Aftermarket products. Does anyone know anything about anything?

[Baron14y]

My son has a 2008 Harley Electraglide Classic. Wants to put on 14" ape hangar bars. Ordered "full" install kit. Didn't come with wire extensions for the turn signals, headlights, etc. Called about it. "Oh, we didn't know whether you wanted those or not. They're extra". If it is supposed to be a full kit, why would there not be the extensions for the wiring? Do they think that you're not planning on using the headlights, etc? Also ordered the extension kit for the throttle by wire system. Entirely different connectors. The dealer is calling the mfg to find out what is going on. Also ordered a flasher kit for the headlights from Kinser. On their website it asks for the year of the bike, mfg, and model. Shows a kit on the screen. Ordered kit. What came was not what was shown on the website. That is bad enough, but what was delivered wasn't even for his machine. Had to call them and get the correct item shipped, I HOPE. Ordered a sheepskin seat cover for my Spyder from Lamonster. Ordered for the driver only. Got a full seat cover. Fine, except I have a drivers backrest and didn't want to have to disassemble 1/2 the bike to get the cover on. They, of course, sent the correct one and I sent the wrong one back.

Does anyone in the motorcycle world have a clue?

[Papa103]

Unfortunately that is a sign of the times. It happens to all of us and some of the vendors will communicate and some won't. Good luck with Lamonster's.

[Navydad]

Did they offer the universal excuse? It's the covid pandemic. I'm so tired of covid being blamed for incompetence.

[BajaRon]

I can tell you that anyone with a brain that wants to work, is working. The rest are either of another mental capacity, or they don't want to work. The government is paying people not to work. You can create your own scenarios as to why. But the end result is always the same. The ones who remain employed are paying the freight for those who are not. And it makes it hard to get good employees. And believe me, you can't do it all yourself.

I am hoping for a turn-a-round. But I've yet to see it coming.

Not making an excuse for poor customer service. Just saying there are ever more hurdles to overcome these days.

They used to say in the fire service; (particularly if you had the poor judgement to complain). 'If it was easy, everyone would be doing it'. I suppose they were right.

[UtahPete]

I can understand your frustration. Fortunately I haven't noticed a degraded level of service or competence from any of the vendors I use.

I'm also a reasonable and understanding shopper...maybe that has something to do with it? I don't really expect retail workers to know anything about the products they handle. Not talking about commissioned salespeople, of course.

[PMK]

I can tell you that anyone with a brain that wants to work, is working. The rest are either of another mental capacity, or they don't want to work. The government is paying people not to work. You can create your own scenarios as to why. But the end result is always the same. The ones who remain employed are paying the freight for those who are not. And it makes it hard to get good employees. And believe me, you can't do it all yourself.

I am hoping for a turn-a-round. But I've yet to see it coming.

Not making an excuse for poor customer service. Just saying there are ever more hurdles to overcome these days.

They used to say in the fire service; (particularly if you had the poor judgement to complain). 'If it was easy, everyone would be doing it'. I suppose they were right.

I know as fact that in the aviation industry, many with a brain are getting out early. The talent pool regarding techs is not very good, and the management pool above them is often worse. The guys with brains no longer want the BS from management, and simply got worn out cleaning up the damage created by those with no talent.

Better to be in a position of answering the phone, taking the good job tasks for worthy money, and turning down the disasters unfolding with a simple no thanks. Agree, it is not getting better.

Same in some other industries as well.

[Piratezz]

The ones with half a brain, go into management, The tech who's a bit savvy, are harder to come by, it's a big problem, that exists all over the world, We make it too easy, for those who don't wanna work.
We need to get away, from the halfbaked pampered youth, and go Oldskool again, where the experienced techies, give the youth a chance to learn. But nowadays the pressure to perform is much higher, and the experient techies, simply don't have the time, to pass on their Knowledge.....

Internet has brought alot of good things, but makes life on the (work)floor, alot difficulter..... The generation who comes after us oldies, just want to be a millionaire, without putting in the effort...
This is beginning to look, like a rant, but I run a small Windshield exchange shop overhere, and good staff is harder and harder to come by.

I have 3 on staff, and myself, one is 64, and a real workhorse, one is 45, also a workhorse, and a boy who is 19years old, and he 's learned the "hard"way, that things don't come easy...

