| Author | Message | ||
     Dirt |
I guess you can add my bike to the list. I was about half way to work this morning when I started to feel a strange vibration. Then the back end started to shift around a good bit. Bike was very unstable. Felt as if the rear tire was low or flat so I pulled over to check it out. The tire had air and everything else looked good. Anyway, the bike just didn't feel right so I decided to turn around and head for home. Was able to go about 30 feet and there was a big clunk and I almost lost it. Pulled over once again and this time I noticed grease and metal shavings on the rear belt pulley. Looks like the bearing went south. I had it towed home. The bike is an 07 with about 11.5k miles. It has the original tire on it (never removed). Called the dealer and I'll haul it over there later today or tomorrow. Probably look into a new rear tire while I'm at it. | ||
| Alchemy |
Dirt, Interesting report particularly since the tire has never been removed. Do you think there is anything that might have contributed to this failure? Anything other Uly owners might want to know about? I am now packing a set of rear bearings when on longer trips due to reports like this. It is easy to do but I still wonder if there is a way to avoid the problem in the first place? I avoid pressure washing and such but I do not hesitate to ride on dirt roads. | ||
| Iugradmark |
Over on the adv site, Pete took some photos of brown sludge coming from his bearing. Did yours ever show any of this prior to failing? see photos here...http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?p=50 39951#post5039951 | ||
| Kuuud |
I'm more amazed that a stock rear tire lasted for over 11K !? How is that possible? | ||
| Froggy |
I was wondering the same thing, perhaps he jacked the bike up in his driveway and rode it with the rear off the ground for 7000 miles. | ||
| Mike_dinger |
Maybe he's using the Pirelli Wagon Wheel Syncs, being that he lives in Fredericksburg, Va. J/k. I'm at about 3400 miles on my 07. I'm not looking forward to these sort of issues down the road, though i know they will happen. | ||
| Chrisb |
I bet its the smooth VA pavement. I live very close to F-burg. The roads around there are well maintained. Being anal about tire pressure helps. | ||
| Dirt |
I use the bike to commute to work everyday. The ride is 130 mile round trip via I95. I get great tire mileage on all my bikes riding this route. Lots of stop and go but also lots of 80mph+ riding. A rear tire on my Harley typically lasts 25K. I typically ride (not on a jack but on the road) about 30k miles a year (3 bike stable). The sync I have on the Uly is still passable, but I think I'll have it replaced. I never saw any signs that the bearing was going to fail. I too saw the photos of the leaky bearing and I checked mine and saw no leakage or any other sign of a pending failure. Everything seemed fine until this morning. FWIW, the bike was built in Sep 06 and I purchased it the last week in Jan 07. Not sure of build dates for others that have failed. Could be just a bad batch of bearings. | ||
| Adrian_8 |
I wish I could get two sets of Syncs to last 11k miles... What I I think happened was.. the little pesky "Gremlins" crawled up on your wheel and did a number on your bearings. They got me too.. rotten little buggers. | ||
| Stevenknapp |
Has anyone found a better bearing yet? I saw some discussion, but it seems the buell is still the best? | ||
| Jameslaugesen |
Can any other components (axle, bushings, swingarm, etc) be damaged from a failure like this? Assuming you notice the problem and pull over straight away? I remember seeing someone's Uly suffered swingarm damage from a bearing failure. | ||
| Lorazepam |
all those can be damaged by a bearing failure. To check your bearings, jack it up, and grab the wheel at 9 and 3 oclock and try to wiggle it back and forth. If you feel movement, your bearings are bad. | ||
| Miamiuly |
I realize that it's the internet and the problems tend to seem exaggerated BUT the wheel bearing thing is bothering me a little. Seen a fair amount on it here and advriders (some overlapping)and it seems like a safety issue at this point. I have changed bearings on other bikes at high miles just because they weren't spinning as freely but never seen failure like this myself. People making their own spacers, looking for better bearings but none fit.....Kawasaki did a voluntary front rim recall on the 04 zx10r, supposedly they saw some casting flaws in an xrayed wheel, never heard of an actual failure. I actually took that as a plus when I bought my 05 10r. Figured it showed they stood behind their product. If we need a new wheel to hold better bearings or a better spacer than have at it and get it done. I love this bike but so far the right puck is lifting, it was delivered 7/8/07 with the BAS not relocated, another possible safety issue. Also I'm watching the belt which seems to have been rubbing the front guard from having walked a little or never being lined up to start with. Couple of other nit picks that can be handled, but I didn't even plan on having the 1000 mile svc done at dealer, already bought vdsts. Now it looks like I get to go back and see the 08's when I drop my bike off eventually. Only 300 really fun miles so far with rain, life and such and already a to do list of not fun stuff. At least I still have the kaw when I eventually schedule the BAS relocated and have them attend to puck. And belt, the batt was filled and sat for months before purchase, probably the same with the oil.. then there is that stuff that still hasn't come off of the triple tail.....stories of the "super belt" breaking at relatively low miles.... 11,000 mile bearing failure sounds crazy, I can't remember killing a dirtbike bearing now that I think of it. /venting- I still love the thing but it's going to have to earn some trust now. Should I pull over and hold an umbrella over the bike in the rain?? (Message edited by miamiuly on August 01, 2007) | ||
| Williedikker |
Buell HAS to be looking into this! I hope anyway. This is becoming a known issue and I have to admit, is making me hesitant on buying a new one when they come out. Are they going to wait till someone looses it on the road at speed and crashes, or worse, before they look into fixing the problem. I still don't think we know what the problem is, right? Poor bearing choice, too much bearing exposure, heat from swing arm... I don't think it's been nailed down yet. Imagine if the Uly had a centerstand. How many of you at this point would be tugging on that back wheel at least once a day before you ride? I have to admit, that would probably be my morning ritual. I posted over on ADV to see if I was crazy for letting the bearing issue keep me away from the bike. Most said it wouldn't matter to them. I think this "could" be serious "if" it would ever happen on a bike that I would buy. Does anyone here think this is something that should be considered before a new bike purchase? I hope it's like everything else with the great Buell customer service and they step up and solve the problem. | ||
| Miamiuly |
I'm just going to watch mine/ visual inspections and be extra aware for bike being harder to roll from the garage than normal. I wouldn't let it stop me from buying, the 08's are really nice and if it is a problem I'm sure they will address it. Not Like I plan to be doing high speed runs on the bike so a failure would hopefully not be catastrophic. | ||
| Windrider |
Dirt, How much dirt has your Uly seen? Sounds like you are mostly commuting on superslab. | ||
| Dirt |
I have yet to take this bike off road. However I do ride year round in all kinds of weather. The Uly has been in a few rain storms. The most recent being on Tuesday of this week. | ||
| Lorazepam |
Visual inspection is NOT enough to make sure your bearing are good. Mine showed no spooge, or seal failure. You need to get the wheel off the ground to check the bearing properly. | ||
| Chadhargis |
I check my bearings at each tire change. Between swapping my two sets of wheels for street and track duty respectively, they get checked quite a bit. So far, so good. | ||
| Bertotti |
Could you not put a weep hole in the wheel? |
