Don't fly your flags on the bike! Hope this doesn't become a trend

[taxmyzer]

Harley Davidson denies warranty claim due to added wind resistance from flying Flags.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/05/22...nd-resistance/

[sddinnh]

Anything not to pay - thats become the mantra of the corporations.

[oldguyinTX]

Yeah, and BRP is one of them.

[KAPike]

Yeah, and BRP is one of them.

Yep and let's be fair here boys.

"Harley-Davidson says the warranty is still in effect and just his warranty claim has been denied. He was told by the motorcycle behemoth it would not honor the warranty after the clutch and transmission failed on a recent ride to Dallas, claiming that that the American flag-- as well as other banners-- caused unneeded wind resistance."

I know it easier to jump on the HATE CORPORATE" band wagon, but at some point we have to be responsible for our actions. After all I'm sure the owner of the affected Harley-Davidson, former State Senator David Zien understands that all to well. I'd love to see his voting record and who's PAC funds he accepted.

[wyliec]

I guess the lesson learned here is, if you end up in a similar situation, remove what could be deemed the cause of the problem, and then bring it in for repairs. Or, be honest and leave everything in place, and pay.

[prmurat]

FOX so happy to jump on this... I can imagine the resistance caused by these many flags (specially the NRA one (sarcasm)) and how the clutch and primary must suffer... Why should Harley should pay for it?? Just cause there is a US flag?? Will FOX would even mention it if the guy was flying the gay banner??

[Illinois Boy]

Yep and let's be fair here boys.

"Harley-Davidson says the warranty is still in effect and just his warranty claim has been denied. He was told by the motorcycle behemoth it would not honor the warranty after the clutch and transmission failed on a recent ride to Dallas, claiming that that the American flag-- as well as other banners-- caused unneeded wind resistance."

I know it easier to jump on the HATE CORPORATE" band wagon, but at some point we have to be responsible for our actions. After all I'm sure the owner of the affected Harley-Davidson, former State Senator David Zien understands that all to well. I'd love to see his voting record and who's PAC funds he accepted.

I agree.

This guy seems like a idiot trying to get some attention...

For those that are bashing the company (or any company); I would suggest you produce a product and then fully warranty anything your buyers do to it that causes problems. It will not take long before you change your tune.

Again, this guy is an idiot to begin with.

[Chupaca]

guess pulling a trailer is no drag at all... Riding with big mama causes no wind resistance.. Those picture window winsheild don't cause wind resistance.. Could go on...could..!!

[Jeriatric]

She added "that the flag mounts that Zien used - were not - Harley products."

“When you alter a motorcycle with non-compliant products, that does impact your ability to make a warranty claim," she said.

[MRH]

I have a hard time believing that a flag causes enough drag to damage the bike.

That said, this is a P.R blunder of massive proportions. This will be one of the most expensive warranty claims in the history of the company in terms of lost brand value.

[Mspiv]

I agree.

This guy seems like a idiot trying to get some attention...

For those that are bashing the company (or any company); I would suggest you produce a product and then fully warranty anything your buyers do to it that causes problems. It will not take long before you change your tune.

Again, this guy is an idiot to begin with.

I think LL BEAN does this with its products. Or they used too.

[Red RT-S]

Must have been a slow news day!

[Bob Denman]

Harley's stretching on this one... If the fender tore loose from the bike, there'd be no question...
They'll need some extra-strong Kung-Fu; to make this decision stick!

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

There are 7 flags, some big. Harley may well have a valid point.

Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk

[sddinnh]

There are 7 flags, some big. Harley may well have a valid point.

Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk

So every one of you who has put absolutely anything on your bike which is not BRP produced or recommended can expect to loose your warranty Tires, windshields, seats, shocks, anti-sway bars, removing the cat, modifying the air intake system, blocking off air vents, drilling holes in panels, etc all count against you. Plus, there are thousands of things that aftermarket makers produce that are not factory approved and there are few of us who haven't done something, including just simply exceeding the weight limitations, that is not BRP approved. Do you realize that 2 decent size adults, with luggage, will exceed or equal the weight limitations of even a Harley? So, do you spent days taking all that stuff off before you take it in for warranty work or do you just take it in and hope the company doesn't deny you coverage? Like most of you, I do the latter, but will there come a day when they deny my warranty claim on the engine because the after market seat caused excessive heat retention?

Before you jump all over me, I'm not saying that we shouldn't be responsible for the stupid things we do nor am I simply jumping on the corporations. If you put a turbo charger on your engine and then expect the company to fix the engine when it blows up, you are clearly at fault so I'm not saying that corporations need to honor every warranty item that comes in the door. But, come on, adding flags to a bike creates enough drag to break a transmission, give me a break. If Harley transmissions are that weak, then how do they haul 500 pounds of people and luggage up a hill?

