My Harley dealer hates me
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 5,230
Likes: 4
From: Amherst, VA
RE: My Harley dealer hates me
Everytime I have ever taken my bike into the service department locally, I had to go back and have them either fix it or have them pay for the damages and repairs to it. The last time I took it in I had to take it to an autobody shop to have them push out a dent that they put in the front fender.
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RE: My Harley dealer hates me
ORIGINAL: BLKXL12C
Wow your Sporster must be the first one they ever worked....sounds like a B/S story.
Wow your Sporster must be the first one they ever worked....sounds like a B/S story.
Sorry to hear so many have problems with their local HD's. I must admit, have done all of my work myself but use the parts dept. w/ no problems. Also, the Girlfriend's scooter had a 1k check up, and everything promised and more.
By the way Frank, if you're getting pipes,...... why the need for a tach?
Best of luck with the project.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 385
Likes: 1
From: Anchorage, AK
RE: My Harley dealer hates me
On my '03 Custom they put the tach right beside the speedo, I think it looks cleaner. I can't or won't remember what they charged me. You should really notice a difference with the stage 1 upgrade, it felt like a new bike to me.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,196
Likes: 3,085
From: NW AR
RE: My Harley dealer hates me
Sportster seat removal: 2 minutes. Sportster tank removal: 10 minutes and that's taking your time and in no hurry at all. You could strip the bike to the frame in well under 5 hours if you knew what you were doing.
I do all my own work, whenever possible.
I do all my own work, whenever possible.
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
RE: My Harley dealer hates me
Don't worry they don't hate you they hate everybody who they have to service. They only love you when your buying a new bike or new chrome and accessories , unless you want them to put on the accessories and chrome then they hate you again.
Leave your money then get the Fu%k out should be written on the door of every Dealership. At lest the ones I have had to deal with so far. Still looking for the holy grail so it's a good thing I do 100% of my own work on my bike now. A few tools and some time are all you need.
Thank god for carburetors. ha ha
Leave your money then get the Fu%k out should be written on the door of every Dealership. At lest the ones I have had to deal with so far. Still looking for the holy grail so it's a good thing I do 100% of my own work on my bike now. A few tools and some time are all you need.
Thank god for carburetors. ha ha
Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 512
Likes: 1
From: Escondido, CA
RE: My Harley dealer hates me
By the way Frank...
...if you're getting pipes,...... why the need for a tach?
You're question actually strikes me as kind of odd. I'm not sure why you think that pipes and a tach have any relevance to each other, so I don't really have an answer to your question, except that I want a tach to see what the engine RPMs are.
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,373
Likes: 0
From: Taylor Mill Kentucky
RE: My Harley dealer hates me
Welcome to H.D. You're the Queen in the showroom but the Ho in the service department.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 3,146
Likes: 50
From: A barrier island in NJ
RE: My Harley dealer hates me
I have taken my bike to a Harley dealer for repair twice - once in warranty, and once out of warranty. Those experiences taught me to "do it myself". Here's why:
1. They make false promises
2. They have proven TWICE to me that they are not competent
3. They charge an outrageous hourly rate and take twice as long as they should
Since taking over all my own maintenance AND repairs:
1. I have gotten to know my bike very well
2.I can generally diagnose the problem rather quickly
3.I enjoy doing the work myself.
I mean, once you know a little about what you're doing, or even when I'm doing something new, who's going to do it better, a dealer or the owner?
1. They make false promises
2. They have proven TWICE to me that they are not competent
3. They charge an outrageous hourly rate and take twice as long as they should
Since taking over all my own maintenance AND repairs:
1. I have gotten to know my bike very well
2.I can generally diagnose the problem rather quickly
3.I enjoy doing the work myself.
I mean, once you know a little about what you're doing, or even when I'm doing something new, who's going to do it better, a dealer or the owner?
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 114
Likes: 2
From: Rochester N.Y.
RE: My Harley dealer hates me
5hrs for a tach is B/S. Shop times are based on labor times from a factory book. They are written with specific times for specific jobs. Thats how good mecanics make money. If your fast you can make 80+ hrs. in a 40 hr work week. I know because I worked flat rate for years. If I screwed up and took 5 hrs. for a 1 hr. job, tough! I'd get my1 hr. Not that it makes a difference, they have your bike till it gets done. I would never go to the dealer unless it was for a warrenty job, or to buy cool skull type stuff.Or something. You could probably find a good independent guy for half the dealer price. If ya didn't want to do it yourself. Just my opinion