Is it really true that a hitch voids all warranties on a H-D?

[msocko3]

Re: Is it really true that a hitch voids all warranties on a H-D?

Why don't you ask HD directly?? The HD TriGlide assembly line supervisor is a registered member here.

I'd love to see the answer to that question. For the life of me I can think of no other reason than to put a hitch on. They beefed that area up more than necessary for some bolt on bling.

 

[Papa Zook]

Re: Is it really true that a hitch voids all warranties on a H-D?

This thread got quiet all of a sudden If you guys think MoCo doesn't read this site daily you'd be wrong. The TriGlide is their hottest selling product.

 

[CRBandit]

Re: Is it really true that a hitch voids all warranties on a H-D?

Why don't you ask HD directly?? The HD TriGlide assembly line supervisor is a registered member here.

How do we make contact with this guy? And if he is on this board, why doesn't he just answer the question?

 

[Papa Zook]

Re: Is it really true that a hitch voids all warranties on a H-D?

I won't reveal his screen name out of respect for his privacy, if he does thats his call. I also cant speak for him, but my guess is he probably doesn't want to get in the middle of any sort of conflict with warranty/dealer issues. Like the rest of us he probably likes all things trike and comes here for pleasure not business. He has a job to do and to keep at MoCo, so I cant say as I blame him for not wanting to open a can of worms by commenting on the above posts.

 

[msocko3]

Re: Is it really true that a hitch voids all warranties on a H-D?

This thread got quiet all of a sudden If you guys don't think MoCo doesn't read this site daily you'd be wrong. The TriGlide is their hottest selling product.

I hope the MoCo does read and take some of this stuff to heart and make some positive changes. The Triglide has the potential to be one heck of a nice Trike once some of the warts have been removed. Some of my biggest gripes have been the cooker of a catalytic converter, lack of power and the biggest rub, no upgrade path for the folks riding 09-10's with the crummy 32 tooth transmission sprocket. I had to ditch the head pipe to rid myself of the heat, swap cams for more power and use a TTS to tune it so I could correct the speedometer after I swapped the transmission sprocket to the 30 tooth. I know a guy who burnt his right ankle riding his 2010 Ultra, he didn't come in contact with the exhaust, it was radiant heat that burnt him. When my 2010 Triglide was bone stock I used a IR temp gun and measured 140 degrees on the surface on my right inner calf of my jeans, it was hot hot hot.

Right now they have sort of a black eye from all the trunk leaks in the 09 MY and the high heat starting with the 10's. I have mine about perfect, I couldn't even think about buying a new one and going through it all over again. I used to get a new Touring bike every year until I road an 07 and found out what kind of a cooker it was, plus the lack luster performance of 6th gear. I decided to keep my 06 Ultra Classic and so far even the frame changes of the 09's hasn't given me the desire to buy a new 2 wheel touring bike.

One other thought I had... I wonder why they built the Triglide with the rear end squatting. There are folks making brackets to raise the back end so it doesn't drag the exhaust on uneven surfaces.

 

[Big0]

Re: Is it really true that a hitch voids all warranties on a H-D?

Am buying a Trike and want to do a cross country ride so asked the HD dealer point blank about pulling a small fiberglass trailer. Bottom line the dealers skirt the issue - so seems like it's playing russian roulette. Basically was told most dealers won't say a thing but it only takes one to black line your trike. Seems to be a handy way to get out of honoring the warranties. The dealers won't sell a hitch but will install it. Left still as confused as when i started today. You can't get a really straight answer on this subject about when or if ever one can pull a small light trailer. Lets face it who wants to spend upwards of 30,000 and then find out HD can void your warrantee and black line your trike at will IF you want to pull a small trailer.

Also the finance pamphlet says there is a maintenance plan that could be bought but
NOT in Florida. So aren't we lucky ?

Big0

 

[Rally]

Re: Is it really true that a hitch voids all warranties on a H-D?

This past weekend I went to a major H-D dealership that had several Harley factory trikes and two Harley/Roadsmith conversion trikes...1 Ultra & 1 Road Glide. Both of the Roadsmith had trailer hitches so I asked about their H-D warranties and was told they both have the standard 2 year unlimited warranty.

Could someone please explain to me what I apparently am missing here :Shrug:

 

[Traveler]

Re: Is it really true that a hitch voids all warranties on a H-D?

This past weekend I went to a major H-D dealership that had several Harley factory trikes and two Harley/Roadsmith conversion trikes...1 Ultra & 1 Road Glide. Both of the Roadsmith had trailer hitches so I asked about their H-D warranties and was told they both have the standard 2 year unlimited warranty.

Could someone please explain to me what I apparently am missing here :Shrug:

Words come out of the mouth easily when a dealer is wanting to sell something.

Would be really great if they put that in writing when a trike was purchased from them.

