fitted, one new main bearing one knackered one, cylinder rebored with rough old piston and rings fitted and valve guides so worn the inner and outer valve springs were binding. The owner came down and was shown all of this but was still shocked when he was told how much it was all going to cost in parts and labour although he had the motor rebuilt and is enjoying the bike now. At that point where I worked offered people in that situation the option of paying labour to that point and taking the bike back in bits. Such is life in a motorcycle workshop.
In the long run people prefer a job done well rather than a shit job done cheaply.
I'm considering painting the mudguards on my A65, I was thinking of matching the tank with flamboyant red and a silver chevron, now you've got me thinking 🤔
Wish you were in my neck of the woods Paul. The Norton would be paying you a visit. Keep up the great work.
Your selling yourself short.Its the bolt thats rusted snaps needs extracting retapping maybe.Submarine time to the owner .Unforseen invisible but very necessary.
Keep up the good work Paul ...great to watch 👍
Like the plumber who came around to fix a guys ancient boiler system, he looks...he grunts, he stands and stares at the jumble of pipework then whips out a hide mallet and gives the boiler a wack on the side and it immediately springs into life. "Oh, that's brilliant" says the man, "how much do I owe you "? That'll be £10 and sixpence "what, you were only here 5 mins, why so much"?! Well says the plumber, that's sixpence for hitting it and £10 for knowing where to hit it.
The key when doing work for others who don’t understand the issues and complexities and consequences of fixing things, is to over communicate and spell out current-scope, effort, rate, cost, and time as best you can with an option to always come back with “change orders,” especially for old things that are full of surprises. For people who don’t want you to make it safe, like fix brakes, a “red letter” is required to make it clear who is accepting and owning risks of such customer decisions. Make sure all decisions and “important” communication is in writing and acknowledged. Verbal is prone to selective memory issues and “I don’t recall we said that.” Also your rate is too low. Working your nuts and bolts off on repairing antiques is HIGHLY SPECIALIZED and only a few can do it. This should also dictate price IMHO.
In a nutshell, very well said. In a world where fakery and deceit seem the norm, it’s refreshing to hear it how it is. I’ve been following your channel for a few years now and your down to Earth honest work ethics are a breath of fresh air.
Carry on sir and very Best wishes.
Repairing old machines times time.
I can lose days in the shed, fortunately for me it's only a hobby so I don't have to get involved with charging people who do not understand this. Keep the good work up.
We all know your an honest chap and very professionel, but you do have to explain to some people that some jobs may or may not take longer to get right, just like the A65 and the Triton, when one thing after another needed doing!!
I would happily bring my bike to you for repair...like the 60s bikes , though i now have a H/D heritage. Nice vid.
Been there and done that. I once had a friend/ customer who got so mad at me that after he yelled at me our friendship was over. I had done many repairs and restorations for him..I later found out that he was having financial problems.. I learned a valuable lesson 💯.
Let's just say going by the vehicle this guy delivered his bike with, I would doubt he has any financial problems!
@@paulhenshaw4514 Keeping up appearances while the ship is sinking. And people get rich by spending as little as possible on things that don't show their wealth. So they keep pushing the price down for the artisans building their marble bathroom with gold plated faucets.
A little firm nearby that works on mainly Triumphs and Nortons charge ca. 32 quids an hour. Perhaps hard to compere if fees differ UK from Sweden. Stay happy!
Well said Paul,
If you own a classic bike, be prepared to pay to have it done properly.
The courier cost alone for mine just to get to your place and pick it back up is £300 before you start.. and it's all part of owning a classic.. you won't be getting any moans from me! Lol. 😂😂
Incidently, my A7 must have one of the best front brakes in the uk.. it has a disc front end!
But I'm certain, that when you work on mine, it will be a happy experience, as she's definately not a death trap- some lovely engineering has gone into her.
Hopefully, it will be featured on your youtube too, in the not too distant future.
But in the meantime Paul, it's onwards and upwards with your fantastic work ☝
All I need now, is your phone call, to put one of the biggest smiles on my face this year!
Warm regards,
Gary
Your videos are getting more interesting. Bikes in general will always be an expensive and time-consuming hobby, and in these times they'll not get any cheaper as mechanics and engineering shops close down. Just recently I had to post cylinders and pistons across the country to get a rebore, because 2 shops near me closed, and when you need skilled people to do a job, it simply costs what it costs (expensive). Goes with the territory.
If a jobs worth doing, it's worth doing well. Yes, you may get some bodger to do a job cheaper, but it won't be quality, reliable work. People with real experience of working on classic machines, know when a jobs done right, people without experience don't. You keep doing your quality work.
