| Author | Message | ||
     Waterbug |
My 1125CR is under warranty. It pees gasoline on the garage floor and obviously needs the CA canister. Last week I call H-D (Eden Prairie, MN, a Minneapolis suburb) and explain. They claim to understand the problem and the CA canister solution. I'm feeling good. They offer an appointment, for which the minimum length is 3 days, because they have a "3 day cycle". Apparently even the most trivial service work takes 3 days minimum. I'm feeling less good, but make an appointment to get it done. So today I drop the bike for service. When I call to check status, they tell me they need to order a part, a "CA canister" ...imagine that! It takes 7 days to get a part from H-D, plus another 3 days to install. I'm absolutely, positively stunned! In this large metro area (3.5 million people) with many, many bike shops, it seems incredible that anybody (much less a seasonal retailer) can stay in business operating this way. Is this par for the course with H-D service? | ||
| Barker |
For me I schedule services and they are mostly performed while I wait. Unless I drop off the bike and then its like a day or so at the most just because of my availability to pick-up. Parts, that are not in stock, take 5-10 business days if not on back order. I do have a very good dealer (Bumpus) and a really good mechanic (Flash) | ||
| Dcmortalcoil |
I'm not sure that's typical. In my experience, HD shops don't want to store you bike any longer than needed. In fact, they wont accept your bike in for service unless the parts are there. Battley HD in Rockville, MD might seem exceptional, however, among the HD dealers. When I had the 600 mile service, I got an appointment and it was done in about 90minutes while I waited. When I had the harness update, I got an appointment and was done less than 3 hours while I waited in their lounge, where I slept partly and worked partly. They even phoned me right away for pickup when it was ready as they knew I was waiting. After the harness update, I thought the ECM was not upgraded because the receipt I got didn't mention it. I called them and they looked into it and told me to come in anytime to confirm the firmware. I went there that afternoon. In less than 30 minutes, they checked and confirmed it was the latest firmware. To make sure, they even reflashed it. By the time I finished lunch, they had the bike ready, called me to pick up. That's a great service. Maybe Battley HD knows something in the way of service ... .... ... because they also sell and service BMW, Ducati, Aprilia, and Bimota. Just imagine HD technician servicing German and Italian bikes. Perhaps. But I think I got it backwards. More like BMW/Ducati certified technicians servicing HD/Buell. (Message edited by dcmortalcoil on May 25, 2010) | ||
| 1125rcya |
Sounds like you have a sound dealership, be sure and let them know a Indiana Man asked if they were expanding to Franklin, Indiana lol  | ||
| Mountainstorm |
If you had bought a chromed out Fat Boy and wanted to put a Sissy Bar on it I bet it would be a much different scenario. Get ready to experience what I call "The Love" from your dealership. No it is not typical, HD dealers all have different levels of experience with Buells and some seem to be damn good at keeping them running and out of the shop...some do not. | ||
| Bptex |
My dealer replaced the tail lights on mine (probably should have done so before delivery when new) while I waited and watched their Saturday bikini contest. However it's been 6+ months since they ordered a new front brake line and it still hasn't shown up. | ||
| Kirb |
Usually, I ask the parts be ordered for the service before I take the bike in. I will also ask if I can schedule a service and have the part installed while I wait. Sometimes dealers are HORRIBLE at planning work and want a backlog of bikes so their guys are always on the clock. Good service managers don't need to do this. | ||
| Ccryder |
You just need to confirm with your Dealer before you bring it in what needs to be done and the parts availability. Especially when it's not normal service. THey don't want to keep your bike. Every dealer has scheduling problems sometimes. I never complain when mine gets bumped if it's for a rider on the road needing service (been there done that and it's greatly appreciated). Later Neil S. | ||
| Mikellyjo |
