| Author | Message | ||
     Ihavemanyfleas |
I missed getting a call into CS before I got off at work today, but did manage to get my service guy on the phone. They ran through all the tests for Buell and weren't able to identify anything that they would say was out of the ordinary. I was told that they were to give me the same story that I got before, just ride it. I'll be calling CS tomorrow, but I'm starting to worry that I have a problem on my hands. First, I have a bike that doesn't perform correctly, starts detonating in the middle of my ride, loses power, and I'm being told to just ride it. What if it konks out and I am somehow hurt? I'm not concerned so much with Buell dealing with it as a warrantee, but this is documented, and if somehow this is at fault for an accident, you better believe they'll be lawyers involved. Second, I can't, in good conscience, sell this bike to anyone because I KNOW there is something wrong with it. I'm feeling feeling pretty bad at this stage, and I'm here partly to vent, but also for suggestions from you guys on how to go about handling this before I put my call in tomorrow. (Message edited by ihavemanyfleas on February 20, 2007) (Message edited by ihavemanyfleas on February 20, 2007) | ||
| Smcnamara |
Here's my advice to you: 1. Call CS in the morning. 2. Allow them to evaluate and resolve the problem. 3. Sell your bike. You obviously are sour on the entire thing. You haven't contacted Buell CS as directed. You have a dealer who may or may not know what they are doing, but that you clearly don't trust, and now are making vague threats of legal action. It appears that there are a few bikes out there that ping. You also appear to be one of those unfortunate few. There is a process to resolve the issue that you haven't followed, yet you tell us all about your ordeal. If you look at the various threads about this issue, I think you'll see that everyone who has contacted Buell CS about the issue has been impressed with the response. There are still some folks out there who are having the issue, but I think they might agree that it's partly because they do not want to turn the process over, and are trying to do it themselves with incomplete information. Do yourself a favor and contact Buell CS tomorrow, then do us a favor and move along. | ||
| Ihavemanyfleas |
Just to clarify: I have contacted CS, actually, which is why it is at the dealer again. CS asked me to drop it off so they could direct them through a diagnostic procedure. I'm trying to resolve this issue in a patient, but attentive manner. Thanks for telling me to move along when I'm asking for advice. I'm not just complaining, I'm trying to get this resolved because I seriously like the bike minus this rare issue. I've been impressed with the CS response, but I still dont have a resolution. If you've seen any of my posts before, you know I'm doing what I can, and following advice I see here. I have a valid issue here, and am simply looking for some constructive feedback, not some negating slam. (Message edited by ihavemanyfleas on February 20, 2007) | ||
| Milo_h |
You (Ihavemanyfleas) are (or seem to be) a stirrer of trouble. Go here http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/142 838/259159.html?1171914096, and read carefully. Butt, you knew that did'nt you! Peace Milo | ||
| Ihavemanyfleas |
seriously, if you read my posts carefully, I'm not trying to stir up trouble. I'm not sure I see where all the negitivism is coming from. I ask for some more advice, and you guys are just slamming me for it. The forums should be a place where we can share information, not throw stones at each other. | ||
| Milo_h |
Ihavemanyfleas, the negative comes from you. The positive is being (and has been) spoon fed to you since your first "negative" post. I'm done. Peace Milo | ||
| Smcnamara |
Sorry if we're reading you wrong, but here are the items that contribute to "negativism": ...and I'm being told to just ride it. What if it konks out and I am somehow hurt? I'm not concerned so much with Buell dealing with it as a warrantee, but this is documented, and if somehow this is at fault for an accident, you better believe they'll be lawyers involved. It doesn't sound like you are being told to "just ride it", it sounds like you are being told to leave it at the dealer so Buell-CS can help resolve the issue. Why you include a passive legal threat is beyond me. Second, I can't, in good conscience, sell this bike to anyone because I KNOW there is something wrong with it. Implied meaning: "If I could sell this, I would, but I'd feel bad sticking someone with this." This doesn't sound like asking for advice, it sounds like complaining and threatening to sue. Again, if this is completely different than your intended meaning, sorry, but that's how it's coming across.} | ||
| Ihavemanyfleas |
