Harley Davidson Dealerships - the Good and Bad

Almost every Harley Davidson owner has experiences with dealerships. In this video we will talk about Harley Dealerships, the good the bad and some misconceptions. Are all Harley Davidson dealerships the same? Let's talk Harley Davidson dealerships!
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[@JustGKue]

Great Subject

[@BoDean52]

Thanks, lots of opinions Out there for sure

[@richardanderson4916]

I really appreciate your channel brother! Respect

[@BoDean52]

Thanks Richard, that means a lot. I get more out of learning and meeting new people and talking through the comments than anything

[@MidLifeStyleTwins]

New subscriber 😊. Hit or miss with each dealership and experiences I have had with them. Marysville TN dealership was phenomenal when I broke down on my trip. They got me in and fixed in no time. Yet another dealer closer to home was not good.

[@BoDean52]

Welcome to the jungle and shame dealership experiences are so different. Look forward in checking out your channel, ride safe

[@mbeck9680]

Good topic! I bought my first Harley in July of 2021, 2021 Heritage Classic 114. Went to the dealer and told him what I wanted and of course they didn’t have anything in inventory but said they would let me know when they got one in. The very next day they called and said one had just been delivered if I wanted to take a look at it. Bought it that day, got them to throw in some extras. They treated me great! One year later the bike has 20,000 miles on it and they have done all the service. Very happy with my local dealer Harley Haven.

[@BoDean52]

Thanks for sharing that great experience, I still beleve people are loyal

[@allenchapman176]

I have an older, 2010 Ultra Classic which I have ridden or towed to the dealership, Riders Harley Davidson, Trussville, AL, 3 times in 6 years for repair. Yes, it is expensive. You know that going in. The people there treat you like a real human. They diagnose and repair the problem. If there is anything additional, they call you for approval. The technicians' work is impeccable. I've had zero complaints. I couldn't ask for anything more.

[@BoDean52]

Love hearing that and I have one of them here too!

[@JustGKue]

Man I hate to say it but being a Harley Rider like me....I've some really crappy experiences, Many centered around service. They either didnt want to work on my bike or didnt want to diagnose an issue. The customer service was just horrible! Top 3 Dealers I dislike. 1. Peterson's HD North Miami (Techs Suck) Almost got stranded in Key West Because of them. 2. Motown Harley Davidson (Refused Service to help me get back home from Canada) 3. Harley of New Orleans (I didnt exist when I walked in) Top 3 I Love. 1. Peterson's HD South Miami ( Traveler Service Preference Free Diagnose) 2. ThunderTower West ATL ( Best with building bike back) 3. MotorCity Harley Detroit ( great Customer Service)

[@BoDean52]

Is either seems good or bad doesn’t it. I had an absolutely awful experience with motor city Harley Davison in Detroit, not the best reputation around here

[@JustGKue]

@@BoDean52 wow

[@HarleyThrottleJuice]

As you know our local HD dealer is great. Each time we go in there we laugh and carry on with them, it’s just a great vibe. I acknowledge that many are not like that, and I suspect that it’s not just HD ones. ✌️

[@BoDean52]

Your dealer does seem awesome

[@Tryke_Ryder]

My dealership in Olathe Kansas is outstanding!! Yes, they are a business, and yes they need to make a profit, but they are a very family oriented business, and employe fabulous technicians who do great work! I still get calls from my ‘Fit Specialist’ inviting to special events and to just say hello. Great video Bob, and I will be watching the comments to see what others say…

[@BoDean52]

Appreciate that Bill and I’m glad you found a great dealership as well

[@TyFromTennessee]

Have a dealership that you trust makes all the difference in the world. I love my local dealership and I hope to keep that relationship for a long time. Great topic!

[@HarleyThrottleJuice]

Ditto ✌️

[@BoDean52]

Thanks and we are both fortunate there

[@roadkingrider6532]

This is Aaron and Cheryl..thanks again for the GAW. 🤙🏻

[@BoDean52]

Your very welcome and glad you both won!

[@donrice8026]

u are right about good owners the people at your dealer ship are great now with new ownership not so under oid MR.BELL my self and others used to just ride right on bye HAPPY TRAILS

[@BoDean52]

Feel fortunate for sure, there are some bad ones out there

[@bobbyhenson1646]

I had the same experience while on a trip through Tennessee. Had a problem with my Ultra Classic on a Saturday morning. I’m from WV. They moved my bike in front of every other bike in the shop to get me out and back on the road. Couldn’t have been happier, 😊!

[@BoDean52]

I have such a good relationship with mine, there are good ones out there!

[@HarleyThrottleJuice]

I believe that the key is an owner or dealer principal that treats people well as a priority… a bike sale is secondary for these people and then by default they end up selling bikes. ✌️

[@BoDean52]

Imagine that smart strategy!

