I learned a lesson the other day about sticking with my old reliable dealer service department.

The background of this is that for quite a while, I've been trying to decide on new bars for my 08 Ultra; the stock bars were too far forward and my shoulders would ache after an extended ride. But I wanted to be really sure before changing them out, didn't want to make a $400 mistake with the wrong bars. So I went to my regular dealer and didn't get much help in the parts department: "well, it's up to you." So I travelled to several other area dealers and got pretty much the same thing -- nobody who seemed to really understand what I was looking for and lots of showing me stuff in catalogs, which gave me no idea of what I'd be getting.

Finally, about a month ago, I stopped in at another dealership with a parts department that seemed knowledgeable and motivated. They let me sit on a bike with bars that were more pulled back so I could actually feel the difference, and they had bars in stock that were similar and would fit my bike; they even brought them out to hold in place on my bike so the different angle would be obvious. The bars are the reduced-reach batwing bars.

At that point, I was feeling confident that I'd found what I was looking for. I got a quote for parts and labor, and the parts guy assured me that I would NOT have to have new clutch and/or brake cables (he even went to the service area and got confirmation on this). So I got this all on paper and told them I'd be back the next time the weather was good enough to ride.

Well, Friday was a great riding day, so I called earlier in the week and made an appointment and confirmed the price quote. I rolled in at the appointed time and the service guy started writing up my paperwork (I wonder now if I shouldn't have taken it as a bad omen that he had to get my help to get the front forks unlocked).

One of the other service guys came over and said, hey, you're going to need a new clutch cable for those bars. I'm going, WTF, I was told no new cables would be required. After lots of conferring behind closed doors, they came out and said that although the new clutch cable would have to be installed, they would eat the cost since they'd told me it wouldn't. So that was a relief.

All that is good news, right? But in the course of inspecting my bike, they told me the stator plug was leaking and that the shifter shaft (behind the inner primary) was bad and needed replacement. I said, well, that's funny, I just had that work done back in November under ESP and I kind of doubt it's gone bad again after only a thousand miles. They said, oh, well, maybe it's just grungy from when the prior work was done.

Anyway, long story short, I got my new bars installed at the price I was originally quoted, and I can already tell they're going to make life easier for long rides. So all's well that ends well. But the impression I came away with was that these guys really didn't have their **** together, whereas the service department (NOT parts department) at my regular dealer have always been on the ball and taken great care of my bike. Guess I'll stick with them from now on.

JL

 

Sounds like the one dealership was trying their best to make some extra money.

Service department personnel are not your friends. But it never hurts to establish some rapport with them. The guys at the dealership where I bought my bike, and have always had it serviced at, take pretty good care of me.

 

Reminds of a show on tv a few years back about people on vacation getting ripped off by service stations. These were full service stations were a guy would put your gas in, check your oil, wash your windshield, etc. This one attendant had a small squirt can with oil in it in his pocket. He would look under the car as if he was looking for problems and while he was under there he would squirt a little oil on one of the rear shocks. Then he tells the owner of the car and shows them the leak. Tells them they should change all four shocks just to be safe. These stations were mostly along the interstates and watched for cars with out of state plates and usually older drivers. They sold tons of shocks, tires, belts, etc. They got caught, but this kind of crap goes on more than you think and in other places besides service stations. Ever wonder how many parts have been replaced on a motorcycle that did not need to be? When some of these service departments see an extended warranty on a bike, a simple oil change turns into...we think your stater is bad...comp is bad...seal is bad... bearing is going out....etc, you get the picture. Sorry for the long post!

 

I'll bet in a short period of time your want more comfort and install some higher ape bars. Ask me how I Know!!!!!