11-15-2018, 03:16 PM
Decided to take a break from reading Woody Strode's autobiography and just check the forum real quick. Ended up reading all 13 pages of posts on this thread. Like any other motorcycle forum that's not related to the MoCo, mention Harley in WHATEVER fashion and the thread takes on a life of its own.
Many of our forum heavy weights have already responded so I'll just add a few general comments from personal insight/experience before I answer the OP's original question.
My opinion is that much of the bashing the MoCo receives is not directly related to the bikes they produce. HD nowadays produces some very decent, reliable bikes in the market niche they choose to exploit. I believe its more related to the over the top HD lifestyle adherents and how they interface and treat the non-MoCo owners/riders. We probably all have a story or two we can remember in regards to what a Kool Aid drinker said or maybe how they acted in regards to us or someone else's choice of machines. I know I have several. However, I don't have any such story about a Kawi, Suzuki or Yamaha rider. I do have one about a BMW rider but that's for another time.
Harley Davidsons customer service and support is second to no other bike manufacturer.
Customer service examples: On weekends they usually have 5+dozen free donuts in their in-store seating area with enough coffee to fill a residential pool and float a 21 foot bass boat.
I can't recall how many times I've been encouraged to take a bike (any bike on the showroom floor I was looking at) for a test ride.
Their staff actually receives customer service training. When I walk up to a counter, if the clerk is busy they acknowledge me immediately (even when on the phone) and tell me they will be with me shortly. This has happened at two different dealerships.
The mechanics working on customers bikes actually speak directly to the customer. I've seen this numerous times at our local dealership.
Recent support examples: My daughter called her Harley dealer about a slow leak in the rear tire of her Sportster and wanted to schedule a time to bring it in. 40 minutes later a dealer truck and trailer pulled up at my house and loaded the bike. After loading it in the trailer the tech (dressed in clean, one piece work suit) strapped it down and said to drop by the shop and it would be ready in about 3 hours. No charge for pick up.
Had a leaking front seal on my XR1200 with 15,000 miles on it. Took it in this May and they replaced them for $178.00. Noticed about 3 weeks ago a slow leak had started again. Dropped it off at the dealership on a Monday. They had to order parts and I picked it up the following Saturday morning (it was ready Thursday PM). I expected to pay for parts but not labor but it wasn't agreed upon beforehand (not sure if the warranty was 90 day or 6 months or whatever). When I went to service to get the bike I asked what I owed. Technician handed me the keys to the bike and said "nothing, we fixed it in May and that shouldn't have happened". I have several other incidences I could discuss of how friends were treated the same way.
Contrast that with my Honda Dealer:
I brought the CB in to have the tire replaced which they did. I had a new to me café seat on it I bought off Lola (who responded to this same thread earlier in the discussion). It has a black insert in the seating area with cross stitching in several rows. They must have replaced the tire in the AM and sat the bike outside during a prolonged thunderstorm and the seat was soaked internally and took several days to dry out.
They took off my limited edition gremlin bell at this tire change that a good friend gave me and couldn't find it.
The entire staff is woefully under trained in customer service skills/etiquette. I get the feeling that their opinion for being there is their cell phone and the customer is an impediment to that end. At times I feel I'm actually invisible when I'm in that building.
None of the early 20 somethings behind the counter know how to wear a baseball cap correctly (ok, so that's a petty dig but it is true).
This is all a long way to get to the OP's original question. CB1100 or Harley. I'd buy a CB1100. Comes down to being the more practical, cost effective ride for a multitude of situations including the mountain riding compared to Harleys current lineup.
As it happens the OP agreed with my recommendation even though I was late to the party.
Many of our forum heavy weights have already responded so I'll just add a few general comments from personal insight/experience before I answer the OP's original question.
My opinion is that much of the bashing the MoCo receives is not directly related to the bikes they produce. HD nowadays produces some very decent, reliable bikes in the market niche they choose to exploit. I believe its more related to the over the top HD lifestyle adherents and how they interface and treat the non-MoCo owners/riders. We probably all have a story or two we can remember in regards to what a Kool Aid drinker said or maybe how they acted in regards to us or someone else's choice of machines. I know I have several. However, I don't have any such story about a Kawi, Suzuki or Yamaha rider. I do have one about a BMW rider but that's for another time.
Harley Davidsons customer service and support is second to no other bike manufacturer.
Customer service examples: On weekends they usually have 5+dozen free donuts in their in-store seating area with enough coffee to fill a residential pool and float a 21 foot bass boat.
I can't recall how many times I've been encouraged to take a bike (any bike on the showroom floor I was looking at) for a test ride.
Their staff actually receives customer service training. When I walk up to a counter, if the clerk is busy they acknowledge me immediately (even when on the phone) and tell me they will be with me shortly. This has happened at two different dealerships.
The mechanics working on customers bikes actually speak directly to the customer. I've seen this numerous times at our local dealership.
Recent support examples: My daughter called her Harley dealer about a slow leak in the rear tire of her Sportster and wanted to schedule a time to bring it in. 40 minutes later a dealer truck and trailer pulled up at my house and loaded the bike. After loading it in the trailer the tech (dressed in clean, one piece work suit) strapped it down and said to drop by the shop and it would be ready in about 3 hours. No charge for pick up.
Had a leaking front seal on my XR1200 with 15,000 miles on it. Took it in this May and they replaced them for $178.00. Noticed about 3 weeks ago a slow leak had started again. Dropped it off at the dealership on a Monday. They had to order parts and I picked it up the following Saturday morning (it was ready Thursday PM). I expected to pay for parts but not labor but it wasn't agreed upon beforehand (not sure if the warranty was 90 day or 6 months or whatever). When I went to service to get the bike I asked what I owed. Technician handed me the keys to the bike and said "nothing, we fixed it in May and that shouldn't have happened". I have several other incidences I could discuss of how friends were treated the same way.
Contrast that with my Honda Dealer:
I brought the CB in to have the tire replaced which they did. I had a new to me café seat on it I bought off Lola (who responded to this same thread earlier in the discussion). It has a black insert in the seating area with cross stitching in several rows. They must have replaced the tire in the AM and sat the bike outside during a prolonged thunderstorm and the seat was soaked internally and took several days to dry out.
They took off my limited edition gremlin bell at this tire change that a good friend gave me and couldn't find it.
The entire staff is woefully under trained in customer service skills/etiquette. I get the feeling that their opinion for being there is their cell phone and the customer is an impediment to that end. At times I feel I'm actually invisible when I'm in that building.
None of the early 20 somethings behind the counter know how to wear a baseball cap correctly (ok, so that's a petty dig but it is true).
This is all a long way to get to the OP's original question. CB1100 or Harley. I'd buy a CB1100. Comes down to being the more practical, cost effective ride for a multitude of situations including the mountain riding compared to Harleys current lineup.
As it happens the OP agreed with my recommendation even though I was late to the party.