Finally got a Harley - Black 2009 FXCWC. Took it for a short ride yesterday - only 28 degrees here - awesome ride even at the break-in speeds. Hopefully I'll be able to get through the first 500 by March.

Question about the scheduled mileage maintenance services, oil changes and the manufacturers warranty. Anyone have any experience with the warranty or know if it will be honored if there are service records indicating the scheduled work was performed but by a custom bike shop and not a Harley dealership?

Thanks!

 

As long as the work was done properly, you can have anybody do it (including yourself).
Just keep records and receipts.

They can not deny warranty just because a Harley dealer didn't perform the recommended service.

 

from what I understand this is correct

 

+1 RollaMo & TomHummer

 

your first service go back to harley, there after go to an indy keep all paper work but i go to harley so if aomething ****s up it is on there azz.

 

Buy the service manual and do it yourself, if you are so inclined. My 05 was my first new HD so when the salesman told me (in the middle of a bunch of other BS) to bring it in when it has a thousand miles on it for the 1000 mile service I did. I was more than a little shocked to see my almost 300 dollar bill waiting for me when I picked it up.
07 Softail manual:
http://allamericanexportsinc.com/pdfs/

 

Yes and the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act pretty much says so. From the Act:

"Most of the time, tie-in sales provisions are not really allowed. These kinds of provisions would require a buyer of the warranted product to buy an item or service from a particular company to use with the warranted product if they want to be eligible to receive a solution to a problem under the warranty. The following are examples of prohibited tie-in sales provisions.

In order to keep your new Proctor Silex Coffee Maker warranty in effect, you must use genuine Proctor Filters. Failure to have scheduled maintenance performed, at your expense, by the Company, will actually voids this warranty.

While you cannot use a tie-in sales provision, your warranty also doesn’t have to cover use of replacement parts, repairs, or maintenance that is inappropriate for your product. The following is an example of a permissible provision that excludes coverage of such things.

While necessary maintenance or repairs on your Pioneer Stereo System can be performed by any company, you recommend that buyers use only authorized Pioneer dealers. Improper or incorrectly performed maintenance or repairs will void this warranty as well.

Although tie-in sales provisions generally are not permissible, you can include this kind of provision in your warranty if you can effectively show the FTC that your product will not work properly without a specific item or service. If you believe that this is the case for your product, you should contact the warranty staff of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection for information on how you should apply for a waiver of the tie-in sales prohibition."

They can however require you to use their products and their service facility if they provide this for free.

 

That's what I do.
1K at the dealer. I know it's expensive, , but they go over the bike pretty good.
5K I do myself for less then $50.

Don't know about the 10K, because by then I have usually sold it and got something newer to play with!!!

 

Well, they are supposed to go over the bike really good. In my experience.....

 

Everyone I have talked to says the same as the guys on here. Anyone can do the work but SAVE ALL RECEIPTS.

What I have done in the past, have Harely do the 1000 miles service, then do the next one or two yourself. Then have Harley to the next MAJOR one where they change plugs and check torque and all that important stuff. Then from then on out, just do it yourself.

Or you could have Harley do it every other time or every third time or something like that.

One of the mechanics at my local dealer started his own business. He has all the Harley training. The trouble I have with dealer (yes, even my wonderful local dealer) is they do by the book. It doesn't matter if the work actually only take an hour, if the book says it should take 2, they charge you for 2. I know this is standard in the automotive industry but I also think it's a ripoff to the customers. You are being forced to pay for time you didn't actually get.