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Strange Happenings Returning From Sturgis!

Rod Stewart

Active Member
Normally I don't criticize H-D dealers because I think they do a great job overall.
But this story needs to be told.

On the way down to Sturgis 2 weeks ago, my 2004 EG Classic developed an occasional miss. While in Sturgis touring around the situation got steadily worse. Black Hills H-D in Rapid City had a 2 day backlog of service before they could look at it, so I was left with no choice but to try and limp home.

We got to Billings Montana and went to Beartooth H-D to see what they could do, as by then it was really getting bad. They figured that it might well be bad wiring to one of the injectors, due to continued vibration. (Vibration? On a Harley? What?)

Thankfully they got us back on the road within 3 hours, and the bike seemed to be running just fine. But I noticed that it did not seem to have the same punch when passing as before. I figured maybe it was just me.
Once back home I had to take the seat off to refit the heated vest wiring. That's when I noticed that my Dobeck TFI module had simply VANISHED!!!

The work order simply stated that the injector wiring was repaired. It made no mention of parts being removed. I was sorely upset, as this is downright misleading, if not a blatant lie.
Several phone calls later, I finally got confirmation yesterday that yes, the tech did remove the TFI, and yes, they would put it in the mail to me. Fine!

What upsets me about this is that I don't feel that this dealer (nor any dealer) has any right to remove parts from any bike without the owner's knowledge and consent. I don't care if it's an H-D part or aftermarket: It's my bike and and my money, and I will decide what parts and accessories are going to be on it, and what ones are not.

I feel that at the very least when I payed the bill they should have given the TFI back to me in a bag and said "Oh by the way, we had to remove this." Not only did they not do this, but they made no mention whatsoever of the removal of the TFI, either in writing or verbally. For a fancy appearing dealership, this is shoddy business practice.

Rod
 
The more I read stuff like this, the more I try to read the manuals,
and here of course :)
to try and do as much as I can with my bike.

Pretty sad to see America going like this....
 
The more I read stuff like this, the more I try to read the manuals,
and here of course :)
to try and do as much as I can with my bike.

Pretty sad to see America going like this....

+1
I try to do everything I can myself like maintenance and other things.
 
I'm not trying to defend for anyone here but most Dealer Techs don't communicates well to their supervisor/lead tech/foreman/service advisor when they done with their job. The Tech may needs to remove the TFI to gain accesses to repair the wires and "accidently forgot" to reinstall it back, get to the next job and totally forgot, the foreman/leads/Service advisor does not knows about the TFI, the Cashier does not knows about the TFI either. To me, seem like the Tech is at fault and the Dealer try to make it right.
 
I tend to agree with Searider on this, more than likely the tech failed to reinstall the TFI either accidently or intentionally. The dealership located the part, admitted they had it and mailed it back to you, I wouldn't turn this incident into one of those "this is whats wrong with the country" episodes, your bike is running right and you've got your TFI back. Sit back, have some Jello and enjoy your day. :)
 
I agree with the posts that point out what happened to you was wrong, but, you did get home, and the dealership is making it right. Still leaves a bad taste in your mouth? YUP! As one post pointed out, shoddy workmanship/customer service is more the rule than the exception, anymore.
Stop and think how many contractors you actually trust, nowadays. People that you could let into your home, leave for a time, and return knowing that while you were out, the job was getting done, and done right. Why do you think that "Do-it-yourself" stores like Home Depot and Lowes make out so well? Even all of the aftermarket motorcycle parts suppliers? Because we have learned that age old addage:"if you want something done right....do it yourself"..
 
Ditto on the jello.

I don't see this as anything other than a tech not doing what they should have done, and the service manager not being aware of that.

So was it wrong?

SURE!

Are they making it right?

YES!

Look, they got you back on the road in short order with your bike running 100% better than it was when you "limped" in there.

Be grateful, not angry. Get your part back and see if it was the cause of your problem to begin with, or you may wind up on the side of the road next time.
I'd tend to look at this as a simple mistake, as far as I know, Harley requires any parts changed or removed to be returned to the customer unless they don't want them. I betcha they were pretty busy, had extra help and just didn't follow through. I'd be pretty happy with the help. I had a buddy that rode his Honda back to Milwakee with us, he tried to get Honda in Milwakee to change his oil, they said they "could squeeze him in the next week sometime", none of the Oil Changers in Sturgis would touch his bike so he ended up dumping his oil into the Hotel Ice Bucket and not changing his filter. Harley WILL Get ya going again, if you'd been on something else, you'd'a been flyn.
 
My two cents. I also was returning from Sturgis and noticed my back tire tread was declining rapidly. I could have went to Billings HD or Great Falls HD both in Montana. Because Great Falls was on way home (closer) I called them and they said they could do it pronto. So...we rode there and they took bike right in. Wife and I and our friends did some shopping at HD (good for them LOL) and within an hour they had me ready to go. They did a great job and also washed my bike (with my permission). Work was done for way less then it would be here in Canada. So on the flip side ...Hats off to Great Falls Harley Davidson from a Canadian customer. Of course we bought lots of stuff while waiting so I really saved nothing. HAHAHAHAH:D
 
It sounds like a simple mistake.Take a dealer who is working on a lot of bikes that dont have appointments ,trying to get riders back on the road and headed home.I am sure the tech is getting pressured to button that job up because there are more bikes to work on and people waiting.
 
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