Trike Backed Into..

Sep 18, 2015
341
192
Menifee, CA
Name
John
If it wasn't me I might not believe this would happen. Was having problems finding an air leak shocks were losing air. Call my local H-D said if it's shocks would be 480.00 plus cost of shocks. They informed me 120.00 an hr now and would be 4 hour job. Ok I understand why I try to do most work my self. Took Trike down and dropped off at service line. Told them while you have it go thru everything willing to drop 3k if need be want everything good. Now here is where it gets good, got cell call half way home it was H-D. Can you come back? I asked why? Well your trike got backed into on the service line and you need to get here.

You can guess what went thru my mind. I get there and it was right on the line where I left it, right side fender paint gone spider cracks in the fiberglass. I was calm guy that hit it was there, I said to the H-D manager you got a body shop right. He said no we send everything out besides this has nothing to do with us it's between you two. Lucky the guy has insurance and said lets put in a good shop and I'll take care of everything. Just keep it out of the insurance. So yes its being done as I type..But now the rest of the story. I pick the Trike up from H-D they say here is the bill 173.00 found fitting leak. I ask nothing else, everything perfect? :xzqxz:

He says yes so I pay. Get home with my smacked up Trike and read all the paper work from H-D. Says found No Low beam, No grease in neck bearings, brake and shifter need grease, I took care of it myself. I wonder what else they didn't understand. Boy times have changed at H-D over the decades to this old man. I have had the Trike about a month 5 days with H-D and will be in for a week for the body work. They seem to know what they are doing. repairing fender repaint then buff out hole body and shoot the hole thing with clear..
 
I had a car backed into that was left at my mechanic. They took care of everything. No involvement with my insurance at all. Handled between shop and little old lady.
Once leaving vehicle, should be shops problem completely.
 
Glad everything seems to be working out OK but I agree with Bikerbozo....seems to me it should be the Harley shop's responsibility to work with the guy who hit it to get it fixed. You left it in their care to fix it and you weren't even there. Just my opinion.

Sunman
 
Glad everything seems to be working out OK but I agree with Bikerbozo....seems to me it should be the Harley shop's responsibility to work with the guy who hit it to get it fixed. You left it in their care to fix it and you weren't even there. Just my opinion. Sunman
I agree with your take on it, so did the guy that hit me. But even if I was able to win would of taken time and grief. I don't have to say this dealer lost a customer for life as there are other ones here in SoCal close by..Just not a good way to treat people.:(
 
Being an old fart, $120 per hour sounds outrageous to me. But also 10 bucks a pound for steak does too. Why back in my day.....
Anyway glad you are getting your ride fixed and back on the road is the most important thing.
 
I get the feeling after being out of biking last 20 years. H-D feels its a rich mans game now. So even with my bad knees I'll have to do more wrenching again. Like you back in the day..I built some fine looking choppers thru 70 and 80's. Kind of miss the old school stuff. All this throttle by wire and EPA crap, don't get me started. Why I bought an older Trike wanted Carb, cables and grease. :)
 
Yeah....all of that sounds shitty to me.....Dealer should have taken care of the incident and $120 and hour is out of line. I'm in the suburbs of Chicago, and I think the $99 hr. rate is crazy. Find another dealer or a good independent. Just my opinion...
 
$120 hr rate

As I've posted previously the $120 per hr labor
rate seems to be the norm here in sunny California........TOTALLY OUTRAGEOUS.....fortunately I've got a local indy. here now @ $85 (+ he's HD certified)
:kpzxvq:
 
Another 2¢: A guy at a gas station backed into my Triglide last August. Left a small scuff on the side of the fender. Nothing big, but I still did the insurance exchange thing. Glad I did, later on, I found a 4" crack on the inside wall of the fender. The area about 5" from where the thing mounts to the body had taken the most damage. It cost his insurance company about $1200.00 to get a new fender and the 3M clear coat replaced.
 
trike cracked up

I also had my trike smashed. I was filling up with gas at a service station in Sturgis this year when a fellow got out of his truck while it was still in gear and it rolled into me causing $12,800.00 Canadian. Luckily he had insurance and admitted it was his fault. I took it to the Harley shop in Kamloops B.C. It took about 5 weeks for the parts to come in. New body, new rear fender, new gas tank new front fender, and other small parts. There was no frame damage at all. Harley says they always replace parts with brand new as long as the bike is less than 10 year old. The bike is now brand new again and the Harley store bent over backwards to get it fixed
 
Last Sunday morning before leaving Kerrville,Sherry and I had breakfast at Cracker Barrel,along with Ed and Kitty Howard. When we went outside to leave,we found a ratty Buick Roadmaster parked with its passenger side door about 2" from our trike's left rear fender. Needless to say,I wasn't amused.
 
