Tri Glide Extended Warranty?

[CRBandit]

I am going to be taking delivery this coming week of a 2010 Tri Glide and have a question or two about whether I should get the extended warranty. Part of me says I should as there are lots of things that it covers but then I also have done some reading here and other forums and with the heat issue from the cat and all I believe that if I were to switch out the headpipe and other mods that it would void an extended warranty (as well as possibly the HD warranty). With that in my mind, what is the feeling of those here? I have an approx 3,000 mile trip coming up the middle of July and also would like to know if those of you that switched from 2 wheels to 3 wheels felt comfortable enough 3 week into the change-over to embark on such a ride.

I'm sure as time goes on I'll have more questions and will certainly bring them out to you.

Thanks in advance and I'll be sure to post pictures after I get my new beauty home. It's Red Hot Sunglo. I really wanted the blue but there were none available within the 5 state area.

Wayne

[1550vt]

You asked for an opinion and I know this sounds like trash-talk, but it's honest. I have owned just about every Harley model on the list for the past 25-years and I ride one now. I have paid my dues. I intend to struggle on with this early Twin Cam Ultra Classic Lehman conversion for as long as it (and me) last. If you plan to buy this thing, my advice is to leave it alone like it is if you plan to take the extended warranty. They will do whatever they can to find a reason not to fix something anyway, but it will depend on the dealer. I'd discuss this carefully with the dealer and maybe even get something in writing before I made the purchase, if you plan to make these changes.

[CRBandit]

The dealer has already said that ANY changes to the exhaust system will DEFINITELY void both the HD and extended warranties. That was why mu thinking was to not get the extended and after the 2 year (hopefully I can survive that long) warranty period I would change the headpipe and other stuff to cool it down.

Wayne

[1550vt]

Oh Bandit....in no time at all you will feel right at home on three wheels. Just forget everything you knew about how to make a 2-wheeler turn and you'll be fine. You will discover rear braking is much more effective than front braking on a trike also. Use this trip you have coming up to polish your skills and you will be taking the curves as fast as most any 2-wheeler and faster than some (except for the crazy-a!! crotch rockets). I discovered early-on that if you pay attention to the speed-limit signs....the trike will drift right through at the posted speeds and you can learn how far you can push it as your skills improve. I have been on a trike for years and still find myself putting my left foot down at stops to hold it up, which is entirely unnecessary!

Try and ignore some of my other remarks posted above, but I have been bitten by every Harley screw-up and "innovation" and have finally came to the conclusion that I refuse to play any longer. ENJOY YOUR NEW TG!

[tfdeputydawg]

Go to a large parking lot. Set the speed at about 10/15mph, stick your left hand in your back pocket and start doing lazy figure eights. Keep turning tighter and tighter until you feel like the inside tire wants to lift. Do the same thing again but, stick your right hand in your back pocket. After about an hour or 2 of this, Do it again w/both hands on the handle bars. Then you'll be ready to ride the street and will feel comfortable.
The biggest thing you have to beware of, going from 2 to 3 is not to get that front wheel as close to "things" as you are use to, you are a lot wider now!
As far as the warranty goes-A Screaming Eagle breather kit, Harley download and touring mufflers or SE mufflers will help the heat issue and will not void your warranty if these mods are done by the dealer, unless something has changed since I dealt with Harleys.

[Nauga Mok]

Up grades affecting warrantee depends on the dealer. MOST dealers will be glad to install SE air cleaner & slip ons & flash the 'puter, but that HAS to be done before you take delivery for warantee to cover it. Regarding how long it takes to get used to 3 instead of 2 -- for me it was right away. Some people take a bit longer. Once you get it RIDE it! The more miles you get the more confident you become. Tfdeputydawg's parking lot suggestion is good. Above all -- HAVE FUN!!

NM

[Gorilla]

Wayne, your first question needs to be how handy are you? If you can due most stuff yourself then the warrantee is of less importance. If you will be have someone else doing all your work then the warrantee is important. If that is the case then as suggested stay with what Harley will stand behind until the warrantee is expired. IMO if you are going to be riding at least moderately whatever is wrong with the trike should showup in the first 2 years. If the money is not an issue and the extended warrantee makes you feel more comfortable then go for it.

As far as riding do as suggested above. You don't mention your previous 2 wheel experience. All that you learned on 2 wheels is important. Getting around the curves/turns and watching out for the rear fenders are the olnly differences. You still need to ride defensively and plan your riding as before.

Good luck with your decision and enjoy the ride.

[CRBandit]

Thanks to all for your comments and suggestions. I have 30+ yrs 2 wheel experience so it's just the switch from 2 to 3 that I'm a little worried about. I understand the difference from counter-steering to push/pull steering. I'm just asking if you all think I'd be pushing it going on the trip within 3 weeks of switching or should that give me enough time to at least moderately adjust? I do plan to ride as much as possible before the trip to get experience with it.

As for the extended warranty – I think what I'm hearing from most of you is 2 yr factory warranty should cover most issues and as tmigala said, problems should surface during the 2 yrs. Then I could do whatever I wanted/needed to make things more comfortable (read cooler!).

[Greydog]

The biggest problem I had to overcome after converting the Ultra was getting accustomed to the feel of the trike on the uneven road surface ie, crowns and dips. The rear wheels cause the trike to lean slightly right or left to conform to the road and it felt like the bike was drifting off course even though it was tracking straight and true. My brain was still in two wheel mode so I automatically responded with a little countersteer which resulted in weaving down the road like a drunk!!! The trike takes quite a bit more steering effort to negotiate curves and turns but that is also part of the learning curve and is mastered fairly quickly. I rode two wheelers for over 40 years before converting to a trike but I'll probably never own another one....This thing is FUN and I find myself riding far more frequently and enjoying it more than ever before!!!!

