My experience at the Harley Shop

[Dawn]

Yesterday I went into the Harley Shop to buy my dad a Christmas present.  Through the grape vine, I heard that the shop in Appleton has a Dyno.  

After my purchase, I walked to the service counter and asked about their Dynojet service.  He proceded to tell me without looking up that the service is $60.00 per hour and it takes about and hour and a half for carburated bikes.  He then looks up from his computer terminal and after a long pause he says:  "What kind of bike is it?"  Innocent enough question, but the look on his face was:  I know this person isn't talking about a Harley.  

I chuckled a little bit and explained it was a Suzuki.  He said "we don't do those here!  We only do Harley's."  All I was asking was for a baseline, but he didn't even want to consider it.  Too funny.

Dawn   :)

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

That SV'd probably break their dyno! ;D  At least it's a twin.  Did you know that a Harley is the most efficient device ever created by man for turning gasoline into noise without producing harmful horsepower bi-products?
I once had a guy spend ten minutes trying to convince me that Jap bikes were $#it.  After he ran down the extensive list of parts in his bored ans stroked pi... I mean hog, I asked him how much horsepower it had.  "A hunnert an twenny!"  "Nice," I replied.  "And what does it weigh?"  Silence.  "I've got a 600cc Yamaha," i said.  "Wanna race for titles?"  He made a rude comment, fired up his machine, and hurt my ears bad as he left.  If you have to ask, you'll never understand...  ???

[Dawn]

LOL...!!!!

No I don't need to ask, I DO understand!

Dawn   ;)

[clutch]

He is jealous..probably knew that the Suzuki wouldnt need any after Dyno fixin since its a jap bike..ha.  I once saw a guy beat a guy who was braggin how tough and bad his Harley was and how he was never beat by anything pull up to the line next to a 900rr..the Harley guy said he was gonna take him..the flag dropped and the RR won on one wheel givin the guy a thumbs up after he nailed 2nd, 3rd, 4th on one wheel..squid thing but was funny..Harley kept goin never to be seen again

[Dawn]

The first question I get asked when non-cycle people find out I ride is:  "What kind of Harley do you have?"   ???

After a while it just gets a little tiring.  Just because I have a few years (age wise) under my belt doesn't mean that I need to ride a big cruiser.  Nope, watching their face when I tell them I ride a ZX-6 (since most don't know what that is I help them by saying "crotch rocket") is priceless.   ;D

To me a person who rides is a person who rides.  I waive to everyone on a bike.  Sometimes they waive back and sometimes they don't.  Just don't count me out because of the type of bike a ride. - -

Although one of the funniest things happend on one summer day....  We live in a very rural, wooded area so we have a lot of people who travel the roads where we live.  I was travelling down the county highway with my leathers, gloves and full face helmet (all matching of course in colors, purple, yellow and black).  Comming to a stop sign were several Harleys with everyone in costumes (leather chaps, leather vest with no shirt, no helmet and sunglasses).  Since I had the right-of-way, they had to wait for me to go through.  I waived, but they didn't waive back....  Was it something I said  ???  I was laughing all the way home.

Dawn   :)

[KBOlsen]

LOL - I can relate... love to give my Harley friends a hard time... "Gee... wanna race my little baby Twin?  It's the same size as a Sportster - what, you don't think you can take me?" ;D

So how many ponies in that thing?  And what did it cost to get you theree?  Awww... geee.  116 cu.in. motor (yeah, inches) and only 90-100 hp?   ::)

ROFLMAO!!!!

I just wish I had discovered sportbikes a long time ago.

Dawn - shoot me an "E" if you want to go shopping for Harley things... John works for our local dealer.

[sdiver68]

The best thing about riding a real twin on the street is watching how the Harley crowd all looks up to see what is coming and then the look of scorn on their face when they see the "crotch rocket"  ;D

I had a Harley guy go off on those "damn japanese bikes" after I parked at a popular stop to grab a gatorade last Sunday (it was 60 and sunny!) After politely nodding my head for about a minute I informed him that Ducati was Italian, after which he wanted to "check it out"..... :-/

BUT, I did find something good Harley makes, believe it or don't.  I needed another tie down strap down when a picked up my racebike last Saturday and the only place in site was a Harley shop.  So I stopped and bought ones with the Harley logo on the cinch mechanism for almost $40!  But, they are about twice as thick as normal tie downs and worked really well, they didn't slip at all and had rubber coated hooks on both sides.

