Well since I am venting then MoCo should get a good dose of it.....

Dear Harley-Davidson,
What is the point of a parts counter if you stock no parts? Oh you guys have plenty of "shiny, weigh my bike down, go slow" useless crap to sell me, but you don't have a simple freaking ignition switch. WTF? The dealer locally that you guys have pushing the "shiny crap" has no answers when I ask where the part is. All they can say is, Well there is a five day something-or-nother in order for you guys to collect your crap and get around to cutting the keys to fit the switch that you already have in the warehouse. Who the hell stocks switches without keys? That's asinine, like stocking forward controls but not the linkages. Anyway, while the five day thing is crap but none the less the way things are, the five days are up and then some. SO WHERE THE HELL ARE MY PARTS? I bet if that switch was chrome or said "Ride to Live" on it there would be a couple hundred at the dealer hanging on the wall with four or five large breasted women trying to sell them to me every time I pass one of them. I know that in order to make money you must cater to the masses but I can assure you that once in a great while, as hard as it might be for you to understand, one of us with no interest in "shiny crap" will need a "real" part to go on a "real" bike, that we "really do" ride. Think about it, you'll remember us. We're the ones that were buying your stuff before it was over-priced and unavailable.

Ditto on the parts counter.

Well since I am venting then MoCo should get a good dose of it.....

Dear Harley-Davidson,
What is the point of a parts counter if you stock no parts? Oh you guys have plenty of "shiny, weigh my bike down, go slow" useless crap to sell me, but you don't have a simple freaking ignition switch. WTF? The dealer locally that you guys have pushing the "shiny crap" has no answers when I ask where the part is. All they can say is, Well there is a five day something-or-nother in order for you guys to collect your crap and get around to cutting the keys to fit the switch that you already have in the warehouse. Who the hell stocks switches without keys? That's asinine, like stocking forward controls but not the linkages. Anyway, while the five day thing is crap but none the less the way things are, the five days are up and then some. SO WHERE THE HELL ARE MY PARTS? I bet if that switch was chrome or said "Ride to Live" on it there would be a couple hundred at the dealer hanging on the wall with four or five large breasted women trying to sell them to me every time I pass one of them. I know that in order to make money you must cater to the masses but I can assure you that once in a great while, as hard as it might be for you to understand, one of us with no interest in "shiny crap" will need a "real" part to go on a "real" bike, that we "really do" ride. Think about it, you'll remember us. We're the ones that were buying your stuff before it was over-priced and unavailable.

Hard not to see both sides on this, now that I work at a dealership.....

Most service managers/owners try to keep a stock of parts that are typical in their day to day services.....

There's a RIDICULOUS amount of money that could be tied up in inventory....

At 45.00 an hour for labor, and DT downloads offered at cost..... (what dealership has THAT rate?!?!), we simply CAN'T possibly stock all the parts we need to make everyone happy....

It certainly annoys ME, as a tech, when I can't get a bike out the door waiting for a part....but that's the nature of the game.....

eg: I have the little rubber o-rings for mixture needle assemblies, but I don't have a needle.....I have plugs and plastic bits, seat mounting hardware, all forms of tubing, but no way am I probably gonna have your brake line in stock....probably....

You need plug wires? We'll order'em....

I have every gasket I could ever need, especially for top-ends,.....all the way back to knuckles but you know what? I DON'T have every length of throttle cable that anyone might need.....not even close.......I even have to order the riser throttle guide for an S&S with CV cables.....and I've needed that twice this year....

Accessories are the heart and soul of the Harley small-business, but rarely do most folks get what they want "off the wall"......

Then again, we're about the second or third smallest dealership in the country...(yet #10 country-wide in customer satisfaction) :banana:banana

i hear you. here a good one i went to the dealer the other day to get a mounting kit for a spoiler. the parts man was standing there with the parts books and a computer ask me for the part no. i said no with a sad look on his face he said i guess i can look it up. i just shook my head

I dont buy any thing from my dealer except light bulbs and that is b/c they are the only ones that last ,dont ask me why.For everything else I have found a real indy bike shop to use.And they dont even sell t-shirts, just parts used over priced bikes and kick ass helmut stickers!

