| Author | Message | ||
     D3r3k |
I dropped my bike of last Saturday because it's still having the same sputtering and engine light issues that it's had for almost 6 months now. 1. The bike was originally taken to American H-D in April with this issue, and after keeping the bike for almost two weeks they weren’t able to find a problem. 2. Derek’s first phone call to H-D: H-D told me to take the bike to Brighton H-D and they would help them troubleshoot the problem. 3. The tech at Brighton H-D reset my TPS and never bothered to contact H-D or look any further into the issue. Needless to say, resetting the TPS didn’t fix the problem. 4. July 28th: Derek schedules a service appointment with American H-D to resolve the same issue. First available appointment...September 1st. Good thing Michigan has such a long riding season. 5. Derek’s second phone call to H-D: Since the tech at Brighton H-D never contacted H-D as he was instructed, I’m stuck taking it to the dealership one more time before H-D sends out a tech. They say to keep my appointment with American H-D and they will make sure one of their techs contact them. 6. Derek’s first phone call from American H-D: they had two techs put over 100 miles on the bike and they couldn’t recreate the problem. They did get two “historic” codes from the bike which were the Engine Temp Sensor and the Oxygen Sensor, but apparently because they were historic codes there’s nothing they need to do to fix it. They tell me at that point that they’ll call H-D to talk to one of their techs. 7. Derek’s second phone call from American H-D: They talked to H-D and they were able to recreate the sputtering and engine light flashing. Also, after discovering those issues H-D told them to check the grounds at which point they found the following issues. First, my throttle cable was rubbing through my spark plug wire. Same ••••••• issue American H-D “fixed” last year. Second, my idle cable is chaffing. Same ••••••• issue Brighton H-D supposedly fixed about a month ago. Third, there was some issue with my battery cables. 8. Derek’s third phone call from American H-D: they are working to correct the issues above, and if those don’t work, they’ll check the fuel pressure and check to see if there’s and intake leak. LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! LEMON! | ||
| Thespive |
CALL BUELL CUSTOMER SERVICE. HOW MANY TIMES MUST WE SAY THIS? If you are going nowhere with the dealer, Buell Customer Serivce will have you taken care of right away! --Sean | ||
| Thespive |
The number: (414) 343-8400 Please call them before you start a rant like this on here. You might be surprised. Call them now. --Sean | ||
| Gowindward |
Time to make some lemonade and buy a service & parts manual. Sit down drink some lemonade and start reading and learning about working on your own bike. | ||
| Mesa_cityx |
Buell needs to DROP HD. Open Buell only dealerships. Join with KTM, Triumph, Aprilia SOMEONE else. Not HD! Incompetent techs and Uncaring dealers will be the downfall of this company. | ||
| Indy_bueller |
LEMON! That's going a little far in my opinion. It sounds like you are having more issues with the dealerships than with the bike. Calm down my friend. I'll bet with some looking through the Knowledge Vault, and some input from the other guys here on BadWeb, we'll get you fixed up. The fact that the dealers in this case don't seem to be doing their jobs well sucks, but it's hardly proof that the bike is a lemon. Can you describe the problem that the bike is having in more detail? | ||
| Buellshyter |
Incompetent techs and Uncaring dealers will be the downfall of this company. I know many have had problems getting service. I've been very fortunate as I deal with one of our fellow Buell owners at my dealership, however; have any of you dealt with an auto service department? They make HD look like geniuses. I had a Jeep dealer tell me years ago I needed a new engine for $3200. When they couldnt service it right away I had it towed somewhere else where they promptly fixed if for 35 dollars. | ||
| Rokoneer |
"Please call them before you start a rant like this on here. You might be surprised. Call them now." ...or you might not. JMPE. | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
"Buell needs to DROP HD." Riiiight. Maybe Willy G is reading this and it'll sway him to sell Buell. | ||
| Rocksham |
I want to tell Erik Buell THANKYOU! I love my Lightning Long! (I do all my own maintenance though!) | ||
| Spiderman |
It is not Buell nor Erik's fault. It is a incompetent dealer. Evidence First, my throttle cable was rubbing through my spark plug wire. Same ••••••• issue American H-D “fixed” last year. | ||
| D3r3k |
I've called the number twice, and I wasn't impressed. Don't get me wrong, I love the bike. Take a look at the link below and the pics will prove it. I just wish it could be used for more than a prop. www.detroithooligans.com/hooligirls.html | ||
| Dentguy |
