SERVICE FAQ

Do I need to make an appointment to have my bike serviced/repaired at Southern Thunder.
You do not need make an appointment, however, we strongly encourage you to do so! Appointments do have priority for the technician’s time each day. Customers without appointments will be worked into the day’s schedule as times permits. Unfortunately, in riding season, this can mean extended wait times. Also, making an appointment allows the Service Writer to have a discussion with you in advance about your needs – do you have a ride planned and therefore need your bike completed at a specific time, will parts need to be ordered, etc… By giving the Service Writer the opportunity to speak with you in advance of bringing in your bike, it will help limit the time your bike is in the shop. Saturdays and Sundays are first come first served and NEVER require an appointment.

I did not purchase my bike from Southern Thunder. Will you still service my vehicle?
Of Course! As an authorized dealer for Harley-Davidson, we are happy to service vehicles for ALL Harley-Davidson owners. We also honor all Harley-Davidson Extended Service Plans and Prepaid Maintenance Programs.

How will I know how much my Service/Repair will cost?
If you are bringing your bike in for Scheduled Maintenance, we can give you a very close approximation of your cost at the time of drop off. For other services or repairs, we will provide an estimate for the work you are requesting when the bike is dropped off. As we perform service/repairs, technicians may notice additional items of concern. To save time, many customers will pre-approve a dollar amount for additional necessary work. If you would like to give us a dollar limit, please mention this when setting your appointment or dropping off. If not, we will contact you to obtain permission from you before performing any additional work.

Do I need to call to check on the status of my bike?
Please make sure that you have left a phone number, and if possible, an email address for us to reach you. This makes it easy for us to contact you If any concerns arise from the technician’s inspection or during the repair/service. The Service Writers will stay in contact with you while your bike is in our care, which should eliminate you having to call us. Once your repair/service is completed, He/She will also contact you with a recap and to arrange pick up of your motorcycle.

Do you have an Early Bird/After Hours Drop-Off?
Absolutely! We know that it can be hard to drop off or pick up your bike in during business hours. Just call the service department and we will work around your schedule.

How can I determine when my vehicle is due for its next service?
If you are an existing customer, contact a Service Advisor and they can easily bring up your previous service records on the computer to determine when your last service was performed. The Harley-Davidson Motor Company designates that after the initial serve at 1000 miles, your motorcycle should be serviced every 5000 miles. If you are a new customer to Southern Thunder, we can help you determine what service is due next for your vehicle.

Can I bring my own parts for you to install?
We are happy to install parts you have purchased in Southern Thunder Harley-Davidson’s Parts Department.

Can I bring my own tires or ship tires to Southern Thunder for you to install?
No, we only install tires purchased through Southern Thunder Harley-Davidson. Since tires are such an integral part of your safety, for liability reasons, we can only install tires that we know are new and have been stored in a climate-controlled environment. Too many tires for sale on the internet and aftermarket locations are advertised as new but are not. In older tires, the rubber dries out which can lead to cracking, greater stress on the tire’s infrastructure and potentially catastrophic failure on the road.

Tires are expensive. Will Southern Thunder plug my tire so I don’t have to replace it?
Our foremost concern is always for your safety. Bottom line - once your tire has been punctured, it needs to be replaced as soon as possible. Unlike car tires, motorcycle tires don’t have the depth of tread to retain a plug for long periods of time. For liability reasons, we cannot risk your safety with a plugged tire. Therefore, we do not plug motorcycle tires.

Do you work on older bikes?
Southern Thunder will work on older Harley-Davidson motorcycles. However, the repair of older bikes tends to be very unpredictable. Plainly stated, we will work on older iron, but old iron is prone to break, leak, and have parts fall off even after repairs have been made. Typically when we fix one issue on an older motorcycle, several more come to light immediately or shortly after the initial repair. Another issue is finding quality parts to perform the necessary repairs. This can cause extended delays in returning your motorcycle to you. Because of these issues, it is impossible to provide a firm cost prior to work being done. All work done on bikes 20 years and older will be billed at actual clock time– NOT FLAT RATE TIME - and cost of materials.

Can I have my TAKE-OFF PARTS back?
Absolutely! When dropping off your motorcycle to have Parts or Accessories put on your bike, please let the Service Advisor know if you would like any parts returned to you. We are happy to have them available for you, but we cannot be responsible for any parts not picked up within 7 days of completion of your bike.