I would be looking for a dealer

That type of service sends me to other dealers, will not tolerate lazy service of any type. And I make sure to let the Motor Company know how their reps. are doing. :Shrug: just sayin. ride safely fearless

PS thank goodness My dealer DuBois Harley does not have those issues.
 
Sounds to me that the dealership is trying to avoid reporting it on insurance too. When you sign the service contract to have work done by the dealership it is their responsibility, period. The whole situation doesn't pass the smell test. AND $120.00 an hour.....talking about highway robbery. And I was thinking the other day $80.00 summer, $55.00 winter was a little high, guess not !!!

Me, I'd be discussing this whole situation with the Regional HD Director. Document everything.

8~\o
 

I agree completely, it was parked on the painted line that said "park bikes for service here". Was in front of the service door. The problem was the guy backed out from car parking with a new (just bought) large pickup dark tinted windows. He just backed out to right blind side and didn't see the bike behind and below him. Did more damage to the right rear quarter panel, crushed it in and left red paint on his new white truck. Really did more damage to him than me, boy those Champion bodies are tuff. When I left after dropping it off I backed out turning to my side so I would have a clear view behind me.
 
For all you that think the shop should pay... I hate to burst your bubble, but that's not how it works....

Most garages/dealerships carry coverage to pay for damages caused BY THE SHOP. This is called garagekeepers insurance. But most carry that coverage on a secondary basis. What that means is that if the damage is not the result of the shop's negligence, the shop's insurance is not liable. In the cases (at dealers) that were mentioned, the person who actually did the damage should be paying-- it was their fault, not the shops...
 
I don't believe the dealer ship should pay but I do believe they should of handled it. Since I wasn't even there and it was left in their care should it not been between them and the guy causing the damage? I feel having me go down and their saying nothing to do with us, if they had moved it wouldn't have happened. End the end it is getting repaired and is looking good should be done for the weekend. I can get some riding in and that will make me smile.:)
 
I reckon I'll have to call myself lucky?:xzqxz: to have a rate of $84/hr at my dealership. Even luckier to have a local guy that does stuff for $50/hr. Not sure if he's Harley certified or not, but I gauge his certification by how many guys with expensive bikes bring their stuff to him. He always is scheduled at LEAST 45 days out. About the only thing he will work on any earlier is a tire change or oil change. Tire change only if it's a safety issue.

People bring their stuff with S&S engines to him as well.
 
For all you that think the shop should pay... I hate to burst your bubble, but that's not how it works....

Most garages/dealerships carry coverage to pay for damages caused BY THE SHOP. This is called garagekeepers insurance. But most carry that coverage on a secondary basis. What that means is that if the damage is not the result of the shop's negligence, the shop's insurance is not liable. In the cases (at dealers) that were mentioned, the person who actually did the damage should be paying-- it was their fault, not the shops...

Maybe so...but WHY was the bike left on the service line long enough for that to happen? If it's because they didn't have room, then where the bike is becomes storage space, and THAT does fall back on the dealership, at least as far as collecting from the other party. What if the guy left the scene and they couldn't find out who caused the damage? Are you going to tell me it goes back on the bike owner's insurance? I can tell you for sure that my insurance would go after the dealership.

At my dealer, you pull your bike into a garage area, and after the service writer takes your info, he/she takes it immediately into the shop so there won't be such an issue.

It's pure laziness on the part of shop staff IMO. Should have never been left on the service line, or the service line should be in a spot something like this can't happen.
 
Well work is progressing on the repairs I hope to have it back Saturday. I could tell from the tone of the Dealership if I pushed the issue I would of had to not only involve my insurance but most likely have to hire an attorney or small claims court. What should be right and what the real world dish's out to us is not always right.
Here are a couple of shots of the work so far.IMG_8971_2.jpgIMG_8944_4.jpg
 
Bike has been painted..still needs to be buffed out and put back together. Said I will be able to pick it up Sunday. Can't wait to ride it again.:DIMG_89821.jpg
 
Well bike won't be done for tomorrow, found a sag in the clear they buffed it out and decided to re-shoot the entire bike with a second coat of clear. Was told pick up 3PM Monday. ThumbUp It will be one week. I think worth it..IMG_5344.jpgIMG_8741.jpg
 
Picked up the Trike today looks pretty..glade to get in back into the barn. Only problem is shocks are not holding air, the thing that started the hole mess. The reason it went to the Dealership in the first place. I guess I will just have to find a way to jack it up and find the leak. 20151026_170843.jpg20151026_170807_HDR.jpg20151026_170751.jpg
 

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