CHANDLER, AZ –When Chandler Police Department began replacing its old Kawasaki motorcycles with new Hondas in 2006 it caused a bit of a problem for the city’s Fleet Services Department.
It wasn’t only the $22,500 price tag for the bikes, there was also the issue of service. In order to honor the Honda warranty, the bikes had to be serviced by certified Honda technicians, at $80 per hour, according to The Arizona Republic.
To bring down that cost, Fleet Services Manager Rob Coryea got the idea to have some of the city’s in-house technicians certified to service Honda motorcycles. He was able to persuade the company to accept four of the city’s techs into Honda’s week-long program at its Torrance, Calif., headquarters.
The setup was beneficial for both parties. The heavy use the police put the bikes through allows the technicians to give the company valuable feedback. And for Chandler, there is a significant savings benefit. Technicians dedicate between 30-35 hours per week working on the Hondas, and techs earn between $21-$28 per hour as opposed to $80 per hour to have the bikes serviced elsewhere.
The city has 13 Hondas as part of a 21-motorcycle fleet. As the older Kawasakis are replaced, the new motorcycles will take up more of the technicians’ time.
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