Why you shouldn't care about what Yelp says.

There's really no worse, or lower human being than an elite Yelper.  Just browse some of their reviews, and you'll see they are the picture of entitled and unhappy with everything.  They don't like waiting, they don't like the temperature of their coffee, and they certainly don't like being called out when they are rude customers.

Last year we had our first negative review from a dick named Brad, who is a school teacher in Los Angeles.  We knew from the beginning this guy was going to be a problem, but we still decided to work on his motorcycle.

The story is simple.  After ten emails, he finally decided to bring in his vintage motorcycle, simply explaining he needed the clutch set correctly because he couldn't do it and handed us a box of parts.  We set out to repair the clutch and get the motorcycle operating correctly.  We did so rather quickly and called him to pick it up.

When he arrived, we warmly greeted him, and the first thing he says is "we have a big problem" to which we asked "what?" puzzled because he hadn't even ridden the motorcycle and he says "you didn't put the battery box on" to which we replied, "you didn't ask us to do that."

His reply was, " well, I guess I needed to give you step by step instructions."  Talking to us like we are some sort of crayon eating idiot.

Now usually this is where a business owner might apologize for the misunderstanding, but in this situation, we were very clear on the work he wanted to be done and nothing more.

So instead of apologizing, I told him that nobody talks to us like that and to get the fuck out of the shop. He looked at me like I was kidding, but we told him we were serious and to take his motorcycle and go.

A short time later, we get a call claiming we stole his battery even though we returned everything he gave us and then proceeded to leave us a review on Yelp and Google.

The funny part in all of this is that we ate a $450.00 invoice just to get a negative review.  No winning with this guy even after explaining why would we steal a used battery when we can buy them at cost?

When I tried to leave a response to his review, Yelp said it didn't comply with their policies. ( what they really mean is that I don't pay for advertising!)  Then for weeks after, we received numerous sales calls from Yelp trying to get us to advertise.  Interesting how that occurred only after we tried to dispute the review.

Here is a copy of our response.

Yes!!! Finally, our first negative review. Thanks Brad! Seeing as this is our first and only negative review, this says more about reviewer being petty and feckless than it does about a business which, by all the positive reviews, provides exceptional service. Companies don't need to tolerate a disrespectful customer and the negativity he brought into the shop, and thankfully for us, he has been the only customer we have had a problem with. You received what amounts to free work on your motorcycle, and yet you still complain and accused us only after you left of keeping a battery that you never gave us, even though we returned a box full of parts that you did provide. One only needs to look no further than your prolific negative review campaign against other businesses on multiple sites to see the only joy you find in life is by leaving negative reviews. And yes, you are right; attorneys are useful against slanderous slime that hide behind posting negative reviews. We have zero-tolerance for slander and will protect our exceptional reputation by whatever means necessary. Businesses need to stand up to this type of customer and these bogus reviews

Apparently, when you treat people like they treat you, they get upset.

So our advice when it comes to Yelp is to set the phone down and try having your own personal experience then make a choice.  Many times a phone call or in-person visit will tell you all you need to know.  Also, don't forget to check the hidden reviews because we have found many of those are the actual real reviews.  Those are the people who don't leave reviews and decide that one time it met with their expectations and actually took the time to leave a review.

Our advice to the negative reviewer is when you leave more 1-star reviews, then 5-star reviews, it might be time to reevaluate your life choices, Brad. 

https/www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=EUP9iObXx1POfYmIscKrxQ 

What fuel management system do I use for a Harley-Davidson?

Well, the simple answer in California is only one that is CARB and EPA compliant because no vendor will ship it to you.

We could cover the reasons why but if you have been on the forums and other sites sell exhausts and other emissions-related components then you would know that California some of the toughest restrictions and regulations regarding the changing of emissions components.

Also, numerous customers are reporting that Harley-Davidson is not honoring warranty work or at least making it very difficult when needing warranty repairs.

For a really good and in-depth look at fuel management systems, I would watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNEURz3I3kc from Doc Harley at Low Country Harley-Davidson.

Listen really carefully to his speech about the warranty.

Also, please be aware that in California there is a modified exhaust law that requires a citation for any violation. In many cases may also result in a trip to the Bureau of Automotive Repair referee to confirm you have fixed the exhaust.

Brake Fluid Change and Flush - What's the big deal and why every two years?

They say a picture is worth a thousand words…

Brake fluid change is a topic that has been generating discussion lately when previously, most riders ignored the service interval in the owner's manual.  The debate really took off when Harley was forced to recall motorcycles due to water getting into the ABS unit freezing the pistons, and now everyone recommends the two-year/24k miles replacement of fluid regardless of miles or condition of the existing fluid.

Let me start with some simple facts. Dot 4 Brake Fluid has a “dry” boiling point of 446 °F. Dry refers to fresh, brand new brake fluid. It has a “wet” boiling point of 311 °F. Wet is when it has absorbed 3.7% water by volume. Basically a few drops of water/moisture can drop the boiling point drastically.

Now let's talk Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Many of the rear brake master cylinders are located directly next to the exhaust, which we know is hot, then add that brakes can develop a substantial amount of heat, particularly when used repeatedly, and you get to at or above the boiling point very quickly.

So now that we have a little understanding, add in that if you remove the cap covering the master cylinder reservoir you introduce air which contains moisture. Plus, water can get in through the microscopic pores in your hydraulic lines.  Once water gets into the system it can theoretically float to the top and to the highest point in the system, which many times is the ABS unit. Once there, it leaves deposits that can stick to the valves that actuate the ABS system defeating its purpose. On older non-ABS systems this water typically traveled to the master cylinder which is the highest point in the system which is why this really wasn’t such an issue in pre-ABS motorcycles.

Much more can be written about this topic but the safe choice is to change it every two years/24,000 miles. We also recommend it get changed any other time work is performed in the brake system.