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[Hoist!]

Back in "the day" I was a mechanic...well a college student who turned from shade tree to mechanic to pay for expenses at college.  The stuff I used to see the other mechanics do to customers rides made me ill...hammering on lug nuts, duct tape on hoses -  "LET IT RIDE, get it out the door" was key to making the boss happy/rich.  I NEVER would do the same and left more then one shop with my tools in my girlfriends hatchback since I wouldn't. 

I cannot imagine an HD dealership being ANY different...which is why I do all my own work, on anything I ride/drive or push!  I am NOT saying that all mechs are that way, there were others like myself who would rather cut the profit and get the customer what they were paying for, but we stood out... 
I have to hope that dealers are able to hire the folks that care.

Trust but verify.

Sean

Unfortunately Sean, they don't seem to pay enough to get that! Mostly bottom of the barrel techs at what HD pays. Anyone with talent usually goes the indie route.

Hoist!

[grc]

Unfortunately Sean, they don't seem to pay enough to get that! Mostly bottom of the barrel techs at what HD pays. Anyone with talent usually goes the indie route.

Hoist!

Not necessarily the "indie" route, Howie.  There are plenty of good wrenches around who don't want the hassle of trying to run their own business, or who don't have the skills or capital to set up their own business.  The tricky part is how do you find them, and if they work for a dealer how do you make sure your repair gets assigned to them?  And just because someone has their own "indie" shop doesn't necessarily mean they're any good.  I've run into more than one that, after talking for a few minutes, I wouldn't let touch my lawnmower, much less a bike or car.  Spreading BS and doing half-assed repairs isn't something that H-D dealers have a patent on, even though it often seems that way.

BTW, I remember back when a typical pay plan in a shop was a simple 50/50 split between the shop and the mechanic.  If the labor charge on a repair was $100, then the mechanic got $50 (plus any spiffs on selling additional parts).  Well, we geniuses at the factory level convinced the dealers that they needed to revise their pay plans so that they could be more flexible with pricing and therefore more competitive, with the side benefit that the dealer would eventually be able to keep a larger percentage of the gross.  Thirty years later, you have dealers charging $100 per hour labor rates, and paying the techs a pittance.  And they wonder why they can't keep good help, or why the guys shortcut jobs and create customer relations issues.

Jerry

[Fired00d]

Not necessarily the "indie" route, Howie.  There are plenty of good wrenches around who don't want the hassle of trying to run their own business, or who don't have the skills or capital to set up their own business.  The tricky part is how do you find them, and if they work for a dealer how do you make sure your repair gets assigned to them?  And just because someone has their own "indie" shop doesn't necessarily mean they're any good.  I've run into more than one that, after talking for a few minutes, I wouldn't let touch my lawnmower, much less a bike or car.  Spreading BS and doing half-assed repairs isn't something that H-D dealers have a patent on, even though it often seems that way.

BTW, I remember back when a typical pay plan in a shop was a simple 50/50 split between the shop and the mechanic.  If the labor charge on a repair was $100, then the mechanic got $50 (plus any spiffs on selling additional parts).  Well, we geniuses at the factory level convinced the dealers that they needed to revise their pay plans so that they could be more flexible with pricing and therefore more competitive, with the side benefit that the dealer would eventually be able to keep a larger percentage of the gross.  Thirty years later, you have dealers charging $100 per hour labor rates, and paying the techs a pittance.  And they wonder why they can't keep good help, or why the guys shortcut jobs and create customer relations issues.

Jerry

Good point Jerry. I was able to find such a situation. I have my bike serviced at my dealer and up until recently requested/had the same technician do all the service. That technician has since become the service manager and I pulled him to the side and asked him off the record who he would recommend working on my (who he would let work on his bike) bike now that he wasn't wrenching anymore. He suggested someone and I've now since requested that technician work on my bike at all times. I have a good relationship w/my dealership and his employees. I'm able to walk back into the service area while the technician is working on my bike, talk to him, ask questions, and generally shoot the chit. They know how I am about my bike and know if something isn't right they will hear about it. I'm not saying they treat my bike any different from anyone else's but I do believe if the technician knows you take care of your bike, you establish a relationship w/them, then they will be more diligent in doing the job right the first time. After all they can't make any money on something they have to do over because they didn't do it right the first time.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[hogasm]

BTW, I remember back when a typical pay plan in a shop was a simple 50/50 split between the shop and the mechanic.  If the labor charge on a repair was $100, then the mechanic got $50 (plus any spiffs on selling additional parts).  Well, we geniuses at the factory level convinced the dealers that they needed to revise their pay plans so that they could be more flexible with pricing and therefore more competitive, with the side benefit that the dealer would eventually be able to keep a larger percentage of the gross.  Thirty years later, you have dealers charging $100 per hour labor rates, and paying the techs a pittance.  And they wonder why they can't keep good help, or why the guys shortcut jobs and create customer relations issues.

