| Author | Message | ||
     Jhanz |
I have been having transmission/primary issues on my 06 XB9SX (just over 3K miles). I have been to 2 dealers and they have tried to tell me that there is not a problem. The clutch basket sprocket (not front sprocket) has side to side play, the bike won't upshift about 40% of the time, hit neutral 75% of the time going from 1st to 2nd, and there seems to be grinding noises coming from the primary. Just to be clear, this is evident even when primary chain and clutch adjustment ARE in spec. I have had prior serious issues with a dealer and I'm wondering if there is some sort-of red flag on my VIN#, which is why I can't get this resolved - even after going to another dealer. When I first got the bike, the primary chain was WAY overtight (I actually posted here about that about a year ago). When I told the GM of the dealer about that, he pretty much blew me off. I am wondering if riding the bike home from dealer (about 60 miles) w the over-tight primary chain caused bearing damage, which is now rearing it's head? Is there anyone who would be willing to help? Perhaps someone who is familiar w this type of thing, who can ride my bike and can at least give me an honest, neutral opinion? I live in Bloomfield NJ. It sucks because I just want to ride, and am sick of all the dealer headaches. I love my bike (when it's performing like it should), but am fed up w dealer headaches! | ||
| Skinstains |
I would take the whole thing apart and put it back together with new SKF bearings bought at "Motion Industries" (used to be Eastern Bering) in Elizabeth. Forget about trying to have a dealership do it, there is probably a huge line of bikes already on line waiting for service/chrome application. Buy a service manual and clutch spring compressor and you'll be on the road by next Monday. | ||
| Jhanz |
Thanks for the tip, but the problem is, my bike is under warranty, and $ is tight. I have the shop manual, but don't want to mess around with it in case the job turns out to be more involved than I can handle. | ||
| Skinstains |
Try the BBB if you're really getting ••••••• by the dealer. You should also get a loaner while your bike is in for warantee work(I think). | ||
| Hammer71 |
Give Jeff a shout at Danbury HD/Buell. Good people up there and I've never had an issue with them at all (although I dont let anyone wrench on my bike but me). Not all that far from you either | ||
| Jhanz |
Thanks for the insights. My situation has been complicated, due a few past issues with a particular dealer, has led me to believe that my VIN# has been flagged or something, because the last 2 times at 2 different dealers, they have not wanted to address the severity of the issue, and have basically blown me off by just adjusting the primary chain and clutch (which did not solve he problems) and wanted to charge me for it. If someone reads my above posts and has any recommendations on how I might address the issue and get SOME dealer to be willing to actually diagnose and fix the problem, it would be appreciated. I suspect that Harley Davidson will try to deny warranty work, since the dealers never seem to take responsibility when they screw up. I suspect that it is bearing related and was caused by a way-overtightened primary chain, from when I first picked up the bike from the dealer (which of course the dealer wouldn't acknowledge at my 1000 mile service). I won't even get into the details of how many dealer issues I have had, but let me say this, all I have wanted is to be able to ride my bike and enjoy it without issues. Now the bike rides and sounds like crap and I don't know what else to do... | ||
| Toona |
My thoughts would be if a part is bad, it needs to be replaced under warranty, doesn't matter who or what caused the bearing to fail. Not knowing the prior servicing dealer (dealer not mentioned in this thread), and not knowing my NJ geography very well, get the bike to Liberty in Rahway and let them have a looksie. Not sure how a second (or third) dealership would have access to any prior warranty work records thru Buell/HD to be, as you called it "red flagged" | ||
| Court |
You are sitting within miles of Liberty Buell. If you need expert advise from honest folks call Chris and make an appointment. | ||
| Court |
>>>> I suspect that Harley Davidson will try to deny warranty work It does sound like crap. Why, if you had a legal obligation to do so, would you capriciously deny valid warranty work? Something, you are right, sounds terribly amiss. I'll bet there are LOTS of details we don't know just simply based on doing this for 20+ years. If Buell is responsible, it'll be fixed promptly. | ||
| Jhanz |
I have not been on BadWeb for a while, but wanted to respond to the last few posts by Toona and Court. I did not want to get into too many details, whereas there was a string of issues I had with the service department at Liberty and I did not want to rehash the whole situation on here. Court, if you would like to know specifics, I can email you all the details and i am pretty sure any reasonable person would see why I have been so frustrated with the dealer experiences i have had. Here is where there is a disconnect it seems. When I recently brought the bike in to a different dealer to try and get the issue addressed, while checking the bike in, I flat-out told the service writer that I was having problems shifting and getting grinding type noises coming from my primary and that the clutch basket sprocket (not sure of proper name) had side to side play. I also explained that at my 1000 mile service, i had told told the previous dealer about the noises from the primary (which i have documentation of), they didn't do anything and charged me extra just to listen to the primary. When I picked the bike up from the dealer recently, at first they told me that they found nothing wrong, so they adjusted the primary chain and clutch (and of course wanted to charge me). At this point I got upset because I specifically told the service writer that the tech could simply reach through the primary chain inspection opening, down to the right, and feel that the sprocket was loose. Well after I complained about them trying to charge me for the work, the service writer went to talk to the tech and suddenly the story changed and they told me that he did open up the primary and found nothing wrong (yet they did not document this in the paperwork). Ultimately i got 3 different versions of what they