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[Wolfx]

Since this will be my first Harley product and it is a brand new Road Glide, I thought I better try and get some things answered if possible since the dealer is going to try and sell me paper products next week when I pick her up.

As long as I service her as directed, is there really a need to pay 2 grand for 5 years of extended warrenty? Most people I talk to localy have upwards to 20,000 miles and have yet to even look at a wrench.

How many miles do the factory tires go before they need to be replaced on average?
How long before the brakes needed replacement?
Anyone have to replace the final drive belt, and if so at what point and why?

How much do you folks pay on average for scheduled service work?

Anything I might have missed?

I just dont want to spend upwards of 5 grand for all the paper I am going to be fed if I get the feeling it is more a waste then a benefit.

Fire away guys. [smiley=nixweiss.gif]

[naitram]

wolf, you will get many opinions on this, here's mine. i paid 1200 for an extra six years of coverage. i travle with this bike maybe not as much as some but i'm closing in on 25000 miles on a bike ive had less than 4 years, if i dont need anything major than i could have saved 1200 bucks, on the other hand if i have a major problem on the road i'm fixed for $50 i also have not done anything as far as motor upgrades. if that had been my plan i wouldnt have gone with the warranty

[Wolfx]

I know this is going to bring alot of opinions as well as valid points. I also know alot depends on how a person rides and treats thier equipment.

They want to charge me 2 grand for the 5 year extention. I know that if Harley is a quality product and its cared for right, I wonder if its really needed?

I got her chromed out  as well as a stage 1, but thats where the mods stop for me.

What about answers to my other questions??

The dealer has an in house VIP program that Im sure would be a killer deal for those who rack up major miles every year, but Im not sure again how beneficial it would be for me without more answers.

[naitram]

i'm about up on my second set of tires, this is one of those that depends on riding habits, could be as low as 7k on a rear to 12k did rear pads aronud 12k still on original belt

[Twolanerider]

Wolf, almost every answer you'll get will be in some way subjective.  One answer you should have, however, absolutely is not.  You're getting hosed on the price for the extended warranty.  They don't cost $2k.

Last November I got the longest duration warranty available for my red SEEG.  The selling dealership wanted $1300.00.  The dealership selling the bike does not have to be the dealership selling you your extended warranty though.  Buy it anywhere, it's good everwhere.  I told the selling dealership that Chicago Harley would sell me the warranty for $1057.00.  Also told them I'd prefer to buy from them with the bike; but they had to get at least close.

They declined.

So I saved $250.00 on it and got exactly the same product.

As for rationale for buying it; if I only rode around the area I'd be less inclined to mess with it.  My recreational riding, however, is more road tripping when time allows.  It's just easier to know it's handled "out there" somewhere and not have to think about wrecking the fun of a road trip for the cost of an unexpected repair.  Also, given what even "average" repairs cost at a Harley shop anymore if you break something twice in six years you're money ahead.  Those aren't bad odds.

As for tires; I'm guessing right now my back tire will be down under an 1/8" (factory spec for replacement is 1/16th---not under my butt though) at somewhere close to 14,000.  Never had one go this far before.  Must be something special about the red color.....   [smiley=nixweiss.gif]  In any case will be changing both soon at about 12,500.

[Screamin]

Since this will be my first Harley product and it is a brand new Road Glide, I thought I better try and get some things answered if possible since the dealer is going to try and sell me paper products next week when I pick her up.

As long as I service her as directed, is there really a need to pay 2 grand for 5 years of extended warrenty? Most people I talk to localy have upwards to 20,000 miles and have yet to even look at a wrench.

How many miles do the factory tires go before they need to be replaced on average?
How long before the brakes needed replacement?
Anyone have to replace the final drive belt, and if so at what point and why?

How much do you folks pay on average for scheduled service work?

Anything I might have missed?

I just dont want to spend upwards of 5 grand for all the paper I am going to be fed if I get the feeling it is more a waste then a benefit.

Fire away guys. [smiley=nixweiss.gif]

Morning Wolf-

I've got 9,600 mostly 2 up pretty fast touring miles on my '05 EG and expect I can get another 1,500 on the rear.

[Wolfx]

All good info here folks, thanks and keep it coming.

I take it I can add the extended warremty anytime during the first 2 years, giving me time to shop it out?

Is nobody paying for thier scheduled service?? Doing it yourselves? What about that stuff?
Anyone had to pay for the brake jobs yet? or doing it on thier own?

