| Author | Message | ||
     Tankhead |
Ok, so I brought my Uly in for service. Replace tires (Shinko Ravens), replace front muffler strap that snapped, check bearings on rear wheel, and replaced muffler for extreme rust. They wrote up everything and then proceeded to tell me that the muffler is not covered under warranty. I asked how do they know, did you call? They said because rust and corrosion is not covered. I said that the Buell mufflers are known to rust and are covered. They said that I would be better off calling HD myself but they will make the call also. SO should I wait and see or do you think they were just giving me the run around. Is it covered or not? Is it if HD feels like it that day or not? Being a member of Badweb since 2006 I have read many, many, threads of mufflers being covered under warranty. | ||
| Court |
Good luck even FINDING a muffler . . . Mine is showing rust so I'm going to take it off, clean it, paint it and go ride . . . after dealing with HD dealers last week I haven't the heart to battle them over a rusty muffler. Keep us posted. | ||
| Trevd |
My warranty is about to expire, and I've been thinking of heading to my HD dealer and seeing if they'll change my muffler. I hesitate doing it because I hate dealing with the attitude of the service manager, but I might give it a try. | ||
| Tankhead |
Man, I get so tired of dealing with the attitude of "I know everything, you know nothing" at HD dealers. I avoided it at all cost. The tech who looked over my bike did not know where the key was to be inserted into the bike to check the lights and blinkers. If they don't warranty the muffler I will paint it myself, it just sucks that I even have to argue about it. I know what your saying Court, I don't have the energy either. Feck it | ||
| Court |
And seriously . . . I'm not sure you can even GET a muffler . . . and, if you could, the agita wouldn't be worth it. . . too many other good options. | ||
| Buellerxt |
Tankhead, I'd call Harley myself rather than deal with a disinterested dealer. Here's a muffler tip from a guy who IS NOT any kind of expert on Buell, or any other, mufflers, me: After reading about muffler corrosion before getting my bike I decided to try S100 Corrosion Inhibitor. It is great stuff so I thought I'd give it a try. I treated my muffler and every couple thousand miles or so I cleaned it off with a wet rag, dried it off, and treated it again. In my case my muffler, with 10,200 miles on it, looks NEW! I use the S100 on the front muffler strap/clamp and other bolts occasionally as well. I've seen the stuff knock off a lot of rust in other engine applications. As you can tell, I highly recommend it. Good luck. | ||
| Court |
You would be better off . . I agree. . dealing directly with HD. I doubt they can even get a muffler but you'll do better with them than with the dealer. | ||
| Tankhead |
The thing is the muffler looked like ass a few months after I bought it. The dealer is 60 miles away and I just let it go until I needed new tires put on (1.5 hour for each tire @ $75.00 an hour or some shit like that) and since the muffler strapped I figured they could just order the strap when they replaced the muffler. I will give it a shot but not be to hopeful. Yeah the S100 corrosion inhibitor was going to be the treatment on the new muffler. I guess I will remove the muffler and clean it up with the dremel and then paint it. And use the s100 after that. Whatever.... | ||
| Tastroman |
Not to beat a dead horse but Buell should feel awful about putting such a crap muffler on a 10-13k bike. Mine started to rust the 1st time I rode it in the rain. I mean the very 1st time it got wet! I can hardly imagine what it would look like if I didn't have a garage. | ||
| Whisperstealth |
Whoa!! Did you really pay $225 to have your tires installed? And 1.5 hours for each tire? WTF. If so you got F'ing shafted! I change out tires at my buddy's shop, where it takes us maybe 1.5 for both - screwing around, and having a good time. Cost me $35 bucks. How much you pay for the Ravens? Mine were $170 shipped to my house. I just strapped them on over the triple tail and rode the 60 miles to the shop. Holy Shit, time to buy a service manual. Invest in your own tire machine, find a shop closer and make friends with the owner, something. I feel for you, no way could I take or afford that kind of stealership service. | ||
| Court |
I paid some ridiculous price too . . . and right under a sign that listed the dealers prices for TIRE R&R that quoted it at half of what I was charged. Lesson learned. Next time it will cost much less and be done much better. | ||
| Froggy |
I recently picked up a Nomar Cycle Hill tire changer, you guys are more than welcome to stop by and use it. | ||
| Tankhead |
A few words of note: going to spain to ride a BMW GS1200 in the andalucia region for 12 days. Still under warranty and if the bearings fail I want to be covered if it destroys the wheel and etc..... also I just can't be bothered right now..... water pump just blew, tank in the basement needs immediate replacement and I just need my bike ready to escape the shit. shinkos to the door $172.00 | ||
| D_adams |
Frank, are you going to charge them to use your equipment? For some reason, I just don't see you actually doing tire changes.  J/K, I have the Nomar classic, it's a very worthwhile investment. | ||
| Froggy |
It took about 10 hours combined over a weekend to do a rear tire swap (and destroyed one lever tip), so if I charge $20/hr (1/5th of HD shop rate), I can easily make $200. I've already broken even with the machine, this will be easy profit  | ||
| Reepicheep |
Did you work it out Froggy? There is kind of a Zen knack to it. And some days it couldn't be easier, and some days it fights me every step of the way. If you do it with spoons, here are the tips I have learned... 1) Cut up milk cartons or two liter bottles work great to protect rims, and if you leave one in the tire, you will shed no tears. 2) Heat is your friend. Change the tire after it has sat in a hot parking lot on a stupid hot day in the sun. Or put it under a welding blanket with little space heater. Hot tires spoon right on easy. 3) The location of the bead opposite your iron is more important than what you are doing with the iron. That's easy to loose sight of in the heat of battle. Get a buddy if possible, and make it their job to watch the bead and ignore your irons. 4) Lube, lube, and more lube. Dish detergent works well. Brush it everywhere, make a big soapy mess of the job. | ||
| Ourdee |
I used oil jug plastic. Thicker than milk cartons. I use windex in the spray bottle. |
