| Author | Message | ||
     Koz5150 |
I love the bike!!! BUT.... Who is going to work on them? There are many HD shops that were/are ill equipt to deal with the old school tube frame bikes (which had sportster motors). Now you think they are going to be able to be an expert (the expert part is why you pay $65/hr minimum shop time) at maintianing these water cooled Rotax motors? This spring I put a new belt on my Dad's sportster. I ordered a 2007 Buell part since the belts are far supierior to the standard HD belt. the guy behind the desk had no clue they were the same. The dealerships just added about 20 degrees to the learning curve!!! | ||
| Mikej |
Buell kind of gave the dealership network a heads-up awhile back with their introduction of the dirtbike plans. I somehow suspect that those dealerships which acted proactively on that heads-up will have somehow been identified and pre-queued up for this bike. I could be wrong, probably am, but still seems like a reasonable speculation. With the dealership network being seen as one of the major potential stumbling blocks to what I perceive as the general public perception, I would hope that there are requirements in place to ensure that any dealerships to receive one to sell will be somewhat suitably equipped to service them as well. | ||
| Curtyd |
I love this quote, "It isn't NUCLEAR Physics", and there is the two year warranty. HD customers are probably the hardest to deal with in the service area. I know independent shops that won't work on HDs because of dealing with the folks riding them, somehow I think it'll all get figured out. It's an internal combustion motor. A mechanic even an HD one will be competent to turn wrenches, the key is finding who is a actual mechanic and not the tire change guy. (Message edited by CurtyD on July 13, 2007) | ||
| Bob_thompson |
In a word; I will; and with the help of a Buell factory manual (at any cost) I will get a better job done and at a fraction of the shop rates. I WILL NOT trust my Buell to any of my local dealers of which I have four in the immediate area. They have not proven to be anything but chrome adders and oil changers, if that. I know there are some good ones out there though. Now I totally understand I do have a certain mechanical ability and for that I am grateful. If you do not I suggest learning or choose your dealer service dept. carefully. The only thing I would be concerned with is the 24 month, unlimited mileage warranty and getting things done under that if necessary. | ||
| Spatten1 |
Our President says "It ain't nucular physics." | ||
| Two_buells |
Its not just Bad Buell Dealers! I was talking to a Sportbike Buddy and was asking him the same question. Who's going to work on the new Buell? There are good Dealers and Bad Dealers from all Brands out there. You just have to find the good ones. | ||
| Doerman |
There are good Dealers and Bad Dealers from all Brands out there. You just have to find the good ones. And when you do make sure to give them your business. | ||
| Spiderman |
i will! | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
i have a question: Does Buell have a school that the techs can go to to learn how do do work on there bikes specificly if so what does it take to go there because i want to go to it? do the techs actually go to them? If not i think it should be a mandontory thing for them to go to them when new models come out. | ||
| Buellistic |
Harley-Davidson technicians In BUELLing LaF}ayette | ||
| Fresnobuell |
I would think that a condition of selling Buells there would have to be a level of competent service. But as it seems like the number of HD shops selling Buells is dwindling, possibly Buell doesn't require/enforce the service aspect so they don't turn off more dealerships. | ||
| Glitch |
I see more H-D dealerships dropping Buell. I hate to sound negative, it's just that they grumble now having to buy the specialty Buell tools for the nine air cooled bikes. Now they'll have to buy more tools for one very different bike. Fortunately for me, and everyone in our area SMH-D&Buell are committed to being the best in Buelling. | ||
| Kenneth |
There are schools... and we do go to them. This isn't exactly the first liquid-cooled 4-valve dohc engine to roll into a Harley dealer... we've had V-rods for 5 years now. The rest of the bike is really similar to the Xb's we've been servicing for 4 years now. We're not all morons. | ||
| Buellistic |
Under the impression BMC was droping the Harley-Davidson Dealer !!! Any body know what is the differance between Sportster SPECIAL tools and BUELL SPECIAL tools ??? "THERE ARE SCHOOLS", but are they TALKING the TALK and WALKING the WALK ??? BEEN DOING MY ON WORK FOR "YEARS" and you'll are TEACHABLE !!! In BUELLing LaFayette | ||
| Dick8008 |