[jnt]

Some are good; some otherwise. The good ones will be around for a while . . .

[Baron14y]

I haven't noticed a degraded level of service and competence from any of the vendors I use. I'm also a reasonable and understanding shopper...maybe that has something to do with it.

When a website shows item "A" for a particular machine, and I order item "A", and item "B" arrives, and neither "A" nor "B" is actually correct, I tend to get upset. I am reasonable, but I condone stupidity only so far.

[cptjam]

It is rampant! The issue is in every industry. I had to make a doctors appointment. Sounds simple, right? First, I had to get my doctor to request a referral. The referral office contacted the insurance company. They contacted the doctor. The doctors office was to call me to set the appointment. Guess what? Every step was somehow bungled, and I’m on the phone several hours each day, trying to sort this out. Still jacked up! Every office ends with “give it a couple of days, then call the next office in the chain”. 4 weeks, I’m no further along than I was! It gets better: the original referral has now expired! Back to square one!!!
Buying parts for a 13 year old Harley-Davidson that are custom and unique can be frustrating. At least they are available! Spyders don’t have that luxury!

[Baron14y]

It is rampant! The issue is in every industry. I had to make a doctors appointment. Sounds simple, right? First, I had to get my doctor to request a referral. The referral office contacted the insurance company. They contacted the doctor. The doctors office was to call me to set the appointment. Guess what? Every step was somehow bungled, and I’m on the phone several hours each day, trying to sort this out. Still jacked up! Every office ends with “give it a couple of days, then call the next office in the chain”. 4 weeks, I’m no further along than I was! It gets better: the original referral has now expired! Back to square one!!!
Buying parts for a 13 year old Harley-Davidson that are custom and unique can be frustrating. At least they are available! Spyders don’t have that luxury!

I feel your frustration. I go through the same thing. BTW, are you going to be in Deland in Nov?

[cptjam]

It does not look that way. Rallies are on, then off, then on….damn COVID! Even if it’s on, the number of customers might not be large enough to warrant a couple thousand mile ride. We love Florida! Been once this year, will probably go again. Just not to do alignments.

[Bfromla]

I can tell you that anyone with a brain that wants to work, is working. The rest are either of another mental capacity, or they don't want to work. The government is paying people not to work. You can create your own scenarios as to why. But the end result is always the same. The ones who remain employed are paying the freight for those who are not. And it makes it hard to get good employees. And believe me, you can't do it all yourself.

I am hoping for a turn-a-round. But I've yet to see it coming.

Not making an excuse for poor customer service. Just saying there are ever more hurdles to overcome these days.

They used to say in the fire service; (particularly if you had the poor judgement to complain). 'If it was easy, everyone would be doing it'. I suppose they were right.

With that said : additionally there are those I didn’t want/trust working around
For personal safety not just COVID safety 6922C4A4-6959-4784-91A3-6534F904D430.jpg
FYI :To be fair unfortunately have been removed from the workforce as of 2012 TBI,sorry can maybe mow yard/help &share some info or jokes. Thank the LORD can even do that

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Time for this one again!

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I was listening to an interview with a employment consultant. He said graduates are leaving college with degrees not knowing how to work. In many cases the example of their professors is take time off whenever you want and there's no need to live work life according to the clock. IMO, the younger generation isn't being taught how to work. One reason is kids can grow up easily without having to do chores and work for their spending money. Some of the responsibility for the issues complained about above does come back to the older generation, not because we have been neglectful but because of the automated world we have developed. After all, hasn't the mantra for years in the corporate world been, "Reduce labor costs!". We now are reaping the results of that attitude.

[BajaRon]

"Necessity is the mother of invention"

We've removed the 'Necessity' part. And so now we are losing the 'Invention' part. When people demand a 'Living Wage' for entry level jobs. We will end up losing both.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

When people demand a 'Living Wage' for entry level jobs. We will end up losing both.

Wages for entry level jobs aren't near the problem that low wages for jobs above entry level is. My daughter works as a home healthcare provider. Between the per hour wage and number of hours the company is willing to provide she can't anywhere near afford an apartment. She's living with us. My son works for Hon Furniture running all sorts of stamping, welding, and painting machines. Even with health insurance in the package what he is paid isn't enough to pay rent, buy groceries, gasoliine, and such and leave enough to buy a decent used car.

