| Author | Message | ||
     Jetjock |
What is the secret to fixing broken kickstand bolts that will prevent a reoccurrence? My '07 Uly's broke this weekend at 4400 miles. | ||
| 07xb12scg |
Is it a bolt or a pin with an e clip? I think the pivot used to be a bolt, but it's now a pin with an e clip I think. | ||
| Ratbuell |
..and if a pivot with E clip, did it break or the clip come off? I drilled both my pins (S1W, S2) and ran safety wire thru. If there were space I'd have drilled a larger hole for a cotter pin...but I figure with the clip in place and the safety wire on top of it...I should be OK unless I do something really dumb. I'll have to look at a Uly at work tomorrow, but I think they do have a pin with clip setup.... | ||
| Jetjock |
It's about a 5/16th" bolt that holds the entire kickstand assembly. | ||
| Tintin74 |
There's been a factory recall about these. Well I'm not a Uly owner but I had the same issue on my 'bolt and was pissed off to discover the recall was only about Ulys... So maybe the dealer can get you the $55 new stand for free (might be more than that as the Uly probably has a longer stand than my 'Bolt) I hope you didn't get any other damage as a consequence by the way. | ||
| Court |
Was yours taken care of satisfactorily? Court | ||
| Tintin74 |
Not really Court, the worst part being that it broke 2 days after the end of the warranty (I sent you an e-mail with my VIN but maybe your mail server blocked my webmail from laposte.net). And like I wrote in another post in your section, I really think it was a bad design idea to remove the sidestand killing switch. But after I paid for the new sidestand I never forgot to fold it before riding. It happened in february on an 05 XB9R that I bought used and went through an auction before I laid hands on it. Also as I have another motorcycle for my daily rides and the replacement part came in after just a week I didn't bother loosing time for $55. Thanks for asking though. It might be easier for that Uly, there HAS been a recall hasn't there? | ||
| Court |
>>>>the worst part being that it broke 2 days after the end of the warranty That's yet to, to the best of my knowledge, EVER to be used to deny service due a Buell owner. I am aware of folks getting major updates to 8 year old Buells within the last month. Buell's kinda followed an unoffical "if we're responsible, let's act responsible". Reducing this to writing would surely get it shoved up their ash immediately but they've amazed even me in my efforts to find and resolve owner concerns. I don't design them so I can't comment on the design. I loose about 25 a day to an agressive spam filter. Your dealer can rune the bike for any open recalls. If you have a problem. resend me the VIN and I can take care of it. | ||
| Tintin74 |
JetJock > Sorry to HiJack the thread... Court> I'm doing internal user support on software development tools for a living. That's why I can imagine what went on my dealer's service guys mind: I came to their place in the morning complaining about stupid T27 bolts being stuck on my saddle after they serviced my bike, they did a quick and dirty fix giving me the bolts for free (no paperwork involved, no proof, but percussion screwdriver while the bike was on the sidestand) and 2 hours later I'm back at the dealership waiting for the door to open 'cause I can't get off the bike. The guy looked at the sidestand I had recovered from the middle of the road (I got lucky to be riding while it happened nothing else got damaged on the bike) and told me "'nope, can't fix it with a new bolt, it's bent, the Customs chop other there might want to weld it for you but we won't touch it, see liability issues... Have a nice day by the way." That's the universal story of the quick and dirty fix that you pull to help people that just backfires on you. So the situation wasn't an easy one for them where only defective Buell parts were at fault and the factory should take the blame and fix the thing. It's a combinations of designs with drawbacks (side stand and saddle bolts) and actions from the services guys and the first and second hand owners. I told the story to the other place (once a fool, not twice) where I ordered the replacement, they never proposed to use the warranty either (maybe because the guys in the parts department had H.D. shirts while the guys on the sales floor ALL had nice Buell blue shirts). Now about the design I can tell you as a user that it's not good. Granted I've been spoiled by any other motorcycle brand in the world (Japs, English, Italians) as I got used to have a killswitch remind me not to let the peg drag on the road. I read that Buell "fixed" the issue by removing the killswitch. I can imagine that if I had removed the switch myself, I probably would remember to fold the stand before riding but as a switch from "idiot-proof" to "not idiot-proof" design, it's just bad. (Message edited by Tintin74 on June 29, 2007) (Message edited by tintin74 on June 29, 2007) | ||
