I checked with a newer Indy around me who wanted $359 for the 10k, he was trying to do spark plugs and air filter at the same time. No thanks, I ended up doing the glorified fluid changes myself and adjusted the clutch, never having worked on any motorcycle other than 2 strokes growing up.

 

I always look at the bigger picture before I decide to give someone my business. While I do my own work, here's a couple things off the top of my head that might work to your benefit if you gave the indy your business:

1) Shorter wait to get the bike in
2) Shorter wait to get the bike back
3) Supporting a local small business (although this could apply to your local dealer as well, doesn't in my case)
4) Possibly getting better deals on parts/service down the road. You only priced a service from the sounds of it.

This idea that the indy should charge less because he's not a dealer is a little ridiculous. He's charging the market rate for your area. Why should he give away money? If you choose to only do business based on price, then that's your decision. Others may see things differently.

Zach

 

[QUOTE=Biggzed;9032386]

This idea that the indy should charge less because he's not a dealer is a little ridiculous. He's charging the market rate for your area. Why should he give away money? If you choose to only do business based on price, then that's your decision. Others may see things differently.



I certainly look at things differently when it comes down to an indy over a dealer. First any dealer will have a higher overhead, bigger building, higher electric and heat/ac bill to pay, generally more people to pay, and have more cash tied up in specialised tools. Not to mention bikes and other items they stock. An indy will generally have a smaller shop building in general, less factory trained techs some don't have any. I've never seen an indy shop with 10% the tee shirts that a dealer has. And you can bet the techs aren't making $50 an hour. So just from that point of view there's no reason why an indy has to or needs to charge as much as a dealer. Sure they would like to, but I'm pretty sure most have found that peoples logic is " if I'm going to pay what a dealer charges, I might as well GO to a dealer". Here's an example of what I had happen to me last year. Went to the local HD dealer for a set of tires. Was quoted a price of` almost $600 for the job. Went to my local indy and was quoted an out the door price of $421. This was for the exact same tires , Dunlap's that say Harley Davidson on the side. Any guesses were I bought them? The indy sold me the same tires Harley sells with their name on it for alot less, and still made a profit on the job. The only instance I can see an indy charging more or at least what a dealer charges, would be for specialised motor work...

 

I can't really figure out why the dealer wants to do things to my bike at 20 or 25K that the service manual says don't need to get done until 50K, like the fork oil....

 

Because they want your money and your buying their BS
My local dealer basis their service from the manual. I am going to do my next service b/c I also know the dealer didn't do all the things required for the last 3 services I paid for.

I am far from mechanical but will hopefully figure it out. Bought the manual and if I need help this is a great place to find it.
After my last service I was checking to see the things that they left out. Air filter didn't get cleaned, steering neck didn't get greased etc......after finding these things along with others I said to myself get the manual and do it yourself.

 

I'm not "buying their BS," I do my own service work and I follow the manual's recommendations.

It was this kind of nonsense that got me started working on my own bike.

 

What is ridiculous is that an independent shop would charge the same rate as a HD store. The HD dealer has dramatically higher overhead in building, insurance, employees, utilities, parts inventory and just about any other factor. The typical independent shop can't come close to the overhead of the typical HD dealer and can not justify the same labor rate.

 

Indy shops are gonna git about the same rate. Overhead ain't why they charge it.
Its to pay insurance and stay in business .
They don't git the volume of work a HD dealer gits.

 

Now you sound like one of my employees that thinks he should get paid more than another guy because he has more bills. The Indy charges what the market will bare, not less because he has less overhead. That's up there with one of the dumbest things I ever heard. Occupy anything lately?

 

I've never seen an indy shop charge the same rate as an official dealer. The reason I truly believe is people won't pay it. The dealer closest to me charges $95 an hour for labor, it may be more now as I don't use them and they may have raised their rate, and list for parts unless there's some special reason to let you have a whopping 10% off list. My local indy will beat them on every turn. Why, because they don't have the same overhead. They can charge $75 an hour and still make good money. Like I said earlier ,unless thy have a special motor guru that really knows how to turn his nuts, they won't get dealer rate.,,