Quite a few auto makers do it and now Harley Davidson does, too, they’ve added a new Harley-Davidson Certifiedâ„¢ program for pre-owned motorcycles. Just like the car companies, participating Harley dealers inspect their pre-owned bikes and if they pass all of the checks, they become Harley Davidson Certified. You get a 12 month limited warranty on the engine and transmission, complimentary membership in the Harley Owners Group, roadside assistance, special financing and all of the things that make it almost like buying a new bike.
It’s a good idea and gives buyers some extra peace of mind before they sign on the dotted line.
Harley Davidson press release follows:
Harley-Davidson® today revealed the details of Harley-Davidson Certified™, the first certified pre-owned motorcycle program supported by Harley-Davidson through its network of authorized Harley-Davidson dealers in the United States.
“H-D Certified is a strategic effort to strengthen our competitive position and is part of our new approach to the used motorcycle marketplace, aligned to the strategic priorities of The Hardwire, while supporting growth,†said Jochen Zeitz, chairman, president and CEO, Harley-Davidson. “We believe this program will drive Harley-Davidson desirability and enhance the overall customer experience, allowing more riders to have access to our motorcycles and provide them with an added level of confidence in their purchase.â€
The Harley-Davidson Certifiedâ„¢ program is designed to take the worry out of purchasing a pre-owned Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Each Harley-Davidson Certifiedâ„¢ pre-owned motorcycle will be subjected to a comprehensive 110-point quality-assurance inspection by certified Harley-Davidson technicians. Dealers will also verify that the pre-owned motorcycle has no open recalls or a blocked VIN, has not been in a major accident, and that all scheduled service is up to date. Harley-Davidson motorcycles eligible for the program must be no more than five model years old, have less than 25,000 miles of use, and not contain aftermarket modifications to the engine or transmission, or major chassis or electrical modifications.
A Harley-Davidson Certifiedâ„¢ pre-owned motorcycle will be sold with a 12-month limited warranty on the engine and transmission. Each Harley-Davidson Certified motorcycle sale also includes a complimentary one-year membership in H.O.G. (Harley Owners Group), with standard member benefits like roadside assistance. Special financing rates and programs for the purchase of a Harley-Davidson Certifiedâ„¢ pre-owned motorcycle will be available through Harley-Davidson Financial Services to qualified customers.
Participation in the Harley-Davidson Certifiedâ„¢ program will be at the discretion of each authorized Harley-Davidson dealer.
todd says
This is really just a way to screw their existing customers, especially ones that abandon the brand for another. There will be less incentive to purchase used via private party sale and sellers will need to drop their prices accordingly. If you want to trade in your bike for a Triumph, that dealer will be less willing to offer you a premium on the trade because they will face similar competition and are not able to offer the same warranty and “certification” on the bike. Not that I would be stepping into a H-D dealer anytime soon regardless.
-todd
Paul Crowe says
This isn’t a new idea, as noted in the article, a lot of car manufacturers do it, the Honda I drive is a certified preowned Honda, or whatever the exact terminology was, so I guess in your view, Honda’s out to screw their customers, too along with many others. I certainly don’t feel that way. I think it’s a little extra assurance when you’re buying a vehicle that it’s good enough to have a dealer stand behind it.
There’s also nothing wrong with a dealer certifying another brand that they have on their lot. Used car dealers do it all the time with their best cars.
Heck, you can even buy certified refurbished items like computers, power tools, appliances and more. Lots of companies are doing it. I really don’t understand your objection.