Is H.D. Quality in the tank, or ??
#11
10-18-2006 | 09:17 PM
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,801
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RE: Is H.D. Quality in the tank, or ??
My opinion has always been this: NEVER buy the 1st year run of a new model. There are always unforeseen problems, and it takes til at the soonest, the NEXT model run to get them worked out.
I will buy a new HD one day, but will probably wait til the '08 year.
I will buy a new HD one day, but will probably wait til the '08 year.
#12
10-18-2006 | 09:32 PM
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,807
Likes: 1
From: North Jersey
RE: Is H.D. Quality in the tank, or ??
Well as the saying goes, "bad news travels like wild fire, good news travels slow." I'm new to Harley myself so I speak from limited experience, but I can honestly tell you that I could not be more pleased with a motorcycle than I am with my '06 Electra Glide Classic. Quality wise I don't think you will find a better bike with the possible excepton of BMW. On forums like these you will always hear more negatives than positives because it is kind of sounding/venting board for everything and anything that goes wrong. Customer satisfaction has more to do with how the individual dealer owns up to warranty issues. I've had relatively little go wrong with my Glide in the six months I have owned it, all of it covered by waranty, and my dealer has been great. The service manager is also the head trustee of my HOG chapter, so customer communication is good. Most of the problems I've read about on this forum are easy fixes if your dealer's service department is competent and well managed. I've owned a number of Japaneese bikes over the 35 or so years I've ridden and the stories are little different from what we've all read here. They have their problems too, and service departments vary from excellent to crappy depending on who they are. Overall I think the fit and finish of a Harley is top notch. And it's METAL. Not a bunch of injection molded plastic parts that makes it seem as if your riding a snowmobile.
#13
10-18-2006 | 10:11 PM
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,200
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From:
RE: Is H.D. Quality in the tank, or ??
What baffles me is the "variance" in problems (some have zero problem, some have several problems) - so it's either "human induced - i.e. factory worker", or it's the quality of the materials. My 05 Ultra (which was supposed to be a "good year" and not anything really new) had a couple major problems (valve stem seals, voltage regulator, and main wiring harness) - right know (knock on wood) it's problem free and running strong. Think I'll wait for the water cooled engine - may be a looooooong wait).
So, IMO, just depends on the luck of the draw. But, I do agree (and have just come back from the MoCo factory tour) that the MoCo has a quality control problem. For example, fuel gauges - some folks claim they work fine, others say they're junk. Maybe it's a cheapest bidder issue - i.e. MoCo is more concerned about profits.
Good Luck,
So, IMO, just depends on the luck of the draw. But, I do agree (and have just come back from the MoCo factory tour) that the MoCo has a quality control problem. For example, fuel gauges - some folks claim they work fine, others say they're junk. Maybe it's a cheapest bidder issue - i.e. MoCo is more concerned about profits.
Good Luck,
#14
10-18-2006 | 10:28 PM
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 546
Likes: 1
From:
RE: Is H.D. Quality in the tank, or ??
however I am from the school that if you spend $20,000 on a motorcycle (give or take) you better get several years and many, many miles of trouble free service out of it.
#15
10-18-2006 | 10:29 PM
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 479
Likes: 0
From: Wa-silly
RE: Is H.D. Quality in the tank, or ??
[color=#0033FF]HD, it's all about the image man!!!! It suppose to leave you stranded and with constant repair issues, it wouldn't be Harley if not!
People keep buying hoping they get it right each year! News Flash......work in progress.....continued work in progress......
A bike shouldn't be wrapped in plastic......HD is a what a motorcycle shoud be....and if you can't fathom that...it isn't for you.
If you own a Harley, you should expect that something will need repairing or tightened.
Don't you get it? That's what Harley's are all about....if you want a no maintainance bike and worry free outings, buy a foreign bike.
Those of us who own......know very well that day will come when a repair is needed.....and that these boots were made for walking.
It's not the destination...it's the journey......the whole time owning is the journey!
Are you up for it? You gotta ask yourself......you have to come to accept the journey.
