We recently rode to Sturgis from Houston. All went well until Wichita Falls. The HD shop there was great. They flushed my clutch fluid and I was gone in an hour and a half.

That night we got a hotel in Amarillo and rode out the next morning. 80 miles north in no-man’s-land my rear tire (Avon) starts coming apart. After waiting for a shop to open up, the Amarillo HD service writer tells me where a $400 tow truck is and I limp 30 miles there on threads for the tow. They had the tires and charged me $1240 for front and back installed. I thought that was high but what am I gonna do? I was over a barrel.

to make it even better the parts manager told me they have an employee who is tasked with roadside pickup for free.


The rear light module was damaged by flying rubber so there’s another $190 + $95 labor. Had to ride all the way to Aurora, CO to get that part.

Another of us also needed tires and Black Hills HD charged him the same $1240 for both.

We went to Republic HD in Houston yesterday and asked about their prices for 2 Michelin Commander 3 tires. $600 installed and out the door! WTF Amarillo HD and Black Hills HD can kiss this Texas boys ****.

 

In the 80's and 90's prices were always jacked up some. But now it seem like they double or more prices on everything during the rally. Food, gas, entry fees to everything etc. Check the price on a hotel a week or two before or after the rally and see how prices change. Some times things happen and you have to suck it up, but that's a rip off. And they don't give a flying rats *** because there are more people waiting in line after you. So until people stop participating in the BS, it will keep happening.

I enjoy riding the Black Hills, but to me the ridnig isn't enjoyable when it over crowded with bikes and wait lines everywhere. So I go before the rally so I can enjoy my time there. It's not about the money because I can afford it, but I do not want to be ripped off.

And by the way, everything I've heard about the dealer in Gillette is worse.

Paul

 

Unfortunately this has been going on for awhile. I can do some internet searches and see post on other sites dealing with getting gouged while enroute to the rally. Post go back over 20 years.

I have had an issue with breaking down many years ago near a dealer in Glenwood Springs CO and they had no sympathy for me...."the part will be here in a week" they gleefully told me knowing the local hotel situation was "sold out" (tourist area). Can you take a part off a bike in the showroom? No freaking way was the reply. I was going to pay for the extra labor to do so.....
It wasn't the workers there in my opinion...it was the owner and GM.

Once the dealers network is no longer a "entity" you cant rely on then I guess it Is time to explore other options.....other manufacturers.

I remember a few HD's I bought from and how the salesman touted "a thriving dealer network".

I have no faith in the "network"..... you're possibly on your own while traveling. Thanks to technology you can find a smaller indy....maybe.

What a shame.....

 

Yeah it sucks. They don’t have to worry about repeat business, so they have you over the barrel with a jar of Vaseline. Oh yeah, did you try to rent a hotel room in the area?

 

I think it's sans the vaseline these days.

Paul

 

Awe hell, even the city of Sturgis raises the sales tax 0.3 on the dollar for the 2 weeks around the rally dates. Don't worry ya'll volunteer for it again next year same time same date.

 

I could find no stat or anything to verify that claim on my basic internet search..

I found this very easy and quick.....per a major local news source

There were 913 temporary vendors in 2023 which was similar to the 917 temporary vendors in 2022. State officials said a portion of this year’s decrease in tax revenue could be attributed to the change in the state sales tax rate from 4.5% to 4.2% which took effect July 1.

 

That would be a state wide decrease in the sales tax. THE CITY OF STURGIS is allowed to raise their sales tax during the rally. Supposedly it's used to pay for all the added LE and clean up cost.

 

Makes sense for that.....THE CITY OF STURGIS has a lot of burden here.....I know what I posted.....didnt see that fact that THE CITY OF STURGIS could raise temporary sales tax for the rally on their level.

Our post have nothing to do with the original thread. Just my opinion. It has nothing to do with what the OP stated happened to him on his trip..... But I will volunteer for it next year....whatever that means

The City of Sturgis temp. raising local tax is not an issue to me....

Sorry to the fellow Texas OP who had to go thru this mess......that is not the way it should be.....

 

at least You made it to Wichita Falls with bad brake fluid and rubber