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  • Report:  #1540

Complaint Review: Harley Davidson - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Reported By:
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Submitted:
Updated:

Harley Davidson
h-d juneau avenue 3700 juneau ava. Milwaukee,, 53208 Wisconsin, U.S.A.
Phone:
414-342-4680
Web:
N/A
Categories:
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good? What's this?
I have a brand new Harley Davidson. This bike has been in the shop ten times in less then a year. For a total of about 5 months.

The bike leaks oil from 3 different spots on the motor.Finally a tech from harley came to look at the bike 10 shop visits later took pictures and everything. Two weeks later i still have no answer. SO i call custumor service they tell me it is normal????????

Would it be considered normal for a human to walk around all day bleeding i dont think so. I now have a letter in to the CEO of the company. I have waited all my life to own a harley and now i dont think i will ever buy another one again!!!!!!!!!!

If anyone elese has had the same bad experience as i have had please pass it along in this forum.

I WILL COLLECT IT AND SEND IT TO THE ceo OF Harley. Thanks.


8 Updates & Rebuttals

Frank

Grants Pass,
Oregon,
U.S.A.
The HD Experience poor service, inept mechanics and inflated prices

#2Consumer Comment

Sun, January 02, 2005

Just for the record: Those of you who threaten to write to the CEO of HD are preparing to waste both time and ink. I wrote a seven page letter addressed to Willie G. Davidison (that is the CEO)along with supportive documetation lamenting the poor service, inept mechanics and inflated prices regarding D&S Harley Davidsn in Phoenix, OR. I got a cute little note from some "underling" that told me that the Corporate HD group has no control (hammer) over dealerships. Although I complained bitterly about my treatment and in spite of the fact that I own a 2002 RoadKing and a 2003 V-Rod, there was no sympathy from the desk of "Willie G". The little note pointed out that in spite of the fact that I was unhappy with service, it apprently had not dampened my enthusiasm for Harley Davidsons because I still was riding Harleys. I now travel over two hundred miles, one-way, to go to a more workable dealer. Harley is still a great bike. The company used to be an American Legend. These days it's all "fluff". Willie G is interested in being a multi-millionaire and has totally lost sight of the customer service that his ancestors valued. Love the motorcycle, hate the bullshit!


John

Phoenix,
Arizona,
U.S.A.
Harley Davidson is a ripoff company

#3Consumer Comment

Sun, July 11, 2004

I have been riding Harleys for 30 years now and when I step back and look at the overall way Harley has done business during these 30 years , I have noticed something that alot of first time Harley owners will never realize. There was a time when Harley made a part to last forever. Also when that part was designed, it was designed to fit all the bikes for several years of manufacture. For instance, the clutch release bearing on big twins that was originally made just didnt wear out. So what did the company do about it? The correct answer should be nothing, but the actual answer is, they redesigned it so it would fail. This was done in order to make sales in replacement parts. Now if an owner wanted to upgrade his bike and install the good bearing he could but he would also have to replace the rod that goes through the mainshaft. Well the company noticed this so they did something that would change the Harley in a really bad way. They designed the interchangeability out of the equation. This means now that for all the late model bikes, while yes they are beautiful, are nothing more than a way for the company to remain in business. Now for the most part there is no interchangeability from year to year. Now for all the old school bikers, we should have seen this coming. Harley Davidson would have gone the way of Indian Motorcycles if it had not been for one thing. And that one thing was the die hard riders that lived and swore Harley Davidson Motorcycles. We stuck by them even when they sent out crap from the factory. Hell, for a while there it seemed that the only way to get a good dependable bike, as soon as you recieved it from the dealer, you took it home and disassembled it and rebuilt it right. Even through all that kind of bullshit we stayed with them. When the company was purchased from AMF the new CEO Vaughn Beal made a public statement stating that from this momoent on Harley Davidson Motor Company didnt want the business from the long haired bearded tatooed biker types anymore, that now Harley was to look for business from the doctors and lawyers and so called respectable kind of people, that they were now a respectable company and they wanted respectable cutomers. Can you believe it Lawyers and cops, respectable, what a joke. Like I said if it werent for us long haired biker types, Vaughn Beal wouldnt be getting that return he enjoys today because there wouldnt be a Harley Davidson Motor Company. I for one wont by a thing from Harley. I manufacture alot of my parts and what I dont make, I can but from the aftermarket which I might add in most cases aftermarket parts are superior to factory parts. In fact when I do have to go to the dealer. I am ashamed to have anyone see me entering or leaving for fear of being mistaken for one of those yuppies or RUBs ( rich urban bikers).I would hate to be thought of as one of those respectable types that will lie cheat steal in a second to get what they want. I wouldnt want to be thought of as someone that has no honor. I am not one of those people that go out and spend way to much for a bike and never ride it. No we bikers build or bikes and we ride them. We for the most part do have honor and dont compromise it for any reason. But remember, Harley doesnt want our business. we are bad for their image. GThank God we are. Someone shoud be. As soon as people realize there is something more important than money, then maybe as a whole we can start to improve our standards. But only when money is removed from the the top of the ladder where it stands today. Now getting back to the wanna bee bikers. Try seeing if any of the RUBs puts more than a couple a hundred miles a year on there bikes. The main thing they buy for there bikes is wax and chrome polish. On the other side of the coin, I put 10,000 miles on my bike in 6 months. And that was while at the same time going to work every day in order to maintain my responsibilities. I think I have said enough but as you can see this is something I feel very strongly about. And one more thing about all the chrome. We have a couple of sayings about the chrome. While it looks nice, it is ment to be used for detail. But a few things should be remembered, first one is chrome wont get you home and the second is If it dont go, chrome it. Thanks for your time in reading this and I hope it will inform you of a comany that out only for the almighty buck and nothing else. The founding fathers didnt want it to be like this and I know because they made thigs that lasted and interchanged form year to year covering several years. They had pride. Pride in their country, pride in their product, and pride in the countrymen. The result of that pride lasted right up until the introduction of the Evolution motor, 1984 but shortly after that it went out the window


