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[Loufish]

Hello, my first post...

Very interesting thread, given I work for a "a very large So Cal based Law Enforcement Agency, responsible for their vehicle maintenance"...read between the lines...

LAPD would have liked to stay with the HD's, but there comes a time when enough is enough...

The HD have proved to be not quite up to the continuous rigors of city policing. The city of Los Angeles like many other cites faces budget shortfalls, but buys a more expensive motor bike?...You guys seem pretty smart, that has to be a red flag...and no back door deals, plain old fashion frustration drove this decision.

The released report has been quoted several times as to the lower cost per mile, 28 cents but that includes warranty work covered. And the report goes on to estimate the actual cost will be closer to .38 per mile after the bikes are out of warranty which puts it highest in the group reported.

The other issue glossed over is the vehicle out of service numbers, which basically tell you how many vehicles do you have available right now for emergency use.
The HD's have done very poorly in this area and it doesn't matter if the bikes were given to you for free, if they're not available then they are worthless...

This is plain and simple...The HD's didn't work out...time to find something else that will. I'm not going to bash any agency or manufacture and not pointing fingers, this what it boiled down to...

Thanks for letting me add my 2 cents...

[Ironhorse]

The other issue glossed over is the vehicle out of service numbers, which basically tell you how many vehicles do you have available right now for emergency use.

Which is why they keep a fleet of Kawasakis on hand. Those are pressed into service when the HDs are down.

[grc]

Which is why they keep a fleet of Kawasakis on hand. Those are pressed into service when the HDs are down.

And that is a method that a few folks on this site have used as well.  Keep another brand on hand, or several H-D's, so they can still ride when the Harley is laid up (again) for repairs.  There will eventually come a time, I truly believe, when folks will finally decide that being "cool" isn't as important as reliability and performance, and when that time comes H-D is in a serious world of hurt.

Jerry

[Talon]

It kinda goes back to the cars of the mid 70's. American cars were falling apart after 3 years 60-70,000 miles, Honda was sending over cars that would run for over 100,000. No one liked the fact that a foreign manufacture was selling so many cars here, but it forced Detroit to start improving their cars. Maybe it's about time for Harley to do the same, look at all the problems people have been having with the 110's and the lame excuses from dealers! The PD needs bikes they can depend on, is that todays Harley?

[MUFFMAN]

Gotta tell you. June of last year while riding in  New York my crank let loose on my FLHTUSE2. Had it repaired under warranty & it was never the same. I had back surgery in August and sold the bike. Being off a bike for 6 months gave me ample time to look around at the competition & I came very close to getting a Wing. Couldn't bring myself to do it & have a FLHTUSE5 coming in April. If this one screws me up it will be my last HD until they build a better product.

[Buy early]

Hello, my first post...

Very interesting thread, given I work for a "a very large So Cal based Law Enforcement Agency, responsible for their vehicle maintenance"...read between the lines...

LAPD would have liked to stay with the HD's, but there comes a time when enough is enough...

The HD have proved to be not quite up to the continuous rigors of city policing. The city of Los Angeles like many other cites faces budget shortfalls, but buys a more expensive motor bike?...You guys seem pretty smart, that has to be a red flag...and no back door deals, plain old fashion frustration drove this decision.

The released report has been quoted several times as to the lower cost per mile, 28 cents but that includes warranty work covered. And the report goes on to estimate the actual cost will be closer to .38 per mile after the bikes are out of warranty which puts it highest in the group reported.

The other issue glossed over is the vehicle out of service numbers, which basically tell you how many vehicles do you have available right now for emergency use.
The HD's have done very poorly in this area and it doesn't matter if the bikes were given to you for free, if they're not available then they are worthless...

This is plain and simple...The HD's didn't work out...time to find something else that will. I'm not going to bash any agency or manufacture and not pointing fingers, this what it boiled down to...

Thanks for letting me add my 2 cents...

Thanks for joining the debate Loufish! Always great to hear from someone close to the issue. When you have a minute, drop by the New Member area and introduce yourself. I am sure you could be a very valuable contributor to this community. You have probably seen things on these bikes many of us will face in the future.

[tazmun]

Gotta tell you. June of last year while riding in  New York my crank let loose on my FLHTUSE2. Had it repaired under warranty & it was never the same. I had back surgery in August and sold the bike. Being off a bike for 6 months gave me ample time to look around at the competition & I came very close to getting a Wing. Couldn't bring myself to do it & have a FLHTUSE5 coming in April. If this one screws me up it will be my last HD until they build a better product.

  That's why the MoCo, doesn't really get better! They know the "faithful" will continue to follow.
If we sit back and look at all the posts from an objective point of view, I be thinking WTF, why do
we continue?
  I can honestly say, if I had seen as many problems with my "kudmobile", I would definitely
go buy a different brand. Like someone else just said, "that's what happened in the 70/80's
with the skudmobile companies". I sure don't have that good feeling on my bike on a long trip.

[hooligan]

Regardless.......If we don't support our own we won't have jobs to buy anything from anybody.It's best to keep our money in our own country.I always avoid purchasing products not made in the US or Canada. I proudly display two bumper stickers on my truck: "Out of a job yet? Keep buying foreign"
and "Made in CANADA Matters" If you start looking at labels you will actually realise  where your hard earned dollars are going... CHINA,Honduras,Malaysia,Mexico etc.
Screw free trade and make it FAIR TRADE if you don't buy from us we don't buy from you and it must be dollar for dollar.