HD dealers
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 9,335
Likes: 13
From: MA
HD dealers
When I first joined this group and saw all the dealer bashing, I thought it was exaggerated. I found it hard to believe all the "that's normal" responses from the dealers and the complaints of their complete lack of technical,product andgeneral motorcycle knowledge. Well, after a year of owning my bike and dealing with about 4 different dealers, I am convinced it's all true. It's frustrating and maddening beyond belief for these HD "techs" to just say "that's normal" to anything you bring to them. And when you push the issue for a real answer they go into the BS double speak mode. And every dealer I've been to IS THE SAME! You'd think they'd have some professional self respect to address your issue, or at least be smart enough to know that most people aren't buying their BS. You're forced to go from dealer to dealer in the hope of finding someone that will actually give you a straight answer. I've talked to "techs" that don't even know about the oil they sell in their own dealership. When you ask questions that they don't have the answer to, instead of saying, "I'm not sure", they immediately start to make chit up. Are they so stupid they can't see in people's faces that they not only don't believe them, but won't believe anything they have to sayabout anything now because they've lost all credibility.
I'm just shocked by all this. Every car I've ever owned(for the most part) the dealer will look into your problem and get back to you. I don't think I've EVERhad a cardealer tell me"that's normal" when I had a problem. They say they'll take a look and I also get the car back THAT DAY! Not days later.
<Rant mode off> Sorry for the long post.
I'm just shocked by all this. Every car I've ever owned(for the most part) the dealer will look into your problem and get back to you. I don't think I've EVERhad a cardealer tell me"that's normal" when I had a problem. They say they'll take a look and I also get the car back THAT DAY! Not days later.
<Rant mode off> Sorry for the long post.
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,187
Likes: 1
From:
RE: HD dealers
I don't know how they stay in business. I have been to 4 different dealers, total of 8 times, and gotten this answer. But just yesterday I got an 18 month ownership survey in the mail. Let's just say I rated the service accordingly. My bike is scheduled to go to an independent, and if I get the same answer there? Next stop, the classifieds.
Bugs me that I wanted a big rig for twenty years, finally got the coin together, and ended up with a poorly running bike that is "normal".
Rant over.
Bugs me that I wanted a big rig for twenty years, finally got the coin together, and ended up with a poorly running bike that is "normal".
Rant over.
RE: HD dealers
i don't have the dealer do the work... RC Cycles in Hayward is the place to go for stuff I've yet to do myself. Though I pick the brains of all techs (RC's or HD's) as I learn my way through the entire bike. 
The Schlong Man
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,772
Likes: 4
From: Nantucket
RE: HD dealers
I dont know what problems you are having butin my brief Harley ownership experience I have come to know that Harleys are wierd machines. While I owned my Suzuki cruiser I knew eventually I'd want a Harley. I began riding as many as I could. The 1st time I rode a Harley I though holy chit this thing is royally effed up. Sounds and rode like chit. The expereince soured me a bit. I rode a few others and everytime I felt like the bike was effed up and not running right. Well after several more test rides I finally had to come to the conclusion that "that's normal" for Harleys. I have come to enjoy the idiosyncracies of my bike. Wierd sounds come and go. The bike rides and handles differently at times. Occasional sputters and back fires. Apparantly all of this is normal. Anyway if any of you people out there reading this are contemplating buying your 1st Harley and have not yet riden one. I can't tell you that you will be in for a rude awakening if you are use to a jap cruiser. Like I said before these bike areweird. And Ihave come to love it. Just look at my sig. That amount of vibration at idle is not exaggerated at all.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,513
Likes: 4
From: Midland, TX
RE: HD dealers
I've been pretty lucky with our guys and don't have any complaints. However, our dealership is smaller and I know most everyone there. I've ridden several HD's and several metrics and I'd have to say that HD's just run differently.
Thread Starter
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 9,335
Likes: 13
From: MA
RE: HD dealers
I have zero problems with my bike, I love it, it's the dealers that are the issue. You can't go to them with any question without having to fight through the "that'snormal" response and then bang your head against the wall when you realize they throw the "that's nornal" out because they don't know anything. When I throw basic stuff at them, I either get a blank stare of they recite something from their, "How to BS the customer" field manual.
Like I say in any walk of life....ifyou don't know the answer, SAY SO!! But theychoose the route of first deny there's a problem and when the customer won't go away,refer to their fiield manual I quoted above. [:@]
Thankfully I've been learning more and more about my bike and have been doing more and more of my own work. Most of the mods on my bike I've either done or can do in the future.
And don't forget the part where it takes them 3 days to do basic maintanence and then you cross your fingers and pray the don't scratch or ding or dent your bike while they have it.
But I LOVE MY BIKE.
Like I say in any walk of life....ifyou don't know the answer, SAY SO!! But theychoose the route of first deny there's a problem and when the customer won't go away,refer to their fiield manual I quoted above. [:@]
Thankfully I've been learning more and more about my bike and have been doing more and more of my own work. Most of the mods on my bike I've either done or can do in the future.
