So incredibly hit and miss, it's almost funny. But also a waste of time.

I am out of town on vacation, but I stopped at the local Harley dealer to pick up a service manual for my Slim.

I'm waiting at the counter, behind a guy.

Other parts guy walks up and says can I help you.

I say, ya, I'd like a service manual for my bike.

I walk to the register he is approaching, but of course, he proceeds to have trouble logging into that one and walks to the one furthest from me.

So I truck to the one further away, thinking no big deal.

He says, what year and model.

I say 2013 Softail Slim

He says owner, or service manual?

I say -- again -- service manual.

He pounds his keyboard, and ask if I've been there before.

I say, no I'm from out of town.

He ask my name.

I'm thinking to myself, what difference does it make, but give it.

He says, phone number?

I say, I'm from out of town. I don't think that's going to help you in your system.

He says, it's so we can call you when the part comes in. It's not something we have here in the shop.

I say for a third time, I'm from out of town, so I'm not really going to be able to pick it up.

The lightbulb finally goes off, dimly, and he says oh. Unsure what to do.

I say, thanks anyway, and walk out.

I don't know if he ever even looked it up to see if they had the manual. But at that point, I didn't want to buy anything from this place or the brain fart parts guy.

Maybe they were worn out after the Xmas rush. Then again, this is standard for most any Harley dealer I've been to.

I should have just stuck to my original plan and ordered the service manual online.

 

Bout par for the course....Same as auto parts store...you have maybe 1 guy that knows his **** and the rest just look up stuff.

 

My local is the same its shocking, If I have to buy stuff from them then I look up the part number myself and TELL them so I know its correct!
I was at my local hd the other day with a friend who was having the alarm back up battery on his bike changed as alarm rrandomly goes off, they told him "only a 10 min job" when I got there he already been waiting an hour! We went in to get a cuppa and he had a moan at them and 10 mins later parts guy said "all done sir" my friend said really cos bike not moved its still parked out front, parts guy said we dont need bike to change the key fob battery! !!! OMG !! It was these $$$holes that told him alarm battery on bike and booked it in!!! Lol

 

Buy a parts catalog as well. It makes their job so much easier!

 

i have a parts manual and i look up the part # and write it on a piece of paper before i go to the dealer. i walk in the door and head for the parts scrub.
parts scrub, "can i help you"?
me, "i need this part" handing him the paper with the # on it.
parts scrub, "what bike"?
me, "i need that part"
parts scrub, "what bike"?
me, "do you have that part"?
parts scrub, "what bike"?
me, "i have a parts book and that's the part #i need".
parts scrub, "oh you're one of those guys".
i picked up the paper and left. i went to a different dealer and set the same paper on the counter. they looked it up, and got me the part without questioning anything.

 

SoCal, maybe he realized you were out of town but rode to his shop, he figured when the part came in, you'd ride back to it? Just a thought.

 

We all have our days...luckily all the shops I frequent (local and out-of-state) are pretty decent. The dealer near my hometown calls me by 1st name (like Norm fm Cheers) even though I only visit every 6-months.

 

Went to a local dealer Xmas shopping. Figured I'd ask if they had a couple items I needed for my tour pak removal, 2 bolts and a washers (had the part numbers), 1/4x20 x 5/8" for the plate bracket and LED mounting screws (6/32 x 5/8"). Now those parts ain't a rare find, every hardware store has it. It turned out to be a waste of 20 minutes for the parts guy to confirm the numbers, make 2 laps around the back looking to come up empty to all request ............

 

My son rides a 02 Springer. I saw a nice flame embroidered seat at the dealership that I thought would make a nice birthday gift for him. Took it to the parts counter to confirm it would work on an 02 Springer. Two parts guys say yes its for an 01 to 06 Softail, Springer included. I buy it.

Doesn't fit. I take it back. The dealership says they wont take it back because it was special ordered. I tell them I didn't order it I bought it off the shelf. Dealership says it was originally a special order so sorry about your luck.

Aaaaaargh. As it turns out the seat fits 06 and up Softails. I guess I am looking for an 06 Softail. At least I've got the seat.

 

The HD dealers in Southern NH have actual parts counters with people that know parts, never a problem.

Fort Myers Florida HD is a joke, the "Design Center" will sell you all sorts of multi-fit
crap, the actual parts counter is the size of a postage stamp and the people working it have no clue... look it up in the computer is all they know, no clue otherwise.... I found the parts I needed in the catalog that was on the counter and located them on the screaming chicken wall before the kid that was working at AutoZone last week found them in the computer. Then they charged 25% over catalog price to make it worse.

It is a tee shirt and gift shop.... that has some bikes parked out front and 20 guys standing around trying to sell bikes