[@johnasbury9915]

Have bought Harleys from my local dealers in Maryville & Chattanooga(I’m almost equidistant from 4:06 Both)… just depends on the bike and I’ve been happy w their service as well. I’ve been very fortunate w my experience and I loved my dealer in Memphis.

[@BoDean52]

Thats great to hear and fortunately I have a favorite here too!

[@JesseAflleje]

We can all say we've had good and bad experiences at a motorcycle or auto dealer - simply because it's the one thing where we walk in and automatically want to negotiate. I was in the car business for like 20 years, and if we did that for every industry (i.e. buying a refrigeratior at Best Buy, negotiating at Ikea, haggling over price of food etc etc) this would change our "experience" at hundreds of industries. I agree, the owner and managers set the tone of the dealer. They decide how things are done. I was good at what I did because my mentor taught me 1 lesson when I first stared - people want to the "Helped" the don't want to be "Sold." And that changed how I interacted. If dealers did that, life would be great. I bought a 21 Road Glide this past Dec and sales kinda sucked, but service has been excellent. Got what I needed for my VROD I traded and they had the color I wanted so I bought it. Will I buy another bike from them..NOPE. I'll use service because it's near my house. But I will drive a few miles further where I bought my VROD years ago and buy my next bike from them. So good or bad, just glad we have severals dealers nationwide (even though some are closing) for overall support when needed.

[@BoDean52]

Totally agree and I love the “helped “mindset

[@harleybvaughan]

The only times I have needed a dealer while on a trip has been once in Daytona Beach and once in Sturgis. Both times during rally days. Of course, everyone there was traveling so I can't blame them for not putting me in a priority position. I have had good and bad stops at Harley dealers in 49 of the fifty states. Southside Harley Davidson in Virginia Beach has always treated me as family. I recommend them if you are in the area.

[@BoDean52]

Thanks for the tip on Southside!

[@motorcycleden]

I think you're right about the owners playing a role in how their employees treat the customers. I also think a lot of how you're treated depends on the type of people that are hired to work in these dealerships, some nice and some not so nice. We've had both good and bad experiences in dealerships but have been in enough to know they're not all the same. Great topic!

[@BoDean52]

Thank you sir and hope you guys are well. It’s funny when you can tell that the employees at a dealership are happy and like what they’re doing it’s usually because they have an owner that wants to take care of them and the customer

[@rodneybarcus2233]

I can tell from experience that its not just harley davidson its all the other brands to. You can find good ones here and there. Is harley the best, thats an opinion that can only be learned by riding and owning other brands. I rode the big 4 brands for 30 years before owning a harley I can absolutely affirm that all 5 are good. You will get more life from some than others and thats coming from a motorcyclists without bias. I Currently own a 2019 ultra limited and a 2007 fjr 1300 other than maintenance I haven't had any problems.

[@BoDean52]

That’s a really good point in my view is from strictly a Harley Davidson rider

[@tonyrowland9216]

Dealer i loved. Family owned since the 60s. Sold out. Old dealer 15+ stares. New dealer so bad building is now mt. Sad to see..

[@BoDean52]

That stinks to hear!

[@mikedanaher3413]

Couldn’t agree more. Not speaking for anyone else. Here in my area of Central NY I have to drive about 60-70 miles to find a good dealership. One is owned by my local dealership but has great service. The other is a long-standing mom and pop dealership that provides great service both at the sale point and after with maintenance. Many of the dealerships here have been purchased by auto dealers. Great dealerships with great service have gone by the wayside because of rotten auto dealerships purchasing great mom and pop solid dealerships. It’s completely disheartening.

[@BoDean52]

I totally agree Mike and some of those best relationships are those small ones where you’re really getting all the people. That is why I like mine because they’re a fairly large size dealership but don’t act that way if that makes sense

[@RoadReality]

LOL, I have enough "local" dealers around me that at this point, I've had good and bad experiences at pretty much all of them. I think it boils down to ownership [and the policies they set] and the individuals I've interacted with there. I like one place for their service, another for sales, and a third for parts. For a person to poo-poo a whole brand because of one bad experience, well, that's not what I do. Not motorcycle related, but I got turned off Ford after 2 problematic F-150s, the second of which spent 4 days out of every month at the dealer, for rebuilt trans, rebuilt diff, electrical problems A, B & C, rinse & repeat. When the third dealer ghosted me about fixing stuff [still under warranty, mind you], I started looking elsewhere, and ended up buying my RAM. So, it was a "fool me thrice" sort of situation.

[@BoDean52]

Totally agree and I went away from F150 as well and have a 19 Ram1500

[@RoadReality]

@@BoDean52 So many people are doing that... in my work parking lot, there used to be lots of F-150s, now there's more RAMs than anything else.

