| Author | Message | ||
     Darthane |
LOL...where did I stash that stoned Spidy pic... ...and yes, I did notice, Dyna. You've been unreasonably reasonable lately. Something get into your water? | ||
| Buckinfubba |
BRADJ get the blast just don't give your hard earned cash to a worthless dealer. Maintance is straight forward and simple. As far as getting bikes, like dave my last 3 sales this month have been done by going to other dealers and getting the bikes. as far as new ones I still have not recieved a 12R and the dealers around me that have them have not come off them. I have 4 people waiting in the wings for a 12R. I have 2 12s's but around here the R's are the bike most want. If you saw our brag club you'd know, we have 7 r's and 2 s's. Must be the roads. anyway....I NEED SOME R'S ok I am calm again Brian Tilley hd/buell buckinfubba@hotmail.com | ||
| Al_lighton |
My take on it is to buy a used one from a private party. There's LOTS of VERY low mileage perfect condition BLASTS! out there, and it's not hard to save over $1000 buying used while still getting a virtually new bike. As Brian indicated, they are incredibly easy to work on, so local dealer support requirements should be minimal. There are a lot of quality Buell dealers that can ship you any parts you ever need with no hassle. Do a search at www.cycletrader.com , and be amazed at how many 2001 Blasts there are with less than 1000 miles on them. Heck, even less than 500 miles, not even broken in!! If you buy new, and it doesn't work out with your wife and you want to trade up, YOU will be the one losing the $1k competing with all the others selling theirs. This is the nature of "starter" bikes. People decide motorcylcling isn't for them after putting virtually no time on them, or they like motorcyling and trade up after a year. And if you desire customizations (i.e. pipe, jetting, etc), there's a good chance you can find one with that work already done for little to no additional money. Or not. YMMV Al | ||
| Gravedigger |
here are a few that are currently on cycletrader.com http://adcache.cycletrader.com/5/5/4/54981054.htm http://adcache.cycletrader.com/5/4/6/54450946.htm http://adcache.cycletrader.com/5/4/6/54450946.htm http://adcache.cycletrader.com/5/4/0/54563640.htm Keith | ||
| Josh_ |
There's supposed to be a new or almost new blast at the dealer in Springfield, Il for $2000. | ||
| Richieg150 |
Daves,I think MAYBE if you cut off your poneytail,shave,get a Harley Davidson poser outfit,and look really cool,Buell would send you all the 12's you can handle.......awwwww MAYBE NOT!!HEHE! | ||
| Budo |
Bradj, go over to www.sacborg.com and post this note. Just for a different take on the situation. I had a 1998 S1W, (I know it is not a Blast) that I managed to put 31k miles on in spite of numerous and often serious problems. But the crummy dealer was the final straw. I found that I had become my own warranty person, parts person, and mechanic, because I had no choice. I got to the point where I no longer enjoyed riding the bike because of my experiences with it and the dealership. I could not depend on it to get me there or more to the point to get me home. There are people who have had no problems with their bikes. I was not one of them. So I sold the Buell and got a Yamaha FZ1. Funny thing about the Yamaha, it works. | ||
| Daves |
Richie, We will never know! Ride to the edge! Dave Iowa HD/Buell (Buell Cycle Center) | ||
| Darthane |
I dunno about SacBORG...those guys tend to let bitterness get in the way of fair reporting. Bradj, I'm assuming you've perused the Thumper Forum on this site. Those guys will gladly tell you everything, good or bad, that they've experienced with their Blasts. | ||
| Jon |
BradJ, Don't get a Buell. That's the simple solution. I happen to enjoy mine, but they're apparently not for everyone. Move on. | ||
| Crusty |
BradJ, Get the Buell. You and your wife will love it. | ||
| Blake |
Budo, Why are you here? Your advice sucks. | ||
| Dynarider |
Actually Blake there is a large number of very happy & satisfied Buell owners over on The Borg. Nothing wrong with getting a 2nd opinion at all. On any given day a person might get nothing but glowing positive postings & other days it will be the opposite. That goes for all 3 boards..Badweb, Sacborg & ATC. | ||
| Budo |
I am here because I still find the Buell motorcycles interesting. I did buy new a 1998 S1W for all of the reasons everyone else did. In short I bought the dream. But I had so many problems with the bike, I was not supported by Buell customer service, my dealer treated me with a unprecendated (in my experience) level of disdan and contempt. If I had not known of an excellent local independant motorcycle mechanic I would have had to crate up the bike and ship it off to be repaired. I finally had to sell the bike. I could no longer trust it to get me there or more to the point to get me home. I will not own a motorcycle or car that I cannot depend on. I still wear the hat and t-shirt. If someone asks I tell them about my experience. Interesting note, I used to have a 1978 Triumph Bonneville 750. An orginal Meridan Triumph. It stranded me exactly once (Lucas electrics). My Buell had five serious failures. I trailered it home twice. Twice it broke in my garage once it limped home. In short it was the Yugo of motorcycles. The only motorcycle less reliable would be a Ural. My dealer tried and failed for three months to get me a ignition switch, a three wire sporster switch will work but apparently no one in the parts dept knew that, or probably cared. I called Modesto Buell and had the switch in three days. Supposedly the new Buells are more reliable. I will never know. It is unlikely that in this life time that I will ever own another Buell. I did not give up on my Buell easily. I put 31k miles on it. I spent countless hours wrenching on it. I was on a first name basis with Deanne of Modesto Buell. I told people, 'this is a interesting and unique machine and is worth the effort'. Well, I was wrong. I don't have to put up with this and I bought yet another Japanes bike, for the simple fact that it works. I am 48 years old and got my first motorcycle when I was 14. As always Your Mileage May Vary. | ||