I went to Southern Tier Harley Davidson in upstate NY to talk about the new 1125r (and having them call me when it comes in of course). The salesmen mentioned the guys in service are way excited about the bike and can't wait to get them in. Sounds like they're ready for the business. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I think we will see a change in the dealers (those who are interested in the customer's needs anyway). I don't know a single dealer owner who doesn't like money. I don't think there is a single salesman who doesn't like to have a bike on the floor where people come from miles around to see and buy it. I also don't know a single GOOD mechanic who isn't ecstatic about something NEW to work on. Try doing the same job on the same piece of machinery every day for years on end? The dealers who are willing to sacrifice sales dollars in order not to have to deal with those "rice rocket" guys will eventually be phased out of the Buell market. I believe that the 1125R will be the straw on that issue. If you didn't really want to sell Buells, having to pay to send your techs to school to work on the new bike is probably enough to say "don't bother, we're not really interested". Have faith guys. I think we are going to see cool things ahead. Do you not believe that Erik, BMC, and HD are all interested in seeing this new evolution succeed? Do you not believe that the magazines are all thinking the same thing? I believe that Buell has provided us with the same simplicity in design we have come to love and coupled it with an engine that requires very little maintenance. Besides, you could probably seek the abilities of a competent Rotax Tech if you really needed it in a pinch. | ||
| Two_buells |
Does Buell have a school that the techs can go to to learn how do do work on there bikes specificly if so what does it take to go there because i want to go to it Yes, Its YTI in York, Pa. One of the former teachers at that school works on my bikes when I can't do the job myself. His name is Frank and is one of the Best Buell/HD wrenches around.} | ||
| Disturbed |
They work on the V-Rod........ | ||
| Ryker77 |
It's not about what they can or could do. It is what the are the most common with. Or what the will do. Working on a EVO or twincam could be done in the dark. But bring in something else and now they must slow down (paid less) and read the manual. Or they'll just guess and replace parts that are the quickest to replace. It's all about getting the most billable hours to get a good paycheck. - Would you take a Porche to a VW dealership? Would you take a Ford diesel truck to a Peterbuilt shop? I don't trust any stealership - always had bad luck. | ||
| Captnemo |
We just went though this with the dive company owners Mercury Verado engines on his fishing boat. He was having trouble with one of the engines going into fault mode and shutting down. The local Mercury place did everything around actually troubleshooting the problem, changing the oil ( with the wrong viscosity, BTW ), changing oil pressure sensors, re-flashing the ECM, etc. I walked into the shop to pick the boat up from one of their "repair sessions" and told the boss that the place looked like a lawnmower shop, dark, dirty, parts and dead engines and pieces of dead outboards strewn around, cardboard from an outboard motor box covering a broken window, etc... The place was a real rat hole. He brought the boat over to a different dealer that specialized in larger boats and the Verado engine. They actually had the engine shutdown during a test run. They trouble shot the problem and found a bad wiring harness that had been installed improperly at the factory and chafed a couple of the wires. A new wiring harness under warranty and the engine runs just like it's supposed to. Just because they are a dealer for a product doesn't always mean they can repair it... I'll be buying a service manual at the same time as my new 1125R, I'll spin my own wrenches. | ||
| Unibear12r |
I've spent some time with my dealer talking things Buell. The manager rides a Uly and some of the sales staff understand Buell's place in the m/c world. Most of the long bearded/tated types there (including the techs) are XB fans. The tech I talked to while I put my deposit down seemed interested in getting to work on the 1125. I won't rank them as the best Buell dealer I've seen but the Force is good with them. They try to understand and provide capable, professional service. Still I too will get the 1125 bible asap. They are far more worried about dealing with the dirt bike crowd. | ||
| Deadman |
Just for the record, YTI is not recognized by the motor company. The ONLY endorsed educational entity is MMI (either campus). Existing certified technicians are sent to vehicle or update specific classes. Regarding bad customer service, the top ten Buell dealerships in the nation (sales, service and overall customer satisfaction) receive the Pegasus Award each year. Why not look them up? Ask your local service department "Who's really into Buell?" instead of assuming all HD dealers are the same, or worse, giving each only ONE shot at earning your business. Not every person in the dealership may have struck you as being invested in you and your concerns. LOTS of dealership staff (myself included) have really busted our humps to educate ourselves further and further. LOTS of us REALLY care. Some of us have taken you into OUR homes for the night when your bike just couldn't be finished in time to get you back on the road. We know that you're individuals. SO are we. If all that you want is a service manual, I'll happily get it for you. If you want us to perform your services, we'll happily accomodate that as well. Either way, I make it my business to care. The day I stop caring, I'll quit. Don't lump us all together. I've worked too hard for that. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Right on Deadman! | ||
| Diablobrian |
Stone Mountain has the reputation it does for a reason! |
