| Author | Message | ||
     Anonymous |
Nice post Blake! Hey, here's an idea. Locate the owner / general manager of the Buell dealership and very nicely say to them "Sir, I own a Buell motorcycle and would like to spend some money with your dealership. Would it be possible for you to stock a wider selection of parts for my bike?" "I would much rather support my local dealership than order parts from a dealer in Texas (SportTwinn.com plug) who stocks parts and ships them overnight to me when you do not have them in stock." "Can we work on this?" As for the other poster who tried at the HD dealer. Did you find the GM / owner and ask him if he has plans to become a Buell dealer? If you don't ask him this, how does he know that Buell owners are in his market and looking to do Buell business with him? Try it, you may be surprised to learn that the top level of the shop does not always know when they are not supporting their customer. The local dealer has the power to change this where not one single soul on this web site does. Including Erik Buell if he happens to be reading this. We all can make our own world better, or we can sit back a wait for others to do it for us. If we sit back waiting, we have no right to complain when it does not happen as fast as we would like. | ||
| Az_M2 |
No Blake, I don't get it. I can understand the HD dealer not stocking Buell parts, but I don't understand why I can't order them (maybe you can explain, you seem to know why, I'm not being sarcastic). I believe there is a fairly strong relationship between HD and Buell and it should be very simple for a HD dealer to order a Buell part. Like I mentioned in my post, the only reason I was there was because I was given a gift certificate. Thanks for the tip, but I know how to get Buell parts when I have the $$$. Anon - no I didn't talk to the GM. But I have spoken with the Service Manager. They were once a Buell dealer but aren't now, I didn't ask why. Chris | ||
| Dave |
Okay Let me reword it to say; " ... Mandate your AUTHORIZED Buell dealerships ..." Good point Anonymous and that is the best thing to do. Obviously Buell/HD cannot control or impress the "corporate will" on authorized dealerships through establishing "target" Buell parts inventories. The implementation of a program where dealerships could be rewarded by HD/Buell by discounted parts prices or receiving a new model (HD or Buell) early is too complex to discuss here. I understand there is balance in maintaining a reasonable inventory and maybe parts for an active service bulletin is not part of a reasonable inventory and thus not economically feasible. "Just in time" parts are good and stagnant inventory is bad. (I waited over 3 months for saddle bag lids and over 5 months for a new frame ... both palatable.) However, there exists an expectation that Authorized Buell dealerships will stock parts and I do not think that expectation is unreasonable nor should it be explained. We're talking about an isolator kit that has an active Service Bulletin applicable for all 1996-2000 Buell except the S2/S2T. Respectfully, though this Anonymous' post is well received, the use of "Anonymous" is perceived as "chickensh!t" to me. Unless it's the "R". Protect your identity with a moniker of choice but just choose something. Kind of like the Great Oz and the man behind the screen. At least it wasn't some jackass Munchkin fresh from the poppy field pulling someone's chain. ;-) WAitin'DAve | ||
| Dave |
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| Anonymous |
Chris, The service manager does not really have the authority to change the dealership, but the GM does. The why they were a Buell dealer and are not any longer, may well be that they had little or no Buell business. If you let them know that you have an interest along with other Buell riders in the area, they may well decide to pick it up again, but you have to ask. The reasons the HD dealer can not order Buell parts, is both simple and complicated. I’m suspect there will come a time when all HD dealers are Buell dealers, but that time is not now. HD techs do not have access to Buell factory training, factory service bulletins, special tools, or service manuals. (I know, they can buy the manuals just like you can) Yes, there are common parts between the two (Buell and XL models) but not all parts are common. A HD dealer can NOT order and Buell specific part i.e. parts that end with Y on the part number. This is intended to protect you as a consumer and the dealer who has committed to service Buells. Let’s say you are a Buell dealer and Joe Harley Dealer down the street is not. Yet as a manufacturer I sell parts to Joe anyway. Joe HD does not stock bikes or accessories (inventory costs and floor space dedication required), in fact all Joe’s HD does is the light service work. As a loyal full line Buell dealer, will this make you happy with me as a manufacturer? Now, you take your bike to Joe’s for a handling issue. Joe’s tech has never done shock preload or neck bearing adjustment on a Buell. Fact is, until today the closest he had gotten to a Buell was watching one go by two blocks away about a year ago, but he is going to help you out with this bike that is not handling as it should. How do you know this about Joe’s tech? If you do know this about Joe’s Mr. Fixit, are you comfortable with this scenario? |
