New workshop technicians get bikes to customers quicker

We’ve boosted our workshop team so customers don’t have to wait so long for their new motorbikes.

Customer service is a key part of our business and this latest move means we can prepare both new and used motorbikes quicker. The two dedicated technicians check them over and sort out any maintenance work so they are prepared to our high standards.

Kevin Russell and Chris Beedon are the latest recruits to the workshop team.

Kevin, who hails from Ipswich, has had a long and varied career working with metal and is a trained motorcycle engineer.

He started working on HGV trailers as a teenager, has been a welder and fabricator, repaired mopeds and motorbikes in Greece and horticultural equipment in Holland, drove lorries for 12 years and has worked for a quad bike dealership.

He assesses the trade-in motorbikes to see what needs to be done and carries out any necessary servicing and maintenance work.

His current motorbike is a BMW R nineT and he’s also restoring a Honda CBX550.

He has owned more motorbikes than he can remember, but only one from new, and most of them he’s done up.

“The thing I like more than anything is having to make bits yourself or having to mend and refurbish things,” he said.

Chris, who grew up with motorbikes from an early age, focuses on pre-delivery inspections (PDIs) on new and used motorbikes and maintenance that is needed.

He started off maintaining sports equipment before going to college to do motorbike mechanics and ended up working on racing bikes. But he had always wanted to work in a motorbike dealership.

“I love doing this sort of work. I’m more of a hands-on person,” said Chris, 35, who lives in Colchester with his partner and two children.

He’s currently riding his second Honda Fireblade. He started riding on a Honda CB125 Super Dream and has also owned a Kawasaki ZXR400, Yamaha R6 and Suzuki GSX600.

“I find something I like, keep it and look after it,” he explained.

Both are doing the latest KTM, Suzuki and Kawasaki training schemes.

Dave Willis said: “We were having trouble getting PDIs done on sold motorbikes and part-exchanges ready for sale in summer when it was so busy in the workshop.

“We’ve employed Kevin and Chris to cut waiting times for sold motorbikes so we can provide even better customer service.”

Contact the workshop for servicing, maintenance and MOT bookings at orwell.co.uk/workshop or call 01473 257401