Be careful who installs your trike kit

[J.T.M.]

I had a Harley Dealer install a trike kit on my Ultra Classic and things went terrible. They were going to rake the front end, install a security system, eliminate the antennas, install a mechanical reverse and install a back rest. They took the bike apart on Feb 3, knowing it was going to be a while before the kit would be there but they could go a head and do the rest. Instead they waited until April to start putting it back together. Didn't touch it during their slow time and after installing the trike kit put the front back to gather and decided the original brake line would not work and took 5 days to get a line I do not think I needed.

Then when I go to pick it up they try to charge me for parts I did not get. They took the whole kit apart before installing it just to put the belt on when all they had to do was remove the left axle. Now nothing fits right. Now the trike is setting in the garage with a big puddle of oil under it. When I called they said they could pick it up 2 days later and would put it in line for repair. I told them it is in number one in line. I could have bought a nice new bike for what I spent and I think I deserve the number one slot. Thank God I have learned to control my temper.:AGGHH:

 

[jaxbobg]

Sorry to hear about the mess they made of your bike. You didn't mention which trike kit they ordered for you, but I would say you should go to small claims court against the HD dealer with proof of your complaint to get some reimbursement for the shoddy job they did (Just my 2 cents, I'm not a lawyer).

I used to own a BMW trike with a Hannigan conversion. The local BMW dealer didn't know squat about the trike mods, so I never let them service anything but the basic OEM components. The rest I had serviced by a knowledgeable trike installer.

If I was in your shoes, I'd find a trike installer who has experience with your trike kit and have them finish the job. If you want professional results you have to go to a professional mechanic trained to work on your vehicle. Most regular bike shop mechanics have little to no training or experience in trike mods and shouldn't be allowed to experiment and get OJT on your dime.

 

[pcombe]

Unfortunately in this case controlling your temper might be the key to getting your trike fixed right.
Fortunately this is a Harley dealer?
Are these folks trained to install kits?

You have the ability to contact the area representative to express your diss-satisfaction and just may be a good option?

Unfortunately most mechanics in a Harley dealership are little more than parts changers and I found that quite a few have a limited knowledge of trikes other than the tri-glide.
How many other kits have they installed?
In my limited experience it seems funny that a Harley dealership has a side line of converting trikes, I haven't heard of it where I live perhaps it happens elsewhere.

What kit did you get?
Is the oil coming from the rear end or the primary case?
It is possible to go to the kit manufacturers website and likely download a copy of installation instructions.

I don't really understand when you say (nothing) fits right? are we talking axles, pulleys, belts or the body?

It is possible that the rake kit you bought may require a different brake line.
The Hog Halter tree I bought from trike talk was set up to use my stock line.

I hate to say this but when I consider the monetary investment I made in building my trike a brake line purchase would be a drop in the bucket and you may want to concentrate on the major issues?
I'm not trying to upset or belittle you at all my friend just trying to keep you grounded?

 

[hogcowboy]

I've never heard of a Harley dealer doing trike conversions myself. If anything they try not to even service a conversion bike. A true installer is the way to go but you are stuck now. Just keep all your records but the suggestion to speak to a Harley representative is sound. He might get a small recoup monetarily for you. But don't expect much. But if you are correct and can show him in the installation where a new brake line should not have been required, that kind of thing. But you'll have to do your homework.

 

[Papa Zook]

Everyone has an opinion, here is mine...Don't get a lawyer, Don't go to small claims court, Don't get the Harley reps involved. If you do any of these, make it a last resort so you aren't burning bridges. Your main goal is to get your trike properly set up in a timely manner and using strong arm tactics this early in the game isn't going to help your cause.

DO give your Harley dealer a chance to correct the problem. I am sure they will do their best to do so, they want their customers happy and want your repeat business. Do talk to the general manager and voice your concerns and I am pretty sure he will have an open ear and you will have a go to person with the authority to make things happen. Do talk to Jim "Gooch" at Hannigan, he helped develop this kit and knows every nut, bolt and washer on it and will help coordinate support for your new trike conversion with the installing dealer.

