Brad Schultz

Review of Milwaukee Harley Davidson

After coming home from another deployment to Afgha...

After coming home from another deployment to Afghanistan, I bought a 2018 Street Glide Special. Ponied up for the Hard Candy Custom Hot Red Flake paint too.
Turns out I should had bought a Chinese bike while I was in Asia.
This bike has been plagued with the transmission fluid transfer issue. I was told from multiple HD dealerships (Dothan, AL; Rapid City, SD; Topeka, KS) that HDMC says the bike is not transferring fluid and that I m servicing the bike improperly. I haven t been able to service the bike on my own since it stays at the dealership so much. If I were, I feel that as a licensed FAA aircraft mechanic with 20 years experience and 30 years riding motorcycles, I might be able figure out how to change my oil. I d also assume that the extensive demands on HD mechanic certifications, they might not screw it up either. After spending $30k on a bike, I d assume I d be purchasing a quality machine and treated well by the people I gave my very, very hard earned money to.
I m certain my problems (even after three years of the new Milwaukee Eight design) are a minority of HDMC s sales but after the treatment from HD regarding their motorcycle s failures, I will never buy another Harley.
I recommend Triumph or Indian if you re considering a new, or used, motorcycle.
I regret my purchase.

Update: 28May2019
I talked to Joe at HDMC two weeks ago. Mentioned that I would like my lemon SGS replaced. He told me he would pass that request to management and I d hear a response by the end of that week.
Last weekend Historic HD in Topeka, KS drilled a hole in my primary for a vent, by direction of HDMC.
Today, after not hearing from HDMC, I called customer service again. Vince told me that the primary vent fixed the problem and the $200 of oil I ve had to purchase just this spring and my ruined Ariat boots and jeans is considered a customer purchase . Didn t even attempt to bribe me with a $20 gift card. Vince also told me HDMC designed the Milwaukee Eight to transfer some fluid and that improper riding techniques would cause too much fluid to transfer .
Seriously!?

I believe I ll head to Indian Motorcycles this weekend.. The 2019 Chieftain Limited is supposed to be pretty nice.