i worked at a dlr for a short time (jap manufacturer) and after seeing the chit that goes on in the shop there is no way in f-ing hell i'd ever take it to a dealer for service... i'd take it to an indie/performance shop or do it myself before i'd let those friggin monkey's touch my bike... only thing my bikes have ever seen a dealer for is warranty/recall service

 

My dealer does not offer it I guess?? never asked me. have brought it there for 1k and 2 warrenty issues. all three times told me I could wait 1h,20min,last time 1 to 2 hours. but I live a mile down the road so left it.

 

I bought the service plan at the Daytona dealership. I have never had a problem with
getting my 06 Road Glide in and out. I have nearly 27K on it now. I would buy the
service again. I guess it depends on the dealership. The one here seems to be ok.

 

I take exception to your statementspeople make about why someone would use the pre-paid maintenance plan.I think you need to realize that there may be more reasons than a lack of ability or an excess of money that would drive someone to get the service plan.

I have the service plan on my Ultra and for me it is truly worth it. I bought the bike as a mode of transportation more than anything else. I ride it everyday. I don't feel like working on it. My dealer is absolutely fantastic, I drop it off on the way home from work, they do it the next day, I either pick it up at lunch or get it after work. I schedule it with the tech I want to work on it, not some "monkey" in the back. In fact I don't believe my dealership has any "monkeys in the back" I have never talked to anyone has anything but great things to say about them. I get priority service and the bike is on the 2500 mile schedule instead of the 5000 mile schedule.

As for ability, I have a racecar that I need to take care of during the week in between races. I can change a motor in 1.5 hours or less, change the front springs, swaybar, and shocks in about 15 minutes (including checking camber and toe), make a decision about what to do with tire pressure in the distance from turn two to pit road. I think I am capable of changing the friggin' oil in a motorcycle, I just choose not to do so.

I bought the lifetime plan and at my current rate it will be paid off next summer or early fall. I don't have to worry about getting rid of the oil, cleaning up the mess, or taking that dang oil filter off.

So, I ask that before you rush to judgment consider that there may be real reasons people do what they do. By the way I also own a Softail Deuce that the wife rides, it doesn't get ridden enough to make it cost effective to do the service plan, I do that one myself.

 

Buy a $22K machine, dump another $5K in mods and then have their $11hr wrench tell you their vast experiences with certain maintenance procedures,performance modifications, and recommendations on what they would do if the bike was theirs.

MMMMmmmmmm.... no thanks. Just sellme the parts.... oh by the way, the primary takes 38 ounces of oil, not 32 (real story).

Get a manual, pot of coffee and away you go.

-P

 

When I have the time, I prefer to ride.

I have two bikes and take each in for service at least once a month. No, I am not above wrenching on them and I know my way around them both, but I prefer to spend my time in the saddle.

My dealer loses money on me. But he makes it up on all you stuffers out there.

 

I did not pay for the PrePaid service plan. I thought it was a good plan, but it was not worth buying at the time. Figured I wasnt going to put that many miles on the bike the first couple of years. Only 8,400miles on this bike in 5 months. Last bike I owned, I put 44,000+ miles on the bike the first year. (Dont laugh it was a Wing). When I sold the Wing it had 168,000miles on it. The wing was 5 1/2 years old when I sold it. I ride pretty much all the time, even if the weather is not the best conditions for it.

I like the unlimited miles that Harley offers on the bike, with the warranty.

Since I purchased the bike from the dealer (Springfield, IL.)
The first service 1k only cost me around $55.00. Yes, they changed all thefluids, checked everything out, and washed the bike before giving it back to me. (Like the bike really needed to be washed, had already done it before I brought it in.) The $55.00 cost is for those people that buy the bike from their dealership. They want to make sure the bike is running in tip top condition. Believe it or not there is dealers out there that do show pride in service and sells. All their prices are posted on a board for everyone to see.

As for making an appointment. Well, I had given them a weeks notice, dropped the bike off Saturday morning, and it was ready in about 3 1/2 hours. Had a cup of coffee with the wife, and the owner. And did some T-shirt shopping while we were there. The wife, cant seem to get out of the clothing area without spending a hundo or two.

