Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. My Experience with Harley-Davidson
3. The Buying Experience
4. The Shifting Issue
5. Dealing with the Service Department
6. Frustration with Harley-Davidson's Approach
7. Lack of Customer Care
8. The Long Wait for a Solution
9. Disgust and Disappointment
10. Considering Alternatives
Introduction
Hey there, ladies and gentlemen! Welcome back to the channel. Today, I want to share a story with you that has left me feeling utterly disgusted with Harley-Davidson. As a long-time rider and fan of their motorcycles, I never thought I would find myself in this position. But alas, here I am, still waiting for my brand new 2023 bike to be fixed. So, grab a beverage, sit back, and let me take you through the series of events that led to my frustration with Harley-Davidson.
My Experience with Harley-Davidson
Before I dive into the details, let me give you a bit of background about myself. I've been riding Harley-Davidsons for over 20 years now, and during that time, I've owned several of their bikes. Whether new or used, I've always enjoyed my Harley-Davidson motorcycles. However, this year has been a different story altogether.
The Buying Experience
It all started when I decided to trade in my fat boy for a brand new 2023 Low Rider S. Excited about the purchase, I went to a new dealership I hadn't dealt with before. Unfortunately, the buying experience turned out to be a disappointment. I won't go into all the details here, but let's just say it was far from satisfactory. If you're curious, I did a video on it that you can check out for the full story.
The Shifting Issue
Once I finally got my hands on the new bike, things seemed promising. It looked great, sounded amazing, and performed well... except for one major issue: a shifting problem. Whenever I wanted to downshift, I had to lift up on the gear shift before I could engage the lower gear. This issue persisted throughout all the gears, making the riding experience less enjoyable.
Dealing with the Service Department
Concerned about the shifting problem, I decided to take the bike to the dealership for its first service. I had around 1450 kilometers on it at that point. I thought it would be a simple adjustment, but little did I know what was in store for me. The service manager called me a week later, informing me that there was an issue with the transmission, but they couldn't pinpoint the exact problem. They reached out to Harley-Davidson for guidance.
Frustration with Harley-Davidson's Approach
Harley-Davidson's response left me baffled and frustrated. Instead of suggesting a new transmission, they advised the dealership to change the detent shifter arm. The part was ordered, replaced, but it didn't fix the problem. Another call from the service manager informed me that Harley-Davidson now wanted them to change the entire shifter assembly. At this point, I couldn't help but question their approach.
Lack of Customer Care
I suggested to the service manager that it would make more sense to replace the entire transmission rather than keep changing parts. However, Harley-Davidson refused to send a new transmission, claiming it wasn't at that stage
