I had purchased a Pulsar 180 (the one with the sexy round headlight and electric start -- the second 'version' Bajaj Pulsar -- the original model) some years back. Three or four years back (or may be more, don't remember), I took it to a new Bajaj service center for servicing. When I got back the bike, I sensed that the silencer was changed. There was a rusted and dented section... and my bike was frequently and regularly well-washed and cleaned at my home before that, and I had never noticed it was rusted or had any dent at any time....
About two years back, my son drove it from his office when he was working here (about 3 kms. away) and then dropped it to a Hero Honda service station near our home. To our horror, the next day the service station owner told us that the carburetor was shot up... he showed us that the entire inner side of the carburetor was out of alignment and it wouldn't work, and told that we need a new carburetor!! When I saw it, there was a blue paint on it. My bike was never painted blue! Obviously he had replaced my good carburetor with someone else's carburetor and now wanted to make more money from me.
I ultimately had to buy a new piece for Rs. 5,800. My son had driven the bike without any problems from office to that station, he had only wanted a normal servicing done. How a bike with completely unaligned carburetor and with an important part missing from it can even be started, leave aside driven 3 kms without any problems?
If ever I wanted to turn around a neck a few times violently, it was this time...
All these service stations employ ex-Bajaj mechanics, and those rats have a lot of connections with their types (bajaj mechanics) who spread around the "exchange"-list... these people, when they see one candidate they replace the good part with the part on the list and make money both ways. I will even go to an extent that every Bajaj (and other brands also) service station has at least one of those Bajaj rats.
On another occasion, another Bajaj service mechanic told me that the kick needed replacement because the bottom 'joint' (where the kick turns vertical and sideways) broke! I mean, how can the steel kick break so easily? There were no signs of any tear when we drove it to that station, and I love this bike so much that I know every detail of each part. I even washed and cleaned it very often myself when my son couldn't for some reasons...
All those parts were original pieces of an in-demand great bike ever seen on Indian roads... people have been frequently asking to sell my bike to them, even offering a great price for it, but I have always declined! And those b@st@rds, those mechanics at Bajaj are abusing such great models by replacing original parts from it. Thieves are much better than those Bajaj multiused-fcukbag mechanics...
I always had a good mechanic who was poor and very honest. He used to take so little fees for any work done, that I used to give him more to get meds, etc for his old mom telling him that it was also my duty to look after her alongwith him -- and he wouldn't decline. He later went to work at some other town and it was then that I got involved with those Bajaj thieves...
So if you ever punch one of their jaws, punch one additional one on my behalf that will break it completely...