A few bucks here or there is to be expected when you ride HD. It's part of the culture! Happy Hogging today fellas!

 

I'd like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and all the best in the coming New Year.

 

I have not been able to ride since last Sun. Hoping for at least one more ride sometime in the next week. I wish the LR came from HD with lockable flush-mounted fuel cap and gauge. How much would that really cost them?

 

So true. The one constant for all HD owners is that you are going to spend money on your HD.

 

I do my own service for the satisfaction of knowing it was done right.
have heard too many horror stories of service from dealers. my dad took his in under warranty 3 times for a noisy drive belt, two times the FACTORY trained mechanics could not fix it, the 3rd time they brushed him off, he finally fixed it himself, just a simple alignment issue.. while I am sure there are some good dealer service departments, most I would not trust to check the air in my tires much less put a wrench to it.

 

Yes but there are also those that just don't have the mechanical ability nor the tools to do it. In my eyes it doesn't make them any less of a rider. Some also don't have a place to work on it. As for horror stories, I have seen some pretty scary stuff over the years of what owners have done that have no idea what they are doing so it goes both ways. Myself, I do all my own work and have done so since I was a kid. I don't consider myself more of a biker for doing so.

 

You do make a good point about knowing that the job was done right. After all, you are not going to cut corners on your own bike. If I had the mechanical skills that some of the LR owners have and the work space, I would do my own work. Sadly, the mechanical arts are not my strong suit. I know my limitations. Although I have a respectable amount of tools thanks to my dad, I have no real work space to do the work.

My best fried has been a mechanic since high school. First on cars, then in the Air Force, then at a specialty vehicle company, and with fork lifts for the last 20 years. He also used to do all the work on his own cars and motorcycles. If I had him around, I would not need the dealer. Unfortunately, he moved to GA.

I am sure it is hit or miss when it comes to the actual skills and abilities of a given HD dealer mechanic. The guy that I saw working on my bike is in his late 40s or early 50s. I had a chance to speak to him once when I was looking at the LR. He was on a smoke break and we chatted a bit. He told me he has been working on HDs since the early 80s. I had a chance to watch him work. He installed some of my Stage 1 parts. Instead of just slapping on parts, he actually opened all the boxes, laid the parts out, read the instructions and then started installing things.

I did have an experience where the dealership had a young kid right of motorcycle school install my DK Custom intake and breather bolts. Dipshit did not follow the instructions and installed them without using any Locktite. When this was discovered, dealer re-installed AC and the new discreet breather system free of charge. I make sure that this kid is nowhere around my bike. I have requested the older guy and gotten him.

Just as there are bad mechanics there are also some really good ones. I think my dealer has a few of the good ones. I will stick with them until they give me a reason not to.

 

Same here. There are a lot of good people participating in this thread. Hope everyone had a good Christmas.

Anyone get anything for their LR for Christmas?

 

yes, I have to agree with you on that point that I have seen some owners that should not be working on their own machines that have done some pretty scary repairs.

 

My main problem is lack of mechanical abilities (coupled with the lack of desire and patience) to do the work. Even bigger for me is the lack of a proper work space. I am blessed enough to have a very high paying job. Single, no kids, no debt other than my mortgage. I'll gladly pay to have the work done.