I am old enough to remember when people were proud of what they built and were willing to stand behind it when it broke or didn't work right as long as you didn't outright abuse it. In fact, even if you did they would sometimes stand behind it. Unfortunately, we now live in a world where litigation and profit mostly outweigh common sense and honesty. My Father once said to me that he thought that he had lived to see the best of America (He was born in 1917 and died in 2004). I scoffed at him at the time, but now, as time goes on, and with all the things I see happen around us, I'm not so sure anymore that he wasn't right.

[cuznjohn]

if you can't fly a flag due to drag, what about riding two up

[Bob Denman]

Aftermarket parts won't void a warranty; it might make collecting on it for a failure due to those parts a bit of a problem; that's all.
Example: Let's say that you add an aftermarket Anti-SwayBar to your new RT...
...and an A-Arm suffers a catastrophic failure that results in a totalled bike...
You're probably going to be on your own! BRP could make the case that the unauthorized part added extra stresses to the front suspension; causing the failure!
But if your radio quits working... your coverage is still rock-solid!

[wyliec]

So, do you spent days taking all that stuff off before you take it in for warranty work or do you just take it in and hope the company doesn't deny you coverage? Like most of you, I do the latter, but will there come a day when they deny my warranty claim on the engine because the after market seat caused excessive heat retention?

Are you sure about that? If you have some mechanical knowledge, there's no need to pull all your add-ons off. Just a little example: many on here were modifying the vent hose from the engine to the air box (on the 2008 and 2009 spyders) to lessen the oil buildup in the air box. Long story short, my dealer saw it and said there could be a warranty issue with the modified vent hose, if I had a problem. I removed it before taking it in for an oil leak. The bottom gasket on the rear cylinder needed to be replaced, which meant an engine pull. I know exactly what happened and I caused it.

Sorry, back to flying flags.

[billybovine]

There are a lot of variables here but, 7 flags at highway speed, that could easily exceed 1,000 pounds of drag and if there were a lot of big ones maybe even a ton.

[cuznjohn]

Aftermarket parts won't void a warranty; it might make collecting on it for a failure due to those parts a bit of a problem; that's all.
Example: Let's say that you add an aftermarket Anti-SwayBar to your new RT...
...and an A-Arm suffers a catastrophic failure that results in a totalled bike...
You're probably going to be on your own! BRP could make the case that the unauthorized part added extra stresses to the front suspension; causing the failure!
But if your radio quits working... your coverage is still rock-solid!

well i am a pretty big guy, 300 plus pounds almost 6 foot tall, so me riding my bike i could be considered after market because i was not made with the bike so all warranty work could be denied

[Bob Denman]

They always say that "The loose nut behind the Bars", causes most of the problems!

[prmurat]

There are a lot of variables here but, 7 flags at highway speed, that could easily exceed 1,000 pounds of drag and if there were a lot of big ones maybe even a ton.

+1

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I am old enough to remember when people were proud of what they built and were willing to stand behind it when it broke or didn't work right as long as you didn't outright abuse it. In fact, even if you did they would sometimes stand behind it. Unfortunately, we now live in a world where litigation and profit mostly outweigh common sense and honesty. My Father once said to me that he thought that he had lived to see the best of America (He was born in 1917 and died in 2004). I scoffed at him at the time, but now, as time goes on, and with all the things I see happen around us, I'm not so sure anymore that he wasn't right.

What you are witnessing is an approach to machine design that brings the actual design closer to the expected operational range. Some equipment in the past was grossly over built due to limited design capability and techniques. On the other hand, a lot of stuff in the past didn't have near the useful life there is today. Fifty years ago cars seldom lasted more than a 100k miles. Today many aren't even well used until they hit that mileage, and aren't worn out until 200k.

In some ways your dad was right. Corporate investors' greed for profits is paramount and the innovations in large machinery isn't as common as it was 50 - 100 years ago.

Now, about the flags. Your Spyder is rated to pull a 400 lb trailer, and most likely will do that day in and day out. If the transmission fails while in the warranty period, BRP will fix it, no hassle. But, if you are a pulling an 800 lb trailer up and down the hills of the Rockies, or Arkansas, and your transmission craps out, and BRP knows you were doing that, you can forget about a warranty repair. It's a matter of degree.

What the Harley rider was doing may very well have created a much greater drag on the bike than it was designed for. We don't know, and won't know until someone does some objective testing. Carrying weight on the bike or trailer impacts the bike by additional drag caused by rolling friction and probably doesn't add much additional air drag. Flags are all air drag.

[flaggerphil]

The idiot is flying 7 flags from his bike! Come on...that's just stupid.

[Bob Denman]

He certainly was pushing the limits for all that he could...
(Which was more than the bike could stand! )

We all pay for this kind of foolishness, when a warranty claim is covering something that it should not...
If the guy did it out of ignorance; I feel sorry for him.
If he only did it to draw attention to himself...