[Speedballer347]

....when a picked up my racebike last Saturday

I guess you did get that AMA bike :(
ugh...I quit! ;D ;)

[Gixxer124]

Hey Steve, can I have your old one?

[sdiver68]

You wouldnt want it Kevin, the suspension is not stock :P

[roadracer797]

Gee Dawn
I've never had this problem at the local Harley dealer here or when I went to the Harley dealer on St Martin. It just must be you, you have to get the mener look I guess.LOL
Craig

[EX#996]

Gee Dawn
I've never had this problem at the local Harley dealer here or when I went to the Harley dealer on St Martin. It just must be you, you have to get the mener look I guess.LOL
Craig

LOL !!!!

I'll try, but I may need to have some lessons.  You'll have to show me how to scowl and look real mean.   ;)  (Do you think I can do it?)

Kim:

Thank you for you offer.  I may just take you up on that sometime.

Dawn   :D

[sportbikepete]

You want to have some fun? Next time you see a Harley broke down on the side of the road pull up on your Jap bike and offer him tools out of your kit. They hate that because they have to take advantage of the offer. Oh yeah make sure you get a picture too!

[roadracer797]

Dawn
Heck if anybody can make you look like you belong in a Harley shop it would be me, you know I scowl all the time, so any time just call and I teach it to you.
Craig >:(

[Baltobuell]

 It's so true I'm ashamed. Even on a Buell the poser Harley guys don't wave. Truth is most of em are professional types that missed out on being a wildster in the 70's. The other day I was standing there and it occured to me, "This place looks like they're holding Santa Claus tryouts or something." But believe it or not, some of the Harley shops have the best mechanics to be found.
 Dawn, don't go to that shop if they are ignorant. There is plenty of good shops around.

[GSXR RACER MIKE]

   A few years ago I was sitting at a stop light in town on my ZX-11 at about 2a.m. when a guy on a Harley came around the corner at about 15mph and dropped the thing right in front of me. Needless to say he was under the influence of some alchohal based blood thinners of some type and the little guy ended up pinned under the bike. He was trying to get his leg out from under the thing, but wasn't doing to well, so I offered to help him. He totally ignored me when he saw I was on a crotch rocket and continued to struggle till he finally got out from under the beast. He then had a hell of a time getting the thing upright and when he did he had to push it to the side of the street cause it wouldn't start.
   It's too bad that other motorcycle riders have to be like this. There is too few of us, percentage wise to cars, on the road!

[Jeff]

The first question I get asked when non-cycle people find out I ride is:  "What kind of Harley do you have?"   ???

The people that work for me know I race, hell, all I talk about is bikes.  There's tons of pics in my office, etc.  Well, out of the goodness of their hearts they got me a gift card for Christmas...  It's to HAL'S!!!  (hal's is one of the big harley shops here locally).

OMG.  I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.  ;D :'(

I'm sure I can have them order something for me, and I'm sure I can rent a car and wear a disguise so nobody sees me in there, but I just think of how much further the $$ would go at Lake Country PowerSports  :P

Oh well, it's the thought, and I'm still glad they thought highly enough of me to get me something.

[the_weggie_man]

Take the card to Terry Galagan in the race shop at Hal's and he will put it to good use for you. They have a dyno and don't exclude jap bikes. Terry has been the man behind Hal's championship roadrace team for many years and used to wrench lots o' jap bikes including Scott Zampach's stuff many years ago. He knows his stuff and racing, any bike, is in his heart.

By the way, Hal's is always a big supporter of the Wegman Fund because of Terry.

[Dawn]

Take the card to Terry Galagan in the race shop at Hal's and he will put it to good use for you. They have a dyno and don't exclude jap bikes. Terry has been the man behind Hal's championship roadrace team for many years and used to wrench lots o' jap bikes including Scott Zampach's stuff many years ago. He knows his stuff and racing, any bike, is in his heart.

By the way, Hal's is always a big supporter of the Wegman Fund because of Terry.

Thank you for your words of wisdom...  

Dawn  

[Baltobuell]

  How ironic! Hal's is like the primier race shop in the country if you ride a Buell. Obviously you don't. Life ain't fair but what are the odds. Like I said before though, HD shops have some of the best mechanics, and Hal's is a prime example. You should be able to find something.

[Jeff]

How ironic! Hal's is like the primier race shop in the country if you ride a Buell. Obviously you don't. Life ain't fair but what are the odds. Like I said before though, HD shops have some of the best mechanics, and Hal's is a prime example. You should be able to find something.

