St. Vincent de Paul

RE: *** ***In regards to the complaint issued by *** *** on Ducati MonsterThe motorcycle was picked up and a repair order was opened for an oil leak on 3/7/The oil leak was diagnosed as a leaking O-ring on the vertical cylinder studThis repair does not require the removal of the
engine as stated by Mr***The vertical (rear) cylinder was removed and the leak repaired as prescribed by DucatiHowever we did have Mr*** motorcycle for approximately days as he statedThis was an internal problem and there is no excuse, we did have the bike for too longMr*** contacted us about coolant spraying out and we promptly picked his bike up and checked the cooling system, determined that there was a bubble in the system which was not bled correctlyWe rectified this problem and returned the bike to Mr*** in working conditionApproximately two months later Mr*** contacted the dealership claiming that the motorcycle did not have any rear brakes and that we were at fault, and the bike is no longer safe to rideThe bike had been sitting for two months without being ridden at this timeI explained to Mr*** that his engine was not removed for the repair, the rear brake was never opened however I would be happy to pick the bike up again, repair the problem and check the bike over for any other safety issuesI also explained that the design of the rear brake caliper on Ducatis (bleeder is upside down) tends to lead to problems with hydraulic pressure lossThe problem that Mr*** experienced is not a result of poor workmanship on the part of the dealership, but a design flaw that is present on many similarly equipped motorcyclesThe extent of the problem with the manufacturer has even lead to service bulletins being issued to correct loss of pressure on rear brake systems.After explaining all of this to the customer I offered to pick the bike up again, repair the loss of hydraulic pressure and have the bike closely checked over for any other safety concernsAt this time Mr*** informed me that he wanted to sell the motorcycle because he did not consider it safe anymoreI inquired if he wanted to replace the motorcycle with another or just sell it out-rightHe said he would consider the traand purchase of a new motorcycle after we looked at the bikeHe also inquired if we would be willing to buy the bike, I responded that we would make an offer to him to buy the bike without a trade-in; however the offer number would be less than if a trade was involvedMr*** agreed to come in and look at bikes while we inspected his motorcycleWe bled the rear brake system as it had air as described on our initial phone call, we also had three different technicians inspect and ride the motorcycle to assure Mr*** of it being in premium condition, which it wasMr*** declined a purchase of a new/used motorcycle and we offered him a travalue for his bike, based on NADA and Meacham Auto auction values, which he refusedWe delivered Mr*** motorcycle back to him with the assurance that it is in excellent working condition.Mr*** has made a few incorrect assertions during the course of this entire problem, namely that the engine was removed, the rear brake system was opened and that the bike is somehow unsafe to rideHarrison Eurosports does admit that the initial repair for the oil leak did take days to repair and deliver back to the customerThe ensuing accusations and statements made by Mr*** are based on misinformation and do not reflect the actual course of events that transpiredThe rear brake systems on some Ducati’s lose pressure if they sit for an extended period as was the case with this machineHarrison Eurosports certified the safety of the machine by having it inspected by three different techniciansHarrison offered to buy the motorcycle back at travalue as a gesture to the customerWe do not accept any liability for the perceived value of the motorcycle according to Mr*** and we should not be held liable for a design problem with the bike’s brake systemThe only mistake that was verifiable was that Harrison Eurosports retained Mr*** bike for daysAfter this fact we took very reasonable and proactive measures to ensure that Mr*** had a safe motorcycle to ride including transportation and repairs. Cheers Andy G***Service ManagerHarrison Eurosports801-618-

Complaint: ***
I am rejecting this response because:The information stated on the safety of the motorcycle is incorrect. The bike was returned with a reported air bubble on 05/18/but the overflow lines were diverted towards the drivers leg and not installed correctly. This would have caused serious injury if I had not noticed this prior to taking it on my first ride and moving them to the proper location after it was returned. The bike started to shoot scalding fluid from those same hoses which is why it was returned for further inspection. I brought this to the service departments attention and spoke to Mike the same day and expressed my concern. He apologized and said they would get this resolved immediately. I have had the motorcycle for two years and have never lost pressure in the rear brakes. The bike is stored in my garage for months at a time during the winter without the brakes needing to be bleed or lose of pressure. The bike was in perfect working condition despite the oil leak when it was sent to Harrison for the warranty work. When it was returned after the coolant leak was resolved I ran the bike up to temperature to make sure there was no longer an issue and took it to the gas station mile from my house. I did notice the brakes were squeaking and they felt strange when I was braking but from such a short ride I did not take time to inspect them. Due to the weather and my travel schedule I did not have time to ride again until 07/21/2017. While out for my first extended ride I started to roll back on a small hill when setting the rear brake. That is when I noticed that there was no brake at all. This is not a soft brake that is common with some Ducati's the brake had no pressure. This was confirmed by Sean Burnett the Harrison Sales manager when he took the bike out for a ride. I spoke to him about the issue when I came in to look at a replacement. He said I was correct about it not being a soft brake and that there was no brake at all. I said to him the only way you would lose entire pressure was if the system was opened. I have spoken to several motorcycle mechanics and they confirmed my assumption. When speaking with Sean about replacing the bike he was open to taking it on trade or buying it back. When I came out to see about a replacement Harrison had several options but they were all more costly than the bike I purchased from them in 2015. I decided that I would be interested in them buying it back. This is when he offered $5,for a bike that was booking for $8,500. The reason for the complaint is the fact Harrison is not willing to take accountability or making things right. I was a valued customer and did not bother them for over days while they fixed the oil leak. I was understanding when I found the overflow lines were in the wrong location and could have caused injury when the coolant started to shoot out. I was willing to work with them despite not taking any responsibility for returning the bike with non-functioning rear brakes and the best they can do is offer to buy my bike for wholesale so they can turn around and make another profit. I was willing to take less than bike value and split the difference but because of the low ball offer I decided to sell the bike myself and move on. Reputation it built on how you handle mistakes not how you try to explain them away. I have several friends that are in the market for new bikes and spoke very highly of Harrison Eurosports. They all loved my bike and were interested in buying something similar. After my issues they have all decided to look elsewhere even if that means looking out of state. Reputation is built on trust
Sincerely,
*** ***