I did my own oil change at 3,000miles. With the purchase and everything, Hmmm, about $60.00 dollars. Yes, $20.00 0f that was for the filter tool to remove it. Yes, stayed with HD oil.

On the 5,000mile change, I asked them to put Syn 3 in the bike, (this calmed down the chatter from 5th gear), and check the clutch cable, it was sloppy, they replaced the volt meter gauge, it had fogged up. (NO Charge to replace the gauge, and no hassle either or excuses) Bike was washed again by them, basically detailed, and total cost was $218.00 and they had the bike for about 4 1/2 hours. The tech even came out and said, Hmmm, we notice on the test ride the front wheel had a small wabble it it, we took it off, and check the balance, and fixed that for you too.
And, Oh, I called them, only given them a two days notice, and they fit me in with no problems to have the work performed.

I have not yet had a problem with my dealer. I have read some horror stories of those that have had problems with Stealers out there. But I have not run into them yet. And I hope I dont..

Do I believe some items are over priced. Hell Yeah!! Most generally are. But I cannot complain about the service my dealer, and the tech's in the back room have given me for the bike.

I dont consider myself a mechanic or electric savey. And with a seven year warranty, if it goes bad, they are going to replace it. No if's, and's or butt's about it. And the tech's know it, and the owner knows it. The owner has even kidded around with me and asked when the wife and I was going to start putting some real miles on the bike.

If I start taking vacations again, and really start to hit the road again, yeah, I would buy the service plan. ( I get 10 weeks of vacation a year) Why would I buy the service plan, cause I know that I would ride the bike into the ground. And they would have to replace the engine.

ToadsUltra07
"If yah feel froggie, JUMP!"

 

My dealer is good. No appt needed. Oil change tire chanage etc. Drive it in and wait done in a few minutes...less tha two hours...oil change about 30 mins.

Routine service drive it in and two days later its ready...no problems ever for me!

 

Part of the underlying problem is their "priority promise" when you buy the pre-paid. Everyone else is at the mercy of most of these folks who don't plan more than a day ahead. Yeah, you schedule your bike a month in advance and it really doesn't make a difference. If 10 yokels walk in who just happen to notice they're up for the 1K or 5K service and oh yes, by the way, they're leaving for Sturgis in two days, you're going to take a back seat to their lack of planning. I'm seeing that right now in our local shop. The Sun 'n Surf is coming this weekend and the dealership is packed. Yeah, and total ride distance is 200 miles (depending on where you're atin Western Washington). Unfortunately, everyone else's lack of planning constitutes an emergency situation for the dealership which they can't control or handle.
I'm not saying dealership and service departments don't have issues--because they do. Unfortunately, while HD may be making money on their pre-paid, the real cost of that isn't being measured in revenue lost because people are saying, "Screw it, I'm not leaving the bike a week so you can change a tire or the oil." They're taking their bikes and the money--and either doing it themselves or taking it to a local indie. I suspect they lose a lot more money on revenue they didn't get because people are fed up with the situation and taking business elsewhere. I seem to be hearing that more and more these days.

 

Dealer service treats people like they are stupid....[:@]
If customer is spending money at your service shop and you act arrogant about it, talk to them like they don`t mean squat. Well then I guess that follows suit with what your hearing.
I bought my bike on Wednesday the 18th and had to bring it back to have the Passive Remotes Programed.
The dealer said bring it in and we can do it while you wait. So I bring it in at 2:30 PM the next day. The S/A said he`s to busy. Come back later. I`m working so I come back and they make me wait again. So I asked if he could just print me out the procedure and I would do it myself....No, we need to hook it up to our programmer. Yeah sure,he said some guy`s just came back from lunch,cry`s because I brought the bike into the service area (big empty hallway)next to the S/A office and makes a big deal out of programming these FOBs. I can`t imagine if it was something technical or service related.Maybe in a week or so...No thanks...I`ll do it myself and avoid the drama Queens...