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Terry Vrla Speedometer repair

OK, I found him

I love modern technology when it works. Turns out my email system saved Terry's (not Tony, whoops!) email address. So my question has been answered. St.
 
Thanks Kurt

Hey Kurt, I looked at your line, was not sure if it is the same email as now. Terryvira@hotmail.com.

I get brain dead sometimes with email, google, forums and all that stuff. LOL. Thanks for the reply. St.
 
Terry Vrla

Hi,
Jumping onto this older thread regarding instrument repair. I'm wondering if anyone has recent experience getting repairs done by Terry? I sent my instruments to him several weeks ago for repair and have not heard back since receiving delivery confirmation. I also sent a couple of follow up emails asking for confirmation that he received the package.

I get that he's a one man shop and doesn't always have time to get back to people but I'm more concerned that something may have happened, and wondering if anyone has any recent dealings with Terry; or can shed some light with their experience? Any info' would be greatly appreciated.

Thx!
Michael
 
Over the years, I haven't dealt with Terry, but I have dealt with Palo Alto Speedometer in the '90's, and most recently Overseas Speedometer this year. Good experiences with both.

With Overseas, I shipped the instrument cluster out on 1/23/21, they confirmed receipt on 1/26, work was completed on 2/1, and I had the cluster back on 2/5, and reinstalled 2/8. Less than two weeks total including shipping both ways. Just waiting for an opportunity for a ride 12" of snow in the last three days with temps in the teens.

My impression is that they were very efficient, no time wasted, and did a thorough inpection of my instruments, finding a couple more issues which they resolved. I will send future work to them.

Hope your results from Terry are good.
gp
 
Hi, A few years ago I sent my /5 instrument to Terry, and didn't get a response for weeks and weeks. Turned out he had been called away on a work project. He sent it back untouched (and safe) about a month later - I then sent it to Overseas and the speed, precision and quality was amazing. They fixed everything, even things I didn't ask them to do - I highly recommend Overseas. But I do hear that Terry does a great job...

Chuck
 
ADV Site Referral

There's another speedo repair guy on the ADV forum, under 'Old's Cool' sub-forum, in the sub-sub-forum 'Airheads'. His SN there is 'wirespokes'. I have not contacted him, but did contact 2 of the referrals here, including Mr. Vrla. I forget which, but one of the two wanted $225+, and one said about 2months' turn around time. Mine only needed clean up and re-lube, so I decided to do it myself, and posted about the experience here. I read a post by wirespokes, saying he can do a permanent repair on the odometer, which many Airheads say is prone to failure. I also understand he, and the others, can calibrate the speedo, at least at the speed range we most often use. I believe the ADV guy's email is: wirespokes@gmail.com

Fortunately I no longer need any of the above guys' services, but sounds like wirespokes or Vria would be best picks, at least from what I have read. I have been reading horror stories about Palo Alto for decades but, again, have never used any of them.
 
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Maybe So

I could be wrong, but "wirespokes" and Terry Vrla are the same person.
I would not be surprised. If so, he's been doing it for decades, at least that's the jist I got from one of his posts on the ADV forum. He's highly recommended there, and posts there sometimes.
 
Price & Turn Around Time

I went back and pulled up old emails: Overseas said $225+, and 1-1.5 weeks turn around. Mr Vrla said $95+, and 2+ months turn around. Both answers were January 27th, less than 3 weeks ago. So I consider this is a pretty recent update. It would be interesting to see how Mr. Wirespokes compares.

Joe H
 
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Terry Vira and Wirespokes are the same person. He had my friends speedo for about 3 months and very poor communication with him.. He did get it back and it seemed to work fine. I send mine to Foreign Speedo in San Diego Ca. They are easy to talk to by phone, reasonably priced, and usually 2-4 week turn around. YMMV, just my experience. Done several for me and my friend.
 
Terry Vrla repaired a /6 speedometer for me six years ago. Took him a while to complete the work - peak of the season. I still rode the bike. The work was excellent.

Foreign Speedo repaired my R100 speedometer three years ago. They took about three weeks. They repaired the immediate problem (broken gear for the odometer). But they screwed up the calibration. Actually made it worse. I ended up adjusting the needle position so that it is mostly accurate at the speed I generally ride, a little overstated at low speed and starts to get understated at above Interstate speeds.
 
Spare Speedo

Given the info that has surfaced in this thread, if I needed speedo repair, it would seem logical to first snag a used one, then send the original in to Mr. Vrla for R&R. But the more I read here, the happier I am to have fixed mine at home. For simple clean up and lube, they really are not complicated.
 
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Just for future searches, his last name is VRLA not VRIA. I realize the lower case "L" looks like a lower case "I".
 
Terry Vrla instrument repair update

Quick update on instruments repair. It look a while and some persistence, but I did get back in touch with Terry. The instrument cluster is now ready and on its way back to me. Overall Terry seems fair and honest. Just don't expect a fast turnaround or communication until the job is done.
 
just a point of referece.

I just got my early model (speedo/tach in one unit) rebuild
also in san diego at foreign

excellent customer service
they called me with an update 2x during the process
about 10 days total turn around

a bit more money...
but I have so many items out to sub contractors... including my differential going on 2 years now.
I was happy to pay the extra to have it done and back in a reasonable time
and it looks Excellent...

brant
 
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