Living in Central Florida I have a lot of choices when it comes to the dealerships. Hell, Rossmeyer's monstrousity is less than an hour away. So I don't have too hard of time finding parts. But there have been a couple of times the guys behind the parts counter have dropped the ball. One time Orlando HD didn't have exhaust flanges in stock. WTF? They said they checked their computer and none of the other dealers in the area had them either. I went ahead and ordered them, but called Seminole HD. They had about 20 of them. I did not appreciate being lied to over a couple of dollar part. Seminole HD has some pretty good guys in there for the most part. It was one of the parts guys that took me into the back to the see the 1st two Nightsters they had gotten in. But, the Parts Manager is a real dick head though. Can't stand the guy. Little scrony jerk off thinks he is the shiznit. And another time I was experimenting with my jets and asked for a larger size jet and this one numbnut asked me WHY? F-you, just sell me the part Kojak. I didn't ask you why you tattooed an Eight ball on the top of your bald dome. Don't ask me why I want a freakin' jet.


Thanks for the thread. It was nice to rant.:banana

akkk, parts is parts and there's pleanty of places who wants to sell you parts. With that statement, ignition switches do go, one would think that it would be prudent to keep a switch or two on hand, I'm sure those swtiches are model interchangable, I had one go out, and while the dealer had one, I opted for an after market switch at half the price, did I mention that I'm a cheap bastage?

And another time I was experimenting with my jets and asked for a larger size jet and this one numbnut asked me WHY? F-you, just sell me the part Kojak. I didn't ask you why you tattooed an Eight ball on the top of your bald dome. Don't ask me why I want a freakin' jet. Thanks for the thread. It was nice to rant.:banana


Sooooo true.....:roflblack:roflblack:roflblack

I have to agree with Cantolina. I'm a car dealer mechanic. I share your frustration with not having parts in stock. But it really is ridiculous how much money can be tied up in parts inventory. If Harley works like car dealers do, and I think they do. The dealer owner decides how much inventory his store has. The manufacturor has a minimum, but that is very small amount. The dealer is a guy and he would much rather have his money tied up in motorcycle inventory than parts sitting on a shelf. They figure, you really need that switch and you'll wait a few days for it.
I have found though, that in major metropolitan areas, there is usually a dealer that is not afraid to stock alot of parts. They want to be known as the guys who "If they don't have it, nobody does". This dealer usually makes more selling parts than 2-3 other dealers combined because of this reputation.

As far as parts guys go. And no offense if you are one of the rare good ones out there. They stink. They are the rudest, most mistaken-makin' people in the world. At car dealers, at motorcycle dealers, at independants, they all stink. Problem is owners don't want to pay them, so they get scrubs. There are owners that realize that parts guys make or break a parts counter and take care of them, but most don't, they're more concerned about their golf game.
When I find a good parts counter, I am loyal for life, or at least as long as they stay good.

I took my bike in for gear cams & 95" and heads ! well I got the bike back and the A-Holes put chain drive gears back in and after 50 miles it was nocking and ticking and quit running ! so now its off to the local indy for 2000 dollars of repair they did not clearance the rocker boxes and valves & pistons met ! so I stopped the check for wild boar harley-davidson in hudsonville michigan ! I called to talk with them on how to settel this issue they wont talk to me SO WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY are going to do to make this right ! I figgered I would pay for the parts but no they dont want to deal with me so it looks like the job that should have cost me 2000 is going to cost me 5000 bull ship ! lets here your ideas please !

By cancelling your check first, you nuked them before trying diplomacy. I'm sure your action made the dealer feel this is most likely going to court and if they offer you something now, you probably won't take it and use it against them in court.
I'm not saying they don't owe you big time. IMO they should pay to flatbed your bike back to them, they should fix it, and flatbed it back to you, at no cost to you at all, with some free accessories for the inconvenience. Whether or not they would have done that, we'll never know.