Jerry

Jerry you saved me some typing     Dealer here charges $95/hour....top mechanic makes $15.....boss has to pay to have mechanic go to more schools to learn more.....so they don't learn

[skreminegul07]

I've often tipped the SM and Tech after service.  I think that goes a long way especially when doing the big jobs.  I believe they work on flat rate and that promotes get it done in a hurry to make more money.  I do my own except the warranty (I know Howie FTW) work.  If you look at the scheduled maintenance list, there is less and less to do and they keep raising the prices.  I'd rather do more than required with my choice of oil and still save money. 

[Gone Fishin']

Good point Jerry. I was able to find such a situation. I have my bike serviced at my dealer and up until recently requested/had the same technician do all the service. That technician has since become the service manager and I pulled him to the side and asked him off the record who he would recommend working on my (who he would let work on his bike) bike now that he wasn't wrenching anymore. He suggested someone and I've now since requested that technician work on my bike at all times. I have a good relationship w/my dealership and his employees. I'm able to walk back into the service area while the technician is working on my bike, talk to him, ask questions, and generally shoot the chit. They know how I am about my bike and know if something isn't right they will hear about it. I'm not saying they treat my bike any different from anyone else's but I do believe if the technician knows you take care of your bike, you establish a relationship w/them, then they will be more diligent in doing the job right the first time. After all they can't make any money on something they have to do over because they didn't do it right the first time.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

Exactly. That is how I do this for many years now. Maintain a mutually respectful relationship. I get very good service, quick turn around and have often received a special discount not available to the regular customer. I always tip the service department, because I value their work and also because I could not do any wrenching myself for the lack of skill, time and location.

Ride safely,
Louis

[Hoist!]

Either you have a great tech at a dealer or not. All the tipping in the world don't make em better techs. Only friendler. And going to a dealer for work doesn't guaranty better service. Usually it guarantees worse service, although I'm sure there are a few decent dealer techs out there. Just not in the NYC area! Find a great tech to work with regardless of where. FTF and FTW! Go where your bike will be taken care of best. You shouldn't need much in the way of w.....ty if you have an excellent tech talking care of your bike! But if ya do, you can still always go back to the dealer to have them screw your bike up under w.....ty for ya!

Hoist!

[napalm]

The 1000 mile service was free on my '07 SEUC and is going to be free on my '08 SEUC when I take it in on May 21st!!!  Depends on where you buy it!!!!

napalm

[Boatman]

Looks like I will be doing my own service work in the future !!

That's the way to go if you can do it yourself or are willing to buy a few tools and learn how to do it properly.  At least you know what was done and you learn a lot about your bike in the process.  Know one knows exactly what was checked/changed on these services unless you stand and watch.  The check list they provide can say anything.

Everyone has brought up a lot of valid points.  A service and parts manuals are musts.

[Texas 103]

Exactly. That is how I do this for many years now. Maintain a mutually respectful relationship. I get very good service, quick turn around and have often received a special discount not available to the regular customer. I always tip the service department, because I value their work and also because I could not do any wrenching myself for the lack of skill, time and location.

Ride safely,
Louis

Put a Case of Liquid Refreshment in the Tour Pack ,then complain you've got a hell of a rattle back there and you can't figure it out........Works for me....Greg

[07 CVO]

I won't take my bike to any tech that won't let me see what he is going to my bike.  At my stealership the service manager always makes sure my bike goes to the tech in the first bay and has no problems if I talk to the tech while he is doing a service.

Mark

[Gone Fishin']

Put a Case of Liquid Refreshment in the Tour Pack ,then complain you've got a hell of a rattle back there and you can't figure it out........Works for me....Greg

Ha ha ha. Great.

[Georgehjr]

pick up bike yesterday, on the wall  the price list was - 1000 mile service was $189,

dealer includes it as freebe so my cost should be -0- just need to ride 225 miles each way to get it, hmmmmmm.......... maybe that's not so free, time, hotel, at least lunch, well if it's a nice day, Road trip ...........

[Georgehjr]

Well it was a nice day, got up at 5am, hit the road at 6am, drove 240 miles nice early AM ride, Arrived at dealer 10 am, they said around 3 hrs to do the job. Breakfast, couple newspapers and they had in house Wi-fi for my laptop. Had to move the XM antenna to fix the cutting out issue, and set up the rear seat for 2 up riding,  other than that no problems and NO Leaks !!!!. Talked to the mechanic re 'what he had heard' .....07 problems yes, however he had not had an issue with the 08's yet.

about 12:45 , Dealer offered to 'wash' bike , told him thanks but just would get more bugs on the ride home, I took the 2 lane home (Rt 6) Great Ride , took about an hour longer, gas up and got home about 6 pm. Nice full day.  Hey Pirates are winning against the NY Yankees , Hope it holds (top of 5th) 5 to 1

Total trip 500 miles, bike now has 1400 on it,
Got to cut it loose a few times as I had to 'pass' WOW the POWER !!!!. This Bike is going to be a Blast

Oh, the Service Mgr told me next service is not until 5,000 miles............