| Author | Message | ||
     Adoogie3 |
This is my story…. In May 2008 I purchased my 1125R Buell from Lake Erie Harley Davidson. Since the time of purchase, the bike has had several issues such as bad fueling, knocking, surging, stuttering, overheating, and poor mpg. I had the bike serviced under recalls, but the problems remained. Recently I brought the bike into H.D. for service due to loud knocking. Over the course of two weeks they proceeded to tear the bike down to the frame searching for the source. I informed H.D. that I had an out of town trip planned for that weekend and would like the bike in running condition. The conclusion was a broken screw in the clutch basket and primary drive assembly (both of which were replaced under warranty). Upon driving home less than 5 miles from the dealership, the bike started to knock and the drive belt broke. I immediately called the H.D. dealership and they picked the bike up. The following day (! Day prior for leaving on scheduled vacation) I was told if I wanted the bike back I was to pay $365.00, which included cost of belt, labor and tow. When I questioned why belt was not under warranty he stated he knows I ride the bike hard and if I didn’t pay $365.00 then I was going to be charged for all the prior services done to the bike, which included all engine labor cost. At this point I felt cornered and extorted. The manager stated that he was done speaking to me on this matter, to pick up the bike and hung up the phone on me. I paid the bill, and drove bike home cautiously. I noticed that attached to my billing statement was a red paper containing false quotes that I had made about riding habits. At this point I was outraged that a company that I have purchased two bikes through would do such a thing to a loyal customer. Having been a previous bike owner, I changed the oil and to my surprise found a significant amount of metal fragments in the engine oil and filter. I contacted H.D. customer service to verbalize my concern since I have not experienced this in any previous oil changes before. They documented my statement and said they would get back to me with in the next few days. After my trip with the bike (1600 miles) changed the oil again, but bike still had knock and contained metal fragments in oil, which leads me to believe there is a wear issue that needs to addressed. After notifying H.D customer service they said it was L.E.H.D. issue and to contact them from now on. Having past disappointments with Lake Erie H.D. I was hesitant to contact them for any more help, and upon speaking with the manager and expressing my concerns, he agreed to do an oil change and look at it. When service called me to pick the bike up, I mentioned that I wanted to see the oil filter and they said it would be here. At time of pick up, I requested the oil filter that was promised by manager Bill H. and Steve B. said it was disposed of and not available. I checked the oil in my bike in the parking lot of the dealership and saw metal particles. I was upset and told them this is unacceptable and they asked me to leave the premises. When asking if this bike can be traded in Steve B. said he refuses to sell me a bike and that they have the authority to do so. I asked for the owners phone number and he gave me the number of the dealership I was standing in. I proceeded to push my bike back into the service area and told them to keep it. I don’t feel as if I was treated with any respect and feel the need to tell others about my experience here. I have been a believer in buying American products; I am in the Steelworkers Union 1104 and I push to support our country with U.S. purchases and have been greatly disappointed with this entire situation. Is this how we represent an American company? By hanging up the phone and pushing people into corners? | ||
| Adoogie3 |
I had my bike almost fixed "fiqured out" through all the safety recalls and flashes and now this happened. H.D. customer service has done nothing to correct my issue with this dealer. | ||
| Mr_incognito |
Ill be the first to tell you, that Buell being a sub company of Harley Davidson is both a curse, and a blessing. Its a curse because youre forced to deal with the HD mentality, which its obvious they dont care if youre happy with a product from them, because most people into HD will buy wether they are satisfied or not. Its a blessing, because Erik Buell couldnt have likely started BMC without their help. Now, what youre experiencing is one of the biggest reasons that I hate BMC being associated with HD. When I bought my bike last summer, it was a total lemon. I had it for 6 months, put 5k miles on it, and it had been in and out of the shop at least 8 times. Everything from the clutch to the ecu. After that 6 months, I finally told the dealership I bought it from (Gails HD in Kansas City) that I was fed up with the bike and that they needed to help me work something out where I could go get a normal functioning bike. They told me (and this is a direct quote) "the thought of taking an 1125R on trade in made them want to puke". They then proceeded to offer me 2k (thats not a typo) dollars trade in. I was ready to fight. They offered me 11k dollars less than I paid for the bike 6 months after I bought it and had tons of problems. I think the biggest problem that BMC has is that their bikes are sold at HD dealerships, and 99% of HD riders/salesman care more about their toothbrush than they do Buell motorcycles. HD dealerships look at Buell as a way to make profit, not a way to help people and be involved in the bikes. I feel pretty lucky that I got the one other local Buell dealership to help me out a ton, and got my 1125 in working order. Its been 7k miles since my last problem and I love my bike more than anything now. Best of luck to you, and I hope things work out in your favor. | ||
| Jaimec |
The first thing I'd ask is why call HD customer service and not BMC customer service? But man, I was getting furious just READING that experience, let alone living through it. Good luck! | ||
| Dentguy |
Call back Buell customer service and ask for help since it is still under warranty. | ||
| Mr_incognito |
