Posted on 05/29/2014 1:29:39 AM PDT by kingattax
As a former politician, Dave Zien has built a reputation for defending motorcyclists' rights – as well as cruising the country with patriotic flags hanging off the back of his Harley-Davidson motorcycle for millions of miles.
So it came as something of a shock when Harley rejected a warranty repair Zien sought for a broken clutch on a new Harley trike — citing his flags as the real cause. Zien, who bought the bike new in March, has voiced his displeasure throughout the biker community, telling Fox News that Harley-Davidson informed him he was "blocked" because of his flag displays, and can "never get any warranty work" for seven years.
Harley-Davidson responded to the Journal Sentinel of Milwaukee, stating that Zien's warranty is still valid, but that it denied this claim due to the the "terrific drag (the flags create) on the engine and transmission." The company also says that the flag mounts used were not Harley products, which played a part in the claim's denial, despite Zien arguing that a registered Harley dealer installed the mounts.
Zien, aged 64, served as a U.S. marine in Vietnam in the late '60s, prior to joining the Wisconsin State Senate between 1993 and 2006. His stint in the senate brought him some local recognition, but it was his full-size flags – including a 3-foot-by-5-foot American flag – waving proudly from behind his Harley that ensured an avid following of bikers.
(Excerpt) Read more at autos.yahoo.com ...
The clutch on HDs are wet and located in the primary chain case, which is separated from the transmission oil and engine oil. (No friction material will contaminate the other oils.)
more of a dump than a drag
Haven’t had a call for one, yet.
If it’s belt or chain drive, he can do it.
The “impossible” [like a Ridley] just takes a bit longer.
:)
Is there a clutch oil too?
Every HD shop now offers store-advertising shirts.
People collect ‘em to show where they’ve been.
That’s what I thought... the only thing I could see being banned is reprinting already-printed shirts.
Show where you’ve been, huh.
There is a city in Michigan named Hell, but there is no Hell Harley-Davidson. If there was, its T-shirt would show you had been to Hell and back.
(But there is a Paradise H-D, in Oregon.)
Maybe Hell is not a good place to have a dealership.
If by blessing you mean pay through the nose for a co-branding license, then yes I imagine they could. Bartels in LA has their logos on the back of official HD merch. No idea if they bought a license or are so big they do whatever they want. Our local HD dealer sells a full line of HD merch, none of it has their name on it.
Only the early Harleys and the belt-primary bikes had true dry clutches. The later bikes, and chain primaries from about 84 onward use wet clutches.
Harley does build a Trike. They have since 2009. The model is FLHTCUTG Tri-Glide Ultra Classic, and as someone else noted up-thread, it’s ridiculously pricey for what you get.
I’ve seen it in “little” dealerships in the Chicago, Illinois area.
Yep. These type policies usually end up effecting the biggest supporters of the product. HDs primary targets, custom cycle shops and ‘alternative lifestyle’ parlors never really stopped.
I haven’t worked around HD for years, but they were the most rabid at copyright enforcement. Still work in licensed sportswear and while some of the most recognized labels do have a few provisos with co-branding, I’ve never seen Nike threaten a golf shop for adding their name to a Nike polo.
My SIL is a PGA club pro and he has contracts with all his apparel suppliers. They have a corps of salespeople who visit all the time.
And?
I assume if this is the norm, there would be no reason for Nike to threaten any golf shop because they are business partners.
Your SIL has a golf shop, she has “contracts” with Nike to sell their apparel, she adds her name to the Nike merchandise then re-sells it. Correct?
yes (it’s actually my Son in law)
Regardless. I sell Nike's golf apparel line, along with Russell, Champion and many others. No contract is required for any portion of the transaction. And as I say, I've never heard of Nike making life difficult for any golf shop that puts it's name on a Nike polo, which is the point. Where HD's copyright bulldogs are quite active, others are more tolerant.
Amen, Buddy has a fat boy and I would take my BMW over it any day of the week. Was like riding a horse bareback. No thanks. I’ll take german engineering and a real bike...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.