I know you guys are tired of seeing this, and I'm trying not to be put my frustration into this, but it is frustrating. My experience so far with CS has been good, but I still have a problem. Let me restate my initial question without the extranious emotion I'm feeling about this: 1) dealer cant figure it out, tells me to just ride it. 2) I call CS, they ask me to bring it in, I say great... anything that will help you guys I'm all for. 3) I bring it in, they run diagnostics, nothing turns up. Dealer tells me that CS tells them to tell me to just ride it, they dont know what to do. So, now before I call CS again, I'm pinging the boards (sorry, bad pun) about any advice you guys might have at this stage... before I call CS back. That's pretty much it. I don't want to sound like a troll bad mouthing the buells. I've found some great info here, so I come here to ask for advice. All I ask is that you guys to take me seriously and offer me constructive advice. Instead i hear sell my bike, and leave. I think I understand the reaction, and I want to ensure you guys who are listening that I'm simply asking for a little advice, even if it seems to be a little hand-holding through the process. So, with that being said, I look back at my post and feel that to some degree it's a little premature in it's content. What I'm trying to get here is any solution I might be able to offer CS during our conversation tomorrow that will remedy this situation that is not "just ride it until it breaks." | ||
| Ihavemanyfleas |
I want to respond to these as well, because I seem to be lacking communication here: <> Second, I can't, in good conscience, sell this bike to anyone because I KNOW there is something wrong with it. Implied meaning: "If I could sell this, I would, but I'd feel bad sticking someone with this." <> This only hit me today - Not that I want to sell it, but that if I have a bike that cant be fixed... I feel a little stuck with it. Imagine if you had my problem, and your last resort was to get rid of it. <> It doesn't sound like you are being told to "just ride it", it sounds like you are being told to leave it at the dealer so Buell-CS can help resolve the issue. Why you include a passive legal threat is beyond me. <> I've been told this twice by my dealer. I left it there the second time for CS, and then after they couldnt' identify a problem, I am told to just ride it (this is the dealer telling me this - saying that buell CS is telling them this is the soln for me). I'm hoping this clarifies some of my reaction in the first part of this post? | ||
| Smcnamara |
Thanks for taking the time to clarify a few things. At this point, I think the best thing you can do is get on the phone with Buell CS, and make sure you have ALL the pertinent info about your dealer. I'm not sure if you've done this already, but have you found out from your dealer exactly who they have spoken with at CS? When you talk to CS, make sure you can provide the name of the service manager, the name of the technician who worked on the motorcycle, and if possible, who they indicated they are working with on the Buell side of things. The response you are getting from the dealer seems odd given the experiences that other have posted after opening customer service cases. This leads me to believe any of the following scenarios could be the case: 1. The dealer is either unable or unwilling to carry out the required steps to locate the issue, and has not actually been working with Buell engineering on a solution. 2. After bringing your bike to the dealer, they have gone through the appropriate checks, and were unable to reproduce the pinging. Everything checks out fine, so they don't see anything to fix. 3. The bike doesn't actually ping, and the other threads about pinging have caused you to imagine it on your machine. If it's #1, a conversation with Buell along with the details I suggested you have should go a long way in resolving that problem. If it's #2, a conversation with Buell about specifically how you encounter the problem, and working with the dealer and/or Buell engineering to duplicate the issue would help resolve it. If it's #3, you've just got to be ready to accept that. From a lot of previous experiences posted on BadWeb, #1 isn't out of the question, but it's important to remember 2 and 3 as possibilities (even if they are much less likely.) Again, best thing to resolve any of the above is get on the phone with CS and have all the important info. | ||
| Nutsosane |
Fleas, allow Buell CS to solve the issue. Obviously the Dealer is not pulling their weight. Find a new dealer. NUTS | ||
| Ihavemanyfleas |
Thanks for the advice. I wish I was imagining the ping. There is an audible noise, and power loss. I'll admit it's tempermental to reproduce, but I can reproduce it every time I spend some time riding. I spoke with CS today, but the person I spoke with today wanted to review the data before he got back with me. We played a little phone tag throughout the day - We are big on meetings at work... I assume they are trying to decide what to do, so I'm trying to be patient. Hopefully I'll know more this week. -Fleas | ||
| Chadleys1 |
My guess is that you are bogging it down, or trying to start off or ride at too low rpm's. The test riders are riding the bike properly, so they can't reproduce the problem. Using logic, ask yourself; "Why does the problem only happen when I ride the bike?" Chances are it is the way you are operating the bike. At the very least, it is a possibility to be considered. I hope this post doesn't sound smartass, because I am being serious and trying to help. (Message edited by chadleys1 on February 22, 2007) | ||