Call Glenn at Donahue HD/Buell in Sauk Rapids. They are an hour or so north of you but are very Buell friendly. They have never kept my bike longer than required. If parts are needed and the bike can be ridden...they don't want it. And I know the don't have a 3day service policy. As a matter of fact my wife an I drove our bikes out there last week to drop them off to be looked at. The 1125r for CEL/LFL issues and XB12r for charging issues. We both road out of there within an hour. Parts on order for the 1125r and problem solved for the XB12r. Talk about Customer service. Jokingly, maybe they really don't like Buells and just want to get them out of the shop...not wanting to Taint the air with modern engineering. Thanks Donahue!!!   | ||
| Syonyk |
Dealerships are all over the place. Some really like Buells, some hate them. Really, though, what's the problem with a 3 day wait? It's not like anyone rides a bike during the week... Drop it off Monday, and it'll be ready for the ride on Sat... Besides, why would you buy a Buell? Look at all the Genuine Aftermarket Harley Chrome you can't install on it! Find a better dealership. I ride an hour to get to one that cares. The one 15 mins away is pretty bad. Not as bad as yours, but still not good. | ||
| Pattio |
Yes your experience is typical. You are experiencing your own service reality, just as each of us do. Somewhere on the internet there is a guy who got something for nothing, by using the right code word at the right time and gaming the system. Don't let that guy's internet reality drive what you can get out of your own. Have a real world relationship with the person who is going to work on your bike. That might mean paying for something. It's typical to have to schedule work at shops. Not universal, but typical. It's also typical that you will have to wait some period of time for parts. Waiting for parts is frustrating whether your bike is an obsolete superbike or rare antique or recent commuter. It sucks to wait for parts, no matter what they are or how long the wait. Getting work done at shops often takes longer than either you or the shop had originally planned. Not every time, but you should be ready. So in answer to your original question of 'Is my experience typical?' I say, welcome to the world of small-production enthusiast motor-vehicle ownership. It's not the automotive world and yes, your experience is typical. This is just your first, you have lots more to experience. It can be better- it can be great! But it can also suck. FWIW people sitting on the fence about the canister, I ordered one at the parts counter, took it home and put it on. Actually a friend did the work- I had the tank cover off because we were going to put in the cannister and a k&n, and my friend connected the canister in the time it took me to open us beers and get back from the fridge, so I guess I gamed the system after all. The part's not expensive, the install isn't hard, don't let the idea that you coulda-gottit-ferfree stop you from just doing it. | ||
| Stirz007 |
This is not typical for my preferred dealer. If a part has to be ordered, they call when it comes in to schedule install/service.. I usually can get in within a day or two, and if work is scheduled on a Tuesday, I bring it in that morning, pick up that afternoon. This ain't rocket science, just a good garage manager. | ||
| Syonyk |
IME, a good question to ask the dealership service manager/techs (if they let you talk to them) is "What do you ride?" If it's entirely Harley, you'll probably want to find another dealership. If the answer from the service manager is "I've got 6 Buells in my garage, some for race, some for street," and there's a tech in the back who put over 150k on his tuber and has around 60k on his 08 1125R, and absolutely loves working on Buells... it's worth the ride to the dealership (Santa Fe, in case anyone cares). | ||
| Freezerburn840 |
Yes typical just like most people have stated. The dealer real close to my house takes at least a week to get the part in (or 5 working days). The problem is they arent open on monday's. The only thing dealers really stock for us is the air filter and the oil filter. Everything else mechanically good luck. | ||
| Freezerburn840 |
Wish we had mechanics out here like that Syonyk. I've called 3 dealers in my area and the Buell mechanics none of them own Buell's or really like working on them. Out of the 3 I have to go with experience on the 1125 model's. For instance which dealership has worked on valves the most, Tightened bearings, upgraded the electrical harness for the Stator. I get all this info by visiting dealers when I go to the parts counter and visit the service department and get an idea for how they actually feel about Buell's. The more positive responses I get is the dealership I will have service my bike when intervals come up. Pretty much just the valve checks, Forks and bearings is what I am concerned mostly about the other stuff I can check on my own or service on my own. |
