BIG Mistake!!!

[mrdozer2you]

I purchased an 06 Lightning12 from a dealer far from my home. I bought it in January of this year with 600mi on it, so pretty much brand new. The dealer told me all I needed to do is pull the battery and keep it charged for spring(which I did, Not my first bike). Upon trying to start the bike it wont. I blew through 6 full charges on my battery this weekend and still nothing. I'm guessing its a fouled plug? OK that being said how in the hell does one even get the plugs out to check them? You cant get to them from the top of the bike even with entire air box removed( trust me I spent all weekend messing about with it). So do you have to drop the motor out then?
Mind you this was all supposed to be taken care of by the techs at the dealership before I took the bike home, the salesman assured me that the plugs etc. were cleaned and everything would be fine for me to ride in spring. Guess Not. I have not put 1 single mile on this bike since I purchased it and am really considering trying to give it back to the dealership and going back to a foreign bike. I really wanted to help the US economy by trying to purchase all American vehicles, cars, bike etc. My 2 new Chrysler's---4 Problems My new motorcycle, problem and I haven't even gotten it on the road yet[mad]. My foreign bike, owned for 8yrs---0 problems. My foreign cars owned for 6yrs--- 1 problem (self inflicted).
I guess we will see how the dealership handles the problem considering that they wanted to charge me for delivery the first time, so I picked it up. They have about 3 options I think. 1) They pick up the bike for free fix and return to me. 2) I sue them and make them 3) They refund me my purchase price and I go buy a foreign bike and I'm out insurance money for the last 3 months, and use this as a lesson learned about buying American[sad]

I'm sorry about the rant but I'm mad at myself for going against my better judgement, and those around me telling me " remember it says made in USA"

 

[azsnow]

Nothing is truly made in america anymore other than Edelbrock products! Harley forks are Honda, Motor design was from Porsche from the Evo on up. Don't you have a warranty? Sounds as if you are getting stroked by the dealer, not the company. I have a '03 I have never had any problems with.

 

[BuellPartsGuy]

mrdozer2you, all you need to change your spark plugs is a 6 inch extension, swivel and a spark plug socket. Save yourself some and tape the socket to the swivel and also the extension. Fully remove the airbox, upper and lower sections, and it is possible. As far as the no start condition, I wouldnt even mess with it. If the dealer promised all these things to you, they should fix it at no cost. They cant sell a bike with that low of miles that does not run. Thats bogus. Take it back and demand its fixed. You make a big enough deal about it, they will fix it trust me.

azsnow, Harley forks are Showa, not Honda, although they may make forks for Honda. Also, the only engine design that had help from Porsche was the Revolution (V-Rod) engine.

 

[azsnow]

The Revolution was the only one publicized> When Harley changed to the Evo, they were debating the design of either the evo, or another V that is now owned by Yamaha. Harley has been in bed with Porsche for years! Showa, Honda, Kawasaki, all the same thing!

 

[azsnow]

"The Nova grew out of a series of meetings held in mid-1976 that is still referred to in Harley executive's lingo as the Pinehurst meetings, held at a resort hotel in North Carolina, with the aim of mapping out a 10-year product plan for Harley-Davidson motorcycles. There it was decided that due to the proliferation at the time of high-tech motorcycles from other countries, and their wide acceptance by American motorcyclists, a redesign of the current 74 (1,200cc) shovelhead engine would be insufficient to guarantee the company's long-term growth. So planners proposed a two-pronged strategy to ensuring Harley's future." So HD Combined the old shovelhead, with design features of the new Nova (Porsche Design) and Bingo, out popped the Evo. It was supposed to be a 60 degree V, but Willie G fixed that. Later design to be called a Valkarie by Yamaha.

 

[BuellPartsGuy]

Where did you find that info azsnow?

 

[ironhead1977]

mrdozer2you- I also purchased my bike in 06 and have put 2000 flawless miles on her so far.As far as asian bikes being so great you need to google- I hate Honda, I hate suzuki, I hate Yamaha etc. I think you will find alot of unhappy asian bike owners. Maybe your bike woes might also be self inflicted.Act like an adult, not a child in walmart.

 

[azsnow]

Its in the history lit. that they give us at the tech factory, and if you do a search of the web, that info is all over the place. What is even more interesting than that, is it wasn't AMF that almost drove Harley to bankruptcy, it was the people that worked at the factory. They didn't like how AMF was changing things, getting rid of waiting lists, and actually producing more bikes with less people, so they would do stuff like assemble motors and leave out a piston, but in its place they would put a piece pf paper with the words "F*** the Factory" and that is where the saying originated. That was a story from a tech who has been in the business since the '60s.

