Bought an 07 Fat Boy with 4k miles still under warranty and later noticed that the handle bars are a little cockeyed. Took it to the dealer who after checking it said there was nothing they could do as it was "within tolerance". I talked to HD and they agreed with the dealer. Anybody else have this issue?

 

Mine were a little cockeyed when I picked it up new. Brought it back and the dealership staightened them up. A very quick fix. I don't have to worry about that anymore since I changed out the bars. Bring it back and have them straighted out.

 

Noticeably cockeyed but within tolerance? That sounds wrong and you seem to agree by coming to the forum to ask the question.

I'm sensitive enough when I get something new that I look for and sometimes find problems even when they don't exist (especially "funny" noises). But it seems it should be easy to prove the handlebars are not perfectly aligned. I also think, unless something is bent, that it is very easy to adjust the handlebars yourself.

I wouldn't accept their statement that it is within tolerance. Even if you have to go to another shop to have it fixed it is better than living with it.

 

I wouldn't accept the 'within tolerance' crap for something that is not correct, especially on a high dollar new bike....

I don't understand the lack of customer service and customer satisfaction some of the dealerships seem to display....

Rather than spend a few minutes to correct an issue they will spend hours playing the it's not our fault and we can't do anything game.

 

Sounds like BS to me. Bring it to another dealer, if they tell you the same thing, ask them exactly how much tolerance is allowed off dead center. My guess would be they wouldn't be able to come up with any numbers. If there is an allowed tolerance it should be written down somewhere.
Good luck
Tom

 

I assume you know the bars are bent and not just out of alignment. If they are bent any I would take it to another dealer and ask. I would also remember that dealers concern for your problem.

 

yea , mine were cockeyed and i pointed it out to the deal at pick up and he walked out and twist the bars straight and said they were rubber mounted and would do that. well i always had solid mount bars on my bikes so i thought this was ok. Latter at a friends bike shop (NOT A STEALER DEALER) who used to work for harley. (Poker chip customs, bono, arkansas) He was checking it out and found the mount bolts loose, about to fall out, he snugged them up and no more twisted bars. This crap is unbelieveable, i wonder if HD knows that its dealers are puting them in such a liable situation?? Do they care, hell they got ya money!!!!

 

There is a good thread on this subject. Sometimes if you loosen the mounting bolts and push the bars in the direction they need to go then retighten the bolts thats all what is needed. I heard changing to polyurathane riser bushings can help.

 

Loosen the riser bolts, stick the front wheel in a corner and pull on the bars till they look straight. Retighten the riser bolts. Done.

 

Mine are off just a tad. It used to really bother me but its not that bad. One of these days I will loosen it all up and adjust it.
The bike goes straight.

MikeM