Do you hate Harley, sort of?
Novice
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: wisconsin
25 plus years ago when I went to MMI in Phoenix Az the dealer sold HD and Kawasaki side by side with no problems. I really love my evo ,but even here in Milwaukee where in a 50 mile radius you could visit 8? dealerships, there are some who no longer want My Evo unless it is for a trdein.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,120
Likes: 192
From: Lakeland, FL
Believe it or not, I found that picture on ebay. The dude was modeling a used jacket he was selling. I don't think it got any bids. hahahahaha
Banned
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3,098
Likes: 474
From: Location location.
Yea to the OP,yes if you've ridden HD's for a few decades you've seen the dealerships become incompetent elitists the exact opposite of the grass roots HD people that kept them in business way back when..
They totally suck r's.
They totally suck r's.
Banned
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3,098
Likes: 474
From: Location location.
Yea to the OP,yes if you've ridden HD's for a few decades you've seen the dealerships become incompetent elitists the exact opposite of the grass roots HD people that kept them in business way back when..
They totally suck r's.
They totally suck r's.
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 601
Likes: 6
From: Aruba
Wow, don't get me started. . . Most HD dealers are just car dealers that happen to be selling bikes. When the bike goes in for service, it seems like you have a 50 - 50 shot of getting what you took it in for actually fixed with equal odds of not having something else screwed up. I don't know if this is because they use their trainees to do most of the common work or because their mechanics are either not good or just don't care to put in the effort to get it right the first time.
I've heard (and this may be wrong) that some dealers, if not all, pay their mechanics by the book time and not their actual hours. This means that if they do four jobs that have a book time of three hours each during the day, they get paid for 12 hours and not the eight that they put in. If that's the case, HD is paying them to rush through their jobs. That might explain why I've had things happen like them only putting 16 oz of oil in my tranny on a 5000 mile service. That cost me the main bearing.
For the parts guys, it's best to know the part number of what you're looking for before you talk to them. As for the salesmen, I don't even make eye contact with them as I walk back to the parts counter.
I'm sure there are exceptions to this, but the real issue is that from my experience this is the norm and not the occasional difference.
I've heard (and this may be wrong) that some dealers, if not all, pay their mechanics by the book time and not their actual hours. This means that if they do four jobs that have a book time of three hours each during the day, they get paid for 12 hours and not the eight that they put in. If that's the case, HD is paying them to rush through their jobs. That might explain why I've had things happen like them only putting 16 oz of oil in my tranny on a 5000 mile service. That cost me the main bearing.
For the parts guys, it's best to know the part number of what you're looking for before you talk to them. As for the salesmen, I don't even make eye contact with them as I walk back to the parts counter.
I'm sure there are exceptions to this, but the real issue is that from my experience this is the norm and not the occasional difference.
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 354
Likes: 0
From: Indianapolis, IN
I wonder if it has anything to do with the attitude of the customer as well? I've been to a couple of dealerships where I didn't get over the top friendly service, but never felt like I was not a customer. I travel 2-3 times a month for work and always try to visit a dealership when I can, I've got over 30 poker chips from different dealerships now. My "local" dealership, at least the one I go to most often knows my wife and I by name. The service guys love EVO's, and know I prefer to work on my own so are good about giving advice and telling me if it's something I can do myself. The parts guys will spend time looking for those hard to find parts as well. I've taken a couple of friends in there, and they have received similar service as "strangers". The other two dealerships I go to, which are actually a little closer to home, just not as pleasureable a ride to go to, give good service. All this and I bought my bike from a private owner, not a dealership.
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Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 517
Likes: 6
From: Ottawa, ON
I know what you mean. I normally pay zero attention to the sales guys so I cannot comment on them. Plus they are trying to make a buck and I get it. My only complaint is the lack of knowledge normally from the parts guys. And I don't mean just for older parts. Some of them really have no idea even on newer parts and it is sad. The guys and gals at my local Advance Auto have more car knowledge than these guys have HD knowledge
Since ppl know me there well, their reaction is usually the same when I'm walking to the parts counter: they either start calling that guy to the front desk right away, or they just tell me "sorry he is not in yet" - pretty funny I think