 

[BuellPartsGuy]

cool azsnow, ill start looking that stuff up

 

[mrdozer2you]

well the dealership DID pick up my bike and have had it now for 4 days. Still unsure when I'll be getting it back. They said should be by Monday ( 3 more days )[mad] I am trying to handle this like an adult but wouldn't you be upset? I mean having given the dealership over a week form the time of initial purchase to final pick up to get it sorted? Seems like more than enough time to me, just a lazy mechanic not doing his job. ( which in fact is the root of all problems in our great country, and why the foreign market is slaughtering us) I would gladly pay more for an item if I truly felt the quality and service was there. Now don't try and say anything about the slave labor wages overseas, most workers here are being paid too much to do too little work. ( case and point. mechanic charging absurd amounts of money to look over a bike and make sure its in top running condition before the customer picks it up....what really happens: he eats his lunch, smokes some cigarettes, looks at the bike and says "looks OK to me"

 

[BuellPartsGuy]

I understand that what you went through sucked. That is understandable. Yes I also would be mad, but I would also give them the chance to make it up to me. We treat people ten times better if they treat us nicely and give us the chance to make it up to them rather then them coming in spitting fire demanding the world. Well 9 times out of 10 they dont stock Buell parts, the tech cant finish the bike if he needs parts. Buell parts take a little time to come in depending where you are at in the country. Another problem that most dealerships have with working on Buells is most the guys in back dont know how to/ dont want to work on them. There is usually only a select few in the back trusted to wrench on the Buells. Those techs are not always free to work on stuff on immediate notice. Its just a fact of life when your not riding a mainstream cookie cutter bike. If you think the techs at the dealer you bought it from arent capable of doing the job right, find another dealer that can or if you think nobody can do a good enough job, buy a service manual and learn to work on your own stuff.

Not to be an asshole about it, but I work at a dealer and I put up with a lot of stuff here and I see it from the other side. Not to say there isnt lazy and bad techs out there, but you cant go around stereotyping all of them in that way.

 

[mezap]

MD, try to hang on and see how this all plays out. If they get the bike going, give it back to you and everything is good, 1 month from now all of this will look so different to you. As for the techs, it always comes down to individuals, period. There are a lot of assholes everywhere, asian shops as well as Harley. Some of them are as you described, and then some of them do little things when they get your bike for free that you never see or notice but help you out. They really are out there, and they have to work right beside the assholes. True in every job in every workplace in every country everywhere. I went through the "all american" thing back in the 90's. Ford pickup, Gibson guitars, Mesaboogie amps. Then you find out over half of the parts are imported. But that doesn't change the fact that the truck, guitar, or motorcycle was assembled, sold, and used in the US by an american. The taxes and all the other junk stays here as well. If we wanted to, the US could be as close to self-sufficient as any country could get, but in the end globalization would bite us anyway. Its coming and there is no way it can be stopped. Kinda sucks, I know. But if your bike comes back to you ready to straighten your hair and curl your toes, one good trip through the twisties and all of it will fade. Hang in there bro!

 

[mrdozer2you]

I really am trying to hang in there but this is making me crazy. I would love to go find another dealership to resolve this, but why should I lay it on them? This dealership made the cash from the sale, and generally fed up in having the bike ready. Now they are really annoying me by saying they'll call me back and let me know when it will be done. That was yesterday and still no call. So I called today and spoke with the salesman(who has been trying to help sort it out) who said he lost my phone number. Surprise, surprise. If I don't hear back today from him like he said he would my next call will be to Buell directly. Being that they only have 3 dealerships that I know of in Michigan it is doubtful anything will come of it and I will be wasting my time. So the following call will be to my attorney.

 

[heavymetal]

Yeah sounds like a bad dealership. Let them know in no uncertertain terms is this acceptable. Send them a letter, send one to the newspaper, better business bureau, Buell corporate office and you attorney. Make sure they know you sent a letter to all these people and I think they will call you within 24 hours. Good luck and hang in there. Option #2 get a service book fix it yourself then start fixing others bikes and start a new business and steal their customers. I know option 2 sounds like a long shot but there are great american stories that center around that very scenario. Good luck.

 

[Hard Corps]

MRDozer,
I live in Ypsilanti outside of Ann Arbor. I know for a fact that a Tech at Brighton HD named Bess does very good work and cares about Buell. There is also another guy that used to own a buell that does good work can't think of his name right now.

Anyways I ride with a bunch of other Buell guys called the Detroit Hooligans, and a guy named Spiderman on other boards does a lot of work on our bikes. He used to work for the HD man, but is now in school to be an engineer. He is always willing to help out a fellow Bueller.

NOT AN ADVERTISEMENT check us out at www.detroithooligans.com.

Hard Corps

 

[mrdozer2you]

Good lookin out. I live in White Lake and the dealer is in Burton Mi. Good to know about the Brighton boys [up]. I just dont want to give another dealers problem to them to fix, kinda unfair. But from now on any thing that I cant do myself I'll be seeing them.

 

[Hard Corps]

Dozer,
Did you ever get your issues worked out?

 

[mrdozer2you]

Well...they still have my bike and said its fixed now. I should be getting it back either today or tomorrow. The salesman i've been dealing with is an absolute TOOL. He told me he would call me back numerous times without calling once!!! (amongst maby other lies he told) Now he says he will bring my bike back personally, Im thinking to myself "you sure you wanna do that buddy?" I think we need a spot on the forums to report good and bad dealers/mechanics. [up]

 

[mezap]

How about it mrD? Did they get her back home yet?

 

[bahamasair]

Did they say what the problem was?