The "Standard 2 year unlimited warranty", never heard of it...new Harleys come with a LIMITED 2 year warranty. It is too long for me to type the whole thing here, but it is outlined on page 213-219 of my 2011 owners manual.

Here are some salient excerpts from the Owners Manual-

Page 9 "Do not pull a trailer with a motorcycle."

Page 218 "EXCLUSIONS-The limited warranty will not apply to any motorcycle/sidecar as follows: 1. Which has not been operated or maintained as specified in the Owners Manual."

There is more, but that is enough...they say not to operate the bike pulling a trailer, and they say if you operate the bike in a way contrary to what they specify in the owners manual the warranty does not apply.

Can you fight it? Yes. Will you win? Probably not if the claim can even remotely be attributed to pulling the trailer.

ie. If you have a claim about the seat, they will probably honor it...if it is anything to do with the drive train, brakes, electrical...almost assuredly not.

It sucks, but it is what it is.

 

[Rally]

Re: Is it really true that a hitch voids all warranties on a H-D?

Quote:
Words come out of the mouth easily when a dealer is wanting to sell something.

Would be really great if they put that in writing when a trike was purchased from them.

The "Standard 2 year unlimited warranty", never heard of it...new Harleys come with a LIMITED 2 year warranty. It is too long for me to type the whole thing here, but it is outlined on page 213-219 of my 2011 owners manual.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I meant to say "Limited Warranty"...keyboard error - not.

Would a Harley/Roadsmith have a different Owners Manual separate from a TriGlide?

Yes, I too would like to see the warranty in writing before I signed on the dotted line.

 

[Casper]

Re: Is it really true that a hitch voids all warranties on a H-D?

I guess we could beat this dead hourse until heck freezes over, who knows what a dealer will or won't do.

I have a 2010 TG, 8200 miles, I have a Bushtec trailer and I have a hitch installed...I'm pulling my trailer, HD be damned...if they ( HD) voids my warranty, tough cookies for me...but I love my trailer and I'm not leaving home without it....

What really amazes me is all the HD advertising...tough bike, hard core to the bone, bad azz motorcycles, yadda yadda...but hey It can't pull a 150 pound trailer, might brake it....what a joke....:blahblah::blahblah::blahblah:

Screw em....I like my trailer....

 

[msocko3]

Re: Is it really true that a hitch voids all warranties on a H-D?

I guess we could beat this dead hourse until heck freezes over, who knows what a dealer will or won't do.

I have a 2010 TG, 8200 miles, I have a Bushtec trailer and I have a hitch installed...I'm pulling my trailer, HD be damned...if they ( HD) voids my warranty, tough cookies for me...but I love my trailer and I'm not leaving home without it....

What really amazes me is all the HD advertising...tough bike, hard core to the bone, bad azz motorcycles, yadda yadda...but hey It can't pull a 150 pound trailer, might brake it....what a joke....:blahblah::blahblah::blahblah:

Screw em....I like my trailer....

You forgot one.... Legendary V-Twin power... Cough... Cough. If it was truly legendary and powerful I wonder why I had to make changes to the poor sick pooch just so it would pull a damn hill in 6th gear at 75 mph.

 

[larryh0841]

Re: Is it really true that a hitch voids all warranties on a H-D?

I never owned a new Harley with a warranty because I always changed the cams, carburetors, exhaust systems, and installed trailer hitches as soon as I got them home, thus voiding the warranties.

 

[bdn56]

Re: Is it really true that a hitch voids all warranties on a H-D?

I am not positive but originally the main concern on pulling a trailer was a safety issue with handling?
Aren't 95% of after market pipes not factory?
Shouldn't all the bikes with non HD tuners or after market pipes fall into the same category? No warranty?
I was denied any warranty work on my 08 Ultra because I had it triked.
I have been lucky to not need any.
I don't do very much shopping at the dealers anymore. The last few times I looked at things to buy, they were all made in China.

 

[msocko3]

Re: Is it really true that a hitch voids all warranties on a H-D?

I don't do very much shopping at the dealers anymore. The last few times I looked at things to buy, they were all made in China.

Made in China seems to becoming more common place when buying things. I don't do much business at the dealer either, especially the snake in the grass dealer I bought mine from, they'll never see another dime from me.

 

[tkglider]

Re: Is it really true that a hitch voids all warranties on a H-D?

I pull occasionally,a dealer saw my hitch and I told him it was a cooler rack,he said he could do no warranty work on it,I told him good bye.Weather he turned in my vin I do not know.

T K

 

[427dave]

Re: Is it really true that a hitch voids all warranties on a H-D?

I saw a brand new Harley Triglide at a dealer the other day. They had added some extras to the trike and one of them was a trailer hitch. I could not find a salesman to ask about it. Course I went there 2 years ago looking to trade a bike and couldn't find anyone either. I think you could start one up and drive it away. That was in Pestigo, Wisconsin.