[KY23]

Bike is now about 3 weeks old...I have 300 miles on it. Went for a ride today with the plan on driving about 300 total miles. About 20 miles into the ride the speedometer died...first the needle just started jumping from 0 to 60 miles per hour...then it just dropped to zero and stayed there. Went another 10 miles or so and the check engine light on the speedo came on.

I decided to turn around and take it back to the dealer since they aren't open on Sundays anyway. Arrived at the dealer and took it to the service department. They say it sounds like a sensor and should be pretty quick to fix.

I told them that I was hoping to ride today and tomorrow but they said it probably wouldn't be fixed until sometime next week.

Probably my last weekend to ride for the year shot. Oh well I just hope its nothing major. This is my first experience with the HD warranty...I'm hoping they take care of me.

 

[wyodude]

The symptoms you describe sound just like what happens when the speed sensor fails. You may have gotten a faulty one from the factory.

Another possibility is a weak battery. Mine RK displayed these symptoms, then died dead as a door nail. New battery and I was good to go.

The next time it happened it was the speed sensor.

Sh!t happens, welcome to the harley family :roflback: :roflback: :roflback:

 

[Dave downunder]

Yep... 90% sensor I'd reckon. Bad luck for you with your new bike. Hope there'll be no more trouble for you. Dave.

 

[captainlee]

a three week old bike and they didnt fix it on the spot, I would be pissed to no end.

 

[Homarr]

a three week old bike and they didnt fix it on the spot, I would be pissed to no end.

That's what I was thinking.

Reminds me of the time I went with my friend the day he picked up his brand new '03 1200C. The dealer had called him and said the bike was ready for pick up. His wife drove him to the dealer, and I followed on my scoot so we could ride back together. Long story short, we got to the dealer and the bike wasn't ready. Had to sit around for like two hours waiting. After they finally rolled the bike out and started it up, the oil pressure light wouldn't go out. So hung around for two more hours while they "fixed" it. After spending over four hours waiting without an apology, we were able to ride off with his new bike. Thank God the feeling of bringing it home for the first time is so good.

So anyway, at least they didn't keep you standing around for four hours.

 

[KY23]

I was alittle pissed...but this is my first warranty issue so I'm kind of wanting to see how they handle it without me getting mad.

It was pretty funny because I asked the guy how fast a fix a sensor was and he said it was a two minute fix...then told me it would be ready later in the week.

I love the Harley...I wouldn't want anything different...but I think after my warranty is over I'm going to find a good local Indy to take it to. So far talking to the parts people and the service people at our local dealers has not impressed me. They have no idea of customer service.

Harley just sent me a questionaire on the purchase of my new bike and I let them know how I felt and the problems I've had.

 

[alaskan302]

They usually give you a loaner bike if you press the issue enough.

 

[KY23]

Well...I hadn't heard anything from the dealer so I called them. They said it was the Speedo sensor and the bike is ready to go and was ready Saturday afternooon but no one ever called. They tried saying someone called my home phone and cell on Saturday but they lied. I have Vonage and I can track all calls coming and going and no one called my home or cell.

Oh well...I'm picking it up this afternoon.


I should have asked for a loaner since I missed the local Toys for tots ride on Sunday because of the problem.

 

[KY23]

This dealership's service department sucks.

So I get there and they tell me its not done. I said "What are you talking about I talked to you guys around lunch time and you guys said it was done and ready to be picked up." So then they tell me that they just have to finish the paperwork. No big deal since my wife was with me and she was looking at some bikes trying to decide which one she wants. Only took them 10 minutes so that wasn't a big deal.

What pissed me off is that it was the speedo sensor but they said it had some grime on it so they just cleaned it off...the service tech said "It should fix the problem but if it happens again just bring it back." Wouldn't it just have been better to replace the sensor? Maybe not cheaper but it would have been better especially since this was warranty work. So now if it goes out again I have to drive it to them...wait a few days and pick it back up for something they could have fixed this time.

I also told them about a turn signal problem that I had while I had it in there...the turn signals aren't auto resetting...I have to manually reset anytime I use the signals. So I asked the outcome of the turn signal problem was...guess what their answer was?? They forgot to look at it.

I'm just going to take it to another dealer...I don't want to deal with these guys anymore..

 

[Sportster-06]

Your getting jerked around

I had a small problem about a month after I bought mine in September. The bike only had about 3 or 400 miles on it so I was concerned. I rode it up to my local dealer for some advise. I also am new to the HD warranty. The service department was slammed and they stopped what they were doing to look at and fix my bike. No waiting involved. I was very happy with my experiance. Sounds like the dealer going to is giving you a major jerk job!!:chopper:

 

[bbrowncods]

Most dealers just don't care.

 

[Dave downunder]

...the turn signals aren't auto resetting...I have to manually reset anytime I use the signals. So I asked the outcome of the turn signal problem was...guess what their answer was?? They forgot to look at it.

It's 100% the speed sensor. Get em to put in a newie.

 

[SportyDutchman]

Gig 'em

Crucify them on your evaluation. It's about all you got. They don't deserve to be in the biz.
06 1200c 800 miles, no trbl.

