Just received another :rolleyes: customer survey form from Harley-Davidson... Filled it out as I saw fit, then found a spot on the back for additional comments. Here's what I wrote:

"I, and many other Harley-Davidson customers, would like to see a broader range of performance parts designed and engineered by H-D for the Sportster models, as the current big twins enjoy today. This would include big-bore and stroker kits, adjustable ignition modules, lightened flywheels, several selections of high performance camshafts, and possibly more exhaust pipe options (complete, not slip-ons).

True Sportster fans (we do not consider the XL to be an entry-level bike, or a stepping stone to a big twin) would also like to see a revival of the performance suspension that the "Sport" model used to wear, either as a factory model, or as an upgrade through Screamin' Eagle catalogs.

The XL has been the foundation of the entire line since 1957, and deserves to have full support from the Mo-Co, not just chrome do-dads.

Thanks for making such a great bike!"


I expect this survey to be fed into a computer, tabulated and then shredded without a word of what I wrote being viewed by a human being, but I'll sleep better tonight knowing that I spoke my mind. :D

That's a nice comment, wish I had thought of it too. I just used that space to bitch about why I stopped letting my local dealer service my bike.

Gary

Well said RedRider :clap :clap

It sucks that there are enough bad dealerships out there to keep our attention focused on things other than the bikes themselves. :frownthre I was lucky to find a place that took care of me when I bought mine, but I know that others have not been so lucky...

Yea, but it's cool that you brought the topic up. Maybe if the seed gets planted all of the folks here will contribute a comment like yours when their surveys come up. I'll keep it in mind if I get another one next year. I've gotten surveys each of the two years that I've had the bike.

Gary

Good for you RedRider, I'll keep that in mind for the Next H-D Survey that I do!! :D

Well spoken redrider, :chop :luvsport

I just received the survey too. I have to take my survey to the dealer so that I can get a couple of T-shirts. I guess they do it that way to make sure that you don't slam them.

Good job RedRider!

I was informed that I would be getting an evaluation survey. I was prompted to give them a good rating. However, my dealer has been very good to me during and after the sale. It was easy to give them a good report.card.
Billy

EXCELLENT!

I think you speak pretty much for all of us ...

I love it when the dealerships tell you to bring in the survay for free stuff. That way they ensure only the good comments make it back to the MoCo. Ya gotta love it!

RedRider
Got the survey and already had sent it in. Wish I'd the foresight you had in making the comments you did. Too many HD riders around here think of Sportsters as the VW of the Harley line. If HD would show some incentive through a broader parts market line, Sportster would regain the status it once held. Regardless of what HD does I :luvsport

But crap man, my dealer didn't promise me any free stuff :cloudmad

My dealer gave me this plaque [only] if I gave them the survey first, and did not mail it in by myself: :nosee

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/Turbota/HarleyPlaque.jpg

AMEN RedRider!!!! The MO-CO is rumored to be sweatin' bullets about how to get younger riders, seeing as us current baby boomers are aging fast. Seems to me that your ideas would resonate with younger riders who want the speed of a Buell without the sport bike look. People forget that America is a Drag Racing culture that values Horsepower and quarter mile E.T.'s. 9 out of 10 of these kids on these crotch rockets got the bike for it's straight line power and could care less that they could scrape their knees on a twistie. The lean on a basic Sportster is plenty for them, as long as they can smoke their buddy in a drag race.

Being the proud owner of a '77 Ironhead, I haven't gotten any kind of survey from HD as they don't officially acknowledge the existence of it any more. You can only get sparkplugs and oil at the stealer now and I don't buy my oil from them any way. Unfortunately they don't look at the sporty as the hot rod it is, they have another model with that job now. Enter the "V ROD". Priced at a measley 18 grand or so, the price is a little too steep for most of the muscle bike youngin's out there! Too steep fer me too I might add. I own a 27 year old bike remember? We need to do our part by demonstrating what a good running sporty can do every chance we get and kill the pre-conceived notion that these things are entry level, girls bike, half-a-harley or whatever. Show them as the nasty, asphalt rippin', fun playtoys that they are!

Thanks on all the positive feedback guys.

Maybe like some of you suggested, if we all reply on a similar note we can get the Mo Co to realize what a large percentage of their customer base wants, and prompt them to make it.

I've got an idea...fill out the survey, make a copy and send it to MoCo... take the original to the stealership and get those freebies and then we won't care what the dealership DOES with their survey! MoCo would probably like to see the truth and not an edited version of the surveys anyway...

I wish the MO-FO MO-CO would just lock the freakin' doors on some of those dealers who aren't worth Spit!!! All it does is tarnish the "glow" for those dealers that are busting their ass to do right by us. Maybe they need to "hear" more about this issue from us...the $$$$. Whatcha think?

Turbota,
I got one of those plaques a few weeks after I bought my V-rod. We used a different dealer to buy the Sporty because they were a Honda/H-D shop and took my crotch rocket in trade. I doubt that the dealer we bought the Sporty from will have ordered a plaque for us, if it was such a pain to get 2 T-shirts from them, imaging what a plaque would be like!

When I purchased my latest ride, the plaque came directly from HD and not the dealer. Also my survey came with a HD Headquarters addressed envelope with return postage. Fortunately, a have a great dealer, so I gave a great review of service.:clap