Hell I'd nave mine get the puppies out so we'de get the discount . After reading through all these one thing stands out we all have become our parents , remember them saying they missed the simpler times ?

I have no use for dealers today or the MoCo for that matter haven't been a " Boutique " in 10 yrs or better , not that they were better but I miss the old Mom & Pop dealers and bike shops when you walked in there were parts everywhere new and used same with the bikes in all conditions you could find a rat beater and dicker on the price . Some of the places still had hard packed dirt floors in the back and a unlighted mystery room piled to the ceiling full of old unimaginable goodies and you were a person not a perspective wallet to be fleeced with a boat load of smiles and empty propaganda . You'd sit around talk real shop and have a beer there were no politically correct sensibilities to offend with words or your appearance and it was safe bet if a kid was around they weren't running amok like a chimp on crank . It was all real then and that I do so dearly miss , now our whole world is a put on show and most of the people in it .

 

There's something good to be said for both. Below is
the original Buffalo Harley-Davidson from the fifties
and it's counterpart today. The old place could never
handle today's volume, and today's could never be as
personal. For me, a lot a good memories started the
day I rolled out that side door.

 

You can have the old days as far as i'm concerned. Back before 2003, if you wanted a new bike, you had to get on a waiting list, and if you were lucky, you might get what you want a year later. Most of the salesmen acted like they were doing you a favor to even talk to you. You don't see many of those old atttitudes in the dealerships today. And, you can usually go in, buy the bike you want, and ride out the same day. Guys complain about not having every single part available at every dealership. I call Bull$hit! You can't expect any dealership to stock every single part for all models. They can usually get anything you need within a 2-3 days, which seems reasonable to me.

 

This Wolverine, the dealer in Clintion Twp. MI just north of Detroit.

 

I enjoy the dealership's as they are today but; I really miss the old showrooms where you walked in and the scent of air cooled vtwins was the rule. Who can remeber that odor? And I miss the guys out front, rigging, jigging, bitch... and just working on their stuff. 1974-1991 era.

 

Hate to pop your bubble but the time your going on a about wasn't the " Old Day's " you jumped the bandwagon during the yuppie gotta have the status symbol craze , old days are pre 84 and back . Stocking parts , well if the moco wouldn't throw new models out faster than a hooker changing wigs trying to suck in buyers they would be able to keep a reasonable parts inventory of normal wear and easily damaged items . Seems most managers deem a big tee shirt & leather section more important than mere parts to keep the bike running . " Why don't you go browse our apparel boutique while we get these parts ordered for you " SUCKER .

 

Wow.. who woulda thought!

Me, I like everything the way I remember it.

 

I think you need to go trade in your bike for a new fuel injected twin cam.....maybe a heritage softail.

~Joe

 

Something about hell freezing over ................. I'm just now getting my head around building an evo maybe , set of cases is all I need to put one together . Fuel Injection while it has it strong points it's not for me to long set in my ways and habits . Aside from dropping a valve or truing flywheels I can pretty well handle the rest on the roadside . Been there done that , I'm a mechanic we don't trust other mechanics it's our nature .

 

Hey Twizted ... Maybe we lack the eloquence to put down in words how we "really feel" but I think that you and I are on the same page .... today it's all about the almighty $$$$$$ .... "The HD Experience" ... While we all share a common affliction ( after all riding a scooter is a disease isn't it? ) I'll bet that there are more than a few who frequent this site who have no idea what makes their scooter tick ( I can hear it now ... TICK ... I have a tick .. I better get to the dealer right away and take advantage of my $2000.00 extended warranty ) ... none the less they are riders and deserve respect ... However, I do agree with you that years ago it was a diferent experience ... you walked in and chances are you were talking with the owner/salesman/mechanic and custodian of the shop ... and more often than not he had the knowledge, parts and time to help you. I remember years ago having trouble with my 76 XLCH in Wabash Indiana and stopping in Brandt's HD ... after talking to Waldo Brandt for a couple of minutes he thought it might be the advance mechanism for the points stuck in the "totally advanced position" .... "Roll it around back" he said and you can use my tools .... Yep! ... he was right ... I got it straightened out and he wouldn't take a penny for his advice or time ... now I know that he couldn't keep his doors open fixin' everything or providing advice for free for ever .... but he sure made an impression on me ... and I always let "Brothers" know what a great and kind man he was. Screw "Buying" the Experience .... Live it !!!