| Author | Message | |||
     Natexlh1000 |
Most I see for sale have 5000 miles on them tops. I saw Erik Buell give a speech and he said that the Blast was the most reliable thing that Harley produces. I started thinking today that what if it was because people don't log many miles on them? | |||
| Prof_stack |
I had 10k on mine when I traded it in for the then-new '03 XB9S. My Blast's only problem was a leaky rocker-box gasket and that got fixed under warranty even though it was past the date. Nice. My Blast was durable and well built. But you might be right that most of them don't have that many miles. | |||
| Jlnance |
I've got 10k on mine and friends with three to four times that. It's a beginner bike, so lots of people tend to replace them after they aren't beginners any more. | |||
| Barker |
most reliable = least warranty claims I just dont think the average blast racks up many miles in the first two years. But on the other hand I know alot of Harleys with really no miles on them. | |||
| Swampy |
The Big Kid has 20,000+ on his and he has abused it in EVERY way imaginable. He has operated it at the rev limiter the entire 20,000+ miles. The oil pump drive gear broke and jammed the oil pump at about 8000 miles and it was run for a couple of miles with out oil pressure!  Now it has a knock and he is afraid of getting stranded so he won't ride it as he is saving it for a trip to Deals Gap. One time he had smoked the clutch so bad trying to prove a point I had to go rescue him because the bike would no longer move.......another time I found him cruising around the campgrounds and doing burn outs at an Easyriders show with two girls on the bike with him. He has been refered to as the Samsonite test gorilla. These are the abuses I know about. | |||
| Sarodude |
I don't know why it's so hard to believe that the Blast is reliable. It has a conservatively built motor with a tranny that takes much harder blows from much more powerful jugs in various stock and modified forms. The driveline is pretty much overbuilt and understressed. The carb boot? Yeah, it's a problem - but I'd wager that it's due to mishandling. Isolator bolts? Mishandling. Nearly anything that regularly goes bad on these things is because of deviation from stock and / or mishandling or not following procedure. One MIGHT argue about the robustness of something so sensitive to procedure.... But these bikes are reliable. In about one year, Loli, my better half, put about 20,000 miles on an 02 Blast. All we did was change oil & tires. She stopped riding regularly due to health concerns when the bike had about 25,000 miles. Last summer on the HOTTEST DAY OF THE SUMMER (north of 110F) her bike developed a carb boot leak (non-stock intake, btw) while she was trying to charge up the 2 freeway following my brother-in-law and me. The motor lost power and eventually wouldn't idle well and was blowing lotsa smoke. LOTS. We let the bike cool down, limped it home, and it actually started running normally! Turns out the motor had a light stick (the ring got stuck and then unstuck) but the bike still ran just fine after that. They are tanks. But even a tank will succumb to abuse. -Saro | |||
| Rainman |
I've only put 1200 on mine since December but it's all city driving, stop and go, nasty commuter work with a few 20-mile highway bursts. It's getting 65 mpg regularly and starts on the first try. All I've had is a little gear oil leak around the clutch cable/transmission. I bought from a Rider's Edge program where it spent three years falling over for 880 miles and has the body scratches to prove it. I promised it would never have to teach another rookie and it's run great ever since. | |||
| No_rice |
the gf's had about 7800 on it when we got it a week or two ago, i had to put the new metal rocker box gaskets in it and a clutch cable. tighten some oil line clamps and minor stuff like that. it is already getting close to pushing 9000 on it already and seems to be running great. i did have to adjust the primary chain which i did while changing all the bikes fluids when we got it. and i will have to pull the cover off because i am assuming the shoes inside there are pretty worn as i am out of adjustment for the chain. | |||
| Jugallo94 |
I bought my 02 three years ago with 900 miles. I now have almost 10,000. Typical rockerbox gasket leak, carb boot but I have the pro series intake, tires, oil changes and primary adjustments. No real major problems. | |||
| Johnnylunchbox |
Check out... www.whereismaggiemae.com | |||