[@buyck50]

I can’t finalize a color, white red or that blue, I’ll figure it out before mid april

[@BoDean52]

Good luck there’s some beautiful colors

[@clifffrench4858]

I been to 2 Harley dealerships in Michigan. Perry’s in Kalamazoo have great experience there and the same at Wild boar in Grand Rapids. Not the one dealership in Jonesboro,Ar not so good experience.

[@BoDean52]

Got to know never been in those two MI dealership’s

[@for_sale_by_wners1029]

I purchased the new 2022 Road Glide CVO (Envious Green) on September 10, 2022 and it broke down (while riding) on three separate occasions by September 30th and was towed back by the dealership. The clutch kept defaulting to a “neutral” state, meaning it won’t get into gear. I’ve been told that a replacement bike, is “In production”. I’m hoping it’s not a lemon law issue, because at this point, I should just wait for the 2023’s. On 11-19-2022: I was told by the dealership “Afternoon! Good news! Got invoiced for your new unit today so we should see it this week or next due to the holiday.” On 11-26-2022: I was told by the dealership “The tracking system kinda sucks, but showing expected delivery date of the 28th. If it arrives Monday we will have you riding by Tues” I”ll keep y’all updated.

[@BoDean52]

Oh wow....that stinks and hope it gets made right!

[@elvismotorsports]

I have had both great service and bad service over my 50 years of riding. I purchased 3 new Harleys from a dealer and was extremely happy. Suddenly, I picked up my Harley after it stored it over the winter, and the entire service department was new. Didn't recognize anyone. The service advisor told me that I couldn't take my motorcycle home because I didn't have enough tread left on my tires. They did a 20,000 mile service and didn't say anything. I told him I just put tires on it. He looked and said it was 15000 miles ago (not true). I said well, let's go look. He didn't know where my bike was, or even which bike it was. I walked into the owners office, and he knew me and I had my bike back in about 5 minutes. I've never been back.

[@BoDean52]

That’s terrible, I know even at the local dealership that I like they were having some problems with turnover. Guess that’s the world we live in now

[@grayghost1423]

I've seen the good and bad. The same with Ford, Chevy, and Toyota dealerships. The worst was the service department at a local Ford dealer service department. The best was at my local Harley shop, both sales and service. They are all expensive. I have taught myself to do my own services, keep good records and you rarely need "service" from the dealer. After the warranty is up do you take your vehicle to the dealership? I don't, because I don't want to pay double. Unless you beat on the bike, hot rod the motor, or have a engineering flaw, one one of my last 7 bikes did, you probably won't need a dealer. And if you do buy a ESP, not sure why anyone would if you don't like dealers, outside maybe the first service you won't need a dealer. Buy a service manual and do it yourself. A few of my bikes I had them do the first service. Some let the dealership do 10ks. It's all up to you.

[@BoDean52]

Totally agree and you’re right I think it’s the same for car dealerships. I have asked a buddy of mine that is a service manager at a dealership and his comment really was, make sure you let us do the 1000 K service so it’s in the system. After that you can buy Emmanuel do most of it yourself

[@Road_Rash]

I never buy anything at a stealership...too overpriced on EVERYTHING...the only time I even go to a stealership is when I'm riding with someone & they want to go...I've never bought a new motorcycle & never will...too many good deals on used, super low mileage bikes out there to take out a mortgage for a new one...I buy all my parts online, as well as any HD t-shirt...I'm not paying $40 for a stupid t-shirt just because it's got a bar & shield on it...& when I'm on a trip & something breaks & I can't fix it on the side of the road, I call someone I know to bring a trailer & just go home & fix my bike & try again later...I got some friends who have traveled several hundred miles to haul me back home...screw the stealership...they aren't getting a penny from me...

[@BoDean52]

I’m embarrassed to say I spent way too much money on those stupid $40 T-shirts but no longer

[@Road_Rash]

I don't blame you...that's way too much for a t-shirt...it's criminal the way they price gouge...I don't even get tires mounted & balanced at the stealership...I only take it to privately owned shops...better pricing, they do a better job & they don't let the bike sit around for 3 weeks until they get to it...I have 2 Hondas, & they don't go to stealerships either...crooked as a snake's belly, the whole lot of 'em...

