Never Again
Supporter
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,245
Likes: 69
From: Northford, CT
Part of the buying of our trike was they did the 1,000 mile service. Well they did charged me and did nothing but change the oils. However I have been a mechanic from teen to retirement telling service manager only gets the mechanic yelled at and nothing gets corrected. A couple days after the service I was in the area stopped at the service department and asked if I could talk to the mechanic that worked on my trike then walked out side. He came out all smiles and I handed him $10 he said thank you and started to walk away. I called him back and told him all the things he did not due the list was not short, told him I was not going to tell the service manager but he better get it together because was telling my friends to watch his work. The end result was he became one of their better mechanics. I do not think it was because of me but maybe I was a wake up call?
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,808
Likes: 285
From: Green Country Oklahoma
Had couple incident at my shop but I make sure the service manager and the owner of the shop knows to keep the certain tech away from my bikes.Can you imagine if some one is sloppy on external nuts and bolts how terrible they could be on the internal parts.
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 169
Likes: 30
From: Gulf Harbors/Woodlands, FL
Same here, clutch recall and they didn't tighten the banjo fitting and it starting leaking every time i'd squeeze the clutch. Dealers suck, do you own work and if you take it in for any warranty work, triple check what they did when you get it home.
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Advanced
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 58
Likes: 1
From: Alberta Canada
Have heard good things about the dealer I used for its first service, but have learned my lesson. Stuff happens, but this could have been bad. Real bad! Like you, check it over again and again.
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 73
Likes: 1
From: Massachusetts
So does this mean the dealers are the only ones who can bleed ABS brakes?
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,838
Likes: 500
From: Northern WV
Hell it took me three trips back to the dealer within 100 miles to have them correct a couple things (incorrectly wired heated grips, stripped screws in the headlight nacelle, miss aligned passing lamp) and in doing so the "tech" managed to *** up things even more!
I finally gave up and paid for replacement stripped fasteners, correctly wired the heated grips, and corrected the rest of the "tech's" work.
I later did the 1,000 service myself by the book. The belt tension was way tight, 3/16 at 10# rather than 3/8" which they supposedly checked at the pre delivery. I have no intention of letting them work on my bike, if there's a warranty issue I plan on letting them address it but I WILL be there watching what's done.
I finally gave up and paid for replacement stripped fasteners, correctly wired the heated grips, and corrected the rest of the "tech's" work.
I later did the 1,000 service myself by the book. The belt tension was way tight, 3/16 at 10# rather than 3/8" which they supposedly checked at the pre delivery. I have no intention of letting them work on my bike, if there's a warranty issue I plan on letting them address it but I WILL be there watching what's done.
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Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 160
Likes: 40
From: San Diego
I've always done my own maintenance since i purchased my first HD in 1972 (a superglide), of course you couldn't own a shovel and not do your own maintenance and repairs because otherwise it would always be in the shop. I love my new 2014 FLHTK and would never go back. However, I brought my bike in for the cooling tank neck recall replacement (bike never previously overflowed) and they droped my bike. Nothing serious just scratced the right front and rear crash bars, to their credit they told me about it and replaced them before I left the shop. The first ride i take after the neck replacement and stop for lunch, the bike pukes out coolant. Yep, they forgot to completely tighten the pressure cap. Brought it in a second time for the fuel line recal (i think that's what it was). Before i leave the shop i do a walk around and notice that the left front gas tank bolt cover is not all the way on, when i try to install it all the way I discover that the bolt is not tightened down. Went in and grabed the tech to come out and tighten it. What do you think the chances are of me bringing in my bike for service? Most head service managers are paper pushers, used to be they started out as mechanics themselves and even as the service manager they would still work on bikes. Most techs/mechanics now a days have just come from being trained, not sure what happens with the seasoned techs. Sorry about the ranting but couldn't hold back. The good news is that these bikes actually require very little maintenance, I wont be tearing into motor, those days are behind me, but routine maintenance and simple reapairs is part of the enjoyment of owning a bike. In my opinion.
Club Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,555
Likes: 1,932
From: NE Florida
Your first mistake was buying into the myth that servicing your own bike will affect your warranty. Keep receipts for oil and filters and document the service. I make copies of the check-off sheet from the Service Manual and use one for each service. Never, ever had a problem.