All too often we hear statements similar to the following flutter from customers mouths- and we have to admit, these assertations drive us absolutely bonkers. Some examples of said statements may include:
‘I googled it and I’m pretty sure that it is the CDI box.’
‘My neighbor told me it’s probably the starter. He dabbles with bikes on the weekends.’
‘I posted about it on my (insert specialty interest online discussion board, like Warrior Riders Forum, Harley Chat Group, etc.) and I’m certain that it’s out of time.’
Sigh. Sigh. Sigh. If we were bad people, we’d say you know what, sure, it probably is your CDI box, your starter, or your timing. We’d be happy to do those unnecessary and often costly repairs.
But we’re not bad people. And your CDI box is probably the last thing we’d suspect on any given motorcycle. So stop it!
Think of it like a hypochondriac having their way with webmd.com. Sure, symptoms like fatigue, loss of appetite, and body pain can be signs of cancer- but those exact symptoms can also be telling of much less severe diagnosis, such as the common flu. While plugging symptoms into a Google search is easy and convenient, the reliability of those results are shaky at best.
The real problem comes in to play when self-diagnosers (yes, we’ve named you!) proceed with these limited and often inaccurate diagnoses. When on a limb you go out and spend $600 on a new CDI box to ‘save money’ and install it yourself (or again, you have that trusty neighbor of yours do it for you), how much money have you really saved? None if you just purchased a non-returnable, non-refundable electrical part and the exact same symptoms still present themselves after the new CDI has been installed.
Most jobs that we diagnose but do not go forward with repairs are billed 1/2 hour labor, or $37.50. In our opinion, this small sum of money is well-worth the peace of mind and certainty in knowing what’s wrong with your motorcycle.