[@Petesmotoadventure]

First off thanks for the mention Bob. It is true some Harley Davidson dealerships have left me with a bad taste. Especially the one where I used to live. The dealer where I bought my pan America was great for the sale. After the sale when it came to service is where they lost me. The dealer that is closer to my house at least reached out to Harley to try to get my bike fixed. I now shop there regularly and a few of the guys even know my name. When I was on my trip up to VAMM my key fob was messing up stopped at a dealer in Charleston. They hooked me right up got it fixed because it wasn’t the battery. I honestly think selling the bike is the easiest thing for anybody to do. If you walk in the dealership regardless of brand you’re probably there to buy a motorcycle. But getting that brand loyalty and dealership loyalty always comes after the point of sale. Seeing how your dealership has helped you from sale to everything since is great to see. The owner of that dealership she has pride in what she does and it goes down to the staff. Great leadership is hard to find. My wife told me to start working part time at a dealership simply because I love bikes and when we happen to be at a deal people will ask about a bike and I can ramble off most of the talking points. Weight, HP lean angle etc.

[@BoDean52]

All great points my friend and your wife is a genius. I wonder how much discounts we would get? I need to make a call into them tomorrow 😂

[@hawgryder13]

I've had bad & good experiences with HD shops over the years. The one that I bought both of my current rides at, Destination HD in Tacoma, WA, has been really good to me over the past 20+ years but I don't like a policy they now have. They will not work on a bike that is more than 20 years old, which is how old my Heritage is now. Bummer, gotta find a independent shop. Time to check with my friends at ABATE and see where they get work done.

[@BoDean52]

I definitely wish the dealership net work was more consistent for their customers for sure

[@joelhall8438]

Im in Michigan myself . I had a decent dealership but they sold the dealership to some people from out of state and it sucks now. Super bad experience with them. I did find a dealer who was fair and I did by my RG from them in 2021. We will see how it goes with the new dealership in the future

[@BoDean52]

Good luck and whereabouts in Michigan are you

[@quickshoe6]

A dealer here took my son's good engine apart so he could powder coat the cover. And when he got it back it exploded. They wouldn't work on it for a couple months. He had a good shop, that works with the dealership. Still they wouldn't cover it. $7k had to replace the whole top end.

[@BoDean52]

That is just awful to hear Ray

[@HarleyThrottleJuice]

Capitol Harley Davidson 👏

[@BoDean52]

They are awesome mate

[@mikegraham7214]

Ray c Harley Davison in Lapeer Michigan is a great dealer

[@BoDean52]

I have never been in there but when I get up north I will definitely check it out, thanks for sharing

[@mikegraham7214]

@@BoDean52 yes definitely do Ray and his boys are fantastic people

[@brockstewart2147]

Bought 3 out of 6 Harley’s at Fargo Harley in fargo. Done business there for 25 years and as long as I am honest about my expectations they have gone above and beyond every single time. Most Harley owners get butt hurt because they want dealers to bend over backwards because they spent 30k. Everyone walking through the door spends big money. Jmho

[@BoDean52]

I don’t disagree with that and I will definitely buy mine from this dealership in the future. You definitely don’t go into a Harley dealership looking for cheap bikes

[@genekelley7579]

🛑🛑 I’ve bought a few Harleys in my day, however the last one had me “scratching my head”. I did a deal on my current CVO Ultra Limited. I had all the details worked out, and me and Dealership had come to terms as to what they wanted for the bike; and what I was willing to pay for the bike (hard part done..right?) Wrong….after we had come to terms, the dealership asked how I was paying?? I said Cash 💵, no financing required. Then my salesman slides a Credit App. in front of me, and asked me to fill it out…I said dude, it’s a Cash Deal 💵?? We went back and forth for a while, then I finally I told him to keep the bike…I’ll find another one just like it, else where. 💯 He quickly tore up the Credit App. and the deal was completed. To this day, I can’t figure out why he asked me to fill out the Credit App??🤷‍♂️

[@BoDean52]

That’s crazy because when you think about it the financing is just like cash to them but I know they get an extra benefit if you finance through Harley

[@MinnowMoto]

I'm on my 1st HD. Could be the reason for that is, when I would pull into a dealership on another brand of bike, they were more interested in telling me how bad my bike sucked. I had a carburetor re jetted at a power sports dealer (90'S). They did it wrong, and I took it back to fix it. 3 weeks of waiting for parts (motorcycle was still in production and bought there) one of the tecs on the phone said we have the parts should be a couple days. Called back and the manger said he was still waiting for parts. When I questioned what I was told earlier it the week he got mad, and said I'll call you back. An hour later he called me back and said "come pick up your F#$%ing bike" . When I got there it was out front with the keys in it. I started to walk to service and a tech stopped me, said the wrong jets had been put in, and its been fixed. He recommended I not go back to service. Bought a lot of bikes over the years. Never went back to a place I had a bad experience. Good customer service will will win out every time. Even willing to pay more for it.