 

[geezerglide11441]

Everyone has an opinion, here is mine...Don't get a lawyer, Don't go to small claims court, Don't get the Harley reps involved. If you do any of these, make it a last resort so you aren't burning bridges. Your main goal is to get your trike properly set up in a timely manner and using strong arm tactics this early in the game isn't going to help your cause.

DO give your Harley dealer a chance to correct the problem. I am sure they will do their best to do so, they want their customers happy and want your repeat business. Do talk to the general manager and voice your concerns and I am pretty sure he will have an open ear and you will have a go to person with the authority to make things happen. Do talk to Jim "Gooch" at Hannigan, he helped develop this kit and knows every nut, bolt and washer on it and will help coordinate support for your new trike conversion with the installing dealer.

:Agree: 100% Zook, great advise!! You can always go the hard way when all else fails! Burning bridges generally does not work for me and generally for anyone else. Kinda like cutting your nose off to spite your face, been there done that!!

Roger

 

[tfdeputydawg]

Good advice from Zook.
My $.02
1. Wonder if HD even knows this dealer is installing conversions?
2. You should give them a chance to correct the problems, speaking to the owner about it.
3. How many other conversions has this dealer done? Most conversion companies require training to install. Did those that performed your install have this training?
4. Once they've had a chance to correct the issues and if still not right, Hannigan is you contact, not HD.
Good luck and please keep us updated. thanks

 

[rhino 2]

One more, You can catch more fly's with Dead Squirrels than with Honey....

 

[J.T.M.]

The kit is a Hannigan Transformer and it is fine. What does not fit is the body but that is because they took the whole kit apart before the tried to install it and have something wrong. Hannigan said they will take care of it for me, they are great. Today I had to move it out of my way and noticed a terrible noise from the reverse when coasting, I think the leak is coming from the reverse. They may have left it loose.

These people have installed kits before but their certified installer is no longer with them. I understand they cannot get any more kits from Hannigan. The reason I had them install mine is they said they would maintain my warranty if they installed it. If I was dealing with some fly by night cut rate outfit I might expect a problem but dealing with a Harley dealer and paying $82 an hour I expect things to be right.

I can install the kit my self but they will not sell it to me.

I have turned wrenches for over 50 years and worked on everything from bulldozers, airplanes, boats, cars and trucks so I think I have some idea what is going on here.

 

[Rick Kay]

Just to clarify a point: my local Harley dealer did the installation of my conversion kit. ABC Harley-Davidson is a CSC dealer, with a factory trained installer. I don't want folks to think that it is somehow wrong for a Harley dealer to do trike conversions. Many understand that the TriGlide, and now the Freewheeler are not everyone's "cup of tea", and have responded to the market place. I've had my conversion for 3 years, and have had no problems, whatsoever. I'm sorry the OP has had a problem, but in my experience, it's better to give the dealer the chance to rectify the issue.

 

[hogcowboy]

From the sound of the OP's post I figured he had already tried to get resolution through normal means. Even in my case I only got the MOCO involved after the dealership through their hands in the air so to speak. But yes, only go that route when all else falls. You want to keep a good working relation with the dealer. In fact in my case it was at the dealers suggestion that I went on up. They were actually hoping getting fresh eyes on it would help so they was on board all the way. I bet any dealership would be like that if given the chance. They really do want happy customers.

 

[skuuter]

PATIENTLY REMEMBER: Your Only Goal is to end up with a Dependable, Working Trike...

 

[pcombe]

The kit is a Hannigan Transformer and it is fine. What does not fit is the body but that is because they took the whole kit apart before the tried to install it and have something wrong. Hannigan said they will take care of it for me, they are great. Today I had to move it out of my way and noticed a terrible noise from the reverse when coasting, I think the leak is coming from the reverse. They may have left it loose.

