Dealers You Wouldn't Recommend.

[hargun2]

Having an issue with Hot Shots Motor Works from Ohio that I would like to share in this forum. Shelled my motor early last summer and found Hot Shots on the web and inquired about a rebuild. I shared with Hot Shots the bikes upgrades from stock, Vance and Hines slip ons and a Power Commander. Required a total rebuild, 88 to 95, cams, lifters, valves, upgraded bearings, geared cams and misc. Long story that has spanned months but to put it in a nut shell I have a motor that still does not run right. I had the concerns the first day out when the engine would sputter/stutter at certain throttle settings. I was told that after it’s broken in and I got it dyno’d the sputter/sputter would be eliminated. Well it’s been on the dyno twice now with two different engine management systems for a total of about 8 hours and the sputter/stutter is still there. Hot Shots then recommended that I purchase a system from Precision Performance, an adaptive system that does not require a dyno and it has made a tremendous difference but the issue is still there, thanks Brian for your efforts. Contacted Hot shots again and now they are recommending that I purchase a performance exhaust system to fix the issue (skeptical) to say the least. Hot Shots will not take any responsibility for the issues I’m having with their build but they are quick to suggest buying performance parts to remedy my problem. In my opinion the motor was built around the Crane .619 lift cams that required bigger valves, head work and a performance exhaust as per Crane’s web site. Spent approx 3800.00 on the build, 800.00 on dyno runs and a Master Tuner, 700.00 plus on the adaptive tuner and now they are suggesting a 700.00 plus exhaust system, that’s just wrong!!! My experience with Hot Shots has been very frustrating and disappointing to say the least, this is one company that is not too concerned about customer satisfaction at least in my case.

 

[CropdusterDoug]

Black Diamond Marion Illinois , My wife bought an 08 deluxe 2 weeks ago , stated deal was $8,400. trade for her 04 low rider , was closeing time and i was busy trying to make sure we got some other parts thrown in or ordered . Not being like myself, i did not look over the paperwork before my wife signed it , anyway , in looking it over later i realized they put down $8,795. trade . Called them saturday told them about it , they never called back. went down there today to get the windshield they ordered , talked to them about the sale , they finally came up with $300. of the $395. difference , we took it and told them as far as we are conscerned , they still owe us $95. , they said they don't see it that way , that we still got a good deal. Maybe we got a "good deal" , but we still did not get the deal offered . Told them we would never do business with them again. They still owe us two keys and an owners manual . Wonder if we'l ever get them ?

Anyone else had any problems with Black Diamond ?

I used to work at two different CAR agencies in Service. What was pulled on your wife is a CAR salesman's trick. Avoid dealers like that as if they have a communicable disease! Always check the contract before you sign. If it's been changed, then why do business with a crook? I've walked out of two car agencies through the years because of this rip off. Everyone here should do the same.

 

[glimmerman]

MIKE'S FAMOUS H-D, New Castle and Smyrna, DE owned by ANNAPOLIS H-D and HANNUM'S H-D, Chadds Ford and Media, PA.

Transmission was not filled at 1k service and i have continued to suffer with poor shifting for over a yr. now. (apr 10-jun 11) mikes famous gave me the run around for 3 months. took bike to hannum's and paid almost $800. for a teardown to find problem. bike was returned to me w/ leaking primary seal, used "o"ring, torn almost in half, all gaskets re used with blue silicone sealant, used compensator bolt (later it was determined to have a split cam slider, galled extention shaft, and galled sprocket-replaced at my expense). NOTHING on the bike had been torqued to spec. drain and clutch cover were tightened to about 20 ft. lbs. not the 7-9 in the book. bolts in the outer primary drive were about finger tight. factory rep (monty banks rode bike and said again since apr 10 that all my problems were caused by the use of redline shockproof. took bike to 3rd dealer and found that mike's famous and monty banks had blocked my vin from service. warranty still in effect. now i need an authorization from hd hq to get any warranty work done.

 

[tlg1100]

I dont want to mention name either,and so for have not had any service related complaint,and I cant say that many h-d dealerships are any different than any car or motorcycle or whatever dealership.Just that I really expected more.When getting my wife bike I stayed out of it as she was wheelin and dealin with them,then when we was in the office getting ready to sign away I had a few questions,well that bothered salesman and he ask if I was paying for any of the payments with kinda smart additude.....I said if its any of your business ..all of them... finance guy told him to get outta there and owner came in and said sorry,Anyway month later I got my bike and would have more than likely got it from them cause they did have large selection,but I found a great bike elsewhere,and I checked out 5 or 6 dealership before I bought one and dont really like song and dance they give, but every dealership no matter what they are selling does that?

 

[miranda97]

Mikes Famous Delaware-I owned a 2010 Wide Glide purchased from Mikes. My wife purchased a 2011 Sportster from Mikes five months ago. I went to Mikes last Monday and traded my Wide Glide for a 2012 Fat Boy. My wife was looking for a larger bike but did not want the Wide Glide because she could not reach the forward controls. Mid controls were not an option since she has trouble with balance with mid controls. The sales lady being well aware of my wife's problem reaching the controls showed her a 2012 Super Glide with mid controls. She advised they could install forward controls if we purchased the bike. The sales woman assured us the 2012 Super Glide frame was smaller than the 2010 Wide Glide frame and my wife would have no problem reaching the controls. On Friday, 4 days after we purchased the bike, the forward controls were installed and we found my wife could not reach the controls. (Service was quite surprised we were told the two frames were different since they were not.) My wife and I discussed her taking the Fat Boy but I found the Super Glide uncomfortable. We went back to the dealer and discussed the problem and our displeasure of being decieved just so they could make a sale. They assured us they would correct the problem. Their solution was to give us back the 2010 Wide Glide for the same amount they had given us for the trade in. The issue they said was the Super Glide was now "used" even though it had less than 100 miles on it. They offered to buy it back for $3,500 less than we had paid less than a week ago! I pointed out, quite loudly, that the Sportster we purchased five months ago for $8,200 (which they gave us $7,000 in trade) was now on the floor for $9,300 and it was used (we had added Stage 1 and forward controls). I became quite vocal and my wife got me out of the store before they called the police. After purchasing four new Harleys from Mikes in the last two years I expected to be treated differently. I will be trading in the Super Glide next year for a Street Glide and my wife will take over the Fat Boy. But one thing is for certain. I will never step through the doors of Mikes Famous again!