| Red_chili |
Mine does not ping whether starting out at low R's or revving. I am at 5280 feet however. FWIW. | ||
| L_je |
I'm taking my bike in tomorrow morning to try to resolve my ping. Buell CS called the dealer, and gave them a list of things to check, so we'll see how it goes. My bike doesn't ping often; cylinder temps >420ºF, I believe, but with no quantitative proof. Octane booster helps, but doesn't entirely eliminate the ping. Maybe even the brand of gasoline has something to do with it: on Monday with the highs barely reaching 50ºF, it pinged, and pinged often; yesterday, with highs in the upper 60s, no ping, and believe me, I tried! Three differences in the rides: ambient temp, a new tank of gas, and I didn't have my 60lb passenger yesterday. ...so what does it all mean? I do not know. Ping doesn't just happen at lower RPMs when grabbing lots of throttle; my bike can ping at 4000 rpm, as well. Correct me if I'm wrong, but as this is an EFI bike, and not carb'ed, wrenching the throttle only sends out a throttle request that the EFI maps would then turn into a signal to the fuel injectors, right? So, just because you wrench the throttle, the injectors may not spray in a proportional amount of gas, right? The EFI maps should constrain fuel flow, etc, based upon engine RPM. Whereas, a carb'ed bike would go ahead, and squirt it in, right? Just thinking out loud. | ||
| Teeps |
L_je Posted on Thursday, February 22 Correct me if I'm wrong, but as this is an EFI bike, and not carb'ed, wrenching the throttle only sends out a throttle request that the EFI maps would then turn into a signal to the fuel injectors, right? So, just because you wrench the throttle, the injectors may not spray in a proportional amount of gas, right? The EFI maps should constrain fuel flow, etc, based upon engine RPM. Whereas, a carb'ed bike would go ahead, and squirt it in, right? Just thinking out loud. L_je, You have a pretty good grasp of F.I. The engine is pretty much at the mercy of ECM and the magic that lies within. This is my first EFI bike, and it works pretty well, except for the low speed surging and the pining. However, IMO this EFI system should have had a knock, map and baro sensor too. | ||
| Ihavemanyfleas |
Just to update this. I got a call today from Buell CS, and they have reviewed the data from the dealer... NOW they are flying down here to sunny Austin to check it out in person. I'm sure partly to see what the techs are doing, perhaps calabrate instruments or some such tech, and see if they cant dig in deeper. I have to say, I'm impressed with their attentiveness. I hope they are able ti figure out the issue I'm having and incorperate it into a soln for the rest of you that are experiencing this. Keep your fingers crossed! | ||
| L_je |
Fleas, Flying down to see your bike? Dang! I'd take a bath; just a thought. I didn't check your profile, but did you describe your bike as "the most awesomest, bestest bike, ever...you gotta see it"? I'm taking my bike in for ping resolution later this morning...and, yup, my fingers are crossed. | ||
| Chadleys1 |
Ihavemanyfleas, I didn't know you were in Austin. Bring the Uly down to Opal Divines's on SouthCongress next Thursday night, to meet up with Austin's finest Buellers. We had close to 30 bikes this last Thursday, as the weather was so beautiful. They reserve us two front rows of parking within view of our reserved tables on the outdoor deck. I am very interested to see outcome of your problem. Keep us posted, and good luck. I predict you will be back in love with the Uly in no time. PS We are doing a Buell trip to Big Bend in mid April, from Austin. BigBender April 13-16. | ||
| Ihavemanyfleas |
I've really been wanting to head down to big bend on the uly. We used to drive down to Terlingua and Lajitas for the big mountain bike race in Feb. OD sounds cool. People keep telling me to come on down, I didn't realize I had reserved parking! I'll have to check that out as soon as I get her back. I've really been wanting to ride the Uly to work this week, but it's been over at the dealer.  Seeing so many folks out riding around today really kept me jonesing for a ride! 45 mph gusts and all!  | ||
| Lovehamr |
Fleas, "We used to drive down to Terlingua and Lajitas for the big mountain bike race in Feb." Back in the 90s my family and I would head over to Lajitas with the CODP team out of SA every year. Man that was always a good time. I loved the riding there and the festival atmosphere was great. I actually won the "Log pull" one year. Unfortunately I'm also built like a tractor so a cross country title was never even a possibility. LOL Brings back memories man! Steve | ||
| Ihavemanyfleas |
My first year out there for the race when we went to 'pre ride the course,' we got totally turned around, ran out of water, and eventually put in ~60 off-road miles. Needless to say, we didn't race the cross country the next day. We all slept pretty well, though... |