 

[KY23]

Well it happened again today...my speedometer failed again. Why didn't those idiots at the HD service shop just replace the sensor? Now I have to take my time to bring them my bike...go without it for a few days and then go pick it up all over again. Its probably a $5 part and they didn't want to just replace it. I'm just pissed off. I'm going to call the service department manager tomorrow and let them know how I feel.

I didn't think the speedo was working right. I went to a toys for tots run today and right in the middle of the run I hit my reserve at only 73 miles. I've been hitting it at 118 - 125 miles. So I switched to my reserve and a few minutes later the speedo just died. Since this is a new bike I really don't know how much of a reserve I have yet so I worried the entire rest of the ride about running out of gas.

I bought a HD new just for the warranty...I'm wishing now that I just saved some money and bought a used bike and took it to a good Indy...

 

[captainlee]

first lesson NEVER pass up a gas station when you are on reserve!

 

[KY23]

Just talked to the service department at the Dealer again. Don't know how true this is so I wanted to run it by you guys.

According to the service manager cleaning the speed sensor is the first step in fixing an issue like this. He says that Harley will not let him replace a part like a speed sensor without first cleaning it and then let it fail again. I can understand that if I didn't have a warranty and was trying to save some money...but on a warranty bike with 300 miles on it they should replace the part and save me the hassle. Its a new feaking bike that I just paid a lot of money for.

This just sounds like bull crap to me. If this is the case and this really is how the Harley warranty is I don't want anything to do with them. Why let a part fail again and cause me lost time and trouble just to save $5 on a part. Is this true? Is this how Harley does business?

I'm going to contact Harley Coporate today and find out if this is ture. If it is and this is how they treat customers I think I'm going to buy my wife a rice burner.

 

[OldMiC]

Just talked to the service department at the Dealer again. Don't know how true this is so I wanted to run it by you guys.

According to the service manager cleaning the speed sensor is the first step in fixing an issue like this. He says that Harley will not let him replace a part like a speed sensor without first cleaning it and then let it fail again. I can understand that if I didn't have a warranty and was trying to save some money...but on a warranty bike with 300 miles on it they should replace the part and save me the hassle. Its a new feaking bike that I just paid a lot of money for.

This just sounds like bull crap to me. If this is the case and this really is how the Harley warranty is I don't want anything to do with them. Why let a part fail again and cause me lost time and trouble just to save $5 on a part. Is this true? Is this how Harley does business?

I'm going to contact Harley Coporate today and find out if this is ture. If it is and this is how they treat customers I think I'm going to buy my wife a rice burner.

I'd expect that answer with 10,000 miles on it, or even 5000, but 300? I think the sensor is around $50.00 - 60.00 - you'd think for all the wasted time, for you AND them, they would have just replaced it.

 

[KY23]

Damn...just talked to corporate and this is true. This is how they handle most problems. They have a long list of possible problems and they can only move on one step at a time.

The service department said that they thought it would require replacing the sensor but Harley would not let them under warranty and this is the same thing that Harley corporate says. According to the person I talked to from Harley they have a long list of possibilities that a failed speedo can be and they can only replace one item or one step at a time. Its up to me to go out and test it and find out if it fixed it or not. They will only let the service department test ride it for 9 miles or so to find out if a problem has been fixed or not. The person on the phone told me that since its an electrical problem it might be a long time before the problem is actually fixed because its so hard to troubleshoot.

Why can't they just tear the bike down and test each portion of the electrical system? I just don't understand this...I bought a new harley just for the warranty and feel like I made a mistake.

 

[SportyDutchman]

A holes

So far, I haven't had to apply any warranty issues. If you really want a warranty that's lengthy, Kawasaki I believe still has 7 year warranties (transferable to new owner if you sell it) on some models like the Concours. However, as a previous Concours rider, I can tell you that I used to read many of the same complaints on Kawasaki forums, and the various ways that dealers will, or will not, handle a problem.
But, we bought the HD because for whatever reason, we decided we wanted one. I've got about 800 miles on my '06 1200c and am still delighted. I sincerely hope that you can work this out to satisfaction, and and enjoy the bike. That being said, it seems that even now, with product supply up and even some competition price wise with the HD dealers, some of them still have an attitude,........some of the things I've heard and seen too lead me to wonder about the relative overall brain power as well associated with the HD line,...............
I bought it because of the relative simplicity of the bike, air cooled, etc., and wanted one after riding a friends '05 1200C As new bikes too, the resale value will remain far higher than a rice burner.
Thanks for the info though on how they do business.
As a sideline, I can tell you that while at work (all I'll say is that I work in electronics/communications) a couple of years ago, I "became aware of" while in the course of my duties a "communication" amongst some Harely execs in my home town.....there is a Harely plant here in town. Anyway, they had a dilema....seems they had some bad speedos (no, I'm not kidding) and knew about it. They decided to utilize these bad units in manufacturer, indicating that they'd rather "deal with the recalls" if any, than wait for the new ones to arrive. And yes, Toyota is kicking GM's butt.

 

[KY23]

I love the bike...I just am starting to hate dealing with Harley dealers. The buying experience and shopping experience sucked. Now the dealing with the service department sucks.

My time is worth more than that. I should have just bought a used bike and been done with it. My take on it is that Harley believes my time isn't worth it. I'm going to give this dealer another chance to fix my problem and if they can't I'm just going to say to hell with the warranty and take it to an Indy to fix my problem.