Ya I totally forgot to mention that in my post. Buell Customer Service is really good, and theyre gonna be more likely to help you than the dolts over at HD. | ||
| Ron_luning |
What is this red paper with statements you made about riding habits? What on earth could they think that proves (since they wrote it obviously)? If they had photos of you doing burnouts and racing with a numberplate on the bike it would be different. It sounds like you're dealing with a bunch of total clowns. Is there another dealership nearby? I've almost had to look in a mirror to make sure I didn't have "stupid" or "gullible" written on my forehead when dealing with service departments before, but this sounds much worse. | ||
| Firebolt32 |
+1 Jaimec. I wouldn't have been able to control myself. Sucks to you went through so much sh!t. I'd certainly call Buell. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Detail your experience in a letter, send it the owner of that HD franchise, and copy Buell and HD on it as well. Then continue the right track you were on before, and work with Buell CS. Ask to be referred to another dealer, regardless of what happened, your current relationship with Lake Erie is poisoned. Start over with the new dealer with a clean slate and an objective list of your mechanical concerns. They don't need the details of your soap opera with the previous dealer. It'll be hard, but being objective will be your best path to you and your bike being made whole. I've gotten my self wrapped around the axle a lot of times on a lot of issues, and I never solved the problem until *after* I calmed down. And in hindsight, I was never completely wrong, but never completely right either, FWIW. I've heard of worse at non Harley franchises (i.e. Japanese or car makers), so I don't think that is the main factor going on here. Bad dealers operate under all sorts of marquees. It sucks that you have to go through this, but given that you do, I can't think of a better parent company to have to deal with then Buell. | ||
| Hellgate |
Yes, call Buell CS as soon as you can and explain the WHOLE thing. I now go to a different dealer because of very poor service from the local guy. I've had my bike for 5 months and have a whopping 1,700 miles on it due to it being in the shop so much. I feel your pain. | ||
| Adoogie3 |
Problem is theres a wear issue that is causing all the debris and now what damage has been done?Im going to picket the hell out of this place.I did today and will continue to hand this story out.I wish you could see there faces today when I showed up.One sign said > customer service I refuse to grab my ankles and let a american co. screw me anymore.One other said > is there metal in your oil.other said customer service is making me look like a sucker.And in all this im dressed in a blow pop outfit.lol Keep in mind folks after i was told that i would not be allowed to see my oil filter I told them no filter than keep the bike and walked away from it.Its in there shop. | ||
| Adoogie3 |
can anyone resize a couple pics for me so they fit. You will seriously laugh if i could postem. | ||
| Pariah |
Andrew, If you flip open the 1125R Owner's Manual, one of the first pages is "Customer Service Assistance" --- written probably because Buellers have seen the kind of treatment you are getting from HD. It states (paraphrasing): 1. Discuss problem with your dealership... if unsuccessful with the rep there, speak to the owner of the dealership or the GM. 2. If you cannot resolve problem with dealership, contact Buell Customer Service: (414) 343-8400... I cannot imagine that Buell CS would hang you out to dry. For one, Buell knows there's a lot riding on this bike (pun intended) and I can't imagine that small company would allow a problem like yours to go unattended to... please give them a call, and good luck! | ||
| Reepicheep |
Choose your path, and understand you are stuck with it. If you want a war with the dealership, that's your business. But once the war starts, you will marginalize yourself as "some guy with an axe to grind". Even if you have a good reason for axe grinding... it won't matter anymore... Help will dry up. You will then, like Dyna, end up going to the legal system. You will pay a lawyer a lot of money for the priveledge of not having a working bike, and your dealer will pay a lot of money for you to be without your bike, and HD will take one of the 150 lawyers they are already paying for and say "here's another whack job". No kidding, it could easily take 5 to 10 years to sort out. Your problems sound valid, and I suspect Buell will be willing to make it right (though it will take some work to get there all around). So either make this about your personal war with the dealer (your business, I'm not judging) or make it about getting your bike right. Now that I think about it strategically, you can choose the "bike right" path first, and war is always an option later. But if you start with war, the other path will vanish.... I'd try and work it out with Buell and get it done before I went "Internet" with it either way. Anything you say on the internet can and will be used against you in a court... you won't be the first person to be on the loosing end of a legal issue because of a badweb posting. | ||
| Adoogie3 |
That number is harley customer service.there no longer is a buell only customer service .I delt with a woman that really didnt seem to care. | ||
| Tonedeath |
wow sounds like our bikes are long lost twins i wish i had the time to come help you im having the same problems with buell and my dealer i feel your pain best of luck for both of us | ||
| Ducdood9 |
Adoogie3 , You are standing on the solid ground. Stand firm and I hope this gets cleared up for you fast. I hope that service manager loses his job. | ||
| F_skinner |
