More Harley bashing

[billz410]

I was doing a little snooping on 'hdforums' and found this rather lengthy thread about guys unhappy with the service from their HD dealers.

If you were in the market for a V-Twin cruiser, and price was not a factor, would this be enough to turn you off from HD, or do you think this is really a narrow cross-section of rants compared to the number of HD's sold?

When I say price isn't a factor, I don't mean go out and spend 100K at Orange County Choppers, I just mean if you were looking at what different OEM manufacturers had to offer, and you could, or would, spend the dough for an HD product.


http://hdforums.com/forum/general-harley-davidson-chat/18877-bad-dealers-and-experiences.html

What's been your experience with dealers- HD, Kawasaki, or otherwise?

[dogdoc]

My personal experience with MY kawa dealer has sucked. luckily I have not taken it back since the 600 mile check-up. Thats why I do get along with them at this point. :-)

[phenrichs]

Honestly I have not met very many people (maybe 10) that are happy with the service and support they got from their dealer, regardless of brand. It just doesn't seem to me that these mc dealers are interested in anything after the sale or they have such a hard time working with the OEM that it isn't worth it.

And if I could truly afford 'whatever' I would take my nomad a couple hours west of here to Klockwerks Kustoms. They specialize in custom baggers. I would love to take my Nomad to them and let their imaginations play with something different.

[macmac]

Harleys are ok, but no dealers I know are worth squat. They are into getting all the money they can get from preying on the innocent.

If I had wanted a harley i would have bought one. Harley will have to do 2 things for me to buy one. Neither depends on a dealer, because there is no way I am going to any dealer for other than to get parts no one else can get at a better price.

Harley will have to drop their pricing to a realisrtic level. I refuse to buy cool...

Harley will have to make the amenities equal or surpass Nomad.

It would help if I could buy the harley I wanted in the first place instead of the harley kit they sell.

It would help if they got rid of the shaking which guys might like, but metal parts don't.

What might help most is if harley would just get real and tell the people the parts come from the world over and they are not buy AMERICAN.

All them riders talkin and walkin ain't talking JACK because they are not techs and have no clue what is and what isn't American in the first place. And further more hasn't been American since further back than 1981!

Last I won't belong to any club that would have me...

[cactusjack]

I clicked on the link and the first rant about dealers is about Chester's HD in Mesa, AZ. I find that odd, because I know several guys who bought their bikes from Chester's and use them for service. (Note: NONE of the HD owners I know perform their own service, in fact most of them probably couldn't identify the spark plugs) I've never heard anything bad about Chester's.

I guess mediocrity is universal. Ineptitude and poor customer service is rampant in the motorcycle dealership world.

If it isn't a poorly stocked inventory, it's amateur technicians and surly attitudes. I think dealers are hardwired to sell bikes and parts, accessories and service are low-priority items.

I haven't had a bad experience with my Kaw dealer, but I really haven't put them to the test, either. They have only performed scheduled maintenance on my bike, no warranty issues or big problems.

I prefer to do my own work, I know it's done right. I treat my bike with the care and respect that I feel it deserves and I am not at the mercy of a dealer. There's also the benefit of knowing your bike and understanding the various systems that could get you back home if you have a problem out in the middle of nowhere.

[phenrichs]

I refuse to buy cool...



I call ya out for BS on that one mac. http://s2.images.proboards.com/shocked.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/shocked.gif

You did buy more than one Nomad. You still wanna try to tell me you don't buy cool. http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

[Jared]

I agree with the above comments. I think that most dealerships, regardless of brand, suck. I've never had my bike into the dealership for any maintenance for this reason. I hear too many horror stories. I consider myself relatively smart and anything that the dealers mechanic can do, I can learn and do myself.

[trip]

My Kawa dealer is too interested in selling 4 wheelers, Mules and jet skis.

They've done me wrong on a few things. Minor stuff, I do myself. Major stuff, I take to Paul Zabor in Austin. Paul may be 200+ miles away from me, But I know he'll do it right and the price will be right.

[flavor]

From past experience......Request a mechanic that's been around the block. Too many newbies in service. So get a mechanics name and if you need work done specifically ask for him. Razee motorcycle in RI treated me well it time frame to get the bike put back together and had a mechanic, John who's been a mechanic for 31 yrs. Work was as well as I think it could've been. No issues.

Service took my calls and got involved with my insurance compant when needed and in a timely fashion at that.

Bike only laid up for 10 days counting parts ordering.

However when on my long trip this summer I had my oil changed in MT. When I returned home I had to use a breaker bar to get the oil plug out and had to crush the oil filter to get it off with a nylon belt filter wrench. Ther's no reason for that. I must've had a newbie change mt oil. Glad I won't be in MT for future service.