My friend has a bone stock '09 Tri-Glide and my engine is bored to 103" with 255 cams, Race tuner, True Duals and Big Sucker air cleaner. The biggest difference in the performance of the two bikes is in 6th gear. He runs out of pulling power on the hills on the Interstate in 6th gear and has to drop back to 5th while mine is in the perfect RPM range at 70mph for the cams to do what they're supposed to do. Mine still gets hot as hades when I run it hard or in stop and go traffic on hot days but that's the nature of air cooled engines.

Ride the trike stock until the factory warrantee expires and then if you feel like you need to boost performance Gitter Done!! You might find, like my friend, you're perfectly happy with it bone stock!!!

[trike lady]

Take your time and get used to the trike, remember you are on a totally different vehicle now.
1. Don't put your feet down (don't laugh, remember when you did it the first time).
2. Turn the handlebars in the direction you want the trike to go.
3. Get used to the brakes, you'll have more stopping power.
The extended warranty is for people like me who keep something forever and use it until you can no longer get parts for it.

[sarge7882]

I just got my Tri Glide delivered on the 15th of this month. Due to having shoulder surgery on 6/10, I have only been able to put just under 500 miles on mine so far. With only these few miles, I would feel very comfortable on making a trip of ANY distance (as soon as my shoulder heals). I have been riding on 2 wheels for about 25 years and it was no problem changing to 3. There ARE differences as mentioned above but they are easy to get use to. One of the biggest is just be sure to remember how wide you are now...especially when getting fuel. Don't pull up as close to the pump! I was able to get the blue and silver, but the red has to look great. I saw the Street Glide in that color and it looked really good. ENJOY!!!!

Sarge

[Gorilla]

Wayne, do the trip. this is not rocket science. get the feel and go

[msocko3]

Lots of good advice here. I took delivery of my 2010 Triglide last August and put maybe 500 miles on it before I took a trip with the wife to TN, it wasn't 3,000 miles but it was 1,600 with the 1st day being 585 miles. I switch back and forth between 2 & 3 wheels and feel comfortable no matter which I'm riding, but then everyone adapts to new situations differently. Tomorrow morning my dad and I are leaving on a trip to SD which should be around a 3,400 mile trip, we are both will be riding Triglides.

[Bikerbozo]

I'm a firm believer in extended warranties. On my (hopefully) soon to be 2004 Electra Glide with 108,000 miles I got my full money's worth on warranty items. Note that in 6 years I was only towed with flat tires. The extended warranty even covered the radio. Who knew driving in a thunderstorm could fry a radio?
I just took delivery of my new 2010 Tri-Glide on Friday. I have 300 miles on it now and will be leaving on a 700 mile trip this Friday. I even got the tire warranty.
It should be noted that the backup electric motor failed at 248 miles. H-D says factory techs will need to look at it before that gets replaced to see what happened. But they have cleared me for the trip as long as I only use "Flintstone" reverse drive (don't make me explain that if you don't get it!).

[Mr.Wizard]

Extended warranties can be purchased after the sale, you don't have to make up your mind until the original warranty is about up. If your Harley is a lemon, purchase the warranty later when this is found out.

Remember, doing mods to a bike or trike is totally acceptable to Harley. It is the individual dealerships that try to control the warranty issue when in fact they have no say so at all.

If I purchase a bike or trike and I want it a certain way I don't want to wait two years before making it my own or easier to ride and be comfortable. Harley has to "prove" that your mod did damage to the "in warranty" issue. Replacing head pipes, mufflers and air cleaners is the normal way of the Harley owner. With the new EPA regulations some of the bikes or trikes can't be ridden unless you are made of a non flammable material.

In short, your dealer is blowing smoke up your southbound to make you buy from him. Line up 10 Service Managers and ask the same question and you will get 9 different answers. You can change pipes and mufflers all you want.

If something happens to the radio or timing chain or transmission even the brakes please tell me how the dealership will void your warranty and make you pay when all you did was make the bike or trike easier to ride and preform better. Remember the talk about having to use Harley Syn3 or your warranty will be void? They got sued and lost. It's against the law to tell someone this to make them purchase from the dealership for their profit.

Sorry guys but every dealer around here knows me. We all get along just fine and I even ride with a few from time to time. But, If I buy a bike from them they also know better than to try to pull their sales wool over my eyes. You can do the same... it's called Harley Customer Service and ask to have a Regional Rep call you back, meet you at a dealership and we'll see if the dealership will still say the same in front of the Rep.

OK, thanks.. rant over. I feel much better already.

[Papa Zook]

WIZ-dom.

[Mr.Wizard]

WIZ-dom.

Maybe call it WIZ-doom.

Got to remember that one Zook... actually the owner of the HD nearest to me is my customer. He also uses my guys for work at his house. We all get along fine but I've had a few stern words with some of his staff when they try and treat me like I'm stupid..... It's normally the FNG. :yes::yes:

[CRBandit]

Thanks to everyone for all the terrific responses and comments. I got her home on Tue and will get some photos posted soon. I did pass on the ext warranty at time of sale but as some have said I can always add it up to the end of the factory warranty. I am leaning towards getting it due to all the complicated items and the expense to repair them. Haven't had a lot of time to ride just yet but have gotten about 125 miles on so far and feel quite comfortable driving it other than the sharper curves at higher highway speeds. I'm sure that will come with a little more 'saddle time' and I don't think I'll have any issue with the upcoming trip.

Thanks again to all for your comments and help.

[CRBandit]

As I stated in my last post I got my new ride home last Tue and have now finally posted a few pictures to my first album. A BIG THANKS again to everyone for all their comments, suggestions, and helpful words so far and I'm sure I'll be a long-time member here and will continue to learn lots and lots more as the days and miles roll on.