These people have installed kits before but their certified installer is no longer with them. I understand they cannot get any more kits from Hannigan. The reason I had them install mine is they said they would maintain my warranty if they installed it. If I was dealing with some fly by night cut rate outfit I might expect a problem but dealing with a Harley dealer and paying $82 an hour I expect things to be right.

I can install the kit my self but they will not sell it to me.

I have turned wrenches for over 50 years and worked on everything from bulldozers, airplanes, boats, cars and trucks so I think I have some idea what is going on here.

Having them honor your factory warranty after install is a big plus and that would tip the scales for me if I were having someone else do the conversion.
I honestly have never heard of a Harley dealer out here doing conversions and a solid warranty after the fact is unimaginable. Dealers out here seem to look for a reason not to cover a warranty? (my impression)

If I were to buy a new bike and convert it I would start with the road glide, until Harley figures out the tri-glide and the freewheeler isn't everyone's cup of tea a new trike isn't in my future. I will stick with my old tourglide.

At $82.00 per hr. you have the right to expect a quality job and I understand your frustration. Perhaps they should have factory trained another person before doing the install and there is no disagreement there. That was an oversight on their part.
The big problem I see was not involving Hannigan from the start. Had they done that there would have been a more harmonious outcome?

( a note to ourselves and a warning to others? Make sure a factory trained person is doing the install.)
I believe that was the original intent of this thread? Thanks for the reminder!


The reason I built my own is I had the same mechanical background you do and have worked on my own bikes for many years.

There is no doubt in my mind you could have done it.ThumbUp

Some company's will sell to a do it yourselfer and some wont as a matter of company policy and I suppose some liability concerns. One thing sure, after things are straightened out the Hannigan is a premier kit and should bring you allot of joy. I have heard nothing but good about Hannigan and that is in your favor.

That being said, the fact remains, the difference between a good trike and a bad one depends entirely on the integrity of its builder. Period!

My Champion kit was a very simple install but had I misaligned the placement of a frame welded bracket or mistakenly misaligned the axle or had not properly placed a bolt on part the outcome would have been greatly affected. There were a few times during install I had to take particular care in what I was doing. and some of that would have affected the way the body fit.

Knowing what you know about mechanics you might make sure that the person doing the welding itself etc. knows what he is doing?
These are things that you may have a say in and regardless of what folks here are saying I would make my demands known in no uncertain terms, my life and my passengers may depend on it! Lets face it, They didn't utilize a factory trained installer at the outset and gives me reason enough to keep an eye on them from here on out! There is really no excuse for shoddy workmanship.

I would say you are justified in your concerns!:Coffee:

Use your consumer rights within the boundary of common sense and you will at least gain the dealers respect even if they don't invite you to dinner?:Shrug:

 

[Dennis Murawski]

Three years ago I lost my left leg and decided to trike my 2007 FLHT. I chose the Champion IRS kit. The closest "authorized" installer was three hours away. The guy had a really cool web page. After talking to him on the phone he said he was offering a Spring special - free EZ steer rake kit if I ordered in a few days. I inked the deal and sent the downpayment without ever seeing his operation. When i brought the bike in for the conversion I couldn't find his shop. Turns out it was in the back of a complex of rental shops. It looked a bit sketchy, but I had just driven three hours to get this conversion started. Oh well.

I was given a completion date. It was pushed back multiple times for well over a month delay. I was told it would be ready on a specific date. Drove the three hours only to find it was not complete and no one bothered to tell me before I started the six hour round trip.

Okay fast forward three years and 20,000 miles. The trike rides well but when I got to Daytona for Bikweek, my back was getting sore. I stopped by the Mustang people to get a backrest installed. They couldn't install one. Turns out Champion includes two brackets with the kit that must be installed in order to mount the backrest bracket. Since I didn't have a backrest on the bike when I brought it in, they were never installed.

I tried to contact my installer thinking the brackets were still on a shelf in his "shop". Well his phone is no longer in service and that pretty web page is gone. Champion wants $225 for the brackets I already paid for.

