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Author Topic: Open letter to Harley Davidson  (Read 16043 times)

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Glenncarp

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Open letter to Harley Davidson
« on: February 01, 2019, 11:03:52 AM »


First Harley was a 2004 Road King. Put 68,000 miles on it with no issues.

In 2011 I spent a ridiculous amount of money on a Road Glide CVO for which I paid $36,000 for a pleasure vehicle. One would think spending this ungodly amount of money you would have zero issues. Of course, not the case. I then stupidly purchased a 2016 Road Glide CVO for $40,000. Knowing the issues I had with the 2011. I spent an incredible amount of additional money for the extended warranty.

I found out that the Road Glide CVO did not come with the Boom Audio II package so I stupidly paid a Harley-Davidson dealer $2000 extra dollars for parts and labor to upgrade the system to the Boom Audio II. Three of the four speakers are blown less than a year and ½ after Harley parts and Harley-Davidson install. I just wasted 44 minutes on the phone with Harley-Davidson customer service for them to tell me that of course, their parts are not covered because I didn’t install them within 60 days of purchasing the bike.

This is why your sales were down 27% last year, this is why you can't attract a younger crowd. This is why your parts are garbage. This is why I will go buy aftermarket speakers, which by the way have to be 2 OHM because you set your audio systems up so badly to prevent people from buying other parts and you tune your equalizers to stupid levels which are not changeable on the bike. It’s also unheard of that you can’t pair a Bluetooth headset with your system, you have to buy cheaply made but expensive Harley-Davidson headsets and actually plug them in to the bike unless you want to spend an additional $500 for a module. Every car/truck I have bought in the last 10 years has seamlessly paired with my garage door opener. I can go to the local hardware store and buy a $0.50 garage door opener button that pairs to my garage door opener. However, you can’t make the garage door transmitter on your bikes read a simple code for the garage door, you have to sell a plug-in receiver which fails continually.

My next bike will certainly not be a Harley-Davidson, I spent over $90,000 on your bikes and get nothing but frustration when your lousy parts and designs fail.

Seriously, what a shame for an American company
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Rooster

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Re: Open letter to Harley Davidson
« Reply #1 on: February 01, 2019, 11:06:39 AM »

Yuuuup
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HarleyJeffOregon

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Re: Open letter to Harley Davidson
« Reply #2 on: February 01, 2019, 11:36:33 AM »

No words. But YUP!
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r0de_runr

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Re: Open letter to Harley Davidson
« Reply #3 on: February 01, 2019, 11:57:36 AM »

That's right. I agree.  No more HD junk for me.
No, you cant have my 14 Limited.

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King Glide

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Re: Open letter to Harley Davidson
« Reply #4 on: February 01, 2019, 12:05:13 PM »

Yup, but It will fall on deaf ears and blind eyes.
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k9f

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Re: Open letter to Harley Davidson
« Reply #5 on: February 01, 2019, 12:10:18 PM »

What is a shame is the decision you made to vent your spleen on a Harley-Davidson forum.

Harley-Davidson are well renowned even over here to be 'warts 'n' all' type vehicles with idiosyncrasies not offered by many other marques. When buying a CVO you are entering into an iconic brand at the very top end of the market when all the important bits are exactly the same as the cheaper models, it's the bells, whistles, gizmos and paint you are paying through the nose for, nothing more. Why would any of the extras be superior in quality to the rest of the bike? As stated 'warts 'n' all.' If you wanted absolute perfection maybe a Honda or BMW would have been better? A few pointers: Sales may be down but in the fourth quarter of last year Harley-Davidson posted a profit of 495 million dollars. Younger crowd will be attracted hopefully by the Streetfighter 975. You should have perhaps read the small print if you wanted everything warranted?

Shut the door quietly on your way out! Go try Indian they've bought out some interesting new models if you want to stick with 'home brand' or sell the bikes and get another truck/car with the much needed Bluetooth capability.

 
« Last Edit: February 01, 2019, 12:24:57 PM by k9f »
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dayne66

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Re: Open letter to Harley Davidson
« Reply #6 on: February 01, 2019, 12:24:46 PM »

What is a shame is the decision you made to vent your spleen on a Harley-Davidson forum.


 
He's not the only one that has experienced the decline of Harley's quality and de-contenting of the CVOs.......dealer service getting worse and worse......Parts on a new EXPENSIVE CVO that need to be upgraded......In the 14 years I have been dealing with Harley ( and personally seeing the ordeals of owners of newer bikes) I have gone from thinking I would continue to get a new bike every 2 years and having a good relationship with my local dealer to keeping my '12 and avoiding the dealer when-ever possible to keep the '12 in top shape. (Note: the local dealer went from Steve Drane to Barnes: a conglomerate).

This IS the place to vent!!!.....many of us are feeling the same way!
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dayne66

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Re: Open letter to Harley Davidson
« Reply #7 on: February 01, 2019, 12:27:25 PM »

That's right. I agree.  No more HD junk for me.
No, you cant have my 14 Limited.


That's right. I agree. No more HD junk for me.
No you can't have my_____________. The sentiments of a growing number of owners!
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k9f

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Re: Open letter to Harley Davidson
« Reply #8 on: February 01, 2019, 12:36:21 PM »

…..This IS the place to vent!!!.....many of us are feeling the same way!


