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Message |
Cerbero
| Posted on Sunday, May 22, 2005 - 03:07 pm: |
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my 1997 M2 is rapidly approaching 23,000 miles and, while it has been wonderfully reliable, it's starting to show it's age... for those of you whose bikes have long passed the 20K mark, your experience may help many of us with old school buells avoid some unpleasant surprises. i'd love to know what sort of problems you started to experience around this time, and what sort of problems may be expected in the near future... are there any problems older buells are notorious for? i noticed yesterday that my front isolator is torn... this, along with a half dozen other "age related" problems is why i ask. any insight would be appreciated! |
Shotgun
| Posted on Sunday, May 22, 2005 - 09:09 pm: |
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You might go to the service manual and do the 20,000 mile items. That would include a new belt and while your putting it in, check or replace rear isolators and grease the swing arm bearings. Not a bad home project if you have a friend to help. Replace that torn front isolator and check the steering head bearing. Have your front forks overhauled. I sent mine to Trackside Engineering and they are better than brand new. Get a peek at your oil pump gear. Pop the primary cover off and look at your chain adustment shoe. Then, if your motor sounds ok and aint burning or puking oil, ride on bubba. The M2 is the best BIKE ever made. |
Koz5150
| Posted on Sunday, May 22, 2005 - 10:29 pm: |
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The front mount is no big deal. If you want to fix the bike yourself get a manual! Learning things the hard way sucks and can get expensive. I am closing in on 12,000 and I had to replace my front mount once. It is the same as a Dynaglide. You can also get a polyurathane one from either Drag Specialties or Custom Chrome (I can't remember). Good Luck... |
Bomber
| Posted on Monday, May 23, 2005 - 09:54 am: |
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as long as you've got the swingarm dropped, replace the isolators and swingarm bearings (they weren't the hightest quality items in the first place, and, at 30K, mine REALLY needed R&R) -- ditto steering head bearings -- I have no personal experience with the Poly Iso, but would advise against it (due to other's war stories -- longer lasting, but way more vibes, I've been told, ymmv) drain and replace you're brake fluid -- likely looks like, well, let's just say it needs replacing! ;-} |
Buellmeister57
| Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2005 - 09:44 am: |
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Shotgun, Did you just unbolt and ship the whole frontend to Trackside Engineering? Cost? My 99 Cyclone's frontend is getting pretty sloppy (28,000 miles-many wheelies). Where are they located? |
Bad_karma
| Posted on Saturday, June 11, 2005 - 03:22 am: |
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Cerbero Both my buells are over 20,000 thousand. Keep an ear open for lifters. My reference at Reno Custom cycle Racing tells me they will last to about 30K. My 96 S1 through a belt at 175000 but my 99 S3 has 23+ and still no belt problems. About 19K the S1 spun the transmission pulley inner teeth. I would also recommend flushing your brake fluids every couple of years concrete is still hard. Both the swing arm and tree bearings need replacement. Get a manual it will be your best investment. |
Rick_a
| Posted on Monday, June 13, 2005 - 12:11 pm: |
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I've replaced wheel bearings, all the motor mounts (twice), lifters, oil pump drive gear, rear shock blew, a complete charging system, front fork bushings went south, and recently my front head broke at the front mount so keep an eye on that! |
Fullpower
| Posted on Monday, June 13, 2005 - 12:36 pm: |
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my 98 sportster ( same engine as your M2) shat the oil pump drive gear a couple weeks ago. was running around 85 mph, heard a rattle or something, looked down, oil pressure warning light came on, pulled in clutch, cut ignition, coasted into garage. oil pump is badly galled, was full of steel parts from drive gear. need new pump and drive gear. cams look fine, think motor survived, did not run more than 3 seconds without oil. |
Blake
| Posted on Tuesday, June 14, 2005 - 07:16 pm: |
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Isolators and stator. Check your throttle cable. |
Tramp
| Posted on Tuesday, June 14, 2005 - 08:52 pm: |
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my 95 1/2 S2 has been virtually trouble free for taller mileage than that. I'm still runnning original isolators, which is plain stupid... I changed my steering head bearings and fork oil at 214,430 for the first time ever. man, what a difference. drivetrain has been excellent, both rockers have leaked for a couple years (i could care less), though. i seriously hope to do wheel bearings and motor carriage asap. |
Blake
| Posted on Wednesday, June 15, 2005 - 10:24 pm: |
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You do know that you will have to stop riding for a bit in order to change isolators. |
Tramp
| Posted on Thursday, June 16, 2005 - 07:48 am: |
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ah, well.... it'll give me time to change my clothes... |
Road_thing
| Posted on Thursday, June 16, 2005 - 10:10 am: |
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Trampster--those downwind of you will no doubt appreciate that... Good to see you back! rt |
Tramp
| Posted on Thursday, June 16, 2005 - 10:46 am: |
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thanks RK- good to be around. how the sam hill are ya? |
Road_thing
| Posted on Thursday, June 16, 2005 - 11:38 am: |
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Tres bien, merci! Et toi? |
Tramp
| Posted on Thursday, June 16, 2005 - 02:23 pm: |
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tres bon, aussi, monsieur "roi de rue", tres bon- merci. adonf, le trampignon |
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