| Yttikcat |
Mine is an 06 and has 6,000 miles on it, which brings me to my question - I need to have the 5,000 mile maintenance done (I know that I am late). The dealer said it would take 3 hours and the charge was $229. Does that sound reasonable?  Thanks | |||
| Natexlh1000 |
You should probably just change your oil, tranny fluid, and both filters yourself. You can spend the $190 left over on shoes  | |||
| Yttikcat |
Natexlh1000, do I know you in real life, because that is something that my friends would say to me. The problem is that if I tried to do that stuff, my bike would probably run like crap and then I would have to spend $1000 to get it fixed correctly | |||
| Ezblast |
Its really pretty easy to do - just time consuming for the home mechanic - filter cost about 10 bucks -3 qts of oil 25 bucks, new primary drain plug o-ring 1 dollar, do primary adjustment - inch/pound torque wrench - 125 $. Go 24"/lb then 8 flats out - contrary to manual which is 40 bucks and still worth every penny even with a glitch or two - lol. Primary inspection cover gasket - 8 bucks - just loosen the peg arm - no need to take it off ( though if you trade the bolts out(using a long extension and a swivel/universal) to a locking washers and a threaded rod connector nuts)life will be easier next time. Joy of knowing it was done right -priceless - you won't get that comfort at a dealer(stealer)ship. Total probable hours for your very first time - 5 to 8 hrs - yes the peg arm is frustrating - will take the most time - don't over torque the inspection cover screws. As for miles - both of mine have over 20,000 now - lol - and as I've always said 2003 and above Blasts are bullet proof! GT - JBOTDS! EZ  | |||
| Natexlh1000 |
I didn't think that you blasters had to do anything more than what I have to do with my X1. Why do you have to remove the footpeg? P.S. I like shoes too. I like beer more. | |||
| Ulywife |
I've always said 2003 and above Blasts are bullet proof! that's good to hear. We're looking at a 2003 Blast with 5500 miles. Runs great, but has outdoor weathering cosmetic issues. | |||
| Ezblast |
To get at the inspection cover screws, and you only have to loosen it to move the arm out of the way, however, switching to the lock washers, and coupling nuts make it real easy to loosen for the next time as well. GT - JBOTDS! EZ | |||
| Bigdaddy |
There's been a few of them pass through our barn as the kids were starting to ride. Had a 2002 model that was north of 50K miles and it ran just fine. It was used, abused, dropped, road-tripped, red-lined. It may have been used at a local community college for a beginning riders course too, but I can't remember if that was the one -- if it was it was the last Buell sale by Brian (BuckinFubba) before he left Tilley's. Great little motorcycles if you do your own maintenance. | |||
| Natexlh1000 |
That's great to hear. I was worried that they were only reliable due to disuse. (is that even a word?) | |||
| Yttikcat |
misuse is the word | |||
| Yttikcat |
I forgot to put that at the end of my last posting | |||
| Etennuly |
Nate, nobody has mentioned how much fun they are to ride. At 6' 245lbs I sit on the back of the seat on my wife's 2001. It has 8,000 miles. We got it three years ago with 3200 miles. It came with a V-H muffler and K&N filter kit and a windshield. I have burned the edges off a pair of Nikes on my neighborhood back roads while dragging pegs. My Nephew (a former MX racer at 135 lbs) rode it through the Dragon a year and a half ago chasing and pushing me on my City-X. He said he was with me for over half of the Dragon when I out braked him and he went into a ditch, without falling, to avoid hitting my back tire! He said it took two guys to help get it back on the road(no damage). I was at the store ten minutes ahead of him and honestly thought I had blown him away from the start, then I heard his story. He is very impressed by the Blast. His last road bike was a Honda 600 crotch rocket. | |||
| Kdan |
Just about 10k on my Blast and that's only because the Lightning gets the bulk of the mileage. 28k on the Big Bike. Got both of them in '05 and ride 'em everywhere. Only issues with the Blast, I keep breaking exhaust pipes. Damn curbs. | |||
| Natexlh1000 |
One of the reasons I started this thread was that I was suggesting one to my uncle that lives on Martha's Vineyard, Ma
(google earth thingy) I figure that he could pretend that he was on the Isle of Mann or something. He's holding out for a XB12x though. |
MV