OK, so I only picked up my SERK 3 months ago and only put 825 miles on during my mid tour leave from Iraq before I parked it in my garage. Went out 2 days ago to fire it up, and sure enough the battery was dead. Pulled it out and took it to the on post care center to get it charged. They charged me $10 to charge and check it. Turns out it'll hold a charge, but only has 8% starting power and can't even turn my bike over.
My local dealer is not so American customer friendly (I'm stationed in Germmany). I've gone to see the guy twice and I always leave wanting to knock him out. Mainly because when I asked if he could install a SERT, pipes, and do a dyno tune, he said sure, only I would have to purchase the SERT from him for around 450 euros (around $690) cause as he said it, "We need to make money too." So I gave him one last shot and called yesterday to see if he would warranty my battery. He said they don't have much luck replacing batteries under warranty and asked me to call back in 10 minutes so he could check to see if he had one it stock. A couple of weeks ago, I had a guy I work with recommend another dealer that's an hour away since he had not had much luck with our local dealer.
So I call them yesterday, tell them my problem and he says he has a battery in stock and asked it I could bring mine in right now. Then I asked him if he sees many 110 motors and he tells me he's aware of the rear cylinder problem. I told him there's a recall for my bike and he asked for my VIN. I gave it to him and he verified the recall and said he'd order the parts and it could be done the same day as my 1000 mile service. So today I stopped by with my battery. He met me at the counter and told me he had ordered the parts for the 110 gasket recall and would call me when they come in. Then he tested my battery and told me it was still good according to his little tester, but offered to charge it for me and wanted to test it in my bike. I told him that wasn't possible since I had no way of starting my bike with that dead battery. He offered to sell me another one for 260 euros (about $400) and I told him I rather not spend money on another battery and find out a week from now that mine checked out OK and end up having 2 batteries. So he offers to keep my battery to charge it and test it and gives me a new battery to use until I bring my bike up for the 1000 mile service. He said if my battery checks out OK, he'll take the new one back, no charge for the use. If mine is bad, he'll do the warranty paperwork for it.
Today was the best customer service I have ever seen at any dealer for as long as I've been driving. The HD shop in Bamberg, Germany will be getting all of my business for the rest of my tour in Germany. I'm still a little in awe that they guy handed me a $400 battery as a loaner without so much as a deposit.
First time for everything.
Author
Topic: Dead battery, great customer service (Read 1241 times)