It's almost time for my 5K service. Anyone have an opinion on letting a cycle-shop (non HD dealer) do their service while the bike is under warranty? I trust the guys at this shop. My buddy won't let anyone but them touch his 03 lowrider but his is no longer under warranty. I'm weighing getting them to do the work and maybe even save a few bucks vs. taking it to the dealer to avoid any issues down the road and HD saying they can't cover it under warranty becausean authorized dealerdidn't do all the service work. I don't hesitate to do normal maintenance on my "cages" myself even if they are under warranty. I've seen others here talk about getting a shop manual and a few tools and doing their bike service themselves. Just wondering what others think about the scenario above. This shop has a good rep. and specializes in HD bikes even though they carry parts and service other makes as well.

 

If you like them and trust them, then let them do it. It won't void your warranty any more than if you did it yourself. If it came down to questions, tell the stealer that you did do it yourself!!

 

I would think it would hold more weight to say a reputable shop did it before admitting that I did it myself would. Either way, do they legally have an "out" on the warranty if the service was done elsewhere?

 

Anything you put on aftermarket (not from the dealer) won't be covered by warranty. Servicing your own bike does not void the warranty unless you do something incredibly dumb and they can prove it. If they try to say the warranty is voided, you have legal recourse to go litigious on their a$$.

 

Document that you changed the fluids and whatever else is required at 5k and you should be fine. When I bought my bike, the salesperson at the dealer said I didn't have to have them do all the work to keep the warranty; but recommended I keep some sort of documentation of what was done and when.

 

Litmus test for having the shop in question do the 5K: Assuming your buddy bought his bike brand new, did HE let them do work onHIS bike while under warranty???

Second, and not as important, did the other shop ever catch a warranty problem and tell him to take it to the dealer and get it fixed? That would be the honest thing to do.
Gilly

 

Good points but, no, he didn't buy it new and, I guess it goes without saying, he's never had any issues that could relate back to the service he has gotten from this shop.

I think they would recommend going back to the dealer if they found a problem that should be covered but it hasn't come up.

I don't question the ability or integrity of the bike shop at all - or I wouldn't even consider them doing my service. My concern would be if I did have a warranty issue in the future and, upon review of my records, it was found that my 5K or even 10K service was done by someone other than a HD dealer and, therefore, the dealer and/or HD deny financial responsibility for the warranty repair even if they couldn't prove that those services had anything to do with the warranty issue discovered.

I think I'm probably concerned about nothing and, if I don't feel comfortable, it would just be best to take it to the dealer for service until the warranty runs out. However, I'd like to give my business to the "little guy" whom I trust and save a few bucks in the process if at all possible.

 

Sure, just compromise your integrity over some money..........
Ever hear that song called "You've got to stand for something (or you'll fall for anything)"?
http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/t...hing-9063.html

Gilly

PS in regards to doing it yourself, make sure you keep receipts for the fluids and parts you buy for doing the work, and note the mileage on the bike right on the receipts.

 

Gilly, can I assume that comment is meant sarcastically?

Again, I'm not questioning the bike shop's integrity or lowering my own. I'm actually questioning the MOCO's when it comes right down to it.

However, if it's acceptable for individuals to do their own service under warranty, I see no reason why a reputable shop that specializes in HD bikes for years can't do it.

 

No, not sarcastically at all, it is directed towards the person who wrote it, not you.

For the best info on the warranty questions, just read through your warranty book really close, or I'm sure if you tell them you want to work on it yourself, they hopefully will give you an honest answer. If not a good friend of mine is a service manager at a dealer, I can ask him for a nonpartisan opinion for you.

Gilly