mes (04/25/83)
#N:harpo:7000016:000:2488
harpo!mes Apr 24 21:26:00 1983
My main problem with Harley has nothing to do with the motorcycle at all!
In fact, judging from the ads I've seen recently, is has little to do with
the corporation, either... Rather, the problem I've experienced is with the
dealers of these fine examples of superior American engineering (no flames -
tongue is firmly inserted in cheek)...
(mild flame starts here)
Twice I have walked into Harley dealerships... one in Hope, NJ, and the
other in Stroudsburg, PA.
Twice I have had the intention of at least finding out what a Harley is,
costs, isn't, and maybe why some are so very very devoted to them.
Twice I have approached Harley with an open mind, even though my natural
inclination is/was that this probably wasn't the machine for me, for
a multitude of reasons.
And twice, I was greeted by the most unfriendly, unreasonable,
unknowledgeable, unintelligent excuses for sales representatives that
I have ever had the misfortune to come across in my entire life!
In one instance, I approached the dealership on my Kawasaki, and I guess
that was a bad idea, as the sales rep said to me, and this is as near a
quote as memory allows, "So-- you want to look at *real* motorcycles, huh?"
(Somehow, the printed word does not convey the derision in this individuals
voice). I informed him that I would like to look around, yes, and he informed
me that I couild look but extolled me not to sit on, touch, breath on, or
otherwise contaminate his lovely machines. Well, at that, I tried my best
to float out of there without letting my feet dirty his lovely floor...
The second incident was similar, so I wont repeat it...
Basically, I guess you must be a Harley owner/rider a priori to buying a
Harley in order for the dealers to recognize you as a potential customer!
Now, with a sales organization dedicated to driving away customers, no wonder
the company is in trouble!!!!
Come to think of it, this attitude is common with plain Harley owners, as well.
I have met very few HD owners that are friendly to people that show up on
a Japanese machine. In fact, the only real friendly Harley owner I've ever met
while riding my own machine was a 57 year old dentist from Scranton out for
the afternoon on his $8500, brand new, Electro-glide...
Oh well.......
Michael Sajor, whuxc!mes, BTL/Whippany, NJ
(ignore header return address)