It has happened around here, however, if you have history
with your dealer, I think he'll work with you. The one's
most likely to be turned away are usually "walk-inns."
One of the positive reasons to have a good relationship
with your local dealer. I know anytime I've needed my
dealer for help on some of the older one's they'll dig
in and help. It's like anything else, if you only see me
when you need something you can't get elsewhere, forget it.
btw..they aren't obligated by the moco after a certain time
to work on them, and I think it is 10 yrs.

 

Same happened to a large dealer around here. The older bike Shovel Head owner called up HD and had the manager put on the phone. Then the dealer worked on the bike. Having a product and than not servicing it may lead to bad PR problems. Your bike is suppose to last forever, that is one of the major reasons why you bought a Harley in the first place. If you wanted a throw a way, buy a much cheaper metric bike that far out performes any Harley. Just like anything when the suits get involved, they kill the golden goose.

 

Your more likely to find help with pre-evo's at a good indy shop. Truthfully, a modern Harley tech hasn't had to deal with shovels since 84. Thats 27 years right there. A tech with 20 years under his belt would have seen a few but not alot. 85 was it for iron barreled Sporty's. So your looking at alot of years of evo's and the twin-cams. 10 years seems a little early to pull the plug on customers bikes, tho.

 

My friend has a old kick start Sporty. Think it's from the 70's but I could be totally wrong. It has a battery in it. The local Harley dealer told him they could not work on it due to the fact they could not get parts for it. I was surprised and figured they just did not have anyone experienced. However my friend told me the part man said none of his books went back that far.

 

I have a good dealer and they have always taken care of my newer bikes, but most of the techs are younger than my underwear and probably haven't seen anything earlier than an Evo.

 

I've been turned away in the past by the dealership with my sporty (36 yrs old now). I believe the magic number is around 10-12 years old. For what I can't do myself, I have an indy do. My guy specializes in older Harleys. You don't see many twinkies in his shop.

For those who commented that parts are scarce for older bikes, this is only true when trying to buy from the dealer. Aftermarket, ebay, etc. parts are readily available for older bikes. I even once got a very obscure carb part for my ironhead last year from a dealer. The parts person was exceptional and went the extra mile to locate the part for me from another dealer in the state. Cost me a whopping $1.75. However; if I could not get the part I would have needed a new carb.

 

A bunch of internet friends met at Sturgis this year. Rented a house, worked on bikes. There was more mechanical talent there than I've ever seen at a dealership.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHaSq2vqDXY Three knuckles at Sturgis

(I took pictures and videos )

 

That's like saying you bought one as an investment. If
you believe in what you said, you better be good with
tools and parts hunting to say the least. I hear it all
the time, "parts are easy to find," well maybe to some
but I've had to scratch. reminds me of an 84' sports-
ster I fixed for a girl, the clutch cover was busted,
seems the moco screwed up a batch of em and made a
spacer too short and the covers would crack, when a
mechanic tightend it up they split. They replaced so
manny you couldn't find new ones anywhere, and the 85'
was now different. It's not always so cut and dried.

 

Had a buddy denied service on his mid 80's shovelhead by two local dealers. The bike needed a new set of clutch plates (a simple job) and both refused the work. One of them had just sold him his new bike! Was he pissed? You bet!

 

Yes, some do but then so do car dealers. There are plenty of specialty shops for work on old stuff. In this area there is a master at restoring pan heads. Maybe you saw him when the Pickers took a 36 Knuckle Head to him to go through it.

You just could not trust a amateur mechanic at a HD dealer to do that work.