I'm sure I'll find something, and I'll take the advice of talking to Terry.  I just cringe since I have an excellent relationship with another local dealer, and the thought of paying "retail" for anything makes me cry.

[Baltobuell]

 I don't know Terry at Hal's, but Todd Evans knows his stuff.

[Jeff]

I don't know Terry at Hal's, but Todd Evans knows his stuff.

C'mon! Anybody who wrenches with SAE can't know that much! ;-)

(yes, it was a joke. I do realize that harley mechanics are some of the best because of the constant practice they get ;-) oh man, I kill myself, I gotta stop)

Merry Christmas to everyone!

[the_weggie_man]

Todd and Terry have worked together for many years on Hal's race team. Both great guys, super mechanics and party animals supreme .......

[Eddie#200]

Dawn,

Actually there is a real reason he won't run your bike.  


If you needed carb work to get your bike running better...he couldn't do it becaues he can't tune a bike with more than one carb!   LOL  bwahahahahahah! ;D ;D ;D

[EX#996]

If you needed carb work to get your bike running better...he couldn't do it becaues he can't tune a bike with more than one carb!   LOL  bwahahahahahah! ;D ;D ;D

LOL !!!!!!

No I was only looking for a baseline.  I would really like to do a tear down and refresh the engine and it would be nice to have a before and after to see if it was done right.

Oh well, I guess we'll just wing it.

Dawn  

[Baltobuell]

 Cute, very cute. But when you start talking lathing pistons, squish area, vs valve size, with what degree cam will work with it and why, or remapping a ecm, some of us amatures still look for advice.:) Oh yeah, and Todd has been known to work for beer Thank God because he sure bailed me out in W.Va. Did I mention they are nice people.

[Dawn]

Cute, very cute. But when you start talking lathing pistons, squish area, vs valve size, with what degree cam will work with it and why, or remapping a ecm, some of us amatures still look for advice.:) Oh yeah, and Todd has been known to work for beer Thank God because he sure bailed me out in W.Va. Did I mention they are nice people.

We're just teasing -

It's just like the car guy's:  Ford vs. Chevy

Well:  Japan vs. Harley

It's all about the entertainment value.

Dawn  

[Baltobuell]

 Oh I know it's all in fun. What else we gonna do all winter but talk trash. In the summer we'd have to back it up. :) I just can't see me on an inline, as much as I'd like to try one, I think the sound alone would be unnerving. Maybe in the spring somebody will swap bikes with me for a practice or something and I'll get to see if I could deal with the turbine tones. The new R6's just look nasty, and the prices of some of the used stuff is almost a, why not try it n'see deal.
 It's kinda wierd though, I guess it's just people are curious, but at the track, people talk to me about my bike all the time and I get to meet alot of nice folks that I wouldn't have, just being the only "ol'dude with the Harley."

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

As a lifetime inline four guy, I couldn't believe it when I raced a friend's SV around Blackhawk.  It was like the bike didn't even realize that this was a race.  Baaaaaaaaaaa...Bwaaaaaaaaa..Bwaaaaaaaa. ???

I guess I'm just used to the frantic scream of a four.  At least the bike seems as worked up as I am! :o

[Protein Filled]

Oh, Chris...That's just cuz you were not going fast enough...you should go light up another cigarrete!!!


 ;D ;D ;D

[Dawn]

As a lifetime inline four guy, I couldn't believe it when I raced a friend's SV around Blackhawk.  It was like the bike didn't even realize that this was a race.  Baaaaaaaaaaa...Bwaaaaaaaaa..Bwaaaaaaaa. ???

I guess I'm just used to the frantic scream of a four.  At least the bike seems as worked up as I am! :o

Chris:

Paul says the same thing.  He has told me:  "I love my SV, but there is such a rush going under the Motorola bridge at RA and hearing the scream of the ZX-6"

Dawn  

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

Dawn says:  there is such a rush going under the Motorola bridge at RA and hearing the scream of the ZX-6"

OK, I'm hard.  Could you stop that please!  How much longer do we have to wait?  I don't want a cigarette. :o

[EX#996]

Could you stop that please!  How much longer do we have to wait?   :o

LOL!!!!

I come home last night and Paul was in training.  He had the playstation with all the racing games out and the sound going through the stereo for better effect.  He tells me with a grin:  "I was training for hours, hoening my reflexes."

I think he must have over done it because he challenged me to a few rounds of Sled Storm.  Needless say after two races he said he had enough.   ;D  

Dawn   ;)

[KBOlsen]

LOL!!!  I love my Harley mechanic. :-*