i notice alot of people talking about bad dealer experiences does anyone here work for a harley dealer? i work for a car dealer as a tech and see alot of these things. just want to know about the bike side of it.

 

Multiply times ten, I was a service director for a few dealers. Bought my own service facility
25 years ago. It's like a mini dealership. I add the Big Dog line 10 yrs ago and turned my hobby into a business. We do a lot of custom work and HD work. Doing the car thing is a lot easier.
Parts fit.....things work as they should etc.

 

I seriously doubt you will find many here who work at HD dealerships.

From my perspective, they seem staffed mostly by corporate types on the sales floor and guys straight out of tech school in the service dept.....and minimun wager kids at the parts counter who own a ricer if they even ride at all....Then the appearal section is usually staffed by chicks in tight jeans with no tatts or a clue to style beyond Boomer Wannabe stuff.

The sales staff all drive cagers, and the service kids ain't making nuff bucks to ride yet....so there is a definate disconnect tween customers/riders and dealership staff......It's a sad fact that they worry first bout what's in your wallet and last about your total riding/buying experience and they have nuthin to share when you start discussing mods......Hell, I get more interaction at Radio Shack where the sales geeks are at least real tech geeks themselves and have lots of chat n suggestions to offer.

But that's just me, and that's my take on my HD dealership experience.

 

The sales staff at my HD dealer all ride, most of them nice bikes. The service manager is a former HD drag racer and all the service writers have hogs. All the parts guys ride also. The chicks in the motorclothes section are all good looking, some of them ride and some of them ride b***h with their OM. So your post certainly isnt representative of all or even most dealers. I think they are all different.

 

Our dealership in Gruene, most of the sales force rides - one of 'em, it's his ONLY transport. Service manager rides.....management rides....parts rides....service rides.

Sounds ta me lahk ya need ta find another dealer.

 

Most of the sales and service guys at my dealer ride and I've
yet to see one that was a stocker.

 

I worked at a Harley Dealer in the late 60's - when the owner use to Do just about everything from Sales Person, Parts Person & Lead tech - It was nothing to be drinking beer or whatever @ 8am in the morning or when ever you got in - or if it was a nice day... Screw-it just close the door post a note and take a putt... Walls were covered with used parts and a little chrome here and there... And there may or may not have a bike or two for sale but if you wanted something new - ya ordered it & waited. About 90% of the things people wanted were hand made or ya had to wait 2 - 4 weeks to order a special part in... The Dealership was a little converted house behind a building off the main drag and if you blinked you would miss it... Had some GREAT TIMES then...
In the 80's I opened my own Indep. Shop (sold it 7yrs later)... Worked on Twin V's and others 2 wheelers.. By then the accessory market was going crazy everyone and there mother we're making stuff for Bikes... Kuryakyn was just getting started as well as many others - Drag Specialties was the big boys in the aftermarket... And Mail-Order was the key (no internet - just a phone & a fax)..
Ahh... The Good Ol' Days... When ATTITUDE was the way of life... You wanted it when??? When it's done!!!

 

I live in NM. The only local dealership is staffed by many riders. they all park their rides right in front. The service department is very knowledgable, and the girls working in the motorclothes department are great. there is the one that I deal with, exclusively. She is cover in tattoos, and knows my wife, children, and myself by name. She just bought her first HD, a strret bob. She is a fantastic girl. Not the best looking, but her attitude makes her our choice of person to deal with.

The parts guy suck ***. Not one of them has ever done anything they said they would do, which is why I seldom by parts from them. The sales staff changes on a weekly basis, but the store manager does know me pretty well.

So, not all dealers are created equal.

 

man im not sure the good ol days sound that good! glad i have oor dealerships around. prob 7 or 8with in a 50 mile radius.

 

I have been riding Harleys now for almost 40 years with the last 4 Ultras and I work in sales at HD of Montgomery,al.Most of our guys ride and even 2 of the 4 person motorclothes staff. Our owner is a staunch long didtance rider averaging about 25,000 miles a year including a solo Alaska trip this year.I get to do about 12-13,000 ayear. I believe our dealership is more like that described by Bigdaddy. We have a championship racer as one of our techs. Out of a 24 person dealership all but about 4 ride. Bring us your problems and we will take care of them in a professional manner.