Maybe so but we all have choices, spleen venting achieves nothing especially on an enthusiasts forum perhaps? It lends the poster to lack of sympathy and a scenario whereupon the OP is the 'Wabbit' being hunted by Elmer J Fudd. I can understand his frustration a little as I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of the 975 Streetfighter offering on it's way. With my own experiences I decided after much deliberation and reflection to head for another American iconic brand to see what their FTR1200S is all about.

No you can't have my_____________. The sentiments of a growing number of owners!

Count me in that crowd! Be thankful your bikes were Twinkies they could have had several engine changes by now had they been M8s.
« Last Edit: February 01, 2019, 12:42:08 PM by k9f »
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scottt

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Re: Open letter to Harley Davidson
« Reply #9 on: February 01, 2019, 12:50:53 PM »

Understand the OP's frustration. Rode Harleys ( 12 new bikes including a CVO Ultra ) for 28 years. Had some great times and rides.

Recently test rode an 18 BMW K1600B or Bagger. What a motorcycle. Liked it so much i bought one. You really gotta ride one to appreciate.

That said; I'd still like to own a Harley and hope to buy another. It will be a older bike. A simple Harley.

Harleys loss of sales is not simply due to baby boomers aging out. It's due to competition from the used bike market with low prices on low mile bikes and due to unprecedented competition. In my humble opinion, the only reason for buying a new HD touring bike is because you have a loyalty to Harley ( look, sound and feel ) and won't consider anything else. Not knocking, just the facts. Harley does not lead with performance, quality, handling, ride or features.

By the way, BMW has their faults too. Comes down to what you value most.

Sent from my SM-J327T using Tapatalk

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CVOStreetglide

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Re: Open letter to Harley Davidson
« Reply #10 on: February 01, 2019, 01:07:58 PM »


Maybe so but we all have choices, spleen venting achieves nothing especially on an enthusiasts forum perhaps? It lends the poster to lack of sympathy and a scenario whereupon the OP is the 'Wabbit' being hunted by Elmer J Fudd. I can understand his frustration a little as I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of the 975 Streetfighter offering on it's way. With my own experiences I decided after much deliberation and reflection to head for another American iconic brand to see what their FTR1200S is all about.

Count me in that crowd! Be thankful your bikes were Twinkies they could have had several engine changes by now had they been M8s.


So you’re a “newbe” to the forum, apparantly don’t own a motorcycle yet and you;

1.  Verbally attack a existing member with taking the time to;

2. Understand that this is a Harley-Davidson CVO Enthusiest forum NOT an official Harley-Davidson forum.

3.  That the members here share their ownership experiences - both good and bad so others can learn from them or they can gain some additional information to help resolve their issues. 

I honestly hope you will consider taking few steps back and try to learn the gist of how things actually work here along with learning the interactions of the existing members.

Having done that you may decide that this particular forum isn’t a good fit for your needs and interests and seek another venue.

Either way, ride safe.   


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LC110

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Re: Open letter to Harley Davidson
« Reply #11 on: February 01, 2019, 01:10:43 PM »

Quote
It will fall on deaf ears and blind eyes.

For those of us old enough to remember this reminds of the AMF years all over again.
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Re: Open letter to Harley Davidson
« Reply #12 on: February 01, 2019, 01:35:06 PM »

Quote
frustration when your lousy parts and designs fail

I read on the internet that they all do that. 
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J.D.

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Re: Open letter to Harley Davidson
« Reply #13 on: February 01, 2019, 02:12:55 PM »

Each and every one of us has a "vote" - and that vote is where we spend our money.  Negative comments like this could be invaluable feedback to a company.  Gives them an indication of what the future looks like.  Sales numbers and annual reports are telling the real story.
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k9f

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Re: Open letter to Harley Davidson
« Reply #14 on: February 01, 2019, 02:31:00 PM »


So you’re a “newbe” to the forum, apparantly don’t own a motorcycle yet and you;
………..

Either way, ride safe.


Sincere Apologies to the OP for the thread drift!  :jack:

Forums generally are overladen with bad news not good! Many people register simply to sell something, find the solution to a particular issue and then bugger off with nothing to contribute until the next item is located to be sold or another problem arises. Forums are supposed to be also for well-balanced reasoned debate.

Thank you so much for the ride safe wishes, they are reciprocated wholeheartedly. With your opening gambit please do not make rash assumptions about not owning a bike as a quick trawl would have revealed that I would not have joined this fine forum without owning a CVO. I could of course list my worldly goods in the way of motorcycles past and present in my signature block as many do, but I have a choice and choose not to.

The introduction is there too as are several pictures.... :oops:

https://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=116568.msg1474147#msg1474147
 
Also as a 'Newbie' as you so elloquently put it my post count may be low but that is because there is little of interest, this particular thread did interest me.

As for the 'verbal attack' if I have offended the OP I apologise it was not my intent and if you deem that a verbal attack once again it is misjudged.
 

Best wishes to you and everybody else from 'The Newbie on Other Side of the Pond!'  :pepper:



 

« Last Edit: February 01, 2019, 02:57:35 PM by k9f »
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