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Big IV
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« on: April 17, 2009, 05:25:58 PM » |
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Outside of Pittsburgh we stopped to ask directions at Steel City Motorsports. Steel City was interesting because it was a boutique motorsports dealership (not that that is uncommon anymore) but it had HD and Honda both. I hadn't seen a shop carrying both lines in a long time. Most of the Honda shops are just Honda shops in my area, some are still connected to Kaw and Yam shops. All the HD shops in my neck are HD/Buell Boutiques.
We stopped to buy some DOT 4 for the Volvo on this weekends trip. The stores that we checked only had DOT3, and I knew a Honda shop would have DOT 4. So it was a good time to get some brake fluid and ask for directions through a detour to a Trolley museum. We were upstairs in the Honda section which had a ton of bikes on the floor and two employees, some shirts, and a parts counter. They were helpful. My wife said, "I haven't seen a HD/Honda shop before," to which the helpful employee said, "we're in the same building." My wife then replied, "I didn't think they could co-exist," to which the helpful employee said, "we're in the same building."
The used HDs were upstairs in the Honda section.
I've always wanted to put my bike in an elevator. I'll have to go visit them again this summer, because somewhere they have to have an elevator that gets bikes up to the second floor.
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"Ride Free Citizen!"
VRCCDS0176
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RP#62
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« Reply #1 on: April 17, 2009, 06:50:07 PM » |
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There's several like that in western PA. Zanotti's up in Butler (where I bought my valk) also handles Harley's as does Gato's in Tarentum and Cerini's down south used to.
-RP
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Big Rig
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« Reply #2 on: April 17, 2009, 06:52:47 PM » |
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You do know why the Honda's are on the second floor....the cream always rises to the top!!!  |
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Big IV
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« Reply #3 on: April 17, 2009, 07:07:57 PM » |
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 The HD shirt wearers WAAAAAY outnumbered the employees wearing the Honda shirts upstairs. 3/18 ratio. Oddly, the bikes going out for a test ride...were dual sports! |
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"Ride Free Citizen!"
VRCCDS0176
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PAVALKER
Member
Posts: 4435
Retired Navy 22YOS, 2014 Valkyrie , VRCC# 27213
Pittsburgh, Pa
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« Reply #4 on: April 18, 2009, 08:00:58 AM » |
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Z&M in Greensburg outside of Pittsburgh is also a Honda/HD Dealership..... Honda's on the right and HD's on the left. I was out at Steel City yesterday with a few guys and although it appears there lots of people in the HD section, most of them had Honda's parked outside  . There was only one sales gal upstairs but maybe 4 or more downstairs. That "helpful employee" that stated we are in the same building was probably the one gal upstairs and a little POd about having no help, or jealous that she wasn't on the lower level. |
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John  |
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Bob E.
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« Reply #5 on: April 20, 2009, 12:49:54 PM » |
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I live maybe 5 miles from Steel City Honda/Harley...and I never go there if I can help it. If I need something from a dealer (which is pretty rare anyways), I'll drive 25 miles south to Barnhardt's in Ruff Creek to get it before I go to Steel City. When I hit a deer a couple years ago, that is where Progressive sent me to get my bike fixed. And even though they had the check within 2 days, my bike sat for over 3 weeks and they still had not even ordered the parts for it, let alone start making the repairs. I was pretty much getting the attitude that they fixed Harley's first and anything else waited. So I pulled the bike from their shop, fixed it myself, and pocketed some money. At the time, while I was complaining to Progressive, the agent told me she heard that Steel City was trying to sell off the Honda franchise, so even Progressive wasn't sending them any more repair work after mine. That's been over 2.5 years now and they are still there though. Unfortunately, my Aunt and Uncle got me a $30 gift card from Steel City and I have no idea what I am going to go spend it on...maybe an air filter or 2??  |
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PAVALKER
Member
Posts: 4435
Retired Navy 22YOS, 2014 Valkyrie , VRCC# 27213
Pittsburgh, Pa
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« Reply #6 on: April 20, 2009, 04:56:31 PM » |
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Oh Yea Bob.... I understand the climate at Steel City Harley Davidson / Honda. They didn't have much up there for the Honda folks to look at, had other bikes new and used up there as well and ONLY one woman associate up there as well. I would recommend you get some parts or oil with that gift card and get goin. In the event I need service on either of my bikes I think I would have to go with Tom Clark on RT51. They have a new mechanic there now, Joe Glew who used to work at Bob Thomas/Mosites, that I would prefer work on my bikes than anyone else I can think of (besides myself).
I do like looking around at those places tho.... various dealerships. Its a way of checking things out and getting a feel for them in case you need help down the road. Not to mention to check out the latest Harley iron in stock.
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John |
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Bob E.
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« Reply #7 on: April 21, 2009, 05:30:22 AM » |
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Yeah...and downstairs in the HD area is all nice and fixed up, lots of merchandise (jackets, shirts, helmets, accessories, etc.) with lots of bikes. Then you go upstairs and it is just all plain with no decoration, almost no helmet selection, no shirts or jackets, a couple ackwardly placed and only half stocked racks that look like they picked up from a "going out of business" sale somewhere. It is a real disgrace. And they really don't even have alot of new Honda street bikes up there. Take out the ATV's, Dirt Bikes, and all of the other used bikes and see what you have left. Maybe one Goldwing, a few VTX's, and a handful of sportbikes. And that is about it. Meanwhile, go to some other non-HD place like Bentley's or Barnhardt's and the place is packed with bikes...alot like the downstairs section of Steel City.
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