[Ripp]

Wolf, my opinion is that bikes are like cars. Sometimes you get a lemon. I would ride it the first year and if you have no problems I wouldn't extend the warranty. If you have had some things go wrong with the bike, then buy the extended warranty before the first year is up.
   As for doing your own maintenance, the first thing I order when I get a new ride is a service manual for it. It will pay for itself. Our dealership charges over $400 for a 10,000 mile maintenance and it is only about $40 worth of parts. If you follow the service manual step by step and have common sense anyone can do basic maintenance.
  I can't answer some of your other questions, because my SERG is my first bagger I have owned. I'm sure, because of the extra weight, my tires and brakes won't last as long as my Low Rider and Fatboy's did.
  I work with my hands as a machinist everyday, so working on my bike is not a problem. I can see if you can afford to have your service department do the work that's fine, but I would rather spend my money on other things.

  Hope this helps Ripp

[Twolanerider]

I take it I can add the extended warremty anytime during the first 2 years, giving me time to shop it out?

Wolf, I'm working from memory here so double check this when you price around the service contract.  But I'm pretty sure I remember that the price of the contract was at its base for the first 90 days after the bike purchase.  After that the contract's price was to go up.

When I got mine there were very few shops discounting the service contracts.  Chicago Harley was the largest discount (by about a hundred bucks) of the three that were doing it that I spoke to.  

[Wolfx]

When I got mine there were very few shops discounting the service contracts.

[Twolanerider]

My dealer wants 2000.00 for what it sounds like is roughly a 1200 item.........I will shop around and look for a better price, cause this seems a bit steep to me.

Wolf I haven't had a reason to find out what the prices for the service contracts are this year.

[grc]

Since this will be my first Harley product and it is a brand new Road Glide, I thought I better try and get some things answered if possible since the dealer is going to try and sell me paper products next week when I pick her up.

As long as I service her as directed, is there really a need to pay 2 grand for 5 years of extended warrenty? Most people I talk to localy have upwards to 20,000 miles and have yet to even look at a wrench.

How many miles do the factory tires go before they need to be replaced on average?
How long before the brakes needed replacement?
Anyone have to replace the final drive belt, and if so at what point and why?

How much do you folks pay on average for scheduled service work?

Anything I might have missed?

I just dont want to spend upwards of 5 grand for all the paper I am going to be fed if I get the feeling it is more a waste then a benefit.

Fire away guys. [smiley=nixweiss.gif]

Wolfx,

I never buy service contracts on any product I buy, and I can't think of one time where I would have come out ahead by purchasing one.  Consumer Reports and other consumer organizations also recommend against buying them, as more than 70% of purchasers lose money.  The reason everyone pushes them so hard is that they are extremely profitable.  What it all boils down to is how much is it worth to you for a little peace of mind.  

I only let the dealer do the first scheduled maintenance, and that was because he made it a part of the purchase price of the bike.  I went over the checklist items (and corrected a few items they either did wrong or not at all) as soon as I got the bike home.  I suggest that you invest in the shop manuals; the first service you perform yourself will more than pay for them.  

Welcome to the site, and enjoy that new bike!

Jerry

[Unbalanced]

Wolf,

With my last several baggers I found since I ride 2 up quite a bit and I am not a tiny guy that I get around 9k on a rear tire, 15k on front brakes and about 15k on front tire.   As for the warranty I bought it and it paid for itself within the first year I was out of warranty.    I had a stator go bad, and a regulator, speedo and a pawl for the tranny that got bent.   On the other 2 bikes I had no real major issues small stuff that cost me nothing.    

One other thing to consider is if your dealer offers service plans and you ride a lot it may be worth your while for me it was at the rate I was going through miles / tires.   1300 bucks up front on the warranty, but I had all the services up to 20k in a year 3 rear tires, 1 front tire and all it cost me was the labor on the tire changes.  

A lot of people are right its going to really depend where you ride, if your out of town a lot with the bike to me its worth the piece of mind if you stay pretty local then its just your judgement call based on how you ride / your luck and murphy's law and how it applies to you.   My picture can usually be found under Murphy's Law and it says testing daily.

Best of luck with your Glide

[CVOwner]

Well, thats a good tidbit of news, I was about to go out and blow some serious cash on the extended warranty. I didnt know they discounted them, or that you could buy elsewhere, again these boards give good advise.  BUT, can I wait till the factory warranty is almost up? I know when I sold them in the car business you could wait, but it started at the in service date and you had to buy it before the car went out of warranty. [smiley=cool2.gif]

[Twolanerider]

[CVOJOE]

Two Lane is right on about the huge margins the dealers have on the extended warranty. Basically they're insurance policies against major failures. My experience is that on the newer, more sophisticated models they're worth it if around $1300 in the long run. You're protected against the high ticket items cost once past the initial warranty as long as you keep accurate maintenance records. Save my gear on a trip many times, just paid the $50 and went on my way. If you don't have the service manual, buy one and you can get by on a surprising number of repairs and services yourself. Also the parts manual is really great to show how to disassemble and reassemble the subassemblies. Well worth the investment. Enjoy the ride !