[cactusjack]

I wonder how many of these dealership technicians are graduates of a vocational school like MMI and how many picked up the skills by osmosis? Not that a technical degree means the tech has the common sense to not overtighten an oil filter, but I just wonder about it. I don't think there are very many motorcycle-specific programs. MMI has 2 campuses, one in Phx and one in FL somewhere. I guess some community colleges might offer something.

[dhomoney]

I mainly do my own service, but my dealer is great. Jimmy Houston Kawasaki in Park Hill, OK is great. Midwest Powersports in Green, OH was good to me as well. They squeezed me in and mounted my tire quickly. They also had a Voyager (blue/black) in stock at a very good price.

[taranis]

I must be in the minority.
Skagit Powersports in Burlington, WA. Fantastic service all the way around, and I'm as picky as they come. They work on bikes they don't sell new (Honda and HD), and will even pick up your bike, for free, from your house to have it serviced. I've also purchased all my bikes from there (three total) and steered two more people to them, also with great customer service. They do a BBQ once a month in the summer, along with Dyno's and workshops for new owners and even female rider clinics. Can't say enough good things about them.

In contrast, walk into the Honda dealership in the same town. The salesmen typically ignore you, they don't allow test rides, even on used vehicles and work on nothing but Hondas. I went in there for a new speedo cable for a '92 VLX once - I forget the price, but offhandedly asked how much for an oil change - $125.00. http://s2.images.proboards.com/shocked.gif I laughed out loud at the guy behind the counter and walked out. Didn't buy the speedo cable there either - ordered online and saved like $10. :)

I don't think poor customer service is limited to just one brand of anything. I have heard of very good HD dealers, and piss poor ones. Ditto for metric bikes.

Here in DFW, I go to High Five Cycles. So far, they seem to be pretty good, but their service comes at a premium cost sometimes, which is why I tend to do all my maintenance myself.

[macmac]

I refuse to buy cool...



I call ya out for BS on that one mac. http://s2.images.proboards.com/shocked.gif http://s2.images.proboards.com/shocked.gif

You did buy more than one Nomad. You still wanna try to tell me you don't buy cool. http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

I just took the desert dawgs off for cool, most of the time I run them on fer the heat.

I am nearly 58 years old and so I can't be cool no matter what I do can I?

Is it No price too high, or it is No, price to high....... ???

I get so confused these days. ::)

[psychocycle]

My dealer also sells and services Victory. Service is slow, costly and inept. Harley does not have a monopoly on poor dealers. I think the opposite applies but you can find support for both sides of the coin. Best to learn how to do most of what needs to be done, develops confidence, learn how your bike operates and save some $$. http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

[nomad561]

My local Kawa dealer quoted me $60 then charged me $130 to change the rear tire(I had the tire) then basicly told me tough s**t when I asked why the major price increase.They told me the extra $70 was because they had to remove the bags. I'll never go back or recommemnd them to anyone.

[jamiep24]

My Kawa dealership has been great so far. Nice and don't try to pressure you into anything, just let you look around as long as you like and don't bother you until you ask them something. 600 mile service only cost $110. Had a problem at about 7,000 miles. My headlight just didn't come on at all, and at the worst possible time, I was 30 miles from home and it was pitch black dark. Well, I followed my cousin on his bike to my house using his headlights. Checked it myself and knew it wasn't a bulb or fuse. Took it to the dealer on Friday afternoon and left it. Went there Saturday morning and the mechanic had been working on it for 2 1/2 hours because it could have been dozens of possible problems. He found out the stator connector (or something like that) was loose. I figured it wasn't secured correctly by one of the builders and I hit enough bumps in the road and it worked itself loose. He asked had I ever been in there (crankcase or whatever that thing is called that had the alternator is in) working on anything and I told him I didn't even know what it was. Whoever connected the wires didn't push them together hard enough to lock them in place. Anyway, they got me fixed up and off I went. Warranty covered it. So far, so good. Jamie

[nighthawk11]

Here's my experience with Purcells in Jacksonville.
1) Went to have white wall tires put on the bike. Had taken the day off, and showed up early. They took the bike right in. 6 hours later, they roll the bike out, with the blue film still on the white walls. Dumbasses....oh, and reused the rear axle cotter pin.
2) Had a leaky final drive. After last experience decided to only take the final drive in to them. They had it back in two days, but had completely filled the final drive with gear oil. And I mean completely filled. Good thing I drained it out to put in a synthetic.

Lessons learned.......if I can fix it myself, I will. If I'm not sure, I'll try. If there's no way in hell, I'll figure out a way.

[billz410]

All good points-

MacMac- I have marvelled at the amount of accessories for the HD line that are made in Japan, etc., and yet people think they are doing the ol' US of A some great favour by purchasing HD. I don't get it.

In particular, the 'no price too-high'.....