 

[FLST]

Brandt's H-D in Wabash, IN. While adjusting the "fall away" on my '05 Softail the tech broke my left aux light. Of course "it was already out". Not so; I check my lights before every ride and it was working when I left for the dealership. The light wasn't burned out. The filament was broken. Additionally, after reassembly the aux lights are badly out of adjustment. They were spot on before they worked on it.

 

[flipper]

Harley Davidson of Jackson Ms. This place is beyond a joke. A buddy of mine was getting a valve job done here on a set of shovelheads.We gave them new Harley valves and guides to put in the heads.All we wanted to have done was cut the seats and lap the valves and re-assemble.When we went to pick them up they told us one of the valves was bent and charged him for a new valve.I pulled my buddy to the side and told him to get the "bent" valve.When he asked for it the mechanic had a strange look on his face and said, wow I put the old valve back in here.He left for a few minutes and came back with the head and a obviously old bent valve that had been cleaned up.My buddy raised cane but they would not come off the price of a "new" valve.Thats only one of many horror stories that my friends have gone through there.I was at Chunky River H-D this past Friday(very good people by the way) and the parts guy told me that he needed a part ,that was out of stock,so he called Earl(owner of Jackson H-D) and wanted him to UPS it to him.Earl said ok that'll be full retail so the parts guy at Chunky River told him he was a dealer as well.He then told him oh ok it'll be retail plus 10%.What a jerk.Anyway he ordered it from Baton-Rouge H-D(also very good people) and it was there next day for dealer cost + shipping.When the new models come out every year you have to camp out at the dealership to get one.Earl will come out during the night and check on everybody and if you have left for any reason you lose your place in line.They are the most arrogant bunch of people you will ever come across.When you buy a bike from them you pay full sticker or you go elsewhere.A friend of mine was in there a while back and a guy parked a GoldWing out front and was interested in a new Ultra Classic.Earl came out from the back and said in a loud voice "whoever parked that Jap piece of crap out there needs to get it out of my parking lot".Needless to say he lost a potential new customer.

Have you ever noticed the name of the street that runs by the dealership? It's "Can't Stand Earl Drive." I don't have to wonder why. We've done minor business with them in the past because they are our closest dealership, but we bought both of our bikes (3 months apart, and both brand new) from Shreveport (now merged with Bossier City). HD of Jackson just wouldn't work with us when we tried to purchase from them. That dealership is dirty and cluttered as well. We use Chunky River for everything possible now. They are good folks.

 

[flipper]

That last post contained a quote from shovelhead80. It didn't print right in the box.

 

[Biffy08]

I would be stunned if Camden County ( Barb's H-D ) in Southern NJ is not noted here numorous times, I don't know what happened there but I started to feel out of place, I had a bad experience with warranty repairs there. Bought my next bike at Millville H-D and had excellent service but now there gone, I use Mike's in Delaware and deal with Christian who is in my opinion one of us.

I too am also surprised to not see anything about Barb's HD in Camden County, NJ:bigsmiley31:

 

[Biffy08]

Mikes Famous Delaware-I owned a 2010 Wide Glide purchased from Mikes. My wife purchased a 2011 Sportster from Mikes five months ago. I went to Mikes last Monday and traded my Wide Glide for a 2012 Fat Boy. My wife was looking for a larger bike but did not want the Wide Glide because she could not reach the forward controls. Mid controls were not an option since she has trouble with balance with mid controls. The sales lady being well aware of my wife's problem reaching the controls showed her a 2012 Super Glide with mid controls. She advised they could install forward controls if we purchased the bike. The sales woman assured us the 2012 Super Glide frame was smaller than the 2010 Wide Glide frame and my wife would have no problem reaching the controls. On Friday, 4 days after we purchased the bike, the forward controls were installed and we found my wife could not reach the controls. (Service was quite surprised we were told the two frames were different since they were not.) My wife and I discussed her taking the Fat Boy but I found the Super Glide uncomfortable. We went back to the dealer and discussed the problem and our displeasure of being decieved just so they could make a sale. They assured us they would correct the problem. Their solution was to give us back the 2010 Wide Glide for the same amount they had given us for the trade in. The issue they said was the Super Glide was now "used" even though it had less than 100 miles on it. They offered to buy it back for $3,500 less than we had paid less than a week ago! I pointed out, quite loudly, that the Sportster we purchased five months ago for $8,200 (which they gave us $7,000 in trade) was now on the floor for $9,300 and it was used (we had added Stage 1 and forward controls). I became quite vocal and my wife got me out of the store before they called the police. After purchasing four new Harleys from Mikes in the last two years I expected to be treated differently. I will be trading in the Super Glide next year for a Street Glide and my wife will take over the Fat Boy. But one thing is for certain. I will never step through the doors of Mikes Famous again!

I second the bad wrap on Mike's HD in New Castle, DE. His MSRP on bikes are $4K higher than other local dealers, in my opinion.