Harley shop or small shop???
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,241
Likes: 7
From: Daytona, Fla.
RE: Harley shop or small shop???
You need a shop manual, a parts manual, a lift, a tire machine, & a few specialized tools. The manuals are available from Harley at reasonable cost. The lift & tire machine are available from Harbour Freight for around $300 +/-, & the odd tool available at most tool outlets. With those items & a little help from folks on the internet you can do everything short of a motor rebuild, save more than the cost of the equipment, & know the service was done right.
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,049
Likes: 1
From: Brookfield,Il.
RE: Harley shop or small shop???
As an Iindependent shop/Big Dog Dealer I see nothing wrong withhaving a service facility other than a HD shop do your work. How ever, I would first make sure you went to see what the facility looked like, how clean is it, do theyhave cerified technicians. If the shop is cleanthen theres a good chance that this is what the owner has instilled in his service staff. Nothing worse that bringing your bike in and having someguy scratching up your investment.I've been in business for over twenty years with my car facility before I started up my bike shop 9 yrs ago. The reason I did, is becaiuse I had to take a bike into a dealer and had to deal with the "attitude", phone ringing forever, being put on hold andthe long wait to get the bike in. HD has come a long way and they are really pushingfor better customer service just as the auto dealers have. Actually if you look at HD it's beena mirror to the changes that the automotive industry has faced. Also I believe Federal law and I believe it's called the Magnus and Moss act you do not have to get yourmaintenence work done by a dealer.Just make sure that the aftermarket store has good records. Anyway that's my 2 vents worth. www.hollywoodcycles.com
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 723
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville, FL
RE: Harley shop or small shop???
Guess you have to define "harley mechanic" (I'm not) - if he didn't know how "big" job was, then I wouldn't let him do it. Get the manual get familiar with indy or HD shop so you are comfortable. I use indy for my RK Custom and HD Dealer for my Ultra (it's under warranty) for stuff I can't or don't want to do. Good luck.
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Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
From: Montana
RE: Harley shop or small shop???
Thanks Fellas,
You pretty much summed up my feelings when I found the bike wasn't done by our agreeed time frame. I am a builder/ Remodeler and one thing I am known for is timing, I have allot of out of state customers and we have drop dead dates for our work and I live by those.
I said the same to this guy, I told him no rush as long as it is done by Saturday so I can take a ride, he agreed and day by day he didn't get to it and friday he looked at it and decieded that it was a big job.
I wanted to stay with a small guy because I am a small company but I should have known everytime I do that I usaually get burned.
Not to mention the price change, that is over the top. I don't want anybody getting burned and going out of business because they gave such good deals but when I asked how much I didn't dicker with him, he had every oppurtunity to say I will get back to you with a price..
Hey, another life lesson, I have dealt with people like all my life, they are nice people but they just don't know how tosay no and they have no clue as how to schedule, I go thru this with new subs ( electricans, plumbers, etc).
I have now lost faith in the guy and won't take that gamble again with him.
Thanks for all the opinions and suggestions, I really appreaciate it.
I will try the belt repair and if that doesn't work I may just go to the Harley shop after some talking with the shop manager and let them make their money ( $400.00) that job sounds like it would be worth that much and for me I would know it was done right and I would have a ligit company to deal with if there were problems.
There aren't any other shops around that I know of except the honda and kawai dealers.
Thanks again fellas,
BDR
You pretty much summed up my feelings when I found the bike wasn't done by our agreeed time frame. I am a builder/ Remodeler and one thing I am known for is timing, I have allot of out of state customers and we have drop dead dates for our work and I live by those.
I said the same to this guy, I told him no rush as long as it is done by Saturday so I can take a ride, he agreed and day by day he didn't get to it and friday he looked at it and decieded that it was a big job.
I wanted to stay with a small guy because I am a small company but I should have known everytime I do that I usaually get burned.
Not to mention the price change, that is over the top. I don't want anybody getting burned and going out of business because they gave such good deals but when I asked how much I didn't dicker with him, he had every oppurtunity to say I will get back to you with a price..
Hey, another life lesson, I have dealt with people like all my life, they are nice people but they just don't know how tosay no and they have no clue as how to schedule, I go thru this with new subs ( electricans, plumbers, etc).
I have now lost faith in the guy and won't take that gamble again with him.
Thanks for all the opinions and suggestions, I really appreaciate it.
I will try the belt repair and if that doesn't work I may just go to the Harley shop after some talking with the shop manager and let them make their money ( $400.00) that job sounds like it would be worth that much and for me I would know it was done right and I would have a ligit company to deal with if there were problems.
There aren't any other shops around that I know of except the honda and kawai dealers.
Thanks again fellas,
BDR
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,343
Likes: 1
RE: Harley shop or small shop???
Doc 1 does all my service work and I know it is done right. He is very meticulous and will let me watch him do the work. Also, he shows me how to do it in case I ever want to do it myself.
Ride safe,
Ride safe,
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 500
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Harley shop or small shop???
Man, you have a Montana winter to get through. That's plenty of time, in my opinion, to try it your self, and if you get in over your head, you still have time to limp it to the dealer and get it done. That's what I would do.
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