supposedly did. To top it off, when i test-rode the bike, the primary was whining very loud, because they overtightened the primary chain. I guess my point is, that I can't understand why two different dealers don't seem to want to get to the problem and since i had a serious issue in the past which had to be addressed with Buell/Harley customer service, I was wondering if perhaps they have me labeled as a "problem buyer". Once again, there were many issues that I have had to deal with related to Buell service, ones that cost me MANY trips to the dealer, and trips on the train back and forth from the dealer. Liberty did address the past issue, which made me want to continue my relationship with them, but after the 1000 mile service, enough was enough. That being said, due to this, I have a bad taste in my mouth. In response to Court. I would be more than happy to explain things in more specific detail, where as I believe it is a complicated issue. There are definitely some good guys at Liberty, like Ryan, Anthony, Paul, and Chris. But overall, I had too many issues and in the end, did not like the way the service department (more specifically the service manager) handled things, especially the last incident a while back for my 1000 mile service, when they charged me extra for something that they would have done any way for that service (i.e., test ride). After that, I decided to sever my relationship with them. I am sure that the fact that my frustration with the dealers has come out in these dealings has not helped the matter, but I am only human and i am tired of getting jerked around. i was planning on bringing my bike in early for the 5000 mile service (bike has just over 3000 miles), in the hopes that since they have to open the primary up for that service, the problem can be addressed with out me having to do a song and dance. Thanks for any insights that people have provided. | ||
| Court |
>>>I'll bet there are LOTS of details we don't know just simply based on doing this for 20+ years. I say again. Just based on having done this for a loooooooooong time I'd be willing to be the price of the motorcycle that there are LOTS of details I don't know. It's times like this I am glad I am a student, construction worker, writer, lecturer and consultant.  | ||
| Jhanz |
Court, I suppose I am confused as to why you are restating that there are "LOTS of details I don't know", when I explained that there were a lot of details that I did not post, and that I would gladly email you with details. I had to sign a confidentiality agreement with Harley, so I cannot disclose certain information here. I am not the first person who has had problems with Harley Davidson/Buell service. If you are defending Harley Davidson or a particular dealer, then that doesn't sound very fair to me. I could have bashed the dealer, but I refrained. Just some info for you. When I first brought my bike to Liberty, I did so because I had heard about Moose and that he was a good Buell tech. As it turns out, they had a random kid do the service on my bike and he overfilled the oil, all the way up to the dipstick threads. This was just a minor issue, but one of the many I had. If you are not willing to be objective, that is your choice, but my intentions are to get my bike working properly so I can ride it and enjoy it, and I thought some people on here might have some insights that could help me accomplish that. | ||
| Court |
Nope. I'm quite objective and have just learned over years of being involved in customer service and being active in the Construction Dispute Resolution Board, that when I read a rambling, circular logic sounding post that I invariably find at a later date that there were tons of facts that were undisclosed. No reference to anyone or anything. I'm just having fond flashbacks to some of the cases (motorcycles and major construction projects) I've wandered into in the past. The best one remains the guy with the S2 that was "screwed up at the factory". It turned out that he, in the year there were no S2's sold in CA, tried to buy one in PA, convert it to a CA bike and really did a number on it. I took the time and expense to go to AZ and took him a new bike to use (like I did Henrik the first time we met) only to find an S2 that had leather concho saddlebags, those bicycle fly-in-the-wind handlebar things, a duct taped screen half the size of a sheet of plyboard and a pair of jury rigged carbs (he thought they'd pass C.A.R.B.) He told me his uncle was an "expert" and helped him design the mods. From there it went downhill. I will say that motorcyclist pale in comparison to construction company owners however. . . . some of the "gosh I don't know what could have gone wrong" stories I've heard in construction are real doozies. | ||
| Jhanz |
Court, I have no idea where the "rambling", "circular logic" comment comes from, I think it's fair if you would clarify that. In addition, once again, I will point out that I stated in my earlier post that there were facts left out and also stated that I can not publicly post all the facts here, do to a confidentiality agreement that I signed. You haven't even acknowledged those statements. I guess the key gripe that I have had, is why two dealers have seemed reluctant to deal with a problem that I pointed out, and that I thought that it might have something to do with prior issues from the past. I sell and rent homes for a living and deal with customer service on a daily basis, with big ticket sales. I have also worked for a huge developer and know how the corporate game works. It's very disappointing to be met with such negative responses, when I am only trying to get my situation resolved, and looking for some help resolving a very frustrating issue. I can tell you this much from experience, good customer service is not defined by cool sales guys and having a positive experience when things are all nice and smooth. It is defined when there are difficult, problem-issues to be dealt with. These are situations which do happen in any customer service field. My experience with Buell service thus far has been frustrating. Clearly I can see that this is not going anywhere, so I won't bother wasting time on it. Unless of course you ARE in fact interested in hearing the facts which i can send directly to you. In which case i would be thankful for any advice you might give me. I am a straight-forward and honest person and will gladly fill in all the gaps, good, bad or indifferent. |
