Well apparently they don't....... As evidenced by all the 2014s rolling around puking coolant and with entertainment systems that are non functional. As long as people keep flooding into dealerships to buy their shoddy updates - why should they?

 

Ya ya, bla bla. I know of no other auto or motorcycle manufacturer that responds to customers faster than Harley. All my metric biker friends even comment on it. As an engineer, I can say from experience that you don't want to throw any old software fix out there just because Johny Blowhard keeps calling every minute. The only thing worse than a bug with a new product is more bugs coming from fast fixes.

My suggestion for you is to find a motorcycle that meets or your demands now so that you die from a heart attack.

 

This thread is in regards to the radio and its software. Are you saying that the entire '14 touring bike line should be on hold until Harmon-Kardon provides a fix that prevents the bike icon from becoming an arrow at shutdown? It's not like HD could release the bikes without a radio, or even the old radio (inner fairing redesigned). HD has been working on these new designs for 3 years. I promise you, Harmon Kardon was provided the specs and the requirements a long time ago. I am a software developer, and as much as we hate it, sometimes software gets released before we know it's ready - I've worked on $14 billion projects that were realistically estimated to take 36 months and required to ship in 18 months - bugs go with it - it's about knowing which bug to address first and which can wait. it is due to unrealistic deadlines, commitments and penalty dollars for not meeting deadlines. All the while us developers are working 16 hours / day 7 days a week to get phase I released so penalties aren't paid and executives can get their bonuses.

 

took Chrysler over a year to get a fix for the clock in my wife's Jeep , so it is not only Harley , I think it is just technology

 

Don't give them too much credit, for this is the same company that needs to take a bike out of production for a year to work through what seems to be small and simple cooling installation.

 

..Amen brother...I remember going to my local dealer in 1976,(Monty's W. Bridgewater MA, and the new shovelheads on the floor all had little cardboard pans under each bike to catch the dripping oil...can you imagine the HORROR on someone's face these days if they saw an oil drop on a showroom floor?...lol...

 

It's a vicious circle. Consumers demand technology, and manufacturers demand profit. It's easy to see where I'm going. We no longer accept a bike without a radio. We no longer accept a bike that might drip some oil. We no longer wish to escape our cell phone for a few hours. We demand that everything must have the latest and greatest gizmo and gadgets that we can imagine.

Hd is trying desperately to give (you not me) all this technology at an incredible profit in a sketchy market. Let's face it, our economy still sucks, no hope for improvement on the horizon, bike sales are dwindling, and Hd needs a shot in the arm. Selling the same old product isn't going to boost sales.


Viola! Project Rushmore! Exceed the customers expectations! Oops, now we have problems. But you have to realize that Hd was not only looking to wow old customers, but to court new customers as well. This is why we have such pissed off new owners of bikes. They made the leap into harley ownership, now they are discovering what us old school guys have known for years. New stuff, new problems.

I wouldn't expect any 'quick fixes' for any of these problems until bike sales slow down. Hd is focused on moving units. When the sales slow, then it will be time to focus on not having to repurchase a ton of new bikes.

All that said. I think it's shitty as hell that Hd released these bikes to happy new owners and is not stepping up to fix them in a timely manner. And yes, I would be doing backflips at my selling dealer until someone either fixed my bike or gave me a new one if I was one of these disgruntled owners.

 

Didnt answer my question... You OK with a toaster that doesnt make toast? If not you shouldnt be OK with the **** harley is putting put for 2014....

 

The 2014's come with toasters too? Thats awesome! I love toast.

 

It would be awesome if they did.... Might be the only thing on them that works as advertised...