Hard not to see both sides on this, now that I work at a dealership.....

Most service managers/owners try to keep a stock of parts that are typical in their day to day services.....

There's a RIDICULOUS amount of money that could be tied up in inventory....

At 45.00 an hour for labor, and DT downloads offered at cost..... (what dealership has THAT rate?!?!), we simply CAN'T possibly stock all the parts we need to make everyone happy....

It certainly annoys ME, as a tech, when I can't get a bike out the door waiting for a part....but that's the nature of the game.....

eg: I have the little rubber o-rings for mixture needle assemblies, but I don't have a needle.....I have plugs and plastic bits, seat mounting hardware, all forms of tubing, but no way am I probably gonna have your brake line in stock....probably....

You need plug wires? We'll order'em....

I have every gasket I could ever need, especially for top-ends,.....all the way back to knuckles but you know what? I DON'T have every length of throttle cable that anyone might need.....not even close.......I even have to order the riser throttle guide for an S&S with CV cables.....and I've needed that twice this year....

Accessories are the heart and soul of the Harley small-business, but rarely do most folks get what they want "off the wall"......

Then again, we're about the second or third smallest dealership in the country...(yet #10 country-wide in customer satisfaction) :banana:banana



$45 an hour for labor????!!!! I need to move up to where your shop is. I pay $78 - $80.:frownthre

There are good and bad dealerships everywhere. Some have excellent service but crappy parts, some have great selection of stuff and others do actually have a good parts dept. If you live in an area that only has one dealer, shop on-line. I'm lucky enough to have a few to chose from and know where to go for what, and yes, DO NOT FORGET THE INDYS.... these guys do what they have to to stay in business, and are normally no joke kind of guys, they know how to fix or will learn how to fix just about anything. They do it cause they like MCs not just feeding off the HD food chain.
K my $0.02

$45 an hour for labor????!!!! I need to move up to where your shop is. I pay $78 - $80.:frownthre
Well thats what he gets paid per hr, not what they probably charge per hr. Just a guess though.

but the way the pucked it up would you let them have another chance to make it good ???

. One time Orlando HD didn't have exhaust flanges in stock. WTF? They said they checked their computer and none of the other dealers in the area had them either. I went ahead and ordered them, but called Seminole HD. They had about 20 of them. I did not appreciate being lied to over a couple of dollar part.


Thanks for the thread. It was nice to rant.:banana

I have a bad habit of calling the other dealers on my cell phone and checking parts availability while I'm standing at the counter and other customers are waiting when I get the "computer sez no body else has them" line. Makes lazy people mad, makes me smile:)

Cantolina, I do understand that stocking all parts possibly needed would be impossible but it seems they are never in short supply of crap that shines. If you're going to stock parts, stock USEFULL parts. I'll stop my rant here but check out my "it just quit" thread and you will see why I am so pissed. That shop will no longer do my service work. I would take a long wait on parts for some upfront answers and a phone call to say "Your part still hasn't come in but we have conformation that it has been shipped." And if you are going to tell someone that the key needs to be cut, make sure the new key isn't identical to the old key. I may not be an astronaut but I ain't stupid either.

Cantolina, I do understand that stocking all parts possibly needed would be impossible but it seems they are never in short supply of crap that shines. If you're going to stock parts, stock USEFULL parts.

amen brother, cant get something to replace a broken part but i can chrome every inch of my bike in one shopping trip...:censor

