This particular thread has been very helpful towards sharing details on how this issue is progressing. I finally saw the Feb-'08 AIM magazine this morning at the store & read their reply that was difficult to read clearly off one of the earlier posts that someone was kind enough to post a copy of. Not very encouraging but the bottom line is that this 110" engine issue is out there & a lot of people know about it on both sides.
This was the main reason I sought out this forum to find out what was going on as I knew someone who was personally affected by this problem back in October. His dealership was honest & told him probably most everything they knew about the head gaskets & slipping liners as this was supposedly an issue on a previous engine a few years back. They did the initial fix under warranty like many others who've posted about going through this. That was a few months ago & we'll see how it holds up.
How the MoCo chooses to handle this will be very interesting & for the most part, what I've heard so far sounds like corporate textbook. Let's not forget that the MoCo is a publicly traded company (NYSE ticker:HOG) whose loyalty is to the shareholders first to produce profits.
The particular sector, Leisure-Products Group (c/o Investor's Business Daily) is pretty soft right now even though HOG is one of the top 5 in that group. The economic horizon (1 - 3-yrs.) does not look too robust currently for companies in this sector w/all the talk of potential recession & the election coming up later this year.
I see the MoCo's real potential for growth being expansion into foreign markets. Not that they can't continue to convert domestically but I believe new markets is where their future is especially w/the weak dollar right now. Oddly enough, I believe the MoCo has damn near created a religion many years ago & will fare pretty well in most any economic climate as long as they keep their reputation intact & provide loyalty to their customers.
Getting back to how a corporation might handle a situation like this, it was interesting how AIM questioned the author of the piece trying to establish how many people have been affected by this issue & then wormed around trying to steer the focus elsewhere while more than likely playing dumb for their own reasons. It has to be quantified just how deep this issue runs & how it can & will potentially hurt the MoCo longterm.
We as owners of these machines are not a bunch of slugs. In fact, any owner of a H-D has spent far above the average price for a motorcycle in general & should expect some stellar support from the company who builds them & some honesty from the dealer network who supports the MoCo. We may be small in number compared to the masses but as someone previously quantified, at over $30-k a copy times the amount of units out there, this is a segment of the market that deserves attention & assurance that we'll be properly supported w/this current problem.
What I've learned as a result of all the input provided on this Web site by the many owners who've been touched by this problem are the following:
1. We purchased what we thought were elite machines that cost 50% more than those from the regular lineup. They are special machines but have an issue that is widespread that needs a permanent fix.
2. This appears to be a manufacturing issue & all manufacturers come across these types of problems from time to time. Realistically, it takes time to test by trial & error to find the end solution as evidenced by all these gaskets now up to the third version.
3. The thing about getting the Germans involved is good because this is a global economy & we've done business w/foreign nations for hundreds of years to share technologies & get the best from those who have the expertise.
4. How do we protect ourselves as owners as the warranty clock ticks away? I learned that I'm calling Chicago H-D tomorrow & a few others to inquire about the ESP to add 5-yrs. of protection to my existing warranty. We need to examine the ESP thoroughly to clearly understand what it covers & what it doesn't but this seems like a viable plan for protecting our wallets in the event that the MoCo takes a long time to find the permanent solution.
5. We must continue to communicate our experiences w/this & all other issues. Look how many people are on this site from Europe & beyond that are dealing w/the same issues. If the MoCo really cares about expanding their presence globally, they have to take notice of their foreign customers who really value these products as much as the domestic market does.
Sorry for the longwinded post but I just wanted to express my opinion & kind of summarize what so many others have already said previously. Most of the posters are very technical w/specific details on things that they've done that are so invaluable to the rest of us. This is my first H-D & probably not my last provided this current experience doesn't turn ugly. Anyway, Happy 2008 to all & look forward to a positive resolution to this current debacle soon.
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Topic: American Iron Mag HOG Helpline (Read 31761 times)