And don't forget the part where it takes them 3 days to do basic maintanence and then you cross your fingers and pray the don't scratch or ding or dent your bike while they have it.
But I LOVE MY BIKE.
ORIGINAL: ken thompson
I dont know what problems you are having butin my brief Harley ownership experience I have come to know that Harleys are wierd machines. While I owned my Suzuki cruiser I knew eventually I'd want a Harley. I began riding as many as I could. The 1st time I rode a Harley I though holy chit this thing is royally effed up. Sounds and rode like chit. The expereince soured me a bit. I rode a few others and everytime I felt like the bike was effed up and not running right. Well after several more test rides I finally had to come to the conclusion that "that's normal" for Harleys. I have come to enjoy the idiosyncracies of my bike. Wierd sounds come and go. The bike rides and handles differently at times. Occasional sputters and back fires. Apparantly all of this is normal. Anyway if any of you people out there reading this are contemplating buying your 1st Harley and have not yet riden one. I can't tell you that you will be in for a rude awakening if you are use to a jap cruiser. Like I said before these bike areweird. And Ihave come to love it. Just look at my sig. That amount of vibration at idle is not exaggerated at all.
I dont know what problems you are having butin my brief Harley ownership experience I have come to know that Harleys are wierd machines. While I owned my Suzuki cruiser I knew eventually I'd want a Harley. I began riding as many as I could. The 1st time I rode a Harley I though holy chit this thing is royally effed up. Sounds and rode like chit. The expereince soured me a bit. I rode a few others and everytime I felt like the bike was effed up and not running right. Well after several more test rides I finally had to come to the conclusion that "that's normal" for Harleys. I have come to enjoy the idiosyncracies of my bike. Wierd sounds come and go. The bike rides and handles differently at times. Occasional sputters and back fires. Apparantly all of this is normal. Anyway if any of you people out there reading this are contemplating buying your 1st Harley and have not yet riden one. I can't tell you that you will be in for a rude awakening if you are use to a jap cruiser. Like I said before these bike areweird. And Ihave come to love it. Just look at my sig. That amount of vibration at idle is not exaggerated at all.
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Thread Starter
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 9,335
Likes: 13
From: MA
RE: HD dealers
I'm working myself towards self sufficiency....... 
ORIGINAL: gconklin
i don't have the dealer do the work... RC Cycles in Hayward is the place to go for stuff I've yet to do myself. Though I pick the brains of all techs (RC's or HD's) as I learn my way through the entire bike.
i don't have the dealer do the work... RC Cycles in Hayward is the place to go for stuff I've yet to do myself. Though I pick the brains of all techs (RC's or HD's) as I learn my way through the entire bike.
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Joe Kucinski
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 183
Likes: 0
From:
RE: HD dealers
Any stock bike or a bike with only HD accessories should be an open book to any HD technician and I think it’s reasonable to expect them to know all the ins and outs. Problems however do begin when looking for answers after countless after market parts have been installed. With literally thousands of parts from hundreds of manufacturers it takes a whiz to piece it all together and to understand what works and what doesn’t. But like I said you should be able to expect them to know their own products.
The other huge downturn in service is flat rate service. As I understand it every job has a pre-determined time limit and a set labor cost. Dealers do this in order to control cost. Problem is that if a job states it should take three hours then this often becomes an incentive for the dealer and tech to rush it and finish in two. The customer still pays for the quoted three hours and the dealership is able to maximize it’s profit by doing more service. However this can easily lead to a decline in quality of the work itself.
Your best bet probably is to do as much service yourself as possible and to find a quality independent for things that are beyond your capabilities. But then there’s the question of warranty when it comes to newer bikes.
Screwed if you do, screwed if you don’t. But keep on searching they’re not all bad out there!
The other huge downturn in service is flat rate service. As I understand it every job has a pre-determined time limit and a set labor cost. Dealers do this in order to control cost. Problem is that if a job states it should take three hours then this often becomes an incentive for the dealer and tech to rush it and finish in two. The customer still pays for the quoted three hours and the dealership is able to maximize it’s profit by doing more service. However this can easily lead to a decline in quality of the work itself.
Your best bet probably is to do as much service yourself as possible and to find a quality independent for things that are beyond your capabilities. But then there’s the question of warranty when it comes to newer bikes.
Screwed if you do, screwed if you don’t. But keep on searching they’re not all bad out there!
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,303
Likes: 4
From:
RE: HD dealers
For those w/problems this yr it has been esp tough on owner/dealer relationships.The dealers are doing as told by MOCO and the ones that know whats going on cant and/or wont say.I know the dealer I dealt with,bought from-Cerinis HD-will never see me agian.Top 100 dealership yet cant take care of their buyers.Back in March my saddle bag was marred after in for testing,maint.What is it now?June and never a call,no replacement bag even though they said it would be taken care of.I wont even go into the clatter,top end noise,frequent dying syptoms my bike still has.Wonder why they keep advertising on the radio,billboards etc?