I feel for you on your Key escapade.... I have had pretty good luck with the stealers in my area..I think there are about 6 dealerships in my area, and while I have not been in all of them, The ones I have been in have been very helpfull as far as customer service. Although I have not had to purchase any "strange" parts, they usually have what I need, (I did have to go two different places to find a spanner wrench, but that was no big deal) the Parts guys at North Texas Harley Davidson are real helpful... they will look up what ever you ask for, and if you arent going to buy it right then, they will print you out a quote sheet with part numbers and an inventory of what the kit or accessory comes with so you know what the price is when your ready to purchase! Ive even had them recommend aftermarket parts, I was in there a week or so ago pricing Air Cleaner Assemblys and got to talking with the parts guy, he said well, I wouldn't buy this or that, but let me show you some aftermarket parts that I would recommend, he pulled out the Drag Specialties catalog and showed me a real good AC unit.. (not what I was looking for though) now Im sure there probably is some kind of mark up on this type transaction, but he didn't have to do that, he could have just towed the comapny line and recommended only a what Harley sold, but like I said, these guys go above and beyond the call to please there customers, and I've run into that kind of service at all the Harely dealers that I have been in in the Dallas area, not only at the parts counter, but even in the clothes dept. I went into Harley Davison of Dallas while I was out riding to see if they had a replacement visor for my helmet (The center peg broke off and the visor kept blowing up in the front) they sales woman walked me to the area where the replacement visors were, and went through them to see if they had one to fit..No luck... so I told her I was just going to super glue mine back together and use that one... she said OK, and gave me her card, and told me to call her when the super glue broke and they would order me a new one if they could get it... not a real "bend over backwards" type of service, but hey with me, every little thing counts... (a waitresses tip begins to get smaller if I have to ask her to fill my tea glass when it gets low) I think customer service is Very important!!!! Ive even had a parts guy tell me "you dont need to buy that" reffering to a set of Frame protectore that the stealer recommend you buy when putting your bike on a lift. I didn't buy my bike from a Dealer, but they have been very helpfull to me, I have NO Complaints.

I always order my parts from the internet. The local stealer here don't have any stock of anything. :smoke

I didn't buy my bike from a Dealer, but they have been very helpfull to me, I have NO Complaints.

6 Dealers in your area makes a big difference. It's when a franchise has more
territory they get big heads and act like a$$holes.

6 Dealers in your area makes a big difference. It's when a franchise has more
territory they get big heads and act like a$$holes.

Yep, that's whats happening at my stealer. I'm in Huntsville, there's a stealer here, the next nearest one is about 100 miles away :smoke

Hey Klown - I'm in Huntsville, too. I swore that dealer was the worst around for parts, but I've tried them again lately, and the guys at the parts counter seem to have their act together - they actually know what you're talking about and can find it in a parts book. I stopped by a couple of weeks ago on the outside chance they might have a clutch cable for my 1983 XLX (to save shipping from a mail-order house) and guess what? They had one in stock!

One dealer here. Waited for a push - cable for 4 months, no crap. When I called last they said it had been there for months - Where TF was my phone call??? Anyhow pick it up, get it home, go to put it on, it doesn't fit. It's for a GD Kawasaki. I grind the throttle end to a ball to fit through the housing, and the cable housing doesn't fit. Dammit.

Just ordered my Flanders cafe bars cause the MoCo was the cheapest can you believe it? Parts counter Jackleg says "yeah they'll be here in 2 days", called 5 days later - still not here. "They'll be here in the next week or 2". It's a 1/2 weeks later now - still not here.

The local Dealers website says they stock new and used parts so I go and ask if they have any mid Sporty controls. The parts guy sends me to the service dept. Regoddamndiculous.

Went to Charlotte - same deal.

Truth is, if you're not spending at least $500 on chrome and HD oil, trading in your 1-2 year old bike, buying a new bike (not a Buell mind you, they don't want to sell you a Buell period) or letting them "service" your bike, they really are bothered to even talk to you.

To Cantolina and others that work at decent shops, keep on keepin' on, but I've newer encountered a decent HD dealership on any level.

Thanks for the thread:)

Well the dealer that had my bike also owns the second closest dealership. There are plenty around (I'ld say 5 within 40mi., twice that or more within 100) but I went there cause they're the local guys and I usually try to spend my money in the local community. So much for that.

What really gets to me is when they say that "their computer says no other dealer around has the part in stock either" do the dealers really have access to each others inventory? I have been told this a couple of times only to find another dealer in the area that has the part in stock (I called around looking for the part).

About the ignition.. would the delay be related to them possibly keying it to match you steering lock and original key?