Yup......as of December 31, Gateway to the West HOG chapter will be no more.

Don't know if a change in director had something to do with it or not.

Too much bickering to the dealer most likely did it.

 

Wow, really?

hell, I used to be in that, before Bob Schueltz got bought out & turned into a "real" dealership that I would go to, again.

But then, Gateway's owners have been having a steadily decreasing reputation the last few years.
I also had a funky experience there a few weeks ago during their HOG-run chilie cookoff. I had my hands full of stuff I couldn't just drop on the ground, so trying to take the cover off, hold the bowl & scoop up a laddle-full for my (obviously Down's Syndrome) daughter. The ladies behind the table...all three of them...just sat there watching me. None of them were doing anything. Just sitting there. Not one went "Gee, maybe he'd like a little help so he doesn't spill it all over the place."
Kinda pissed me off.

So, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that it's a matter of both sides being unreasonably bitchy and causing this end result.

 

Yeah....since Schultz was bought out the dealership has improved 200%! I bought my last bike from them. Good place. Heard they're expanding to next door!

Sorry you were ignored like that at Gateway...I was there that day for a while doing some shopping. If I'd have seen you I would have helped you out!

 

There are some owners that just don't like HOG and won't support it but generally the chapter is what it's members make it.

 

+1 on St Charles Harley Davidson. I have had several good experiences with them since they bought out Bob Shultz

 

 

That's sucks to hear they aren't always helpful. I was just there yesterday because of their sales. Everyone is always real friendly it seems. Although, they need a different checkout process on sale days. Back at the parts & acc counter it can take forever. I can't stand the dealership in O'fallon, IL (never friendly) so I shop at Gateway and Dale's.

 

Dam patch holders, they will probaly go 3pp now.

 

My wife loves that place & it's where we both bought our first Harleys (Though when I got my first Sporty they were still at the old location & owned by Wiedman).
She's always going down there for clothes & stuff and chatting with Theresa and the other ladies working there.
But sad truth is, the overall quality of customer service coming out of there aside form Motorclothes has been on a steady decline the last couple of years or so.

When my wife got her Sporty in 08, we found the speedo to be 5 mph off within the first couple of days. Took it back and they refused to fix it under warranty because it was technically "within specs".
WTF? When you're a brand new rider, the last thing you need to add to the million things going around in your head is having to do math to figure out your actual speed.

We then took it up to the no-longer-Schultz & Tom the service manager just immediately went "Yea, as a new rider you want that to be accurate. Don't worry, I'll make sure it gets fixed and covered by warranty."

I swore off Shultz after almost buying a bike there but saw the manager insulting and belittling a couple employees and then turning to a third employee and belittling a customer that was out on the floor. No way was I going to give my money to a place like that.

But I went back the week it opened as St. Charles with the new owners & managers and was VERY impressed. Now I go out there all the time. We've bought 4 bikes from there in the last couple years.
And they treat the St Charles HOG chapter beautifully. Our Treasurer said they spent more on the chapter the first 6 months than the Schultz owner did in the previous 5 years.
We literally never have to ask them for stuff....the father & son who now own it usually come to us with stuff & ideas and such.

So yea, anyone stops by there to look at a bike, find Big Brad & tell him Charles & Kathy sent ya.




But back on topic: Gateway is owned by one of the Surdyke brothers, but apparently this one doesn't care about the customers as much the older brother that runs the Festus dealership. I've heard people there say he's never around and never shows any interest in how things are running. But again, that's just the rumor mill as I get it. But my personal experience is that they're not a bad dealership for now, but things have been going downhill, especially since Schultz turned into St. Charles. (Prolly pulled a lot of customers away...like us)

 

From what I understand...it's the wife that is the Surdyke....and her hubby manages the store. He's more into Buell and Cycling than he is Harley's.

Theresa....as well as a few of the mechanics....is gone from Gateway. They also lost a few good salesmen too.

Since I bought me bike at St. Charles I got the HOG membership through them now. Couldn't have happened at a better time.
I'm turning in my wife's' application at the next meeting. We'll be riding with them now.

St. Charles HOG is a lot bigger than Gateway....but so far I've met nothing but very nice people. I think we'll enjoy it.

I dealt with Schultz when he was a Honda dealer on the Rock Road. Didn't care for him then either!