DON'T GET SCAMMED AT YOUR MOTORCYCLE DEALERSHIP AND WIRING TIPS

Going to an established motorcycle dealership does not guarantee their mechanics are honest and trustworthy. Being in business over 10 years we’ve seen just about everything.  Shops charging anywhere from $250 to $1500 for the same installation!  On newer Harley’s they’re using the Can Bus system.  So unlike the old bikes where you have to pull a thick pack of wires through, the Can Bus just pulls a few on each side.  When it comes to aftermarket custom installations, it’s not uncommon in our industry to see such shady individuals falsely claim defects or poor quality exists, suggesting that the bars have jagged edges which took a significant amount of time to clean out and perhaps replacing wiring so they can (1) charge customers for additional labor and / or (2) try to convince that customer to switch to a like product they sell.

 Our manufacturing specifically addresses this step.  We intentionally smooth out any and all such jagged edges specifically to ensure wiring is unaffected.  Our bars cannot go to the next step in manufacturing this step is completed.  Almost always the mechanic will not show a customer the alleged jagged edges in advance.  They only mention it after they’ve supposedly removed them after a laborious, time consuming process.  Furthermore, there is no tool that can reach such jagged edges to smooth them out once the center and hand controls have been TIG welded. A file cannot enter the bottom or top holes and make the angle to clean the inside edges.  Here’s how we clean the insides of the bars prior to welding them… https://www.instagram.com/p/BpVO7fjB4Pa/

For our customers who choose to install on their own we offer some tips I’ll share with you.  Our customers who followed our suggestions, circled back with us after they finished saying how simple and seemless the installation went.  First of all, the key is using tesa tape (a smooth cloth tape).  Use 80lb test fishing line with a small weight to get the line through the bars. Pull any bulky plastic covers off the harness and wrap the harness with tesa tape.  Next, pull the wires through with a parachute cord.  When pulling through the right side, tape the throttle-by-wire and remaining wires together then pull both through at the same time.  Never use electrical tape as it can catch easy, bundle up and make a mess.  It's a game of push and pull.

I’m not saying we’re perfect and it’s impossible for us to miss something.  However we pride ourselves in exceptional quality.  For example, bars made in China commonly use an inferior Booger looking MIG weld process.  FMB’s welder (formerly worked for Nascar and is a metal artist) hand TIG welds every bar.  Just look at our craftsmanship on the outside and under the meat hooks to see the stacked dimes.

The reason for our success over the past decade is that at the end of the day, we’re obsessed with satisfying our customers.  The vast majority of our growth has come from referral business which has only been possible because our collective customer’s have recommended us to their friends and family time and time again.  I’m hopeful after reading this you’ll have a better understanding of our passion, pride and commitment to our products and customers.

Luna metal Buildings and concrete scam artist's ?

I’m writing this to share my series of unfortunate experiences upon hiring Luna Metal Buildings and Concrete.  I say experiences (plural) because they failed to disclose pertinent information, conduct themselves honestly and deliver the product I should have received.  I’ll start from the beginning…

I contacted Luna Metal Buildings and Concrete with the intention of purchasing a 30x31 metal building. I spoke with Sofia, their representative.  She informed me I needed to provide them with an initial cash deposit or cashers check to get the ball rolling.  Once they received this initial payment they’d come out and pour the concrete within 2 to 3 weeks. Following the concrete installation, the building would be installed within an additional 2 to 3 weeks.  The balance would be due at this point in time.  She asked me if I was going to pull a permit and I differed to her asking if I needed one.  Her response was simply I didn’t need a permit.  Knowing what I know now, Sofia should have said is if this new building was being installed “as is” on farm exempt property, then no permit would be required.  HOWEVER if electric was going to be run to the building, then a permit would in fact be required.  Sofia also neglected to mention their buildings are NOT up to code when a permit is not pulled.  In short, you basically get an expensive shed.  When a permit is pulled, to meet code, Luna installs additional strap-downs and support beams.  I now regret accepting Sofia’s incorrect answers which I wish I researched further on my own.  It’s unfortunate I couldn’t rely on receiving accurate information from the company I hired and entrusted.