[@BoDean52]

Crazy story and if people only realized if they took care of you, you would come back over and over again

[@PinksAdventures]

My local dearer is awesome....every department knows us by name!...the one thing about any dealership...whether it be a car dealership or a bike dealership....how you are treated is totally dependent on the upper management!...every one of them are 1 management change away from becoming an awesome dealer or becoming a total horror show!....my wife was chatting with a sales person from our dealer....he told her that upper management instructed him outside of selling the bikes...every customer most leave the dealership happy and smiling...whether he sells a bike or not!...we need customers to want to come back!...great video...thanks for sharing....stay safe...ride safe!!😎🤙👍🤙👍🇨🇦

[@BoDean52]

Thanks man and you can usually tell just how the employees act and if you talk to them how well the owner treats them as usually how they expect customers to be treated. Are you guys snowed in up there yet?

[@PinksAdventures]

@BoDean 52....not yet...unseasonably warm....still hitting 20-24°c...low 70's for you US brothern!!😎👍

[@donaldroy6543]

Rode out to Colorado with a buddy this summer. He wanted to stop and get his fluids changed. $285 and it took 21/2 hours. I change my own but that seems ridiculous to me.

[@BoDean52]

If it really took them 2 1/2 hours that number is probably right but I surely can’t see it taking that long. Anyone can change the fluids

[@MotoByChance]

I have had such similar experiences. Some are amazing and some are $%&@#! I agree, the quality of the dealer is all about the owner/general manager. My current one here in Perth, I would work for. That is how good they are.

[@BoDean52]

I’m doing a new video tomorrow, newsflash, Robin the Lady Biker is now general manager of Harley Davidson, Australia

[@MotoByChance]

@@BoDean52 🤣🤣🤣 That is a title I do not want. They work too much and have NO time to ride. Just sayin’.

[@micahruddell74]

Bad and good experience on the same day. I rode to a training for work in a neighboring town. When I left I had a nail in my back tire. So, I stopped by the HD dealer which was just down the road from where the training took place. The service guy looked up a tire for my bike. He told me he didn’t have a tire for my bike and left it at that. He didn’t offer to order one, he didn’t give me a time frame of when he would have one in stock. I call my home dealership, (Lumberjack HD) which was about 75 miles from where I was. They had one tire in stock that would fit my bike but, it was allocated for another job. They called that customer. He didn’t need his tire for another week. So, they fixed me up with the tire they had and ordered another tire for the other customer. That is why I ride 50 miles each way to Lumberjack HD and claim them as my home dealership as opposed to the one I stopped at that would not help or even offer to help me which is about 1/2 the distance.

[@BoDean52]

I totally get that, I definitely go 30 miles out of my way to go to my home dealership. Enjoy your ride.

[@robinsonsmotorcycleandauto3929]

Capitol Harley has always been a pleasure to deal with for me. They are also very active in the community which is great to see

[@BoDean52]

My favorite dealer on the planet

[@jastaylor2730]

My only dealership within 150 miles is run by a millionaire who chooses not to carry older stock for people of lesser income to have a chance to purchase and become a future customer for parts and accessories. In fact, he prefers the three-piece suit type over T-shirt and jeans, try walking in his place and you’ll be promptly ignored for the duration of your time there, other than somebody watching you from a distance to make sure you don’t steal I had to make my purchase almost 300 miles away from home because of lack of access, parts Staff are friendly. Some of the service staff are friendly though they don’t want to work on an older bike generally speaking sales staff, and anybody else avoid you like the plague, if you look like me

[@BoDean52]

That’s crazy and ridiculous, we are all brothers and sisters when it comes to motorcycles in my opinion

[@jastaylor2730]

@@BoDean52 I live in a crazy town three religious universities here they control everything entertainment parks like six flags of Schlitterbahn have been turned away. Rock concerts are not allowed in this town. This town did not go wet until 1983 and they lose so much revenue to all the churches in town that property Taxes are outrageous. Monopolies are the choice of the day when it comes to business in this town, the Baptist church owns both hospitals in town, and almost every medical facility. If they don’t own it, then it’s run by rich doctors who are grouped together to create their own expensive services, if you try to get a lawyer to sue a doctor here for malpractice, good luck my reply I received was you’ll never get a judgment in your favor in this town this town it’s been run this way as long as I can remember, I came in here in 69 left in 77 came back here in 2001. I got stuck here financially but I will be moving soon. Kids are grown and I’m on my own, I like your videos by the way that road king I have a heritage softail black gloss chrome all over I wanted a Roadking could not find one and afford it. Yours is beautiful.

