Moto Agony, my first bike.............
- Thread starter Greaser
- Start date
Since you asked...
The trouble started when I started riding it as it if it was a new, modern motorcycle. Now considering I bought it new, I don't thnk I was expecting anything out of the ordinary? Naturally, the glued on Transport Canada regulated side reflector fell off. Next the self cancelling signal lights wouldn't work. BUlbs started blowing due to vibration. Witht he first hot, sunny days of summer, the paint started to cloud up! After the first service, sorry, glorified oil change,($100+!) , it went from bad to wrose. The front cylinder started leaking from between the rocker box and and the cyclinder head. "Just a breather..." the dealership said, "..nothing to worry about, no warranty work need." It leaks oil and it was normal? My riding season ended early that first year due to an unrealted incident (car accident, hurt myself pretty good, big insurance payout though...)
Season two rolls around, the oil leak is bad to worse, the oil sending unit fails, the front brake switch fails, which left my brake light on ALL THE TIME (almost got rearended I don't know how many times...) 3 taillight lenses vibrated off and cracked, numerous lights failed, trouble with the transmission and I hadn't even hit 15,000km! The icing on the cake was when I did the next oil change and found that the dealership had 1) used RED loctite on the primary inspection cover and2) never refilled the primary oil. Of course, I had gone to Alberta from BC and covered overed 2000km on that rip alone with oil in primary. Terrific! And those bastards had the nerve to charge me $100+ for that kind of "service"? The shifter lever cracked and broke and the replacement was no better, having cracked within the first 5 inch pounds of torque. I found a huge chunk of slag in the casting. Had to fight with the assholes at the parts counter to get me another. The fuel petcock filter was plugged with a silty sludge that looked like extra fine sand blasting medium, and it was also broken too. Funny thing about "Genuine HD Replacement Parts" as they all seem to come from Taiwan.....
So that winter I'd had enough! Pulled the front rockerbox to fix the oil flow, as it had now become, and found a disater! Of the four bolts that hold tghe assembly down, only ONE could be properly torqued. Two of the bolts were bent and had no threads on one side and the third had almost no threads cut into the cylinder head. Also, every oil change I did the oil looked like metallic paint even at 10,000km and 15,000km. 3rd would not stay engaged. The bloody thing was falling apart and it only had 16,000km and change on the clock. This was stupid. I bought a modern Triumph that spring and haven't looked back.
The really sad thing was how 1) underpowered it was, 2) how awful the brakes were. 3) the fact that it leaked, shed parts and generally didn't work, much as you'd expect from a neglected India Enfield, 4) compared apples to apples, a late model Commando would out perform it in all apsect, braking included. Not very good for a modern motocycle. I guess I didn't realise that HD were all show and not really meant to be ridden. Young and stupid.
The trouble started when I started riding it as it if it was a new, modern motorcycle. Now considering I bought it new, I don't thnk I was expecting anything out of the ordinary? Naturally, the glued on Transport Canada regulated side reflector fell off. Next the self cancelling signal lights wouldn't work. BUlbs started blowing due to vibration. Witht he first hot, sunny days of summer, the paint started to cloud up! After the first service, sorry, glorified oil change,($100+!) , it went from bad to wrose. The front cylinder started leaking from between the rocker box and and the cyclinder head. "Just a breather..." the dealership said, "..nothing to worry about, no warranty work need." It leaks oil and it was normal? My riding season ended early that first year due to an unrealted incident (car accident, hurt myself pretty good, big insurance payout though...)
Season two rolls around, the oil leak is bad to worse, the oil sending unit fails, the front brake switch fails, which left my brake light on ALL THE TIME (almost got rearended I don't know how many times...) 3 taillight lenses vibrated off and cracked, numerous lights failed, trouble with the transmission and I hadn't even hit 15,000km! The icing on the cake was when I did the next oil change and found that the dealership had 1) used RED loctite on the primary inspection cover and2) never refilled the primary oil. Of course, I had gone to Alberta from BC and covered overed 2000km on that rip alone with oil in primary. Terrific! And those bastards had the nerve to charge me $100+ for that kind of "service"? The shifter lever cracked and broke and the replacement was no better, having cracked within the first 5 inch pounds of torque. I found a huge chunk of slag in the casting. Had to fight with the assholes at the parts counter to get me another. The fuel petcock filter was plugged with a silty sludge that looked like extra fine sand blasting medium, and it was also broken too. Funny thing about "Genuine HD Replacement Parts" as they all seem to come from Taiwan.....
So that winter I'd had enough! Pulled the front rockerbox to fix the oil flow, as it had now become, and found a disater! Of the four bolts that hold tghe assembly down, only ONE could be properly torqued. Two of the bolts were bent and had no threads on one side and the third had almost no threads cut into the cylinder head. Also, every oil change I did the oil looked like metallic paint even at 10,000km and 15,000km. 3rd would not stay engaged. The bloody thing was falling apart and it only had 16,000km and change on the clock. This was stupid. I bought a modern Triumph that spring and haven't looked back.
The really sad thing was how 1) underpowered it was, 2) how awful the brakes were. 3) the fact that it leaked, shed parts and generally didn't work, much as you'd expect from a neglected India Enfield, 4) compared apples to apples, a late model Commando would out perform it in all apsect, braking included. Not very good for a modern motocycle. I guess I didn't realise that HD were all show and not really meant to be ridden. Young and stupid.
Ha! This is what I keep telling a buddy of mine that dreams of having a Hardly Abelson. I bought him a 77 GS750 so he could have a reliable bike that stayed in one piece, didn't leak everywhere, and would sell for more than the original purchase price if he ever decided to get rid of it.
It's good that you found out early, some people never learn.
It's good that you found out early, some people never learn.
ha ha ha i know what your saying that is why i will never bring by bike to the stealer ship... it is a harley... they break... i love mine... but of course have had to redo everything 2x's but i grew up in a HD family... that is just what you do with a harley... i love all bikes though... sorry to hear about the bad dealer...
brewtown16
what, me worry?
i actually love that frame... was looking for one to drop my 96" evo into, because its sooooo easy to cafe. ahhh lust.
WightHorse
Been Around the Block
wow i thought my 76 honda has bad wiring. But you have made me feel better! thank you!