My brother bought a new Ultra Classic (95th Anniversary) and had white walls put on it. 30 miles from the house, he had a flat on the back. When he hauled it back to the dealer, they discovered the tube had been pinched during installation. They paid for the tube- he paid for the labor. Then, they discovered that not only the rear, but the front tire also, had been put on in reverse (directional tires). They charged him labor to remove and remount the front tire too.

I told him, "So you just paid over 20 grand for an HD, and the dealer can't put a tire on correctly?" (Roughrider HD, Mandan, ND.)

He replied, "That could happen at any dealer." I find that truly amazing.

I haven't really had a lot done at my Kawasaki dealer (North Valley Powersports) but they seem OK. But, like others have said, they put the oil filter on so tight I thought it was going to take a 3/4" drive ratchet to remove it. There is no sense to that. If they can't do that right, what else will they muck up???

Every experience is unique- a friend (HD rider) and me were stopped at a restaraunt one day- another HD rider was offering his services for aftermarket LED lighting- he wouldn't even look my way. He must've thought I didn't have the money to install $50.00 worth of lights for $200.00.

HD does seem to try and make buying a motorcycle an 'experience'. I guess for the price it IS an experience, all right. http://s2.images.proboards.com/shocked.gif

[wheelie]

My local Kaw dealer has all his guys trained to say. "Did you buy the bike here?" When you say no as I do you are told it will be 10% more. "If you bought it here you get a 10% discount." I have done all my own service except the repair after the crash. When I needed the steering head adjusted they said they would do it, then asked the question. I was told they would have to see if they could fit me in sometime. Me and a born on a bike bike buddy did it. Dealers suck!

[wiz]

I'm lucky to have a couple good Kawasaki dealers nearby (Lee's of Harrodsburg, KY and Gateway Cycles in Lexington, KY) , and one who I will avoid in the future (Bell's in Georgetown / Lexington, KY). If price wasn't really important though, that new 2010 Electra Glide Ultra Limited would be my bike. Wow, too sharp. But, since I don't print my own money and I'm too cheap to drop $25K plus ongoing high maintenance $$$ on a bike, I find plenty of happiness in the saddle of the Nomad.

I suspect you can find good and bad dealers with any brand. :)

[cactusjack]

If I had the money, I'd almost be inclined to open a motorcycle service facility. I'm a decent mechanic, but I am a stickler for customer service. Just charge a fair price for the work and don't screw the customer over and I'd have all the work I could handle.

I used to work for a guy who owned an auto shop. He'd been there for over 40 years (this was back in the early 80's). Definitely old-school, no hydraulic floor lifts, did things the old fashioned way. The guy was an SOB to work for, but he was as honest as the day was long and most of his customers had been bringing him their work for decades.

[nomad561]

Scott,people like that are almost nonexistant these days.

[macmac]

I ran shops for years... I was a SOB to work for. My customers came first, and got all they wanted and more. I ran a pre maint type of shop, where once a customer was established I would call and see if they had so many miles. If they did, they got an appointment set.

In not very long I ended up with customers coming from a lot farther away than I expected passing dearlers, many dealers to get to where I was.

I understood most people didn't understand their cars, but since i did every detail was covered for them, and the work was backed up.

My 01 saw 2 dealers, and the first was for the crash. I had the oil changed with a filter and that was $80.00 which to me was highway robbery.

I did a oil and filter for far less in Texas and gave the pan away with the oil still in to some guy with a pick up truck. The deal was he could have the brand new pan and the strap wrench I had to buy because the dealer put it on too tight, but he had to take the mess too. The guy was local and i hope he did the right thing.

That first dealer cheated the INS CO, getting them to pay for a recall in the book saying the rubber baby bumpers in the rear wheel part of the crash and he charged Ma Kawwi for it too.

He messed up stuff that wasn't ruined in the crash as well , left the rea fender wire haness to rub on the tire to bare wire which i found by laying in the parking lot with 3 broken ribs!

That place doesn't deserve the name dealer. It is in Chadron Nebraska. Nice enough folks but rather clueless.

In Cal more warrenty work was needed and o handed the guy my drive shaft, and he had to have the whole bloomin bike to do the warrety.. And that was all taken apart again! I don't trust dealers remember?

And so what did I find but the wrong head pipe gasket, just one of two was wrong... But I was headed to Fla from Cal. That wrong gasket could have caused me a lot of problems in Texas..

With a bike you get one chance to get it right. If you don't wrench I don't know how you can ride...

There appears to be not ONE dealer for Ma Kawii that ever has any stocked parts! Common things like swingarm seals should be in stock by the hundreds in any dealer, but I bet you find 0.

I found 0 in a local dealer to date, which means they never once in as long as they have been have ever ordered any swingarm seals and that means they have never done any swing arm service! Not once, not ever!~

So far I have had 2 service managers tell me I don't know what is inside the swingarms to my face and tell making up parts they think are in there that do not exist!

