# Helping local business



## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

I have long worked to spend my money with people that live and work here. I will not got to Milwaukee or Madison to save a few bucks on a car , motorcycle or anything else. The local Harley dealer is a Local family owned dealership. Been here for over 60 years . The owner and his family work in the dealership. Not just hang around. The work 5-6 days a week. In the shop ,parts sales. Kind of place it takes me less than 15 minutes to buy a new ride. Most of the staff have been there for years. I have done business there a long time.
My 1996 Harley FB came from there. A bike I still own and ride. It has been the lowest cost per mile bike I have ever owned. It is one of some many over almost 50 years I can not remember them all. But it is one I will never forget.
Never was the fastest bike around. But nothing ever sounded better . Never the smoothest ride , but nothing ever felt better under me. A bike that never let us down in all those years. Not a single break down. Brakes ,tires basic maintenance. It is one my wife and I had so much fun on, to part with it would break both our hearts. Our Children rode on it , our grandchildren rode on it . Mounted a sidecar on it so Payton could add her name to those that rode on it. The sidecar was moved to another HD for her last year and is different than her Gold one.
24 years the bike is due for some Inspection of the Engine, trans and primary. I know there is an issue in the Trans or primary. Prefect timing. While the Governor say bicycle shops can stay fully open and sell their E-bikes. E-bike are PC. Harley's are not. Because of that no retail sales the front door is locked. A loop whole allows the service to stay open with restrictions.
I had planned on working on this bike as a labor of love. Busy with Payton it was not something I wanted to open up until her dad gets back. Made the call this morning and dropped it off at the dealership. I want it done and they need the work . We both win. Here it is it is know as the 1SG. Another story. 
This bike is here until I am dead. Then Sons will have it . Payton gets both sidecar rigs for her to enjoy as long as she wants.

As it was most of it's life and is now:










When it had the sidecar:


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

I've said it before and I'll say it again. The USA would be a heckuva lot better with more men like @Smitty901

Proud to know you Sir!


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

What Slippy said


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## T-Man 1066 (Jan 3, 2016)

Kutters in JVL? Not a HD guy myself but friends speak highly of them. More so than Kegels.


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

Wish we had a business like that to support around here.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

Never ran a HD but feel the same. I did wrench bikes a while, but that was Jap bikes Honda/Suzuki. Owner was kind of greedy.

I have a local Stihl (chainsaw) dealer run by the best man/mechanic in many miles. Ole Billy won't rape you on prices or labor. If I bring in a clean saw, stripped down , He'll put in new crank seals $20.

Same with other places. A pretty large local orchard is still selling fresh apples and cider. I just got 10-gal for my next batch of hard cider. 

Another is a butcher shop, they do all local meats and make some of the best sausage, kielbasa,.......then there is the farmers........chicken, pig, beef.........


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Many do not understand that a Dealership is a business separate from HD and ran to sell HD products. It is sad that many have turned in Big chain corporate own dealerships mainly because of the cost involved and lack of loyalty to local dealerships.
When I walk into Mischler's they know me, my wife , children and grandchildren. As we know theirs. In most case when one of or bikes goes in for work the same tech works on it. When I go into town I see the people that work there and the owner shopping and being a part of the community. We would all be better off if we could keep more of our cash at home.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

Smitty901 said:


> Many do not understand that a Dealership is a business separate from HD and ran to sell HD products. It is sad that many have turned in Big chain corporate own dealerships mainly because of the cost involved and lack of loyalty to local dealerships.
> When I walk into Mischler's they know me, my wife , children and grandchildren. As we know theirs. In most case when one of or bikes goes in for work the same tech works on it. When I go into town I see the people that work there and the owner shopping and being a part of the community. We would all be better off if we could keep more of our cash at home.


I guess you and I are old enough to remember when a "gas station" had a: tire machine, lift, belts, radiator hoses, tools and a mechanic during daytime hours. The tools needed to fix a car were simple and you didn't need a $100K computer to tell what gizmo was fubar.

God dammed, and yes they are dammed, oil and automobile companies, put an end to those "service stations" for the sake of GREED!

Most of my equipment is real old and USA made, that I can take a look at , and fix with my simple tool kit.

Even chainsaws have went techno. I was OK with a simple coil assy that replaced points, but new saws you need a computer....... F (sorry Denton?) THAT!!! My saws are late 80s-90s, a golden age before EPA and limiter cap carbs and unneeded electronic BS.

