I miss her already!

TomW · #1 15th September 2005

Well - I dropped my Sporty off at the dealers this morning to have her 5000 mile check done, and I have to say I miss her already. My dealership has a VIP program which I bought into that gives me priority service, so I get mine in and out ASAP. Unfortunately I wont be able to pick her up until Saturday.

On the other hand they are having an open house with food, live music, a bike show and Cromecoming there Saturday. Oh, and they are offering free Dyno runs!!

The VIP package cost me $1600.00, but it covers all my maintenence checks for the next 3 years regardless of mileage. I am not a wrench, nor do I have the time right now to do all my own maintenence, but I ride every day and put a lot of miles on her, so I suspect I might come out ahead in the long run. So far everyone at the dealership has been helpful and friendly towards me and NO ONE puts my 05 883 Low down. In fact the maintenence manager rides one, and took me outside to show me what he did to his!

At any rate - I am sad that she had to be left there. But I am taking next week off from work and going up north for Grouse season. I hope to do some riding in northern lower Michigan while up there!!

jlcrss · #2 15th September 2005

Hey Tom what shop do you go to? Brighton. Maybe I might need to ride over there. Grouse season sounds fun....I am a huge bird hunter....I love hunting pheasants. I just started to get back into ducks last year. We went to Lake Huron and had a blast. I am getting ready to drop my bike off for the 5k service in a couple of minutes.

TomW · #3 15th September 2005

Since I work in Ann Arbor, I use American out on Jackson Rd. The same people that own American HD also own Brighton Harley as well as Nickelsons Honda, Kawasaki, and Yamaha

The shop in Ann Arbor is a lot bigger I think, but I imagine you will get just a good service at either one. Since American isn't much out of my way on the trip home I often (perhaps too much) stop in. My salesman always stops to say hello, and the manager of the dearship stopped and took me around the back where they had unloaded a bunch of new 06 models they had just gotten in to show me the new Dyna Bobber! I think you will get the same treatment at Brighton as well.

As for Grouse, they are a whole new ball game, compared to pheasants. You really need to hunt with dogs! We use English Setters. My wife breeds, trials and trains them for the north woods. She also judges some field trials. We have 5 Setters and a Boxer. I love Grouse and Pheasant, wish there where more opportunities. I would like to try dove hunting sometime. But we may never get to in Michigan. Sometime we are going to have to get together.

GOTWA · #4 15th September 2005

Tom,

I can relate. Had to drop mine off at the dealer on Tuesday to have them "investigate" some issues under warranty. Almost felt like leaving one of my kids at the hospital.

SEE HERE IF YOU"RE CURIOUS ABOUT THE ISSUES

This is the second time the dealer mech's have fondled my bike. The first, like you, was for my 1k and also Stage 1 upgrade (got as part of the purchase deal). A wise man here recommended to me to have the 1k, 10k, and 25k done by a comptent mech and do the rest on my own. Cool. Now see, the part I missed in that was "competent." See, dumby me, I assumed that because my dealer had always been so awesome to me they would have excellent mech's too. And if you doubt my enthusiasm for my dealer, search through the Dealer discussion area for "Shumate."

Now, maybe they do and maybe they don't. See I don't know if they are competent or not because what they are is slimmy as something one of Turbota's Fillipino honeys is carrying around. The GM of the place sold out and left (taking some of the best people with him to his new place) and a new GM was brought in. And now the place has changed. You can just feel it. The atmosphere is different. A lot of the same smiling faces but they aren't quite the same as they were. I had a bad vibe about it and my suspicsions were correct. They have, in my opinion. become just another stero-typical dealer.

Bad valve seals? Well, we think your needle was sticking in the carb creating a rich condition and thereby thinning out your oil. This would account for the excessive consumption and the smoking on start up. Yeah right, just like when I told you my primary gasket was leaking the first time and you "re-torqued the bolts." Told you then that that wasn't gonna work and it didn't and now you're replacing my gasket. Humph, what a concept. And just like that time, I don't for one second believe the carb is the culprit of my problem.

But you see, it is warranty work. And warranty work doesn't pay well. So, how does one make up the difference? Well, you make several small "repairs" and keep billing the MoCo. Well, that is going to cease. At least for me. I AIN'T NO FRICKIN' RUB Mr. Shumate!

I loathe them to touch my bike again.

So I have now come to a crossroads of sorts. Do I save up my money and dump it into this bike to turn it into what I want? Or do I save up my money and dump it into a second bike and turn both of them into what I want? Either way, the dealer will only touch her if it is extreme or something I can't figure. Closest trusted Indy is about 40 miles away and that is fine for some things, a pain for others.

My priorities have shifted and I now very much want to build a little workshop in the Spring so that I have a place to wrench on the bike.

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack your thread. Just offering the views of a once dealer smitten rider.

Kelley · #5 16th September 2005

My dealer has the same program,every 2500 miles, a little less money and I get a free rental while my bike is in the shop. Also if I take the bike there to repair it when it is in an accident they pay the first $250 dollars of the deductible . Have 5000 miles on my bike since late January and have ridden two different bikes and had to take advantage of the accident deductible. I did my own stage one on the bike but have them do the service. I have almost re-couped the money it cost me, with the free rentals and the deductible.
I can only look at my bike right now as I had surgery Sept 1 to repair my shoulder from the accident. It sucks not be able to ride and see the bike in the garage calling out to me.
Have fun Saturday when you pick up your ride.

coonass · #6 16th September 2005

GOTWA...get youw warranty money back, and get to building I say. At least that is what I've been thinking about doing.

GOTWA · #7 16th September 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by coonass

GOTWA...get youw warranty money back, and get to building I say. At least that is what I've been thinking about doing.

We think alike.

cantolina · #8 16th September 2005

Erik,

Good thing ya didn't ask me.....

I certainly have respect for whomever told you that, but they're still WRONG!!!

Bikerdude · #9 16th September 2005

Because we have a brother/sister hood here..I'm going to take the first step and pledge to all who have their bikes in the shop..that I..BikerDude..will ride my ass off and make that "extra" mile in honor of all members who have their bikes in the shop.. I'ts the Least I can do for my brothers and sisters..

and you will ONLY have to pay me 1/2 the normal cost of fuel...just another thing I can do for members.

excuse me..I gotta "Ride"

cantolina · #10 16th September 2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bikerdude

Because we have a brother/sister hood here..I'm going to take the first step and pledge to all who have their bikes in the shop..that I..BikerDude..will ride my ass off and make that "extra" mile in honor of all members who have their bikes in the shop.. I'ts the Least I can do for my brothers and sisters..

and you will ONLY have to pay me 1/2 the normal cost of fuel...just another thing I can do for members.

excuse me..I gotta "Ride"

I'm doing nearly 1,000 miles in 2 days this weekend....I suppose that's support enough....