Dealer Warning Signs

If you are not doing a job yourself, you are generally best off having your work done by a franchised dealer. These are usually moderately sized corporations with pockets deep enough to cover any liability problems. They are accountable to their distributors and their mechanics must attend service schools about their products.

One case where this may not be true is if you are having performance work done, especially if your ride is going to be hooked to a dynomometer for any length of time. Dealers aim to make bikes as close to stock as possible, whereas a speed shop has a different set of goals.

Franchised dealers do not like to work on "garbage." Whereas, this is the bread-and-butter of many independents. There is some disagreement as to what constitutes garbage. Loose, exposed wires and dangling carburetors fit pretty much everyone's definition. An up-scale dealership might have a fifteen year old bike cut-off. The hungry independent doesn't care; he can get it to run and make a few bucks. Keep in mind that if he's casual about what he'll take in; he'll be casual about how he works on it. After all, it's no show bike.

In a franchised dealership, there is almost no promotion-from-within; there are essentially NO entry-level positions. Managers are hired, not brought up through the ranks. A youngster hired to keep the place clean will never work his way up to be service manager.

In an independent shop, the lot boy might be assigned disassembly of "garbage." He may go on to reassembly. He may become a line mechanic. All his training has been by observation and asking questions. No classroom, no practicum.

I think that so many Viragos are in such bad shape is that they were owned at one time or another by "marginals" -- people who are somehow lacking. You decide how. You know a few. Marginals don't take care of their bikes; they don't trust franchised dealers -- they charge so much; they estimate so much. The independent quotes lower and puts a band-aid over the problem. It works, sort of.

More later. . . .

Take your business elsewhere if:

The dealer's email comes from a "junk" or spam domain like yahoo, hotmail, msn, aol, gmail, or any web-based free domain. Their email should go to a domain that is the same as the business name (or close). For instance, we are Big Twins and all our email is @bigtwins.org
The dealer buys bikes by the lot from insurance companies and charges near retail for parts. These bikes are usually acquired under contract at fifty dollars per; half that if they're over twenty years old. Thus, salvage yards are a last resort, and if you must buy from them, offer a quarter of their asking -- you might get it.
If a business invites you to "download our app," their money-sucking techniques are developed to an art that almost certainly surpasses the quality of their products and the competitiveness of their prices.
If their is a link to a "become a dealer" application, this business has a large margin of profit. Try buying direct from the manufacturer. If that is not an option (or the parts are even more expensive), download that application and fill it out. They'll ask for a copy of your resale license. In most states it's free and available online. If they ask for pictures, take some where appropriate. It's worth a try.

More to come . . .

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