Picked up bike today from dealer. Earlier post I noted that HD Customer Service had given me a reference number and told me to give to my dealer so that dealer could call HD tech's for assistance on vibration problem. This turned into quite a tale that I will recap here..
1. Dropped bike off Tuesday at 9:30 AM. Gave them a 2 page document on what to check and also included reference number.
2. Arrived back home at 10:15 and immediately phone rang and it was dealer's service dept. Was asked by them if bike had done 1000 mile serivce(bike now has 1500 miles). I said yes. They axed by whom. I said by me. They said that they had found 2 things that were not correct. I axed what. Was told tire pressure and main drive belt tension. I told them that tire pressure should be right on(of course I had just ridden 15 miles to their site and tires were now warm(specs call for cold tires) and of course we all know how inaccurate tire gauges can be. They then said belt was too tight. I said I had checked during my service and it was right on at 6mm deflection at 10 pounds pressure(since service I had replace stock chain guards with HD chrome one's--these do not have deflection measurement slot as do stock ones). So they said that they question the validity of my service. I told them to do whatever they felt was lacking(I knew I had skipped no steps but to please them and get on with the warranty service, I told them to perform whatever they were unhappy with and I would pay the expense).
Today(Thursday July 1, 2004) I picked up the bike and was presented with a bill for 293.00. I questioned this of course and was told that they had performed a full service(their 1000 mile charge is 350.00----yes I know) minus a credit for oil and filter change(I guess they believed me on this). So then some minor fireworks began.
3. They then suggested that the tight belt was the cause of my vibration and suggested that I ride the bike to see if the vibration had been improved. I did this, I returned and told them that possibly it was better but I was uncertain. They said they had also done the "fuel flange" recall. I told them that I had axed my selling dealer on this and been assured several times that it had been done(bike had also gone thru an intense stalling problem some time back that was finally resolved with the proper ecm(02a) download for 30 tooth SE exhaust.. They responded that HD corporate records did not indicate that this had been done, so they did it again anyway.
4. So as we debated whether I should have to pay this 293.00(they said had to do entire service because they felt if tire pressure was off and belt was tight, what else had I screwed up on that could have led to a "vibration" problem. They finally brought the technician in(he had as I found from him worked on HD's since 1955 and had spent 2 weeks at HD's Vrod school) to discuss with me. He said that belt was too tight, I said how could I have measured differently. I suggested that perhaps he had checked hot(again I had just ridden 15 miles). He said belt does not change hot or cold. Then he axed if I had someone sitting on the bike when I measured it myself. I said no as I did not know that this was a requrement. He said that it was. Based upon this input from him, I felt that I had screwed up and perhaps belt was too tight(however this would not explain how it got out of the factory that way or thru my selling dealer's setup) and finally we agreed that I would pay a fee of 250.00(a 15 percent discount). I was skeptical and dubious but paid and left on good terms as I thought at least with a new fuel flange, another check of ecm(02a) and several items on my list to check such as binding exhaust, bad coils, spark plug gap, fuel pressure, motor mounts, etc etc that perhaps my vibration would be gone or at least I would know that these bikes are supposed to vibrate and that my remaining stalling problem would be gone. Bike of course stalled on the way home one time........... Incidently I never did find if the dealer techs called HD techs to discuss the so called reference number given to me by HD Customer Service.
5. So now I go home, grab my Vrod service manual, check belt tension section. Manual says on page 1-28 of 2003 manual "Check rear belt tension with motorcycle COLD, standing upright, transmission in NEUTRAL and NO rider on motorcycle". Now this is not what I was told my Vrod tech. He said that temp made no difference on how loose or tight belt was and that must have rider on the bike.
Questions that I have are: Which is correct the manual or the tech? Did I just pay 250.00 to get baffled with BS? Do dealers normally do this just to teach us all a lesson not to do your own maintenance and take food off their tables? What was suggested to me is that by having done my own maintenance that HD warranty coverage was hit or miss.
I would like to post this as a new thread for all to read and comment on. Is there a method that I can do it without re-keying it all. Which would be the best section?
Sorry for War and Peace. Please excuse any typos.
On our way to Hollister tomorrow.
Roger
Silicon Valley, Ca