I assure you I know what is inside the swingarms.. There is no taper bearings and there is no shim packs, and there is no way to adjust the swingarm play with any "stock" parts.

The harley techs don't earn enough money to even buy the bikes they work on.. That's sad..

[poppy]

I love this picture....

http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee35/poppybusa/Nomad%20Pictures/japcrap.jpg

[macmac]

I am a living GOD http://s2.images.proboards.com/grin.gif

[Bdog]

I too do all my own work..except mounting tires to rims. But I do take my rims in without the bike. I've been wrenching my own bikes now for 44yrs and what pisses me off the most..is a parts person!!! They treat you like its your first bike ever and you know squat...hmmm..the last two kawi shops I went to for parts asked me if I was sure it was a 1600 even though I told them its an 07 1600...it sure gave me lots of confidance going to those shops..but I have to buy parts somewhere...Personally I believe the motorcycle service industry has always for the most part sucked..but in the past 10 yrs..its gone to hell rapidly. How they stay in business I really don't know!!!!!!!!!...Bdog

[nomad561]

HD,assembled in America from parts made in Germany,Mexico and Japan.

[ndbigfish]

I like to go to my dealer.....for an inspection sticker. I never have been able to get a part through the dealer without a pre-paid, special order. Now why would I want to pay twice the amount and wait the same amount of time as if I ordered the part myself?

Now I like H-D bikes, but when it costs $85 to $110 for oil changes and "light" service work like adjusting a belt....come on. When I ask my H-D riding friends what type or weight of oil they use or how many quarts their bike holds and the answer is I don't know....come on. I ride...therefore I wrench. I told them to buy a service manual and do the work themselves. One actually did and responsed, "It ain't that hard"; exactly.....no magic there.

[cyclecat]

I have the biggest dealer horror story that tops everybody - for 2 years the local Kaw dealer was also the HD dealer. Why Mama Kaw would let an HD dealer have a Kaw dealership is beyond me but it was nightmare from the get go. No service department, the 'manager' was and idiot that had never owned a scoot in his life and his wife, the parts manager, didn't even know the different models of Kaws they were supposed to be selling.

[rewindgy]

I've only come accross a couple of Dealers over the years that actually had their sh_it together. It is sad, but A) they don't pay there people squat B) they don't understand that looking in a catalouge will not give you an idea how things really work C) if they actually took care of their customers - they would get more!!! I was at one the other day and he sold a guy a Stator for a Suzuki $279.00 plus tax - now I actually bought the same one thru the same Wholesaler and it cost $98.12 plus tax! Good mark up - eh? As for stupid Dealers - I ordered the Crash Guard & Signal light for my crash from the Dealer I normally only buy tires form and the parts come in - guard is right - signal light is right part number but in wrong box. Kid at counter goes - so you want it? I say - no, it the wrong one - it's a left front and I need a front right! So, he says " how do know? So I take him out to the floor and hold it up against a new 1600 and say - " which one looks wrong?". So what do I get, so you want it? Again I state "NO" I want the right one! Then I get, so should we ship this one back? And I retort " ship it back unless you want to stock a left side signal light! We go back to the desk and he says " I guess I should order another one?" Of course I reply " Yes please!" They just called and it's supposed to be in now - I can hardly wait!!!! This is gonna be fun!! Good thing I just got off a couple weeks Holiday's - other wise I might have lost in on the little twirp!

[macmac]

Oh just wait till the part number is cycled and something else gets the same number..

That happened to me once, but it was good!

I needed a rubber tank cap gasket for my 1981 850 yammi.... I took the seal along with the whole cap and hinge to the dealer, an old dealer older than the bike is.

That is a must do thing. Always find a dealer older than the bike.

The parts guys was pretty cool, and he got out a old scratched fich and we both looked. I spotted the seal first and he took the number down.

He went out back and came back with a clean box, and I opened it. The number was right.. The part was wrong, didn't look a thing like what I wanted.

I had paid the 10 bucks too, and was wondering what next to do.. Can't exactly go ride with fuel pouring out the cap..

The guy says wait a second, and dissapears out back somewhere. I wait a while, and he comes back, with another box, all yellowed and dusty and i am feeling better!

The guy is still looking at the lable on the sealed box and blows the dust off into my face!

I stepped back and coughed still grinning, and he places the box on the counter for me to open. When I did there was a whole new cap set in there with a new hinge and 2 keys.

He said you will need 2 keys from now on, i said i don't think so, I can swap a lock.

I asked how much more, and he looked left, then right, and said thats just a seal right? I said Oh yeah this is just a seal, thank you Buddy!....

[rewindgy]

Man, those guys & days are long gone! On a happier note - the part came in and it's right! Woo Hoo!!!