| Author | Message | ||
     Spike |
After seeing one completely failed front isolator and one supposedly failed front isolator at work (Ray Price HD/Buell) this season I've become a bit concerned about the durability of the front isolators on the XB series bikes. The first isolator problem we saw was on an '03 XB9S and it had completely failed. The rubber was torn nearly all the way around and the mount was hanging by the mounting bolt that holds the isolator to the frame. I don't have pictures of it but I think there are a few floating around online somewhere. I do still have the failed part, so I could get a picture if anyone wanted to see it. The part was replaced under warranty, but by mistake the warranty claim was never filed through HD. The second failed isolator was different. The bike (another '03 XB9S) was brought in with complaints of a front end vibration. Since we had already seen one isolator fail, the technician checked out the isolator first. The technician decided that the isolator allowed too much movement and after seeking the opinion of another technician it was concluded that the isolator should be replaced. The isolator does not have any visible signs of damage. This replacement was covered under warranty. This claim was filed and approved by HD warranty, but they did not request the part for inspection. I don't intend to undermine the decision to replace the second isolator, but personally I'm not fully convinced that it failed. I was hoping to have some confirmation one way or the other from HD warranty but they never looked at the part. What concerns me now is my own front isolator. Last Sunday I while riding with a passenger I started thinking about the previous isolator issues. It's difficult to look at the isolator while sitting on the bike, so when I got to a stoplight I reached down just to feel the isolator. Much to my dismay, the isolator was completely bottomed out. Assuming the isolator had failed, I rode the bike home gently and parked the bike for a closer inspection. With the bike on the side stand the isolator looked completely normal, but when I sat on the bike the isolator sagged quite a bit. With me and a passenger on the bike the isolator sags completely and hangs on the bottom of the mounting bolt. Without comparing to other XBs, this really seemed excessive. Now I haven't yet had a chance to run around the sales floor and have a passenger sit on the various XBs with me just for comparison. However, I did sit on a few various XBs by myself and even had one of the sales guys take pictures comparing my isolator to a new isolator. My observation is that the isolator on my ~1900mi XB12R sags more than any of the XBs I checked with me on the bike. Here are pictures of my isolator compared with a new XB12R isolator: New XB12R with the bike on the sidestand:  New XB12R with me on the bike:  My XB12R with the bike on the sidestand:  My XB12R with me on the bike:  Just for reference, I weigh about 210lbs. I know it's a little hard to compare these photos since they're all at slightly different angles, but there is clearly a difference in the amount of sag between my isolator and the new isolator with me sitting on the bike. My real question is- How much sag is acceptable? Does the isolator "break-in" and loosen up after a few miles? or does it continue to get softer and sag as mileage is added? I've read through the isolator section in the service manual but it makes no mention of inspection or operating range for the front isolator. All it has is the procedure for removing and installing the isolator. The isolator is relatively inexpensive and seems to be easy to replace, so even if it was deemed to be a wear item I wouldn't mind replacing it at a certain mileage interval or whenever it was allowing too much movement. I'm just not sure how much movement is normal. I know how sensitive new Buell owners can be about anything concerning reliability, so I certainly hope this doesn't trigger mass panic and cause XB owners to run to their dealers for isolator inspection/replacement. My M2 Cyclone is the sole reason I went to work for a Buell dealer in the first place, so I take Buell reliability personally and seriously. I've even been banned from another sportbike forum twice for arguments that stemmed from flames against Buell's reliability. What I'm really looking for here is assurance that what I'm perceiving as a "loose" isolator is normal and the one torn isolator we've seen was just a freak thing caused by abuse or some outside circumstance. Has anyone else ever looked at their front isolator with a passenger on the bike? How about some of the Buell technicians or other guys that are in-the-know? Many thanks in advance, Mike Luddy, Jr. Ray Price HD/Buell Parts/Warranty '04 XB12R Firebolt (~1900 miles, halted by the cold and a cold) '94 FMII Turbo Miata | ||
| Dynarider |
You were involved in a discussion earlier this year about this. Heres the link http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/32777/31775.html | ||
| Dynarider |
Bad isolator  Good isolator  | ||
| Glitch |
I've not had any problems. The only problems I've seen are these (3?). So far I've put over 12,000 mile on mine since April. A friend has an XB9R that he bought a year ago September, no problems. He does wheelies often. Neither of us carry passengers. As far as acceptable movement or sag I don't know. | ||
| Misato |
I had my bike in for a fork fix, I felt some vibration also, so they replaced my front iso too, it had no visible damage at all but they said it cleared up the vibration. 3500miles | ||
| Texascolt45 |
wonderin what they did to fix the forks.mine also has a slight judder in it at times.ive only got 5000 miles on my xb9s and its been ridden very easy.no wheelies and my wife doesnt like to ride too much.so not much passengers.anyone got any ideas? | ||
| Misato |
they also re-torq'd the steering head. my fork would actually move front to back inside of itself. | ||
| Blake |
I may have to start paying Dyna. Spike, If the bike rides and handles okay, you got no worries. Your isolator looks fine to me. | ||
| Dynarider |
I agree with Blake, compared to the pics of a known bad one, yours looks ok. | ||
| Buckinfubba |
Mike IMHO I think your Iso is fine. | ||
| Richieg150 |
Bubba,I think i remember reading or hearing that the XB was set up for a rider of 165 pounds.Im thinking that was the weight for best handeling-performance.But I could be mistaken,I just am thinking I read or heard that! | ||
| Bigsherm9r |
How much does the front isolator cost, and how difficult is it to replace? Thanks. Sherm | ||
| Prof_stack |
My XB9S was not set up for my weight (I'm 170 and the f/r preload was set for 200+ pounds) when I rode it away from the dealer 12 months ago. But nowadays the Buell crew does try to match it to the rider. | ||
| Spike |
Sherm, I don't have the numbers in front of me but the part retails for around $50. Replacing it requires removing three bolts and having a jack to support the motor while the isolator is off the bike. My suspension was way off from the factory. The front pre-load had 4 lines showing and the rear pre-load was on the 2nd softest setting. | ||
| Captainplanet |
Sherm, By the way, the isolator mount will also polish up as nicely as the frame. |