[@BoDean52]

@@jastaylor2730 hope the move works out for you and I appreciate the comments. Stay strong

[@ProbablyStonedComments]

Lots of dealerships suck, but to be fair, your experience at a dealership could be based on your expectations of a dealership. Like if you’re an old school bearded biker dude, lots of dealerships are gonna suck for you because the employees look straight out the Harley fashion catalog and ain’t never kicked a bike in their life. Some, if you don’t ride up in or on a trade-in, they won’t approach you cause they know you’re not there lookin for a new bike. Poor management is the only reason for a shitty business. Dealerships change owners and management all the time, what sucked last year might be better now, or vice versa. The dealership in Maryville Tennessee, which is 700 miles from my home was amazing to me, they delivered my bike right to my house.

[@BoDean52]

App great points, leadership matters

[@turbosure7873]

I had a bad experience in 2020 looking at a new Low Rider at a store where I knew the owners. They put a deal together so poorly that it was an jnsult, such a low class way to sell a bike. These aren't the early 2000's when selling someone a Harley was such a big deal they named their dog after you. The small Mom and Pop stores weren't good enough anymore, they wanted the " destination" stores. Harley forgot where they came from.

[@BoDean52]

I definitely don’t get how people could have a poor experience as dealership should be wanting to make it as positive as possible so your buy by their bike

[@tennwingman3350]

Well said Bob, the same can be said about car repair facilities. I had a very similar experience with Honda dealers in Tennessee. One wanted to charge me 500+ dollars for a rear tire so I compared. I found same tire at another dealer 30 min from home for 370 dollars. I called my local guy and asked would they match price, he told me to go get it at the other dealer. I did and never went back to my original dealer. They don't realize what they are doing to their business by treating customers that way. Good video and thanks. Be safe, have fun.

[@BoDean52]

Appreciate that and sometimes these people are just thinking so short term. I believe when it comes to motorcycle dealerships and even car dealerships that people generally are loyal if you treat them correctly

[@PMCraig]

I’ve had poor experiences at various Harley dealerships. Mostly involving being ignored by the staff. I don’t get it! Is it because I don’t rock long hair, tattoos, and 5 days of stubble? How can you expect to sell bikes if you won’t even attempt to be friendly and welcoming to potential customers? It does seem, at least near me, that the “unfriendly” dealerships are the ones that are closing and the ones who actually know how to treat customers are the ones that are thriving.

[@BoDean52]

Like so many businesses, it’s all about people

[@erniemorgan471]

While I was stationed in the Baltimore area I lived less than 3 miles from a particular dealership. When shopping for my first bike my wife and I went into that dealership at least 5 times looking at bikes. We walked all around different bikes, looking at the price tags, pointing out different features on each bike, etc. I did everything except try to push a bike off the sales floor. I’m still waiting for the first sales person to come over and speak to us. Not only were we totally ignored but every single bike had a sign on it saying “Do Not Sit On Bikes.” I ended up driving to a different dealership more than 25 miles away where we bought a bike on our first visit. Before I retired from the Army and returned home to Tennessee I ended up buying 4 new Harley’s from that dealership and became friends to this day with the Sales Manager. We still stay in contact even though he’s in Maryland and I’m in Tennessee. Find a good dealership and stick with them!

[@BoDean52]

Amen to that and thank you for your service

[@countrymike1973]

Oh, the front end/sales team is awesome....... However, service after the sale....... I hit an animal (dogs charged me in a turn), it went in the shop on May 3rd, it's now Oct and they just said it's ready. The only drawback is they have raped my wallet. And I can guarantee if I need anything from Harley Davidson I'll order online or aftermarket!!

[@BoDean52]

Definitely lots of alternatives out there

[@mikaldene7146]

I do my own work on my bike because the cost of having a "professional" work on it is ridiculous. Why would I buy a new Harley? They're overpriced for what you're getting and Harley is notorious for underperforming in the engineering department. Pick a year and I can give you at least three things you need to address before you ride across country. I've owned Panheads, WL's, Shovelheads, and Evo's in the last 40 years and all of them had issues. The Twin Cams are worthless unless you like spending money on parts and rebuilding garbage. The M8's are a disappointment as well because Harley sells you a bike with no guts and forces you to upgrade parts to make it reliable. Most Harley riders today can't even change their spark plugs and Harley knows it so they gouge everyone because those riders have more money than brains. It's those people who messed up HD for those of us who kept Harley in business when you had to know how to fix your own bike. Now days I see people on the road who scare the hell out of me because they don't belong on a bike and don't know what they're doing around traffic. Just because you can ride a bicycle doesn't mean you should buy a 900 pound motorcycle and risk our necks being on the road...

[@grayghost1423]

All the machines you said you have owned, unless you are talking Sportster are 20 plus years old. In their day went all across the world. You obviously have a ax to grind. Thousands of M8s, Twin Cams have too and are out there with over hundreds of thousands of trouble free miles. Have there been problems, yep, so has every other brand.

