[Unome]

I think a dealer certification is in order. Mabe something similar to Chrysler's 5 star delarship certifications.

I think H-D does have some kind of rating system. According to www.hawgeye.com, H-D assigns colored shields to dealerships based on customer response(that's what H-D says.

 

[Unome]

About a year and half ago my older brother bought a 2001 FatBoy FI. This is when I really started to get into H-D's and found out what they really cost. Bet you were surprised, huh? Wait until you get ready to sign on dotted line and see if the dealer will sell at MSRP.

The best single thing that I like about H-D is the legacy they have. Show me another motorcycle company that has been around for 100 years. To me, when you throw your leg over and fire up them horses, you become a part of that legacy. I certainly hope that H-D is around in 5-10 years, or for that matter another 100 years, I want to be able to share this legacy with my kids. For a company to be around for 100 years it has got to be doing something right and if problems are there hopefully they will see them and correct them, in time. Uuuhhhh, look back in their ‘history and go over the AMF years and them ‘doing something right. And had it not been for USA government intervention a few years back and putting a 49% tariff on imported motorcycles, H-D might not be around today.

When you are riding a Harley you are riding a big piece of American History. Correct but lately a lot of us have been feeling like Native Americans dealing with the white man.

I’m glad you’re in this forum and hope you get the bike you want at price you want and have good relationship with the dealer. But sad fact is a lot of us are not happy with H-D as a company and feel they don’t care how we are treated as long as someone buys their bikes.

 

[Unome]

My personal opinion is they don't care. They have our money and try to scare us into using them for all maintenance, parts, etc. They don't have a means of contacting them via the web but are trying to take this forum.

They preach 'family' but you don't do family the way they do us. I've read all kinds of message/topics. They spout American made but lots of their stuff is made overseas(boots, jackets, parts, etc.). Probably about 50%(or more) of the parts put on our bikes is made overseas. I know it's cheaper but don't preach American made(i.e patriotism) to me while you're undercutting American jobs.

Topic of oil recently has come up and they won't even allow the manufacturer of their oil put their name on it. I believe they also had some kind of fall out with Mobil about making synthetic oil. They wouldn't allow anything but H-D to be put on bottle so Mobil said bye-bye. But yet, they'll allow all kinds of stuff from Pakistan, China, etc. to be made and sell with no problem as long as it says H-D on it. Why not allow a trusted name like Mobil be on important product like oil?