We were all in your shoes.....it's ok to feel hesitant and unsure..it will pass...trust me.
Have faith.....you be fine!
People keep buying hoping they get it right each year! News Flash......work in progress.....continued work in progress......
A bike shouldn't be wrapped in plastic......HD is a what a motorcycle shoud be....and if you can't fathom that...it isn't for you.
If you own a Harley, you should expect that something will need repairing or tightened.
Don't you get it? That's what Harley's are all about....if you want a no maintainance bike and worry free outings, buy a foreign bike.
Those of us who own......know very well that day will come when a repair is needed.....and that these boots were made for walking.
It's not the destination...it's the journey......the whole time owning is the journey!
Are you up for it? You gotta ask yourself......you have to come to accept the journey.
We were all in your shoes.....it's ok to feel hesitant and unsure..it will pass...trust me.
Have faith.....you be fine!
#17
10-18-2006 | 10:58 PM
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 132
Likes: 6
From:
#18
10-18-2006 | 11:03 PM
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,515
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From:
RE: Is H.D. Quality in the tank, or ??
ORIGINAL: Madav8tr
If you want to spend 20K on a bike and have ZERO worry's, may I suggest something along the line of a Honda Goldwing? I ride a 2005 FLHPI at work and I had more trouble with it in the 1st 1K miles than any bike I have owned. Everything from the compensator sprocket coming loose(sounds like the rattle noise the guys are complaining about), to the charging system fookin up and even the fuel line leaking all over the place. So far I haven't had ANY trouble with my '07 Street Glide. I wouldn't trade my '07 for an '06, period. I have yet to hear of any catastrophic failures related to the supposed problems with the '07 bikes but I may be wrong, there might be a few. Things like the crank pos sensor happen occasionally but nothing that would make me steer clear of a particular model bike. Hell, I replaced one on my little brothers Yammi R6 sportbike so it can happen to jap bikes too. I only have 1K miles on my Street Glide and it's still stock but so far I haven't had any of the issues that other people complain about. I can make my bike make funny sounds if I lug the motor but the sounds aren't any different from the ones I hear if I do the same with the Road King. If you are worried, wait, it's as simple as that. If you worry about something, sure enough you will have some type of problem. You will hear sounds and feel strange vibrations that will eat at ya. I am happy and every '07 owner that I have met in person is happy too. Good luck!
however I am from the school that if you spend $20,000 on a motorcycle (give or take) you better get several years and many, many miles of trouble free service out of it.
#19
10-18-2006 | 11:04 PM
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,571
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
RE: Is H.D. Quality in the tank, or ??
But have they substituted quality for faith, and droppig everyone in the grease?
Fact is NEW unhappy customers is a ticking time bomb..
There are some different crowds of people buying Harleys, sure there are the true blue die hard Harley people, but there is a NEW
Generation that is LOOKING at Clean Crusers, not Crotch Rockets... And Harley better not make any bad judgements at this time..
Or they'll be dropped in the grease..
I have my 07, and I ride it like I stole it, but I'm still waiting for a re-call, bulletin, something...
Gunnrunner is in the ballpark on the Compensator being the problem, just a matter of time till it is a RE-CALL ISSUE...
But I have a WARRANTEE, and I'll use it if it breaks, Just hope it's not at 70mph in morning traffic...
My 02..
Fact is NEW unhappy customers is a ticking time bomb..
There are some different crowds of people buying Harleys, sure there are the true blue die hard Harley people, but there is a NEW
Generation that is LOOKING at Clean Crusers, not Crotch Rockets... And Harley better not make any bad judgements at this time..
Or they'll be dropped in the grease..
I have my 07, and I ride it like I stole it, but I'm still waiting for a re-call, bulletin, something...
Gunnrunner is in the ballpark on the Compensator being the problem, just a matter of time till it is a RE-CALL ISSUE...
But I have a WARRANTEE, and I'll use it if it breaks, Just hope it's not at 70mph in morning traffic...
My 02..
#20
10-18-2006 | 11:11 PM
Big Kahuna HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 44,848
Likes: 3
From: South of Utica New York