Moving forward…  After I provided them my initial payment, not 2-3 weeks later but 5 weeks later they called and said they were coming out to pour the concrete and asked if I needed any grading. I said it was pretty flat and sent them a photo.  They arrived with Bob Cat (no concrete equipment) and said the far side was low and needed 30 yards of fill dirt.  I asked the price for the dirt they said $920.  I felt this price was extremely high so I said they could return once I sourced the fill dirt elsewhere.  I ordered it from a local source for $230 and informed Luna it would arrive the following day. Luna told me I owed them $250 for having to come back out.  Nice try…my response was even if it did not need grading you wouldn’t have been able to install the concrete today because you brought no concrete equipment with you…just the Bob Cat.  They just smiled at one another, said something under their breaths in Spanish and left.  Needless to say, they didn’t pursue the additional $250 “return” charge.

When they did return to grade, they quoted me $400, which I found acceptable.  Now having a better sense of the “lay of the land” I said I was interested in having the concrete pad poured 5 feet wider.  Luna said it would not be much more money and they suggested pouring a footer on the side where the fill dirt was added for $300.00 which I was fine with.   Going by what they were charging for concrete I figured the extra 5x30 would be about $500-600.  The concrete was poured and all looked good on the surface.  Then I received a phone call from Luna saying the extra 5x30 of concrete was an additional $1500!  When I complained, they came back with $900 and $300 more for the footer.  So I checked my video cameras, rolled back the tape to just before they poured and discovered they NEVER INSTALLED A FOOTER!  I call in their lead guy, showed him the video and he said “I dug down an inch right at the 2x4 border” to which I replied, THAT’S NOT A FOOTER!!!

 I called Luna to report what happened, and they said the worker in question is also a “Pastor and a good Christian” and he would never do that. Long story short, they couldn’t dispute the video evidence and did not charge me for the so-called footer that never was.  I imagine, the owner trying to save face called me back and said he’d either take some money off the price or give me taller ceiling.  He then goes onto tell me the concrete company has no affiliation with Luna...they’re a sub-contractor.  A complete reversal of what they represented before there was a problem.

At this point the building is done and it looks good other than the fact I ordered green and I ended up with red.  I would have appreciated if the workers would have removed the 3 huge bags of trash and metal scraps they left behind.

Fast forward a month later I called the electric company to have them come out and determine how to run electric to the building.  Contrary to what Sofia with Luna stated, I was told I’d need to pull a permit to install the breaker box.  When I made a subsequent call into the permitting department, they said I’d need to start at the beginning and get multiple permits.  Zoning, health and the actual building permit. They said a build packet from Luma would need to be produced to show the building is up to code.  Which as you know from earlier, it is not to code.  So of course, I never received said packet from Luna.  In the end, spent about $15K for a shed. I asked Luna if I could pay more to get the added equipment needed to bring it up to code and they said they did not think so but would get back to me.  Still waiting.

I have never dealt with a company this bad on so many levels.  From dishonestly to gross negligence. 

It is my personal opinion after hiring Luna you’d be best served to find an alternative metal building company to do business with.  One with better online feedback and less complaints.

Kabbage Funding is the worst ?

Harley-Davidson Sportster vs. Indian Scout

When the 2019 Indian Scout showed up in the Ultimate Motorcycling garage, we didn’t immediately think about stoking the Indian vs. Harley-Davidson rivalry—it took about 10 seconds to go there.

So, we looked to the Harley-Davidson Sportster line for a challenger, and the 2019 Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight Special stood out as the motorcycle to take on the 2019 Indian Scout.

Harley-Davidson Appoints First-Ever Brand President

Harley-Davidson Inc. has appointed Neil Grimmer to the newly created position of brand president with the responsibility of growing riders globally, the company has announced. Reporting directly to President and Chief Executive Matt Levatich, Grimmer is responsible for all aspects of the Harley-Davidson brand including product planning, marketing, retail, apparel, and communications.