may i ask what BAR is ? is that like BBB (better business bureau) ?

i wonder what the cause of the bike banging in and out of gear is/was ? primary chain too loose and causing slap in the primary maybe.. if that was the case they could have fixed it and you would never know.

 

The BAR [Bureau of Automotive Repair] is kinda like the BBB, but they get way more involved - to the point of fining shops and locking the doors on them in extreme circumstances. Basically, hearing "I'm calling the BAR" usually strikes fear into the heart of most any tech or service manager.

http://www.bar.ca.gov/

They're the smog **** enforcers for Cali, in a nutshell. But they do work on behalf of the consumer as well with regards to repairs, etc. From the website;

"BAR's Enforcement team investigates general auto repair complaints and ensures that shops comply with Smog Check statutes. Each year BAR handles more than 14,800 complaints relating to auto repair and/or Smog Check inspections. BAR staff checks out every complaint and negotiates with the shop on the consumer's behalf to achieve a mutual agreeable resolution. The bulk of complaints are resolved by mediation. Each year BAR returns over $6.3 million to California consumers in the form of direct refunds, rework, or adjustments."


I really don't want to get them involved, but will do what I feel is necessary. It's all going to come down to how things go tomorrow afternoon when I go to pick up the bike.

 

that seems like the only ca gov plan that may actually work.. good luck tomorrow. i'll be looking for an update..

 

Update: picked up the bike yesterday - still does it. The dealer told me the tech spent 3 hours on it trying to figure out what's going on, he took 2 road tests...yet they couldn't duplicate the concern(?) that I easily duplicated within ~2 miles of leaving the dealer. I'll be calling them this morning to let them know this, and that I'll be filing a complaint with the BAR.

All of this aside, the clutch is on its' way out. Why it's only slipping in 5th while cruising is odd, but whatever. Off to J&P to price out clutch parts I guess...

 

Which dealer is this? We should all be aware so we can take our business elsewhere.

Also, I would tell the service manager he has one chance to take that test ride bill off the invoice, or you are going to contact Harley corporate with a complaint about his service department.

It's obvious they went back and tried to fix their screw up that had your tranny in a tizzy and now want you to pay for their mistake.

My dealer (Glendale) has treated me right lately. But I will say Harley dealers consistently struggle with bikes any more than 10 years old. They were real bad when it came to working on my 97 Sporty. They once left the damned battery cable unfastened. Lovely.

 

Got a GoPro, or even a cell phone with vid capability that could capture the problem on tape with audio?

That could serve as their freakin "duplication." Ugh.

 

http://www.hdsac.com/

I agree they went back in and tried to fix a screw-up of some sort. The slip/bang isn't as severe as it was when I first picked it up, but it's still there. I can't imagine anyone spending 3 hours inside a primary + 2 rides and not being able to come up with anything wrong.


I might give the service manager a call, but honestly at this point I'm about done with this dealer as a whole. Although I feel that I should say that I have no qualms with sales/finance, or parts departments. My issue is specific to the service dept.

 

Sub'd for updates.

 

This is why I NEVER buy extended warranties...

 

so did you have to pay the $103 road test charges ?

if the clutch is covered under the ESP i would go out and smoke the clutch, basket, plates etc..


its understandable to only slip in higher gears since there is more of a load on the clutch at that time. i've seen many of times in cagers where the clutch would grap decent in 1st and 2nd grs but once in 3rd or higher it would start to slip.

maybe they don't have the clutch rod/retainer free play adjusted correctly. if its too tight the clutch isn't going to release all the way and cause it to slip. you would think if they "did" go back in and recheck their work they would have caught that. you can check it easy enough by pulling the derby cover.