[@BoDean52]

If I had a bet you don’t own a Harley do you? Totally agree that there are a lot of people on the road that should not be. I have never had a problem with my M8 to this point

[@mikaldene7146]

@@grayghost1423 My newest bike is a 98 Evo FLSTC I built myself with 126,000 miles on it and I know every bolt, nut, seal, and bearing in it. It may be old but it's more reliable than any new bike you can buy from Harley today. My axe is this, I'm sick of weekend warriors doing podcasts about their experiences when they haven't even changed out their own damn oil...

[@mikaldene7146]

@@BoDean52 You would lose that bet. If you want to see real bikers I got a few for you...Pacific Mike, SaddleTramp, Billy Lane, Indian Larry(RIP), Scooter Tramp Scotty, Blockhead, and ItchyMoche just to name a few. I'll bet you don't even have a tool bag on your bike...that would be lame. In my Club, they call me PsychoBastard. Trust me, I earned it...

[@grayghost1423]

@@mikaldene7146 I got a good belly laugh. Well, it's not like you have to watch! I had a 98 Electra Glide, loved it. Loved my twin cams, and now my M8, last year Evo Sportster, and Rev Max. If people would learn how to do their own preventative maintenance, the dealers couldn't charge so much.

[@soganoflarider]

Oh mani could make my comment into a novel. Your spot on about how each experience affects the decisions we make.

[@BoDean52]

Appreciate you sir, ride Safe

[@road_glide1949]

Bodean you are so right. The dealership where I got my bike was good on the sales side not so good on the service. I have a dealership close to my home and I will NEVER buy anything from them or have them do any type of service for me. I also have a dealership that I will have service done at because they have a good attitude towards their customers. Ride safe good luck 🦌 hunting when you go

[@BoDean52]

Totally appreciate that and glad you found a good one. Hunted a little this weekend and looking forward to the rest of the year. Be safe

[@jdwond3673]

I'm almost 70 years old and have been dealing with harley dealerships for 46 years. The first bike I bought; the dealership owner was a real jerk. That could be a common experience back in the day. Once the dealers understood that the majority of new customers were "easyriders" they started to change their attitude. From my travels all across this country, 90% of the dealers have been good.

[@BoDean52]

I definitely feel fortunate to have found a good one because I definitely know a few bad ones

[@frankfurther3828]

RIP HD, Inc., 1903-1999.

[@BoDean52]

Ya think

[@RussellMKay]

My dealership is Tilley HD. They are great!! Every aspect. Wish I could say that about the other dealership to the west of me....only cater to you if you're spending $50k or in their "click" then you are golden. Tilley greets you at the door, talks with you, not down to you. Parts, service, sales, everyone is the same.

[@BoDean52]

We are both fortunate to have great dealerships Russell

[@darrenlingerfelt5879]

👍

[@BoDean52]

👍

[@ysrpilot]

Thank goodness I haven’t had a bad experience. My dealership is great: SouthSide Harley in Virginia Beach. I haven’t dealt with their service department because I do my own work, but their sales and parts department are great. Very friendly and personable staff. I’ve heard a lot of bad stories, but hopefully I’ll never have to experience it.

[@grayghost1423]

I had good experience there and Portsmouth both.

[@BoDean52]

I’m like you feel very fortunate with a dealership that I am tight with

[@jdreyno1958]

I have dealt with two Harley Davidson dealerships and have had good experiences at both. Although, I was looking for parts at one and the parts guy acted like he had better things to do than answer my questions. The place I bought my two Harleys from bent over backwards to help me out. I used to ride a Honda and there were two Honda dealerships I went to. Good experiences at both.

[@BoDean52]

That is great Jim, it makes you go back right

[@jdreyno1958]

@@BoDean52 for sure

[@thanosetsitty1896]

Thank god I bought my first Harley from a great dealership here in my hometown. You are right, I see a lot of people buying other brands because they had a bad experience with the dealership they went to in the comment sections.

[@BoDean52]

It is awesome to have a good dealership

[@NVARider]

I've had 2 experiences with HD dealerships in Michigan. 1 bad, 1 good. Bought mine from Capitol HD and loved the experience. Glad I gave HD another chance because the first one was not good. Capitol changed that. Now I am trying to find a new HD home here in TX. Good video Bob. Love seeing those Michigan roads.

[@BoDean52]

Thanks man I hope you find the dealership and you and the family are doing well in Texas

[@thetealbilliardbagger3286]

I had a customer from my own company work as a salesman at my local harley dealer outside of chicago after dealing with him during covid for awhile we became friends and he pretty much said if you don’t drink the kool aid and spend a ton of money at service or on parts or buying a bike every year or two they don’t care about you! Money rules a lot of these dealers and that’s it they don’t care about the average guy.