The wage and salary structure of this country is really screwed up. The rich are doing just fine. The working poor are struggling. Corporate leaders and financial tycoons bear most of the responsibility.

[Baron14y]

He said graduates are leaving college with degrees not knowing how to work.

Just spoke with a Marine who is on 100% disability due to wounds in Afghanistan, who had a platoon leader who just got out of ROTC. What was his major in college....wait for it....Chinese art history. You can't make this stuff up.

[UtahPete]

I was listening to an interview with a employment consultant. He said graduates are leaving college with degrees not knowing how to work. In many cases the example of their professors is take time off whenever you want and there's no need to live work life according to the clock. IMO, the younger generation isn't being taught how to work. One reason is kids can grow up easily without having to do chores and work for their spending money. Some of the responsibility for the issues complained about above does come back to the older generation, not because we have been neglectful but because of the automated world we have developed. After all, hasn't the mantra for years in the corporate world been, "Reduce labor costs!". We now are reaping the results of that attitude.

The purpose of college is to develop thinking skills, not working skills. The problem I think is too many 'college students' don't really belong there and there are too many unskilled workers in the work force chasing the same dwindling market for unskilled labor.

Employers are increasingly demanding college degrees for jobs that don't really require an advanced education..

We need a well developed trade school system in this country as a viable alternative to college or the military for young people with ambition. And, Capitalists need to appreciate and respect hard working laborers.

[Baron14y]

I can tell you that anyone with a brain that wants to work, is working. The rest are either of another mental capacity, or they don't want to work. The government is paying people not to work. You can create your own scenarios as to why. But the end result is always the same. The ones who remain employed are paying the freight for those who are not. And it makes it hard to get good employees. And believe me, you can't do it all yourself.

I am hoping for a turn-a-round. But I've yet to see it coming.

Not making an excuse for poor customer service. Just saying there are ever more hurdles to overcome these days.

They used to say in the fire service; (particularly if you had the poor judgement to complain). 'If it was easy, everyone would be doing it'. I suppose they were right.

The problem is, is that even if it is easy, nobody wants to do it.

[UtahPete]

I can tell you that anyone with a brain that wants to work, is working. The rest are either of another mental capacity, or they don't want to work.

I don't think it's that simple. Any time the economy goes through a major realignment good people suffer. I was an underemployed single dad from 1993 to 1996 due to no fault of my own. I literally chased employment opportunities from coast to coast during that time. I was highly qualified and willing to accept lower paying jobs, but nothing worked out for long until the economy turned around in the late 1990s.

I think we should quit blaming fellow Americans who find themselves on the short end of the economic stick for their own predicament or failures. That solves nothing and only serves to divide us, to the enormous delight of the wealthy and powerful.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

The purpose of college is to develop thinking skills, not working skills. The problem I think is too many 'college students' don't really belong there and there are too many unskilled workers in the work force chasing the same dwindling market for unskilled labor.

Employers are increasingly demanding college degrees for jobs that don't really require an advanced education..

We need a well developed trade school system in this country as a viable alternative to college or the military for young people with ambition. And, Capitalists need to appreciate and respect hard working laborers.

Professors have an obligation to demonstrate by example good working attitudes. When it comes to life skills people learn more by example than by book reading. Colleges also need to help students understand the reality of work life. Over 40 years ago I hired a guy who was desperately trying to get into journalism. He graduated from one of the UC schools with a degree in Journalism. He obviously had been given all the hype about how great a career he was going to have. When he left school with his diploma he said, "OK, world, here I am!" The world responded with, "Yeah, so?" He didn't know how to deal with it.

I was fed a lot of hype about how great the engineering field is. What I found was that most engineering work was super tech mundane stuff, and in some cases nothing more than applying recipes from engineering manuals. Only about 10% of engineering involved real creative engineering.

I particularly agree with your comments about corporate appreciation for the labor force and the need for more technical training. I've had experience with college grads trying to run a manufacturing line when they didn't know what they were doing. On the other hand I used to josh with my non-grad fellow workers and told them that everyone knows a college degree is worth ten years experience! They knew I was kidding of course.

[UtahPete]

As I recall, my 10 years with the Navy translated to 15 semester credits when I started Community College.