| Jon |
My advice comes from the viewpoint that if somebody is already needing to be convinced, they shouldn't get convinced by somebody else. If they get a Buell and something happens, they'll be here like an addict with an attitude all the time, complaining, blah, blah, blah etc. They'll blame the ones who pushed 'em over to the Buell. Weigh the facts, make a decision and then live with it. It's really that simple. However, if you really want to be convinced and then be done with it, go to the Thumper forum and talk to EZBlast. He has two and swears by them. | ||
| Budo |
Yeah, what Jon said. Whatta i know. | ||
| Jon |
Budo, I don't rag on guys like you and Dyna who were hurt by their experiences. I do notice a theme of poor dealership support however, that leads me to believe a right-on dealer could have changed things for both of you. | ||
| Dynarider |
Which leads us into a whole nother topic Jon. I believe Buell..aka Harley should take more control of the whole warranty & repair aspect. Too much is left up to the dealers to make a judgement call on. Buell will not over ride a dealer if said dealer decides not to repair a bike. Even tho the bike may be still under warranty the dealer can say "screw you", thats not right. | ||
| Bomber |
FOrd is quietly buying up some of the franchises that have been giving them a bad rep . . . .a major office furniture manufacturer is doing the same . . .. if H-D sales start declining, and dealers are found to be the root cause, watch the fur fly. until that time, the MBAs on Jeauneau have no reason to get involved . . .. sad, perhaps, but business | ||
| Jon |
Let the fur fly!! | ||
| Crusty |
Hear, hear!!! | ||
| Mikej |
A Harley exec type bought Milwaukee Harley this summer, according to a news article I read. I haven't been in there in about a year so I don't know if it's changed any. Funny too, it's the closest one to where I work now and I still haven't been there in a long time. I don't know what relevance this has to the discussion. Carry on. | ||
| Kevyn |
Hmmm, I live in a small town in the midwest. Everybody knows everybody and their business and is nosie about everything, gossip is rampant. One MC dealer has several 'office' locations that provide sales, parts and service for their various brands. If, I go into one location that has the brand that I lust after, I could drop dead before a salesperson would offer service. I can sit at the parts counter like a ghost in the corner... At the other location, I can barely get inside the door before a salesperson has greeted me nicely, asked what they could do for me today, offered to show me all the new models and within minutes of arrival brought me up to speed on what was in stock, it's relative advantages and latest technology and, through a series of direct open ended questions, determined what my purpose and intentions were on this visit! Same at the parts counter. So, for me anyway, it's not about the dealership, it's about the people at the dealership. Without question, when my wallet opens it's for the people who've responded appropriately to my needs for MC stuff. Simple. I guess I'm in a lucky place because I have near at hand, just about all the services and suppliers necessary to have a happy motorcycling experience. That may not be the case for lots of others here I understand that. However... we live in the information technology age, the internet is a tool that will lead us to the services and suppliers necessary to have a happy motorcycling experience. This particular board is a life line for all things Buell. And, in my opinion, is a vital link between users, dealers, aftermarket suppliers. Granted, we haven't achieved a Have Mechanic Will Travel yet...but through our common experiences with Buell's, the resources available through this board(and others) finding a competent Buell dealer and service support is getting a whole lot easier... As far as HD execs and Ford execs 'buying' dealerships...washing and parachutes come to mind here. Which would you rather have: a lot full of nice shiney Mustangs, vans and trucks or a showroom full of chrome barges, a riding chapter, a full schedule of local events that you host that are a whole lot more fun than... | ||
| Bomber |
Kev . . .. . just a data point . . .Ford execs are not buying dealerships (to my knowledge) . . .Ford, the corporation is . . . different kettle of fish altogether, one that has the dealership-distribution model luddites shaking theirs hands and running around in ever-decreasing concentric circles . . . . I've not data on a Harley exec buy a Harley dealership . . . interesting potential conflict, though | ||
| Mikej |
http://www.milwaukeeharley.com/Administration.htm
The Business Journal of Milwaukee had an article on this in August but their site is extreamly slow right now (or else I've got a virus again, stinking virus writers). | ||
| Ftd |
I believe the Orlando HD/Buell dealership is now owned by an ex(?) HD executive. Frank | ||
| Budo |
