Just got yet another reason not to do business with my local H-D store's service dept. I've got a set of Rush slip on's at the house that I bought a couple of years ago. I threw them on when I bought them to see how they sounded and but decided I liked my Fishtails better.

Now I'm wanting to change the look just for the sake of doing it so I decided when I get home I'm gonna put the rush's on along with a SE AC set up.

Now I know I'm going to have to re-jet the carb for the Rush's because it was poppin and spittin when I ran it around the block before. I'm also pretty sure the SE AC would require a Re-Jet as well.

My time at home is limited and I'd rather be riding or out doing something with my OL rather than running up and down the street changing plugs and jets so I called the local shop to see how much they would charge me to do the Re-Jet. I figured they'd just hook it up to an analyzer and knock it out.

But Nooooooo! We can't do that any more. You need to call our other store (100 miles away from my house) and they will put it on the dyno. Give me a break.....Guess I'll buy some jets and do it myself.

 

While I understand your frustration somewhat, maybe it's a case of they don't have anyone who is competent enough to do that kind of work anymore?

You don't say what year you bike is. Some dealers don't work on bikes 10 yrs. or older.

Would you have rather them said, "Sure bring it on down." and not have someone competent to work on the bike and screw it up?

 

That is the point of my frustration. No one seems to know anything anymore at the dealerships except "hook it up to a computer" and plug chit in.

I mean give me a break. My bikes an 05 and it's only been two model years since they discontinued the Carbs. This is telling me that most of the tech's haven't been in the business very long or they would know how to actually work on a bike.

Here is just one example of what I'm talking about.

I have a late model FL Springer. I bought a passing lamp set up on Ebay for it. When I went to put it on I saw that you have to remove the bottom shock bolt on the fork. Now I assumed that the shock had some kind of preload on it so I called the dealer to verify it.
I was told it did and they have a special tool that they use to remove the shock from the Springer front end.

Rather than pay them to do it I went to my Svc Manual to see if they had a picture of the tool the service person spoke of. What I found in the Manual is that there is no preload on the shock and it just comes off without a need for anything other than a wrench.

I would rather have them employ someone that is competent. Harley-Davidson's are not some cheap Chinese throw away crap and when you pay close to $20,000.00 for a bike you should expect that a Factory service dept will be able to work on it 5 years down the road.

Other than an occasional tire replacement I don't take my bike to the Dealerships. That is based on situations like this one along with a couple of other times when I have called with a fairly simple question only to be given incorrect information. Along with having to do the parts guys jobs for them. I think it's ludicrous that you should have to have a part # when you walk up to the parts counter. That's supposed to be what a parts person does as part of his/her job. They should be able to get you the right part without you having to tell them the Damn part #. That's what those parts books they have behind the counter are for.

In case you haven't figured it out.....This really Chaph's my ***.

 

Most HD mechs that are skilled enough & know what they're doing end up with their own indy shops. Maybe you're shop doesn't have a dyno on location? And the guy at the service desk that writes your bike up for service usually just knows how to do that only. Ask for the service manager when you have a question.

 

No they don't have a dyno and they shouldn't need one to Re-Jet a Carb.

 

All that I ever hear from ANYONE anymore is,----- "We don't do THAT anymore"!---And then they look at you like you are some kind of a dumb @ss for even asking them about it!

 

That's exactly right. I wish you lived close, I'd run over and help you do it. It's not rocket science and HD only stopped making carbureted bikes 3 years ago. It sounds like an incompetent shop to me.

 

IronAss you know in the long run you will be happier knowing you did it yourself. However I understand that you time is limited while at home. But at least you won't have to deal with the morons at the local stealer. I am sure you deal with enough on the road.

 

Thanks but I know how to do it. I just don't want to dick with it when I'm home. I only get home of few weeks a year and I'd rather be making the most of my time with my bike and the OL and not messing with this.

I was just blowing off steam more than anything else.

 

Have you tried an Independent HD shop yet? I won't go anywhere else. Ask around and you'll get a consensus. My Independent totally takes care of me and my bike.