Repair Costs

[Animal]

I would like to compare the cost of some repairs and upgrades between the U.S. and Maple Land. Like what would it cost for a rear tire replace on a 05 Ultra. the best price I could find in Calgary was $225.75 for a Metzeler tire and $110.00 install and balance. Also would like to get slightly longer handlebars but need to replace clutch and throttle cables and was quoted about $700.00 at the local Harley dealer. In case you didn't know up here all Harley bikes, parts, bling and clothing goes thru Deely imports. Fred Deely got the import licence about a hundred years ago but he's long gone and buried, now his children's, children's, children are still making money off that deal. So much for free trade.

 

[Animal]

to make you feel any better the going rate for per hr labour at a UK dealer is £95+vat @17.5% and a set of tyres are liley to be about £250 fitted and balanced but not at a dealer, the cost to fit a set of cams to my bike and get it set up is going to cost about £500 at the dealer

Its very reassuring that other people beside myself are getting screwed.

 

[Animal]

it has taken a long time to get my dealer to stop feeding me rubbish but now they do not argue they just do, something to do with me having a reasonable clue as to what i am doing

Does the price come down with the lower level of rubbish. With age comes wisdom.

 

[Animal]

Funny no response from any of our American Bros. Must be embarrassed at how cheap they can get stuff done in the land of the free.

 

[Animal]

most of em learn to do it themselves as they also get ripped off for work at Dealers - but they have a good Indie side to the industry as well which is cheaper

I also am trying to do more of my own repairs, just so I don't have to support the Deely family. When I started working on Bikes they all had points ignition and drum brakes.

 

[kemo]

I have only bought one tire in Canada in the last 25 years of biking, and I cried when I paid for it. I always buy tires in the USA. My last set of tires were Metzler ME880. One front narrow whitewall and one plain rear. Total cost including shipping was $250

 

[Animal]

I have only bought one tire in Canada in the last 25 years of biking, and I cried when I paid for it. I always buy tires in the USA. My last set of tires were Metzler ME880. One front narrow whitewall and one plain rear. Total cost including shipping was $250

Dame, I have to get someone to show me how to order stuff out of the U.S. of A.

 

[dhog]

I had the rear tire replaced on my EGC with the dunlop narrow white side wall at my dealer in N.C. and the cost was $270.00 plus tax minus regular 20% discount and that came to $232.00:khee:guitar

 

[Joyflyin]

I never really paid attention until recently, (I rode the bike, hubby wrote the checks, good deal for me). However, this is what I know, one local dealer would charge @ $283 & some change for a 1000 mi service, and another local dealer would charge $325 & change for a 1000 mi service. We also paid an indie dealer $574 for service for both bikes last year, (his is an electra glide & mine is a deuce). I do pay a lot more attention now, and I will be shopping for tires soon & let you know. (Yes, Fisher & Glider, after reading other posts & checking the manual, I was running too much pressure in the rear & shortened the life, oops). I actually read the pressure for the fully loaded bike.

 

[silentflyer]

The "good old days" when the Harley dealer worked out of an old service station on the seedy side of town are long gone. Think of the overhead involved with the "super store" setups they have invested in now. And rember in the cold months bussiness slows down unless they are in a warmer climate. All that expense is there 12 months a year,someone has to pay for it.
Check around there are some guys who turn wrenches in some small garage that can do most of the routine stuff. Of course with all the electronics on the new bikes, and more to come in the new models, that will shut them out at some point in time, just like the corner garage where you used to take your car.
Good mechanics are born, not made, and those guys have to eat. buy gas/food/houses just like everyone else.
Learn to bend your own wrenches or be ready to pay someone to do it for you.