This is a sad story and I can relate from my experience with East Coast HD/Buell and my 1997 S1 in 1998. Basically they had the bike 11 months before they worked on it to do the recalls then left the check ball and spring out of the oil system so no oil pressure. Reading this brings back those memories but there is one statement that really bothers me;When I questioned why belt was not under warranty he stated he knows I ride the bike hard and if I didn’t pay $365.00 then I was going to be charged for all the prior services done to the bike There is no Buell specific customer service and that is really too bad. We (owners) should buy back BMC from Harley That statement is wrong on many levels. I suggest you do this: 1. Go get your bike 2. Take it to a real Buell shop (check the sponsors here) 3. Write a letter to Buell and cc the dealership and HD. 4. Be calm (I know it is hard) and factual. | ||
| Dynasport |
I don't blame you for your anger or your actions, but unfortunately that anger can cloud reason. Leaving your bike with them and then dressing in a funny suit and standing outside their dealership with signs like you described only makes you look like a whacko, it does nothing to help you get this resolved and actually hurts your credibility. I had a friend with a similar problem with a Ford car. A letter from an attorney to the Ford regional organization went a long way to getting the problem resolved at another Ford dealership. I would advise you to swallow your pride, go get your bike, call Buell/HD CS for help, if that doesn't work take it to another dealership. If you still don't get the help you need, it will be time to consult an attorney if necessary. You can of course also contact the BBB. I would also determine what other consumer protection agency's are in your area that might be of some assistance. These courses of action might not get you the result you want, but I can pretty much guarantee you that standing outside the dealership dressed like a lollipop is counterproductive. | ||
| Court |
Most the information on this thread is inaccurate. I'mnot disputing any of the facts surrounding the problems with the bike. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE read Bill's post:
I've been solving (just recently retired) Buell problems since 1989. This one is simple and eas at this point. Don't make it nearly impossible. I'd worry more about SOLVING, than posting pictures to "get the internet laughing". You have a serious problem. Treat it seriously and like a grown up and it will be easy to fix. Just my opinion . . . and I'm a construction worker. Court | ||
| Zac4mac |
You have a decision to make. Do you want a fan-EFFING-tastic motorcycle or do you want revenge on the dealership? If they're that bad, they're gone in this economy anyway. Karma works. You can't go wrong by going to BMC-CS. Been there, done that. It works, they have called ME... call them. The early bikes may have had some issues, mine was built the end of the first week of production. She has a little over 19k miles, I know of 3 with over 20k. These don't live in a Service Dept. I'll stop now before I start blathering. I would wind up in the gutter before I'd let go of my 11. Z | ||
| Badlionsfan |
I realize it's too late, but I really wish you'd have taken the bike to western reserve HD/ Buell. They've happily done all my recall work while I waited, got me in and out and I didn't even buy my bike there. My next bike will come from them for sure. Let this be a lesson to all the other ne Ohio buellers. We have a great dealer around here, let's support them. Adoogie3, good luck to ya and I hope it works out for you some how. | ||
| R2s |
+1 badlionsfan. If there are other dealers in your area I don't see why you take it back to them. Dealers are all different. If they don't treat Buell customers right then you did the right thing, post your problem with them so others can avoid using them and call Buell customer service and get it resolved with another dealer. I also don't like going to HD dealers and wish Buell could set up sport bike shops with Buell's and MV Agusta's. | ||
| Pizzaboy |
holy paragraphs, adoggie! i WAS going to read what you had to say, but i just cannot digest that big of a story with seemingly no apparent beginning middle or end! im guessing its another bad dealer story. when i have a bigger appetite for that much paragraph ill take a bite at it. | ||
| Ridenusa4l |
+100 R2s | ||
| Xl1200r |
I think there's some good advice here. Stop the picketing. Call Buell CS, get working with another dealer. Don't let the drama known the new dealer - they may hesitant to help in fear of messing up and you being vengeful over it. Once your problems are fixed (and I have faith they will be), be sure you tell anyone who asks what an AWFUL experience you had at Erie. Word of mouth does a lot. Then be sure to tell them how GOOD this new place treated you. If you picket, especially by yourself, you'll just look like a whack job. If you go back to Erie once your bike is fixed and tell the Service dept and all the customers about how some other dealership had to fix all Erie's mistakes and how Erie esentially broke your bike and told you to never come back - you'll still look like a whack job. Play it cool. | ||
| Ron_luning |
Do you own a blow pop outfit, or just rent? | ||
| Adoogie3 |
I bought the suit for 30$.I plan to make this whole deal a little more professional today.I spoke with harley today and have a meeting scheduled for 3 o clock today for talks. I dont know where it will get me but i just want to know that he knows what the deal is and how I like the facility but the service end has been a whole game so far.I feel like they were toying with me.And after the talks I will continue to picket the freedom party tonight.I told him I wouldnt picket today If I could talk to him today.Should I picket even if nothing gets resolved and keep my word? | ||
| Metalrabbit |
It's a surprise to me that they(so called "tech" or mechanic) didn't check all fluid levels and drop the oil first thing. A knock in any engine is a serious event and I would rule out the expensive stuff first before I would start taking other things apart. In the future, for you and anybody else, I would use a Harley/Buell dealer where one of the mechanics owns & rides the bike you have. It's a huge advantage and he is going to be well versed on the potential problem areas. | ||
| Pariah |
How are you picketing? Are you taking vacation time for this?! Hmmm... I don't think your picketing will get the results you want, but, I agree, it's funny and pics would be nice! |