If a job's worth doing, it's worth doing well. Keep on doing what you're doing, especially with brakes!
You do a grate job Paul.
Don’t change Paul
Amen brother. 30 quid is a bargain for your time!
I have no time for concours d'elegance, I want my bike on the road, not the mantlepiece. My local garage was charging £25 per hour at least 15 years ago. The choice for most of us is that we have to sort our problems out ourselves, or if it is beyond what we can handle, we have to be prepared to pay for it. I think your position is only reasonable.
Well said
G'day Paul, mate you hit the nail right on the head, you set a good standard of workmanship and you have to pay for it, if your chances are only 35 pound 💷 my local Motorbike Mechanic charges $120 AUD that's more than twice your charge, any one using you should feel lucky, cheers mate ride safe Neil.
Absolutely correct paul, there are no shortcuts in your work
from what i`ve seen ,and you can`t put a price on that, your
reputation is on the line every time you post a video, any
work has to be a `safety first` priority! its someones life !
Your a very good mechanic, as you know I love to see what you do in your videos. I've had people tell me how long it takes to do a job when they know fk all. At present, I've got a 1979 cb750k twin cam wich took me 8 hours of non stop work to service the carburettors. That's without not balancing with the gauges. Some say they can do them in a couple of hours. Yer right lol. A few people want professional work done for pennies, for what you do, you need to charge more. Your a star. Keep up the good work. Bet all your customers would say so to. 👍😎
You’re not cheating anyone…..you’re worth every penny mate……
Those type of people will always be there. You do a great job Paul, don`t change a thing you do.
What you charge is very reasonable, plumbers and electricians are double that. I like the way you investigate faults, please don’t change what you do there aren’t many people like repairing old motorcycles
I take my hat off to you Paul ! I'm pretty fussy myself mechanically ...but not cosmetically. You operate as I would.... but you've got way more patience with people than I have !! I wouldn't be able to bite my tongue 👍 love your pointed updates 😉😁
I think you charge a very reasonable rate 😊. Plus you give them excellent service 👏 👍. Chris.
And a comprehensive video diary of the work being done.
The people who can’t understand why labour costs whack the bill up so high, have clearly never spent half an hour undoing the genuine, probably never been undone in sixty years, nut and bolt holding a mudguard or battery frame in place. Then cleaning it and wire brushing it and chasing the nut up and down a few times, copper slipping it and reinstalling the right bit. ( where you could have ground it off and put a 13 mm screwfix bolt in , instead. )
Time evaporates working on old stuff because booked times have no meaning! Every bit has a wrong sized bolt or a bodged bit of wiring that needs remedying
Jesus Paul, that rate is extremely modest. Keep at it mate, you're a bloody star.
I’m not religious…but the christians’ “good book” says “…a worker is worthy of his (or her) hire…”…a work”person” in todays world who is STILL proud of their work and proud of doing the job right should have no “compunction” of telling a client/customer where to “get off” if the client/customer becomes an arse…any United Kingdom followers who don’t understand some of the above american sayings, I’ll be happy to translate….keep up the good work Mr. Henshaw…..
You're a Godsend in whom I'd have total confidence. I have been to shops where I've had such appalling outcomes as wheel spindles fitted from the wrong side, and have myself supplied new discs, asking that a sticking brake caliper be attended to, only to ride away and be unable to touch a front disc just half a mile up the road without leaving the skin from the tips of my fingers on it. I shan't name the shop. Who wants to step into shit then talk about the turd at length ?
Best regards from Burry Port.
Hi Paul. It's called having a conscience. And that, in my view, makes you a better person.
I wish I could get my bloody Honda working for £30 an hour.
I'd be knocking your door down.
All the best David.
"Well that wipes out my pension this month", "I'm getting divorced from a money grabbing bit...woman" "How come yours are £24 when they're £9 over there?" "Excellent job, thank you and here's a tenner, get yourself a drink"
You only have to watch the Bangers & Cash show about auction purchases & rebuilds,how the rebuild costs escalate The people that repair the project cars & motorcycles do not work for £25 or even £30 per hours they charge a small fortune .More power to your elbow Paul & keep up the good work & I look forward to the next ride up Bantam hill on whatever you are riding.
£30/hour is still very cheap for someone of your experience and knowledge.
People forget they're getting a personal service.
How many bodges do you have to undo before you can start putting things right.
Some folk really should stick to buying 2022 Hondas,something goes wrong the Honda dealer will be happy to fit brand new parts every time,they never fix broken parts.
You are gold dust You will always get somebody who wants to have you over
Hi Paul,
Your work is easily worth the rate and the care you obviously take is becoming a rarity. Long may you continue.