I do remember wrenching bikes that had 4 or 6 cylinders, and as many carbs, and making all those carbs work as one, sometimes cleaning them all 2-3 times........ Still I could fix it


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Mad Trapper said:


> I guess you and I are old enough to remember when a "gas station" had a: tire machine, lift, belts, radiator hoses, tools and a mechanic during daytime hours. The tools needed to fix a car were simple and you didn't need a $100K computer to tell what gizmo was fubar.
> 
> God dammed, and yes they are dammed, oil and automobile companies, put an end to those "service stations" for the sake of GREED!
> 
> ...


 It was not just oil companies. Small station could no longer afford the help on small margins. Gas stations became small grocery stores. Consumers moved in a different direction. People my age grew up pumping gas and doing points plugs , tire shocks in small stations. That world moved on. Cars need non stop maintenance and work. Now other than oil changes do nothing to most of them in 100.000 miles . Some 150,000 for plugs is normal now.
Even my 2017 RGU motorcycle is 30,000 on plugs and when you pull them they are fine even then.
Regulations did not help either. The cost of complying is to high for most small time shops.
Indy bike shops I know do a lot of cheating . And many still go under. Time marches on things will change


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

Smitty901 said:


> It was not just oil companies. Small station could no longer afford the help on small margins. Gas stations became small grocery stores. Consumers moved in a different direction. peopl my age grew up pumping gas and doing points plugs , tire shocks in small stations. That world moved on. Cars need non stop maintenance and work. Now other than oil changes do nothing to most of them in 100.000 miles . Some 150,000 for plugs is normal now.
> Even my 2017 RGU motorcycle is 30,000 on plugs and when you pull them they are fine even then.
> Regulations did not help either. The cost of complying is to high for most small time shops.


And many rides at 150,00 miles it's a too expensive rusted out POS that goes back to China in a scrap bin. But it only ate 1 set of sparkies...... The profits went to "USA" CEOs that got a USA taxpayer bailout to build new factories, in Brazil. What they "build here" is parts out sourced from 3rd world........ Think HD is "USA"?

I have a 1940 9N ford tractor. I can fix almost anything with the tools in the lunch box (remember those?) sized tool box. It runs all day on one tank of cheapest fuel you can find plowing or brush hogging. Problem is, good parts are drying up. Can't even find good points anymore. The Mexican ones are better than the Chinese ones, but they don't compare to old USA ones, that I have a stash of. I got 20 years off a set of USA points, and it still started in winter.

Think about that, my 80 year old tractor, with points and a 6V + ground ignition, manual choke carb, that starts when it's oF to plow snow, or 90 oF to mow hay. But I have to change the oil and sparkies every year..........with the tools in the "lunch box". I paid $1200 for it 45 years ago, with tire chains, grader blade, dirt scoop, furegsuson/dearborn harrow and plow. Back then I invested in a 5' Howse rotary cutter (USA $600) that only has needed welds for encounters with rocks and logs.

Now I could buy a new $50,000 tractor that would use more gas but never need a spark plug. When it $#!ts the bed in the field I can call up the dealer and have it hauled
to have a moron that that know didley, plug in a computer to sell me a new electronic gizmo from China. Then pay to get it hauled back, maybe a week later


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

Mad Trapper said:


> And many rides at 150,00 miles it's a too expensive rusted out POS that goes back to China in a scrap bin. But it only ate 1 set of sparkies...... The profits went to "USA" CEOs that got a USA taxpayer bailout to build new factories, in Brazil. What they "build here" is parts out sourced from 3rd world........ Think HD is "USA"?
> 
> I have a 1940 9N ford tractor. I can fix almost anything with the tools in the lunch box (remember those?) sized tool box. It runs all day on one tank of cheapest fuel you can find plowing or brush hogging. Problem is, good parts are drying up. Can't even find good points anymore. The Mexican ones are better than the Chinese ones, but they don't compare to old USA ones, that I have a stash of. I got 20 years off a set of USA points, and it still started in winter.
> 
> ...


On these thoughts, it's hard now, to find a mechanic that knows how to set a point ignition. We could do it with a match book cover (matches not lighters) and a rolling paper for timing.

On SBC and old Dodges, when I checked those cars/trucks with a light, I was +/- 1 degree from correct static timing. Dwell might be off a bit depending on point gap, but all ran well


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Appears the work needed will be major. The noise I knew was in the lower end. Most likely Transmission. On thing for sure they are tearing it all down to get inside. Not the bushing I had hoped. They called to see how far I wanted to go with it. Reminded them I said fix it. I want it back like new. I do understand they like to keep you informed.
So much for the crap HD won't work on a bike older than 10 years.


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