When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I do my own service meticulously. When it comes to repairs I cannot due myself, there are several Independents with old school technicians who know more than any HD Service Manager in my area
They charge $62.50 to install a battery while advertising that it is free and then screw it up???
I've been riding Harley's since 1967 and never once have I let a Harley dealership work on any of my bikes. One time out of laziness to drive the 30 minutes to an indy shop, I let a dealer mount a tire on a rim and the dickweed mounted it backwards. Then they tried to charge me for the new tube they installed even though I had brought brought one in with the tire and rim. When I refused to pay for the tube they threatened to call police. I put $25 on the counter for the mounting and picked up my rim with tire and the tube I brought. I told the service guy to catch my tag number as I drove out and I'd talk to police at my house. They never came. Like I always say, you take my money but you can't take my money.
When you step foot in a dealership's service department, their only job is to sell you time, which in your case was 1/2 hour. You didn't pay for quality work or a qualified technician.
Most likely, they aren't going to pay a Master Certified technician to waste his time installing your battery. The guy who installed your battery was most likely the same guy who empties the trash for the shop or a low-level tech trainee.
^^^^ Then they should have done it for free like the sign said instead of expecting the O.P. to pay full price for quality work when in fact what they gave him was substandard service. And Harley wonders why they're on a decline and can't get new customers. Hell, they can't even keep the ones they had. Never could.
They only touch it on recalls or warranty work and at that I watch them close and go over there work with a service manager or Rep before i take it back. Only happen twice to me on 2 different bikes they never see my Ride again.
I don't think I'd condemn Dealer services due to one mistake.
$hit happens and if the job was only a battery change I imagine a newbie got the task.
Something tells me that next time the OP is stranded on the side of the road whether or not it's a Dealer; whomever gets them back up and running the fastest will get the job.
I don't think I'd condemn Dealer services due to one mistake.
$hit happens and if the job was only a battery change I imagine a newbie got the task.
Something tells me that next time the OP is stranded on the side of the road whether or not it's a Dealer; whomever gets them back up and running the fastest will get the job.
Agree with this 100%. I have been alongside the road a few times and was grateful to finally get to a shop of any kind, be it HD, Indy or wherever to have my issue resolved. Never is a long time if you are stranded.
That said, OP does have some leverage returning to the dealership to address is part that was hooked up incorrectly and I would expect them to make it right. Best of luck with that but remember, never is a very long time.
When you step foot in a dealership's service department, their only job is to sell you time, which in your case was 1/2 hour. You didn't pay for quality work or a qualified technician.
Most likely, they aren't going to pay a Master Certified technician to waste his time installing your battery. The guy who installed your battery was most likely the same guy who empties the trash for the shop or a low-level tech trainee.
Regardless, the service manual clearly outlines how to remove and install a battery. If the person doing the work is unsure or has never completed the task the manual should be referred to as a guide so the objective is properly completed. The customer by nature assumes if its at a Harley Dealer service facility any task will be completed according to factory guidelines. I spent the money for the service manual yet there are many tasks outlined that even with the manual I would never attempt. Once my warranty is expired I fully intend to find an Indy in my area with a good reputation. With a new car, truck or bike the owner is really at the mercy of the dealerships until the warranty is expired for major problems. We are talking about installing a battery here. No excuse for it having been installed incorrectly.
Fortunately I have yet to have any issues with either dealership I've used. Track record means everything with me.
Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Becomes a Dark, Decepticon-Inspired Custom
Slideshow: Killer Custom's latest build relies on styling changes rather than performance upgrades, giving the cruiser an entirely different personality.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