I’ve only met you once, but you were very helpful, I liked you immediately and would not hesitate to bring any classic to you.
Thank you!
Its £100.00 at my local tyre bay now. Recently I had my forkseals done on my Blackbird. £155.00 the lot, supply fit and oil with seals, Honda Original seals too ! Good deal I thought. They guy told me that BMW charge £160.00/hr GeeeZZ :(
Ahhh the motor trade .... customers.., 😅😅😅😅. 35 years for me .... IMHO. The skill is to estimate the job time. I prefer set price and I don't charge for thinking so sometimes I win ( quick turn around job) and sometimes I lose ... Occasionally I walk into a minefield. One thing I can say ..there isn't a roller parked in me driveway 😅.....
Seems to me that 30 quid ($60ish AUD) is very reasonable in this day and age. Good on you for helping people out mate.
You shouldn't have to feel like you need to explain yourself, or the way you work. Some people just don't understand the process, or the time that must go into doing decent and conscientious work. I've been in the same position many times myself and most of the time, I try my best to give my clients the best value for their money. Luckily, I'm retired and these days I get to pick and choose who I want to work for and what I want to work on. Anyhoo, don't let em get to you... keep up the good work.
I can remember taking ages to set up my own Bullet front brake, it had been "modified," by a previous owner.
Ended up making a custom adjusting rod to suit, worked great after that.
But it was hours of work and I could machine my own parts.
I think your growing popularity has lead to people thinking you have a cheep magic wand, you tap the handle bars three times and Poof, it's fixed.😅
What's happening with the Constellation in the background? I've been looking (to replace the one I sold in 1974) for one for a while.....
Ah - that is nearing completion for it's owner.
It's the old thing, if you do things yourself you can appreciate how long jobs can take to get it right.
I don't suppose I'm the only one who has read a workshop manual which says, next remove the bolt connecting A to B, a simple job which has then taken me an hour!
A carpenter once said to me don't be a painter because everyone thinks they know how to paint.
Congrats on the 10k subs.....and the great content on the videos
Paul this made me laugh, my local Yamaha dealer was £84.00 per hour 2 years ago ( I was checking local rates never used them). My neighbour works for Sytner BMW ok cars however their current hourly labour rate standard hours £162.00 per hour. I work in an industry where the headline rate is £90:00 but discounted for volume work at 38% netting out before VAT at £55:00 per hour (approximately). Putting your rate up from £25.00 by 20% to £30.00 could be seen as a larger increase than the current CPI / RPI index it is still very competitive for a SME (Small to Medium Enterprise). Hope you don't mind me saying that. £300.00 for ten of your labour hours would be cheap. Put the moaners who do not value your work at the bottom of the list LOL. Keep up the good work 👍
Seems very reasonable to me Paul.
Just console the bike's owner with the knowledge that by the time he's finished paying you to fix the bike, it will be worth what he originally paid for it!
😊
i payed the equivalent to 85 pounds an hour to get my engine rebuild in 2017(Denmark), cost me 1,5 times the price of the bike....
Wow!
I wish I could charge by the hour, they wouldn't pay!
In which country are you?
United Kingdom. I restore antique clocks and watches.@@erik_dk842
Yes it’s a problem nowadays I know exactly where you’re coming from. Enjoy your program Michael
Paul,there is always someone who will attempt to negotiate if they think they can lose a quid or two from the bill (and i come from yorkshire), keep doing what you are doing and keep telling them up front what you are doing and it wont be a surprise. In todays climate tell me where you can get an old skool caring classic bike guy for less than 45 per hour to work on their pride and joy.
Hear hear.
The problem with a full restoration is that the owner may want the bike finished perfectly, but if some of the finishes are not quite up to the owner's expectation then that opens up a can of worms.
Happens the same in Portugal, there is nomore the amount of people that know how to fix these old horses, these bikes gives lots of work to do and if the mechanic charge all the time spent it would cost more than the vallue of the bike... or some bikes...
People with time usually have no money and people with money have no time, but don't think your time is worth much.
If l added up all the houses l spend restoring my bikes it wouldn't be worthwhile, currently my Arrow is causing me headaches as t
I've just discovered the crankcase us scrap!fortunately l have a spare. Time is money ,old ikes need the knowledge to do so carry on as you do !
You'll never become a millionaire Paul. Most of the successful business people I've known have no conscience or empathy for others and have become well off simply by exploiting every opportunity they get to charge maximum $$$. They usually have very limited expertise as well but make up for this with the gift of the gab. I'm enjoying following your work from the other side of the world and love seeing all the different and interesting bikes that come though your doors. It takes a brave man to reveal to the masses exactly how they work and I marvel at the evidence I keep seeing of your vast experience and expertise. Keep up the good work.😊
What brand carburetor would you recommend for an RE with a Lean Burn 500 engine?