Brian

Novato,
California,
U.S.A.
function, not form

#4Consumer Comment

Wed, May 21, 2003

Harley owners~the rubber meets the road somewhere. My position on harleys has always been the same; ride along lawn mowers have always been cheaper than getting a harley. So, I ride motorcycles that have much more integrity on the mechanical side rather than just being concerned about the looks. Its what gets you there. Stops you too[good brakes]. Think about it.


Nelson

Ellenwood,
Georgia,
Good Luck on Getting Response from h-d MoCo

#5Consumer Comment

Fri, September 27, 2002

I own a 2001 Road King and have no leaks. For someone to say "This is normal" IS NOT right. Trying to get satisfaction from the h-d MoCo is a waste of time. They have no way to contact them via email or 800 number. If you contact, it's on your dime. You can always send a letter but send it certified so that SOMEONE has to sign for it. That way you have proof if you ever need it. Will I buy another h-d motorcycle? No. While I love my bike, I am not impressed with treatment by the dealers(fondly referred to as $tealer$hip$) and the Company. Next time, I'll buy a Victory.


Nelson

Ellenwood,
Georgia,
Good Luck on Getting Response from h-d MoCo

#6Consumer Comment

Fri, September 27, 2002

I own a 2001 Road King and have no leaks. For someone to say "This is normal" IS NOT right. Trying to get satisfaction from the h-d MoCo is a waste of time. They have no way to contact them via email or 800 number. If you contact, it's on your dime. You can always send a letter but send it certified so that SOMEONE has to sign for it. That way you have proof if you ever need it. Will I buy another h-d motorcycle? No. While I love my bike, I am not impressed with treatment by the dealers(fondly referred to as $tealer$hip$) and the Company. Next time, I'll buy a Victory.


Nelson

Ellenwood,
Georgia,
Good Luck on Getting Response from h-d MoCo

#7Consumer Comment

Fri, September 27, 2002

I own a 2001 Road King and have no leaks. For someone to say "This is normal" IS NOT right. Trying to get satisfaction from the h-d MoCo is a waste of time. They have no way to contact them via email or 800 number. If you contact, it's on your dime. You can always send a letter but send it certified so that SOMEONE has to sign for it. That way you have proof if you ever need it. Will I buy another h-d motorcycle? No. While I love my bike, I am not impressed with treatment by the dealers(fondly referred to as $tealer$hip$) and the Company. Next time, I'll buy a Victory.


Nelson

Ellenwood,
Georgia,
Good Luck on Getting Response from h-d MoCo

#8Consumer Comment

Fri, September 27, 2002

I own a 2001 Road King and have no leaks. For someone to say "This is normal" IS NOT right. Trying to get satisfaction from the h-d MoCo is a waste of time. They have no way to contact them via email or 800 number. If you contact, it's on your dime. You can always send a letter but send it certified so that SOMEONE has to sign for it. That way you have proof if you ever need it. Will I buy another h-d motorcycle? No. While I love my bike, I am not impressed with treatment by the dealers(fondly referred to as $tealer$hip$) and the Company. Next time, I'll buy a Victory.


Matt

Orange,
California,
Your Harley is normal, Just needs $$$

#9Consumer Comment

Sun, July 14, 2002

I have experienced with most HD's, you need to add about $10K of accessories in order for the bike to be useable. I recomend next time, get a Honda or other "Jap bike", for it will cost you no more than $10K total (bike, accessories, insurance, etc), and you will have a bike that not only looks good, but actually runs. I myself wanted a HD, until I found this out. I'm sorry to hear of your losses, but you have to ask yourself this. Do I want a motorcycle, or an overpriced status symbol?

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