$18.00 for a genuine Harley *&^(_*&^$#@ Spare Key?

Cost of business

I understand all of the above and fully understand that there is a lot more cost involved with the business and selling the items (employees, health ins, electric, etc). It's the cost of running a business and I'm not delusional enough to think a dealer should sell a product at 5-10% above what it cost him. But let’s get real though….Harley uses a lot of the same parts for very long runs and that is what has made them successful. Like the TC88; other than a few tweaks here and there it’s generally the same engine for 6 or so years and the research and development costs associated with it are gone and they started work on a new engine. Now the TC96 will be around for some time with minor tweaks as problems are identified. I just don’t understand a dealer that is willing to lose a lot of business because he is not willing to be flexible, knowing that I can have the same part from another dealer in a day or two for a lot less, knowing that his cost is 30% more than it cost him. By the same token, there are a lot of people riding that couldn’t turn a screwdriver superglued to their hand, and this is the person the dealer makes most of their profit off of. Plus, we are talking about a company that had a net income of $312,000,000 and a gross profit of $707,140,000…. IN ONE QUARTER! Oh well, I’m just happy my bike is running and they honored their warranty when it didn’t.

As another businessman who works a lot with distributors, and in an earlier life was a V.P., C.O.O at a major distributor, I understand what you are saying and agree with all EXCEPT I do take exception to the above portion of your manifesto (Just kidding, but it was lengthy ). That exception is known as "Restraint of Trade" (my underline below)

Believe me from actual personal experience in an anti-trust case that I was a party in, there MAY be a manufacturer who will try to slip a restrictive clause into the distribution agreement as you stated, but the first distributor, or distributor association with a good lawyer, will have that challeged in no time at all, and will prevail. Whether we like it or not, the Internet opened up a whole new can of worms.

The best we can state in our contracts is a specific Area of Responsibility (AOR). If I slapped any distributor for selling out of their AOR though, we could be sued. HOWEVER... IF they are spending so much time selling outside of their AOR that their sales are not meeting or exceeding agreed upon forecasts/objectives within their AOR, cancellation is easily warranted if challenged. (Guess this is my mainifesto for the day! )

Restraint of trade n. in anti-trust law, any activity (including agreements among competitors or companies doing business with each other) which tends to limit trade, sales and transportation in interstate commerce or has a substantial impact on interstate commerce. Most of these actions are illegal under the various anti-trust statutes. Some state laws also outlaw local restraints on competitive business activity.

Somewhat related.... went to the local dealer yesterday. Just needed bolts for a '91 FLHS windshield. 9 small bolts, lockwashers, washers, and nuts. Two dash bulbs for a 2004 Road glide. $21 and change, and they didn't even have 4 of the bolts..... And the weren't even chrome!

Almost seems like they are ripping off the government... $600 toilet seat, $30 screws, etc. I went and got some 7/16 and 1/2 bolts and nuts for pennies to replace lost nuts, bolts, etc. These folks are getting "high off the hog!" Haaa, Haaa, Haaa. Peace...

"high off the hog" That's funny man.

And, if you polish the bolt heads right...they kinda look like chrome, if you need the chrome look and all....

spare key

Hey, AZ, I got a copy of an 07 key for less than 2.00. Go to a true value hardware store. knucklehead

YEP! Somewhere hidden in these volumes of comments, I think I mentioned that I found a small key shop in Mesa and got one made for just a couple/few bucks.

Thanks for the tip on the True Value, but I tried my local one first and they couldn't do it. That's when I rode up the street to the H-D Dealer, but just as quickley rode away. Guess it depends on what store wants to stock what keys.