"Please call them before you start a rant like this on here. You might be surprised. Call them now." .........I think he did say he called. Can't we rant about problems we are having? | ||
| Bigdaddy |
I can appreciate your frustration. I would recommend a call to Buell customer service (just like all the previous posters have recommended) and they'll give you a 'case number.' NOTE: It may not actually be called a case number, but it's some kind of number. They will resolve your issue. I need to call them myself and I'm glad I saw this thread populate. My '02 Cyclone has a leaky seal on the front-end. You'd expect that it would last longer than 5 years, thousands and thousands of very gentle mountain miles, only ridden to church on Sunday's (the bike does actually provide transportation to church frequently,) learning bike for two of the kids and one nephew, frequent loaner ride to visiting Badweb brethren & Buell nuts (we all know they baby the loaner  ,) it also refuses to use oil, and continues to get 45MPG. The often welded race only Buell muffler will have to go before long, but thankfully it quit blowing packing material about 2 years ago. Eats tires like crazy, but loves the Tomahawks if you can get them balanced So my message to Erik Buell is,,,,uh,,,I forgot,,,oh,,,yea, send me some parts and one 1125R to Carolina HD please. I can't think of any complaints in regards to the Uly, but I'll be back in a few years to tell it! G2 | ||
| Bombardier |
I am having similar issues on my 07 12R. The local HD mechanic had it for eight days to find the problem. I turn up on the day and he has fitted the race ECM but tells me I will have to fit the race aircleaner as they do not have it. It was there sitting in a box with my name and which bike it was going into. He then shows me the plugs he pulled out of the bike. One was black the other is as white as my lilly ass. He tells me that the bike is obviously running rich and so he has put in a hotter range plug to fix the problem. It was in there because I had found the problem to be a manifold leak by squirting electroclean on the intake whilst it was running. Ride it like you stole it was his sage like advice. A bike with less than 800 kms on the clock. NO CLUE!!!! I do know that when the cylinder running lean burns the piston/ valves I will not be letting this monkey fix it. | ||
| Fmaxwell |
Sounds like you have a few minor problems with your bike and, because you don't do your own wrenching, you're turning this into a horrendously big deal. If the throttle cable is wearing through the spark plug wire, then why didn't you notice the problem -- especially if it happened before? If you're not up to occasionally checking for things like cable routing and wires chafing, then you ought to stick with a Toyota Corolla with an extended warranty. Yeah, I know, you're going to tell me how it's a new bike, it's under warranty, why you should not have to do any of your own maintenance or even technical inspection. Well, life's not fair. People with Hondas, BMWs, Kawasakis, Urals, Ducatis, Suzukis, Yamahas, and, yes, even Buells, have occasional problems that need to be fixed. Sometimes the mechanic fixes the problem and sometimes he does not. Some mechanics are conscientious and talented and others are lazy and incompetent. Well, get over it, suck it up, and save this kind of rant for something serious like a thrown rod, holed piston, or self-destructing transmission. | ||
| Cixyx_pilot |
06 City X 13000 Kms , 0 problems.  | ||
| Garyl |
"06 City X 13000 Kms , 0 problems." How do posts like this help? Do you think that the guy who has been without a properly running bike for 6 months, feels better now that you proclaimed how great yours is? Do you go to the cancer ward of your local hospital and just run down the halls yelling: "NO TUMORS HERE! I'M HEALTHY AND CANCER FREE! WOO_HOO!!!" It's a bit frustrating when you're the guy whose new bike (which your making payments on) is in the shop and your missing out on the riding season. | ||
| Spatten1 |
Harley Davidson: Making Mechaincs out of Riders for 100 years. | ||
| Beachbuell |
I like lemonade! | ||
| Manimal |
+1 Garyl | ||
| Brumbear |
I had about 10 problems and when I found a good dealer/buell tech they went away Except for a loose oil filter !!!!! Buell was no help by the way I also bought the touring seat that went bad and because it was over six months they wouldn't replace it which is ok but I bought it in DEC and it went bad in May I live in NJ you do the math ther wasn't a so;e on it for 5 of those months I just figure thats the way they want to do buisness so I do all my own stuff now and when this machine is done I will more than likely be as well. It is a shame because I love this bike. All in All | ||
| 65460 |
I also tried Buell customer service. I was on hold for over 20 minutes and just couldnt wait any longer. Thats when I asked for help here. But try as everyone did to help me, even Court, Im still without my Bike. Im at the dealers mercy. | ||