My advise for those having their conversion done by someone else, make sure you pick someone that is trustworthy and will be around for more than a year or two. Don't judge a shop by their cool web page. If I were to do it again I would go with a well respected local shop rather than a fly by night "authorized" installer. The good news is I LOVE the trike.

 

[hogcowboy]

I don't think Graham is 3 hours from Bedford but that sure sounds like what I think I ran into with a supposed installer there only I never even found the actual business. But it was supposed to be behind some other businesses and had a nice website. Young County Conversions I think it was. I'm still looking around but think someone at this site just might be the ticket if/when I'm ready to jump.

 

[pcombe]

Three years ago I lost my left leg and decided to trike my 2007 FLHT. I chose the Champion IRS kit. The closest "authorized" installer was three hours away. The guy had a really cool web page. After talking to him on the phone he said he was offering a Spring special - free EZ steer rake kit if I ordered in a few days. I inked the deal and sent the downpayment without ever seeing his operation. When i brought the bike in for the conversion I couldn't find his shop. Turns out it was in the back of a complex of rental shops. It looked a bit sketchy, but I had just driven three hours to get this conversion started. Oh well.

I was given a completion date. It was pushed back multiple times for well over a month delay. I was told it would be ready on a specific date. Drove the three hours only to find it was not complete and no one bothered to tell me before I started the six hour round trip.

Okay fast forward three years and 20,000 miles. The trike rides well but when I got to Daytona for Bikweek, my back was getting sore. I stopped by the Mustang people to get a backrest installed. They couldn't install one. Turns out Champion includes two brackets with the kit that must be installed in order to mount the backrest bracket. Since I didn't have a backrest on the bike when I brought it in, they were never installed.

I tried to contact my installer thinking the brackets were still on a shelf in his "shop". Well his phone is no longer in service and that pretty web page is gone. Champion wants $225 for the brackets I already paid for.

My advise for those having their conversion done by someone else, make sure you pick someone that is trustworthy and will be around for more than a year or two. Don't judge a shop by their cool web page. If I were to do it again I would go with a well respected local shop rather than a fly by night "authorized" installer. The good news is I LOVE the trike.

You are correct!:Agree:

Not to hurt Champion as they were and are my choice but the bracket of which you speak is easily made in the garage or by a guy with a torch, vise and drill.

 

[pcombe]

Having them honor your factory warranty after install is a big plus and that would tip the scales for me if I were having someone else do the conversion.
I honestly have never heard of a Harley dealer out here doing conversions and a solid warranty after the fact is unimaginable. Dealers out here seem to look for a reason not to cover a warranty? (my impression)

If I were to buy a new bike and convert it I would start with the road glide, until Harley figures out the tri-glide and the freewheeler isn't everyone's cup of tea a new trike isn't in my future. I will stick with my old tourglide.

At $82.00 per hr. you have the right to expect a quality job and I understand your frustration. Perhaps they should have factory trained another person before doing the install and there is no disagreement there. That was an oversight on their part.
The big problem I see was not involving Hannigan from the start. Had they done that there would have been a more harmonious outcome?

( a note to ourselves and a warning to others? Make sure a factory trained person is doing the install.)
I believe that was the original intent of this thread? Thanks for the reminder!


The reason I built my own is I had the same mechanical background you do and have worked on my own bikes for many years.

There is no doubt in my mind you could have done it.ThumbUp

Some company's will sell to a do it yourselfer and some wont as a matter of company policy and I suppose some liability concerns. One thing sure, after things are straightened out the Hannigan is a premier kit and should bring you allot of joy. I have heard nothing but good about Hannigan and that is in your favor.

That being said, the fact remains, the difference between a good trike and a bad one depends entirely on the integrity of its builder. Period!

My Champion kit was a very simple install but had I misaligned the placement of a frame welded bracket or mistakenly misaligned the axle or had not properly placed a bolt on part the outcome would have been greatly affected. There were a few times during install I had to take particular care in what I was doing. and some of that would have affected the way the body fit.

