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Have you traded a Harley for a Goldwing, or vice versa?

Well, the saga continues. It's another absolutely beautiful fall day for a ride here in central Pennsylvania. Plans are made and a route selected, tire pressure and other pre-ride inspections complete so we mount up and head out. It didn't last long though. At the end of the street the bike started to squeal and I could feel vibration from something that was obviously very wrong. :dammit: We pulled over and the noise seemed to be coming from the primary cover area and sounded like the primary drive belt rubbing on something, or something rubbing on it. I was able to get it back home a few blocks away so it didn't exactly leave us stranded this time although my wife refused to get back on and walked home. Another fine day shot to hell! :dammit: :dammit: :dammit:

Thinking about it, after having both tire$ replaced and a major $cheduled $ervice just before the electrical problem had us sidelined for six weeks and with all of the trial-and-error screwing around with the bike that the dealer did not many miles ago, I can't help but think that maybe one of their rookie "mechanics" didn't reassemble something properly or torque a bolt correctly. That's just speculation based on not much more than gut feel and the recent history but the fact remains that the lack of confidence and the doubt exist.

I also understand that this trouble is likely to have a pretty simple fix, even something as simple as removing some debris that got picked up and stuck where it doesn't belong, but getting stranded, aborted rides, and the overall lack of confidence in the bike and the dealer is getting old. :sigh:

Can't anyone tell me that they traded their Harley for a Goldwing and suddenly life was perfect? :rolleyes:
 
Ya, I understand that they are, I just hate to be forced to trade when the bike is far from being worn out. General Motors lost my automobile business to Honda for exactly the same lack of reliability issues and now another domestic company is about to do the same thing. I am not happy about that, not at all. To make matters worse, now is the time that I would really prefer to invest in products manufactured in the USA from an American company. I know that the 2009 Goldwing is manufactured in the USA but the 2010 models will be made in Japan and will likely be a next generation model. The timing really sucks.
 
You could always try to find a good shop, and have them go over your bike and make sure it is all right.
 
I am going to a shop where several of the mechanics from the Harley dealer are now working. I hope that will get things straightened out. I really don't want to give up on Harley Davidson but the disappointment and the frustration is hard to ignore.

Thank's for listening to me whinin', cryin', bitchin' and complainin'... :cry: :smilemad: :gigglemad :D
 
I'd be pissed and upset too if I was in your shoes.. I'm not gonna slam HD, but I do know finding a good mechanic for them isn't always the easiest thing.
 
I am not nearly as angry as I am frustrated and disappointed. I know that both Harley Davidson and the dealer could and should be better.
 
I took the bike to a custom bike shop nearby that specializes in exotic custom Harley based big bikes. A couple of the mechanics that used to work at the Harley dealer work there now. To make a long story short, they did everything they said they were going to do and a little more. They found the screw that sets the primary belt position had come loose and was the source of the problem. It was rattling and bouncing around inside the primary cover. It got chewed up and it chewed up some of the primary drive but not so bad that it caused any serious damage. I caught it just in time and dodged a bullet this time. Just a guess but it probably was a result of the "mechanic" the performed the major scheduled service recently didn't torque the bolt properly or apply lock-tight. It seems like more than just a coincidence. Nonetheless I just consider it an unknown reason for now and a $190 near miss that could have been a lot worse. The other good news is that I think I have found a really good place for service. :) Hopefully that will buy me some time, hopefully a lot of it!

So for now we are back on the road, at least until the next time. :worried: Of course the calendar says that there is not much riding season left. We effectively lost the entire summer riding season with the bike at the dealer for six weeks of trial-and-error open heart experimenting to find the basic electrical problem. This is the most beautiful time of the year to ride here in the mountains of Central Pennsylvania though. We will do our best to make the most of it before it's gone.

The jury is still out about the Goldwing - unless something changes or a former Harley owner speaks up and convinces me that trading will solve all my problems - and make me younger and better lookin' too! :rolleyes:
 
LOL.. nothing is gonna help ya look younger there Bruce. A wing will probably make you look older.. but that's OK.. I'm still thinking about one too...

So glad you found a place for good service, and you found the problem.. It sounds like it could have been pretty expensive....
 
I would have a cup of java with the owner of the dealership and lay out the situation to him with the history. Many of the owners are not aware of what happens in the service area relying on the service manager while, most of the profits are generated there. Something like the time in shop, a mechanical failure in an area the shop worked on, etc. would likely be of concern. Persons for some reason are not wiling to sit and discuss things like this and as a result many times the service continues in the same manner or worse, it creates a life threatening situation.

I had an experience some years ago with a Lincoln/Mercury dealer and finally sat with the owner and reviewed the file and issues. The company reimbursed all moneys I paid for service and a car rental for the periods I had it but as I would not give it to them to correct the problems for lack of trust, they paid for the car to be serviced and corrected at another Lincoln/Merucy dealer and gave me a loaner for the period it was at the other dealer. He turned a terrible experience into at worst a neutral one where I was willing to test them again. The owner also apparently got more involved in the service shop and I received a service survey about 6-months later that was sent to their customer base. Some 3 months after the survey I had a letter from him with the survey results and an invite to an open house to meet the all new service team. He apparently had his eyes opened and fired the entire crew.
 
jdandy said:
D

There are a great many misconceptions about Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and the people who ride them. The machines are fantastic. The folks who ride them share a spirit of brotherhood not unlike us audio nuts here at AK. Some of the friendliest and most helpful people I have every met rode up on a Harley.

:D
Click to expand...

Don't want to go too far off topic, but I feel this was true 20 years ago. Now days it seems people are "buying in" to this brotherhood thing. Harley sold more bikes from 1999 to 2004 than it did from 1903 to 1998. Most of them have less than 5000 miles on them.
That being said, for me, the only bikes in the garage now are Harleys, a '70 FLH and a '72 Sportster that was my race bike (3 time national record holder).
I love anything 2 wheeled but think the "Harley Mystique" went out the window a long time ago.
Ride like no one is watching and you will get the best bike for you.
 
Had both

Had two goldwings. Traded them. Now have an '06 ultra.
The goldwing has some benefits: more power (but the Harley can be modified), quieter(although the harley sound is pretty awesome).
I found the shaft drive to be annoying because there is torque flex particularly on corners.

As far as ride quality, I give that to the ultra but they both are pretty comfy.

The big difference is the water cooling. Where i live (Wisconsin) and how I ride (not often in stop and go traffic), makes this marginal for me.

It seems that Harley dealers are more 'destination' oriented and so on long trips you can pull in and relax and Honda dealers are not set up the same.

I do think Harley has more metal vs. plastice and, over time, my plastic tended to get dull or look less nice. The metal can be polished and re-painted with better results.

Go for what you want. I do think the general public greatly prefers HD, if that matters to you.
 
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