| Xb9sbear |
<p><font face="impact" color="#ff4500"> Bitter Bitter!</font></p><p><font face="textile" color="#778899">I've been through the same thing.<br>I gave my bike over and they could see the issues but not diagnose.<br>Of course they couldn't reproduce the issue either.<br>Ended up trying three times- @ well over 100 miles a trip, to fix it.<br>They said it was kinking and/or schaffing.<br>Ended up replacing the temp sensor.<br>All good in the end, but its a learning curve for all of us.<br>Better to have some theories of yer own before you show up.<br> <br>Last time I took her in she was coughin' blood and hackin'.<br>They told me there was a small leak in a oil line that was spraying on the contacts above and shortin' her out.<br>I thought "bullshit" (sung in a shrill falsetto and stretched out), but gave it a go ahead.<br>Over $200 for that diagnosis, parts and labor.<br>One week later I was back in again.<br>Told them to PLEASE look @ the stator.<br>I'd read of issues similar to mine here on Badweb.<br>Sure 'nuff. Stator was shorting.<br>Never had the problem again.<br>Did I get a discount for the previous misdiagnosis???<br>LOL... HELL NO!<br> <br>Another $400 in diagnosis, parts & labor.<br> <br>Do yer homework before you go in.<br>Have an idea. Work w/the mechanic.<br>Get him on your team.<br>If they got a Bueller workin' back there, request him.<br> <br>Live and learn...<br> <font face="zapfino" color="#ff4500">Robtk! a.k.a. "Specialk!"</font> .<img>.</p> | ||
| Cixyx_pilot |
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| D3r3k |
You're right. We shouldn't discuss issues that might lead to the improvement of a company we all support. What was I thinking? | ||
| Sshbsn |
I know you're frustrated and offended by the whole mess. But really, this is the world we live in now. Doesn't matter if it's your Buell, my Yamaha, or somebody else's GMC. You've got to do things yourself, or you will end up wasting a lot of time and paying a lot of money for poor service, blunders, and confusion. It may not be right, but it is reality. Case in point: I just did my valve adjustment. Local dealer wants $11 PER SHIM (!) so I call up to Sarasota. Parts guy up there is baffled by "valve shim" so I finally had him transfer me to service. Service guy says there aren't any valve shims there. Do you think it would've been a good idea to let any of those folks touch my bike? Like it or not, you've got to get a service manual and take care of your bike, or else face a long, frustrating future in some dealer's service department. And once you start doing your own maintenance and repairs, you'll have a much greater sense of ease and confidence with your bike. Or you could move to where one of this board's sponsors are located! Just my $0.02, of course.  | ||
| Cityxslicker |
Starting to sense that if I got trained and tooled up, put a mobile Buell RX van on the road, and toured the country that I would never be out of work. | ||
| Molly_hatchet |
u think they would trust a guy that made underwater resistance part of his diagnostic tests. | ||
| Gruntb16 |
Maybe with the new 1125R coming out, Buell can can distance it's dependency of HD Service, just as the U.S. can lose it's oil dependency with the war in the Middle East and homegrown new energy technologies... OOOPS! My bad! | ||
| Yohinan |
This is typical of the majority of "mechanics,techs" I come across. That's how the industry as a whole has gotten such a bad wrap. Hence the reason I NEVER take any of my cars, bikes, etc.. to a shop for anything, unless it is a last resort for some odd reason. I like it when I use a parts store for the first time and they tell me Chevrolet didn't make an Impala in 94 just because the screen they are looking at doesn't show that year and model. Geniuses! Sounds like those issues that your having are absolutely related to improper installation of your parts, and the idiot's behind the tools troubleshooting. I am not even a Buell certified tech (or whatever they call them) but just working on these bikes and reading the FSM I have yet to come across anything on these bikes I couldn't diagnose and correctly fix. I have run into some roadblocks, but fellow badwebbers were able to give a different outlook on things and get me to find the problem. "If you want something fixed right, do it yourself." | ||
| Buellinachinashop |
"or you will end up wasting a lot of time and paying a lot of money for poor service, blunders, and confusion. It may not be right, but it is reality." You mean like the HD dealer I was at last weekend for a TPS reset, where when the "tech" asked why the computer wasn't seeing my bike, I had to tell him that the kill switch was on? | ||
| Terrible1one3 |
D3r3k, Was John the guy who worked on your bike? John Banghart is a damn good tech. Brian Bloomer is especially good at crap like this on Harley's I don't know about Buells. American HD blows. |