Hi Paul, I understand that customers think it's not a lot of work and it shouldn't cost that much. However, once you've done it yourself, you know what work it is. Especially since you still have to be a little more careful for customers than for yourself. £25 is more than fair. Here in Germany, workshops charge more than €100, i.e. at least four times as much.
Its always awkward when this happens , know the feeling. I once restored a BSA for a customer who phoned me two weeks later to tell me he was taking me to court for the lights failing on his bike(turned out a broken switch) so i arranged to up lift the bike and sort it free of charge and quite a considerable distance from me , when i got there the mag was stripped partial because thats what make the lights work?.Then told me it wont even run now. mmmmmmmmmm see you in court buddy.
Properly restoring old machinery is not normally a cheap operation and even at thirty an hour there is no way you are overselling yourself. There are fewer and fewer people like you about. Over here in the just about everyone has retired.
The very people that complain are usually the same people that complain when a good place closes,even though they only used that place once,if you put the hours in you deserve to be paid!
£25 an hour is nothing and anyone who complains are living in a different world. Main dealers are minimum of a £100 an hour and they certainly do not take the care and give the attention that you clearly do.
I don't get some people if you want it right and done properly be prepared to pay for it blokes like yourself are very few and far between im lucky theres a chap same as you locally he doesn't call up with updates he just does the jobs I Need doing an I pay him good video paul 👍
Older mechanical things no matter what they are require more maintenance and attention just like older people most often require more trips to the Clinic.........it's just the way it is and anyone who is surprised otherwise doesn't have a grip on reality. It's a hobby and if the cost are bothering someone they are into the wrong hobby.........old bikes require more specialized attention and that's just the territory.
This may upset a lot of people, but if you have an older bike, you either need to do all the work yourself, or accept that repairs will be expensive. One job on an older bike will/can lead to other unrelated jobs; nature of the beast. In IT, if someone brings in a phone with a cracked screen and says change the battery, the shop will probably refuse the job. Even though the screen is not the battery, if something went wrong later, the owner will blame the shop for what they did to the battery. Bit like you, if you fix a big end and when the bike is collected and the headlamp bulb has gone, they’ll blame you. I assume the owner will know that the carburetion may be different when you’ve worked on the engine! Don’t let it get to you Paul, to the point where you end up giving up because some people are £&@&&£):
The hourly rate for a motorcycle mechanic in Australia is three times what you're charging Paul. Your customers are getting a bargain!
The work you do is worth every penny. I do a lot of my own stuff but I take months to do what you do in days. Great videos.
Seems fair to me
Twin leading shoes are hard to set up correctly, most folk do not realise the amount of time it can take.
I would be more than happy for you to work on my classic bikes for £30 an hour.
Practical advice which someone already mentioned - telling a customer rough quotation 150% higher than what it be really costing and giving some discount in final bill. You are fighting expectations which are on average completely unreal. In my area a plumber or electrician charges $100 for coming and investigating a problem, the cost of repair is extra with hourly cost of work between $ 100 - 150 + cost of parts. Some of them try to charge $300 per hour ( and this is reality, I met them trying to install a water softener in my basement ). So your rates and your quality of work they simply don't much, but not many of your customers fought these old machines with not fitting parts, worn nuts and bolts and very limited area to work on, so they simply don't appreciate it. Even on your videos everything looks easy, but I know how many hours of swearing takes me every little thing done on my Trident.
You carry on charging for your time paul.
your experience is worth far more than you charge and I think you're perhaps, selling yourself short!
but that said, I wish I could find a motorcycle mechanic who charges the hourly rate you do..
Hi Paul do u do repairs for insurance claims
Hi Dave, I haven't done, perhaps I could but I am literally up to my eyes in work as things are anyway.
@@paulhenshaw4514 no worrys mate, looks like il have to use there recommend one🙄😂👍
thats cheap, try taking a modern bike or car into a main dealer, £80, £90 per hour, £80 just to scan my Merc.... dont undersell yourself, good jobs cost, not just for the work but all the knowledge
Not many like us left, don't know if people are too lazy or just can't do the work themselves. They spend many hours just talking about how great their bike is. A custom builder I know charges 'thinking time'' I wonder how many such hours you spend. Up your rates Paul, where else will they go.
You talk a lot of sense Paul and £30 an hour is not a lot these days especially for your quality of workmanship "do it right do it once"as I always say it is cheaper in the long run and less chance of leaving you at the side of the road.
It's an expensive hobby if you cannot solve your own mechanical problems.