It's a long story but here goes:

I took my bike an Aprilia sr50 ditech reg xx 03 xxx for a MOT test to:

(name deleted)

It failed on the 9th October because of the front tire so I booked it in for 2 new tires as the rear tire was only just legal. I rode the bike down to xxxx on the 13th October and left it with them, they had a problem removing the exhaust which has to be done so they can change the rear tire, when they eventually got the exhaust off they said the rear brake pad broke off when removing the tire so I couldn't ride home. I had to walk home, they said will call you when we get the new brake pads they never did I had to keep calling them, after a few heated calls they finally said my bike was ready on the 18th October. I went to go get it back but my bike wasn't right, it was dangerous to ride because they damaged my exhaust. They tried to swindle me by saying before I paid that the exhaust needs replacing. I was charged £200 my original quote was just over £100, also they failed to mention the damage done to the cylinder barrel and possibly the cylinder, (which explains the strange noise it was now making) if you check online you can see my exhaust was fine during the MOT failure.

I nearly had an accident in rush hour traffic trying to get home so I turned around and after they tried several times to seal it including hacking (jabbing) at the cylinder barrel with a screwdriver? I demanded my money back, they gave me it back and said when we get a new exhaust gasket will call you and I got no phone call again, so I had to keep emailing and calling and on the 31st I went to collect but they said my bike now has an electrical problem, the bike now was running even worse than the first time I went to collect.

The exhaust connection point was damaged and they tried to weld it but it's not worked, (a real fix would be to replace the cylinder barrel, I was wrongly charged £30 for the weld by the way) My bike started working kinda ok so I paid (£160) and went home but it was making a strange noise, I just thought if I go for a long ride it will clear up. The next day I couldn't even ride around the block! I'm convinced that not only have they damaged my exhaust but also something more serious. (the cylinder barrel and possibly the cylinder)

After getting nowhere sending emails I put two reviews online and I got a reply saying that unless I take down the reviews they were unable to assist me. Against my better judgement I was forced to take them down because I really need my bike!

In the end my bike was picked up on the 23rd November and after waiting for 6 days without any info I sent an email and was told that they have the wrong exhaust for my bike, so now I have to wait until they either fix or replace the exhaust. I sent an email with a list of the correct fitting exhausts and sent another email to see if they have tried to fix my damaged exhaust yet but I got no reply.

I got tired of waiting and again getting nowhere, I put my reviews back online and I got an email. The email I got said that the smoke machine was playing up so they can't fix my damaged exhaust at the moment.

I sent another email questioning this and got an unpleasant response. Instead of giving a time frame for when the bike will be fixed. Now they are not going to fix the damage that they have done and are just going to drop it off on Monday. It was dropped off Monday evening on the 4th December and it still isn't working!

I sent a letter of complaint on the 12th December and I sent an email on the 2nd January asking if they are a member of any trade association and of an alternative dispute resolution scheme (ADR) but I got no reply. I did get a letter on the 3rd January and it was just a list of excuses saying my bike wasn't perfect which is fair but it was working before I rode it to them this is a fact, even they can't deny this (CCTV footage). I got a third party quote for the repairs and emailed it to them and they accepted what needs to be done but will only repair my bike once I convince a court in my favour and the court says they have to repair it.

Third party quote:

I can see the issue straight away - unfortunately you are looking at barrel and piston replacement - this is not something which can be just welded up - you are probably looking at a new exhaust too based on the clamp which has been put around the top! (I don't know if the clamp was already there)

Personally I would prefer the third party to fix it as I don't trust xxxx at all.

I got in touch with Bracknell Forest Trading Standards and on the 1st of February they were informed by xxxx that I was trying to get a new exhaust from them, they did offer to fit a new exhaust for free if I buy one. This wasn't what I wanted at all because a new exhaust wouldn't fix the problem. (the damage done to the cylinder barrel and possibly the cylinder) If my bike only needed a new exhaust I would have bought one.

So in conclusion I have paid £190 for a MOT test, two new tires, new rear brake pads, a new spark plug, a weld (when a real fix would be to replace the cylinder barrel and possibly the cylinder), two new fuses and for making my bike a non runner.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Edited by Avant on 02/03/2018 at 13:28