| Jlnance |
I got used to have a killswitch remind me not to let the peg drag on the road. I read that Buell "fixed" the issue by removing the killswitch. I can imagine that if I had removed the switch myself, I probably would remember to fold the stand before riding but as a "not idiot-proof" design, it's just bad. I'm a little unclear as to the dates Buell did things. Your bike is an 05, and I don't know about it's sidestand. The 06 bikes (Ulysses at least) don't have a kill switch because the sidestand will automatically retract if you leave it down. It's very idiot proof. I tested mine a few times. Put the stand down, take off and hang a left turn. It retracts with no problems. | ||
| Reepicheep |
I torture tested that sidestand a couple of times as well, including leaning and riding off a curb with it still down. It makes an alarming clunk, but pops right up, and I appreciate one less switch down there that wont leave me stranded someday. | ||
| Court |
Who was the person who said . . .
I'm reading and re-reading this. Let me print it out and see if I can sort this out. You are the 3rd owner? There are seat and side stand issues? | ||
| Tintin74 |
I am kind of the 3rd owner as the 2nd owner was a licensed "dealer" that bought the bike at an auction. The seat design issue is known to all Firebolt owners: Why do I need a screw driver to remove the seat and access the battery? My personal issue is that the bolts head got bad so even after I got a T27 wrench I couldn't remove them. Indeed the dealer's service guy had to use a percussion screwdriver. But he didn't take the time to load the bike on one of the "rack" or use a "jack", he hammered on the bike while it was resting on it's side stand. This + me making use of the "idiot proof automatic retract" once or twice a week (I'm a commuter) during the first 6 months of ownership killed both the stand and the bolt. I've read if someone put his weight on the bike while it rests on the stand it could lead to the same effects. Maybe the 18 months previous owner (bike had 13k mi on it) did that I can't tell. Guys I'm not complaining about the whole bike, there are some design choices in my bike that I call kirks and I can argument why. I'm pissed off at the work that was done at that dealership (they are not a BadWeb sponsor anyways) since they "jammed" the seat bolts and highly contributed to break the side stand when they replaced then, to finally leave me on my own to sort this. Helping me out even though I'm a grown up and able to sort it by myself, might have helped them keep my business on the other side maybe not going the warranty way has actually been a faster way for me to get my bike on the streets again. So Court, JLnance and Reepicheep, yes I admit I might be wrong on making conclusions about the side stand design while I can tell about only 1/4 of the life of that particular part on my bike. But my guts and my brains tell me otherwise. Let me just remind you that since the cinetic energy is the mass x the square of the speed, I might very well give the sidestand a much higher energy on a very short time that could equal the energy of the guy seating on the bike while smoking his cigarette. Now I didn't study stress on metal but that energy has to go somewhere and not all of it goes within the spring that helps to retract the sidestand. Moreover that design might have impacted my riding: I'm getting closer to the edge of the rear tire on the right side than on the left one. Because like Pavlov's dog I learned it might hurt when leaning on the left side. But strangely enough I'm not the only one to report issues with the sidestand. There have even been recalls... Now that this is written only time will tell if I was right. Because the new design with a stronger axle will just transmit the cinetic energy to other parts and eventually the weaker link will break. Some have already commented that the circlips might not be strong enough to hold the axle either and suggested drilling through it to use a better securing system. That might not be the weakest link, we'll see. But putting that switch back certainly would not move the energy but remove it. Again like I wrote I'm ok with riders removing it, not with the factory doing the same. (Message edited by tintin74 on June 29, 2007) |
