Visionary
Posts: 1359
New Bohemia, Va | I'd like to share my experience with the dealer that serviced by bike today for the voltage regulator. Not having a dealer close by and hoping to have it fixed under warranty meant trailering the Vision at least an hour to Virginia Beach or 2 1/2 hours to Forest, VA or White Plains, MD. I finally decided to take it the later place as I had stopped all the dealers at one time or another, but the one in Maryland came out as my pick. Since the bike was at work and on the way from my house to the dealer, I picked up the U-Haul motorcycle trailer and swung by and got it. It was a 140 miles one way so around 11:00 am I pulling into the dealer. I walked in and told the guy at the counter "I have a sick one", he finished and said "from Richmond"? Yes, he had remembered my phone call from yesterday and greeted me then took me back to the owner and chief technician. The owner/tech was working on an old triumph and he had several Harleys and Victory's in the shop. This speaks volumes in the fact he is a motorcycle technician and not just a Victory tech.
After introductions the discourse began discussing the regulator and the hopes of being covered by warranty. The regulatory is relatively easy to replace so I knew that if I had to do it myself all I'd pay is $170 for the new reg, but that was not my preferred option. He tells me something that "shocks" me, that the regulator is a wear item. When I tell him the mileage, the gloom continued when he said that is the expected life of one, but they still have to run it by the warranty folks.
I challenge that the regulator is a wear item and he comes back with "everyone wants something for free" and list things like "batteries, tires, etc. etc". Now it is at this point I begin to recall all the recent dealer discussions that has been on the forum and I see him as a person who encounters many folks standing at his door wanting him to fund their hobby. I assured him I'm not looking for free; it just seems that the regulator is "mechanical" but not a wear item as a battery or tire would be. He needs to put it on the Wrench so I back the trailer in the bay leaving the bike on the trailer to do the troubleshooting. It does comes up that the regulator is bad and shows no other faults, confirming it is the regulator. We held off the discourse as he continued to work on the Triumph while his wife (this is a family business) conversed with the warranty people giving them details. She also checks for a recall for my bike for the regulator and there is none. At one point he goes looks up the price, but doesn't check inventory. I thinking in my mind I'll have to come back regardless of the outcome.
Somewhere we start talking about "the forums" and I got the typical dealer reaction. He tells me no, he does not frequent the forum because of all the bickering and half truths. He calls it "the land of misinformation' and too much bad stuff gets shared and people complain about Victory but don't tell the full story. He also says that those who are still stuck in the Harley mindset likes to nick-pick Victory bikes apart. Now, I take all theses as credible comments because I agree with the things he said and he owns two Harleys and one Victory which he says is his best. I do not question him why he stills owns the Harleys, because it is immaterial. The shop sports everything Victory and they currently have two of the "World's Longest Test Ride" Cross Country's.
Finally the word comes back that it is a warranty item and he finally checks his inventory, and yes he has one. I ask if he wants me to leave it, he says no, take it off the trailer and he'll get me back on the road. I was pulling out at 1:30pm on my way home.
I came away with two thoughts. One, he could have been a bad dealer had I presupposed things and argued with him and two, he's just a man trying to make a living to support his family. Had the warranty people denied my warranty claim I would have plunked down the pesos and been on my way.
Oh, and one last thing, he told me to wash my bike, it's filthy, but he also lubed the kick-stand, clutch handle and brake handle. Overall a very good experienced, so I left them a tip to grab lunch off of. I'm a happy camper, and despite the distance I have a new dealer.
Edited by Cap'n Nemo 2011-08-26 7:53 PM
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voltage reg