Knowing what you know about mechanics you might make sure that the person doing the welding itself etc. knows what he is doing?
These are things that you may have a say in and regardless of what folks here are saying I would make my demands known in no uncertain terms, my life and my passengers may depend on it! Lets face it, They didn't utilize a factory trained installer at the outset and gives me reason enough to keep an eye on them from here on out! There is really no excuse for shoddy workmanship.

I would say you are justified in your concerns!:Coffee:

Use your consumer rights within the boundary of common sense and you will at least gain the dealers respect even if they don't invite you to dinner?:Shrug:

welding body bracket to left side of frame <input id="fullText" type="hidden" value="d-2- welding body braket to left side of frame" data-link="title]




exposed the metal on the frame for easier welding.,after i loosly bolted up the body frame and got exact placement of braket. I unbolted the oil tank and pulled it out of the way .

I held the bracket in place with a c-clamp for welding.
- See more at: http://s1273.photobucket.com/user/pc....eMrjtPRK.dpuf

 

[Dennis Murawski]

By chance, would someone have an extra set of those brackets just collecting dust on their workbench?

 

[pcombe]

By chance, would someone have an extra set of those brackets just collecting dust on their workbench?

easy to make with a torch, grinder, drill, vise,piece of 1/4" thick strap. Just need some pipe to bend it around, harden when finished.

Or contact Champion?
There is a link to their website at the right hand side of the page. Hope that helps?

 

[Dennis Murawski]

easy to make

If you got two hands... I used to, not now.

 

[pcombe]

If you got two hands... I used to, not now.

I stand corrected!

 

[J.T.M.]

I got the trike back Thursday and rode it home. We rode it Friday, the two days amounted to about 200 miles. We didn't get to ride Saturday and Sunday while checking it over for Mondays trip celebrating our first wedding anniversary I found a puddle of oil under it. I called the Harley dealer that did the install. They picked it up Tuesday and called me Wednesday to tell me it is ready. I picked it up today (Thursday) and rode it home in the rain and around some amounting to about 100 miles. The guys at the dealer were super and took great care of me and my trike. Now I have about 300 miles experience on a trike and love it. I get compliments every where I go and this thing rides great and is a blast to drive. I love it! The wait was well worth it. Hannigan has been great and said they will straighten up what the installer did wrong, they are the best people I have dealt with in several years.

 

[Gorilla]

Good to read that things worked out. Frustrating but worth it now. Ride safe

 

[pcombe]

I got the trike back Thursday and rode it home. We rode it Friday, the two days amounted to about 200 miles. We didn't get to ride Saturday and Sunday while checking it over for Mondays trip celebrating our first wedding anniversary I found a puddle of oil under it. I called the Harley dealer that did the install. They picked it up Tuesday and called me Wednesday to tell me it is ready. I picked it up today (Thursday) and rode it home in the rain and around some amounting to about 100 miles. The guys at the dealer were super and took great care of me and my trike. Now I have about 300 miles experience on a trike and love it. I get compliments every where I go and this thing rides great and is a blast to drive. I love it! The wait was well worth it. Hannigan has been great and said they will straighten up what the installer did wrong, they are the best people I have dealt with in several years.

That tickles hell out o me!ThumbUp

 

[tfdeputydawg]

Good to hear!

 

[msocko3]

I got the trike back Thursday and rode it home. We rode it Friday, the two days amounted to about 200 miles. We didn't get to ride Saturday and Sunday while checking it over for Mondays trip celebrating our first wedding anniversary I found a puddle of oil under it. I called the Harley dealer that did the install. They picked it up Tuesday and called me Wednesday to tell me it is ready. I picked it up today (Thursday) and rode it home in the rain and around some amounting to about 100 miles. The guys at the dealer were super and took great care of me and my trike. Now I have about 300 miles experience on a trike and love it. I get compliments every where I go and this thing rides great and is a blast to drive. I love it! The wait was well worth it. Hannigan has been great and said they will straighten up what the installer did wrong, they are the best people I have dealt with in several years.

Glad you got things squared away. The folks at Hannigan are good people, I enjoyed dealing with them when I had my 2012 Wing done.