quote: ------------------------------------------------ I don't rag on guys like you and Dyna who were hurt by their experiences. I do notice a theme of poor dealership support however, that leads me to believe a right-on dealer could have changed things for both of you. ----------------------------------- Yep, a supportive dealer would have made a difference. I don't want to bore you guys with my war stories but I will give you a example of how bad it was. At 19k miles on my 1998 S1W I holed the rear piston due to a intake seal leake. I thought I had blown a head gasket and pulled the head. So I called Buell customer service about the intake seal failure. They said since I had dissambled the motor there was no way to prove the seal was at fault, no help from them, ok, I can see that. I called the dealer and got the service mgr on the line. I was telling him what happened, holed the piston etc. when he interrupted me to say 'What do you expect us to do about it?' Well I say, I had hoped you would rebuild my motor. In the discussion that followed he made it very clear that he was not interested in fixing my bike. The next nearest Buell dealer is three hours away. I really felt screwed. I did call the other dealer and they were very supportive and wanted to fix my bike. They have a good rep. A buddy of mine got tired of my complaining about my dealer and set me straight. He said that they, meaning the service, parts, and sales people do not care if my bike is running or not. They do not care if I am a happy customer or not. They show up for work for one reason only and that is to put in their time and collect their pay. Period! The Buell tech is a good guy and does a great job, it was hard getting to him though. I am ashamed to say that I did not give up on that dealership at that point but did continue to give them business. Poor judgement on my part. However after a couple of more epesodes like that I did wash my hands of them. That dealership is Bumpas HD/Buell of Memphis Tn. They were featured in the HD stockholders book as being one of three family owned dealerships. They have a total of three dealerships. Really what it comes down to is that they don't need me, meaning my business. If having my business put food on their table I would be treated differently. | ||
| Mikej |
Warranties are not set up for the home mechanic to be involved with. If you want to be able to take advantage of any warranty you must utilize the "approved" network of service centers, don't matter if you're talking about a Buell or a toaster oven. It sucks, but that's life. The factory basically wants the type of customer who will call them at 9pm on a Saturday night halfway between Casper Wyoming and Custer S.f.D. to say their bike stopped running and to please send a tow truck. The tow truck will eventually come and deliver the bike to the shop on Monday morning. The shop will bring the bike into the service area, wash it, and put it into the queue for diagnostics. The service tech's will begin to check things over. One will wander by and notice that it is a carb'd model and will check the gas shutoff valve and notice it is turned off. He will turn on the petcock, count to three, and then proceed to start up the bike. The bike will then be wheeled to the waiting area for pickup. The service manager will call the customer and ask about the parameters of the failure. The customer will stop eating his Eggs Over My Hammy at the local Denny's and say he was riding to Sturgis on his annual pilgrimage and stopped for gas before his final push to his destination. After leaving the gas station, about a mile down the road, the bike started sputtering and died. The service station also just closed so he couldn't tell them that they probably had water or something in their gas. The service manager will say they have found a problem in the fuel system and have fixed it, but the component that failed wasn't covered by the warranty, but part of the tow was covered by the customer's towing option. The customer waited at Denny's for the dealership to deliver his bike. The customer is happy, and $400 poorer, and sings the praises of the dealership for such wonderfull service. The Denny's waittress get's an extra 50 cents added to her tip. Everybody is happy. The moral of the story is: If you want to keep everyone happy then never diagnose nor work on your own bike. The dealership will be happy, the factory will be happy, the customer will be happy, and the waitstaff at Denny's will be happy. The only unhappy person in the deal is the cleaning staff at the motel because the customer cleaned his boots off in the bath tub, wore his trademarked greasy jeans to bed and soiled the sheets, wiped his bug splattered face on the white hand towels, and there was the distinct odor of Jack Daniels in the 2-cup coffee maker in the bathroom. But hey, as long as 90% of the people involved in the deal are happy then alls well that ends well. YMMV | ||
| Bomber |
wash? there's a dealer that will the return the biker clearner than it was when it was dropped off? not dirtier? not half-assembled? not underfilled with oil? not greasier than it's ever been in it's life? washed, you say? where's this dealer? | ||
| Court |
I always got my bikes back, done right, clean and ready for serice....in Topeka. Wonder why they have more HD Bar and Shield Awards than ANY dealer in the WORLD? Henry Patterson started his career winning bicycle races in Grand Junction. When the dealer wouldn't sell him the store, he bought the first on he could find, in Topeka, KS. The customer was the CENTER of business LONG before it came into vouge. From my first 1987 883 to my XLCR, XR-1000, the crewssers, the other 3 Sportster, the Low Rider and the various Buells I've yet to have a bad experience. There is, dear friends, a loeeson fro the corporate folks in there somewhere. The idea that an ex-holidey rambler dude, segued to 2 wheels can "just do it" appears subject to question. Tain't happening at the rate it needs to. I predict, within the next 2 months, unfortunately, further evidence supporting this. Court |