[@BoDean52]

That’s a shame and I think I found one that’s not like that but I think you’re right so many are

[@thomasbrown3301]

The idea of taking care of the road warrior is fast dieing to most dealerships. I went into limp mode on I495 outside DC while traveling back to Ohio. Finally got it to Old Glory HD via a trailer. Sat for 3 hrs, 300 miles from home, in their service line. Then they said that they would get to it in the morning. It was a 20 minute fix to change out electronic induction switch which had gotten corroded. Cost me two days room rate in a motel cuz by time they notified me it was after checkout time. So much for the old Harley standard of taking care of the open road freedom seeker.

[@BoDean52]

That stinks to hear

[@Viper6-MotoVlogger]

We don’t have many dealerships in my area and they are all hit and miss.

[@BoDean52]

You need to move Viper 😂

[@Viper6-MotoVlogger]

@@BoDean52 yep lol

[@MisplacedMotoVlogger]

Recently I was out riding and decided to stop at a local Harley dealer to look around. It was a good experience overall. I was greeted when I walked through the door, and within a few minutes a salesman asked if I had any questions. There was no pressure, and we had a good chat about riding. I had planned to go back and take a test ride, but unfortunately I haven't been able to yet. I have been to dealerships, not Harley on this one, that will not only ignore you, they seem to avoid making eye contact with you. Certainly a great way not to sell any motorcycles. Great topic, seems we all have some kind of dealer story.

[@BoDean52]

So then just treating you like a human will get you to buy from there

[@MisplacedMotoVlogger]

@@BoDean52 I would say so.

[@ANONYMOUSBIKERUSA]

i've had all of the above experiences at all types of brand dealerships . HD prob gets the most bad pub bc they have the largest sample size so.... makes sense. Indian motorcycles New Orleans is FANTASTIC! Mountain motorsports Buford Ga amazing, HD Keystone in Pa excellent! and well yes had some bad ones too...... but we learn as we go and it definitely influences our buying decisions. good talk sir ! nice RK bro 😎

[@BoDean52]

Thank you brother and you make a great point, sample size especially when it comes to all staff Harley Davidson does make a difference

[@garrydiamond2921]

The biggest problem I have with HD dealerships is that they are basically way overpriced and just flat out dishonest in their dealings with customers. Any work in service is completely ridiculously expensive. Parts are ridiculously expensive; I refuse to buy anything from the dealership

[@BoDean52]

There are a lot of alternatives out there for sure

[@kerrymcclure7503]

I am disappointed. I thought when you said you were going to talk about The Good the Bad and the Ugly I thought you were going to talk about you Bronco ride and HDR.😆😆. I was interested in seeing who you put in what category.😂😂. I knew a guy that always drove Ford cars and Pickups. He had a bad experience at a Ford dealership. He did not abandon Ford he just got a different dealership. Same with Harley-Davidson. We all know there's some bad dealerships but forever bad one how many good ones are there? Ride safe.

[@BoDean52]

GREAT idea.....new video thought right there!

[@edud8452]

I'm luckey enough to have a good friend that owns a custom cycle shop i work on mine 99% of the time but if I have a prob I can go to him. The last time I went into the dealer I just walked around looking at new bikes blew my mind how much upcharges add ons and so on 28,000 bike ends up being 35,000🤣

[@BoDean52]

no kidding I can’t even look at the prices on bikes when I go in and walk around

[@HarleyThrottleJuice]

Boooo to the broad brush!

[@BoDean52]

Exactly

[@FlipandTheBlueMule]

👍🤙🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🍺

[@BoDean52]

USA 🇺🇸

[@Imsaved777]

Another lousy commercial for Harley.

[@BoDean52]

Hi Gary, I always try to respond and I am assuming you did not watch the entire video since it talks more about the bad than good. Regardless, you have a great day and ride safe. Oh and by the way, the new Harley lineup comes out on the 18th, so you can go see which one you want to buy. I won't tell, I promise!

[@robertweinlood7706]

Had great experience at Red Rock Harley Davidson yes expensive spent 4000 on extras with tune but I'm happy 2022 fatboy runs great never any trouble I did buy a service manule and have not gotten to the 1000 mile service but I know it is 400 and I will pay it

[@BoDean52]

The service manuals are good

[@robertweinlood7706]

Most problems is others don't do proper service at the right times and at 50000 miles you need a rebuild some parts of engine bike is now 5 to 10 years old and things need replaced cables spark plugs and wires cables like throttle and brakes inside engi e ti.e for new cam clutch compensator just take care of it or you will get stuck some place

[@BoDean52]

It’s really a good point Robert

[@benjaminwhite4316]

Find a good independent mec.

[@BoDean52]

Good advice I have one that works on my road king if I need it that has a lot of experience with older bikes