| Author | Message | ||
     Fordhotline |
Is there any way a valve adjustment for the Uly? I have 30K on mine and wondering about the need to perform a adjustment. | ||
| Froggy |
I do not believe the valve needs any real adjustment, although you should lubricate the cable periodically to ensure it doesn't bind up and destroy your actuator. | ||
| D_adams |
Umm, intake and exhaust valves or exhaust valve built into the muffler? (Message edited by d_adams on December 01, 2011) | ||
| Argentcorvid |
Assuming a stock engine, there is no adjustment to do. They are hydraulically self-adjusting. | ||
| 7873jake |
All the more reason to own a Uly. It was one of the reasons the Buell made my list of finalists and was eventually purchased. Hate shim over bucket. Cringe when I read about VTEC adjustments on some VFR's. | ||
| D_adams |
Try doing shim UNDER bucket. Cam removal every time on an IL4 to do a valve adjustment absolutely sucks, especially if you make a mistake and have to do it over again. Yep, I've done that and wasn't too happy about it either. | ||
| Dr_greg |
Pity poor Dr. Greg. Going from a Uly (on which I can do everything myself, including adjusting the valves  ) to a Ducati Multistrada 1200S (on which I can do NOTHING myself...seems like, anyway). My own fault. Note that I still own/commute on the Uly. Jury is still out on the fate of the Duc. --Doc | ||
| Timberwolf |
Pity poor Dr. Greg. Going from a Uly (on which I can do everything myself, including adjusting the valves) to a Ducati Multistrada 1200S (on which I can do NOTHING myself...seems like, anyway). My own fault. Note that I still own/commute on the Uly. Jury is still out on the fate of the Duc. --Doc Trade it on the new Tiger Explorer - then you can give us one of your awesome reviews  | ||
| Fordhotline |
Was talking about intake and exhaust valves. Good to know there is no adjustment. I once tried to help a friend with a Duc adjust his valves. WTF! lol ended up going to dealer because of special tools needed. | ||
| Jphish |
Ummm - I believe the 1200 tiger is also shim / bucket design. Just speculating here, since both my 955 / 800 tigers are. However: my 955 with 18K mi is still in spec and not needed any adjustment...yet. Would LOVE Dr Greg's review of new tiger though! Maybe spring before we actually see any in the states. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
New EBR bikes have valve adjustment. | ||
| Froggy |
Valve adjustments on the 1125 is easier than doing the other crap on the XB. Engine rotation isn't always needed, and so far my bikes have not needed any adjustment in about 20k miles each. | ||
| Bike_pilot |
Dr. Greg, so far I've found my ducati (a 2-valve) to be surprisingly easy to work on. Its a complex valve train setup, but they built it with service in mind. Belts take ~15 minutes to swap out. No wacky engine rotation stuff, all right there where its easy to get at. I'm sure the MTS1200 is more complex still, but you might be surprised at how accessible it may be to service it yourself. FWIW some shim under bucket setups are super easy. For example, my TLS has geared cams, they just lift out super quick and easy, swap shims and plunk them back in. Other bikes have rockers/finger followers that slide out of the way. On balance, shim under bucket seems to be the least work 'cause they just don't move after the bike is broken in - at least not much. My TL1000S is a big twin and at 60k miles it hasn't needed an adjustment yet. I've had a couple of shim under bucket I4s and neither ever needed adjustment. Small valves, shim under bucket DOHC and top quality tends to mean they just don't ever move. (Message edited by bike_pilot on December 02, 2011) | ||
| Xbimmer |
...is easier than doing the other crap on the XB. Hmmm... I've been doing my own maintenance for 80K on the Uly, I'm unaware of the other crap. Apples and oranges here. | ||
| Froggy |
Ain't apples and oranges, the XB is a maintenance hog compared to the 1125. I don't mind the valves, it sure as hell beats having to deal with the clutch, primary chain, fork oil, transmission fluid, and engine oil every 5 minutes. 1125 requires oil every 6200 miles, oil filter at 12,400, valve check at 12,400, then fork oil at 18,600. Thats it. At about 20,000 miles on an 1125R, similar mileage on my CR, both combined have spent less time and money in the shop than my XB alone for the first 20,000 miles. | ||
| Motorbike |
Valve adjustments on the 1125 is easier than doing the other crap on the XB. Take a look at this and you will see just how simple a valve adjustment on the 1125 is: http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/290 431/658832.html?1321568499 Nothing to it! I think I'll stick with doing the other crap on my XB. Thanks. | ||
| Dr_greg |
Dr. Greg, so far I've found my ducati (a 2-valve) to be surprisingly easy to work on. Its a complex valve train setup, but they built it with service in mind. Belts take ~15 minutes to swap out. No wacky engine rotation stuff, all right there where its easy to get at. I'm sure the MTS1200 is more complex still, but you might be surprised at how accessible it may be to service it yourself... You didn't know this, but I put 41,000 miles on my '92 Ducati 900SS; did all my own maintenance, including a complete engine rebuild when it fragged a (ball) main bearing. Super-easy engine to work on...one of my favorites (along with 289 Ford in '65 Shelby Mustang). As proof, here's a picture during the overhaul  The Multistrada 1200S is completely different. I've had the thing torn down as far as possible, but got stopped by my inability to remove the airbox (honest!) That's pretty easy on a Uly... If I keep the Duc I'll buy a service contract from the dealer. Then I won't even hafta change my own oil. Breaks my heart. Anyway, I am indeed looking forward to the Triumph Explorer 1200. Shim-under-bucket is no big deal...it's the difficulty in GETTING that far that can be a showstopper. --Doc | ||
| Froggy |
Yea he did it the long and hard way, but he was doing other work to the bike so he had to disassemble anyway. | ||
| Froggy |
I bet you follow the book procedures on how to remove the wheels and fuel pump too  | ||
| Bike_pilot |
I didn't Dr. Gregg - you've been far deeper in a 2-valve desmo than I have. Its a shame its that hard to get at the motor on the MTS. The SMT (KTM) looks to have it all hanging out for the world to see FWIW. Its a compact bike too, you should maybe have a spin on one if/when you think about swapping the multi for something. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Froggy, Just how hard and often do you have adjust the primary on the ULY?? Piece O Cake. Oil change is nothing. Only thing so far that took some time was changing a seal and fork oil in the front suspension. The only real hassle for me besides the forks is doing a TPS reset because I have to drag the computer tower onto the back deck to use the ECMSpy. But only have messed with that once. Belt was kind of a pita though. | ||
| Froggy |
Quite often, like every oil change, and I never could get it right either, every time it was adjusted things got worse. It is a terrible design and clearly a relic of HD engineering. | ||
| Ian03xl |
Sounds like you weren't doing it right then not a design flaw more like operator error. | ||
| Froggy |
I guess my dealers, Spiderman, and some other badwebbers didn't get it right either. | ||
| Ian03xl |
Everyone knows dealers can't be trusted. I don't know spiderman, but a lot of people on badweb aren't very mechanical and I can see how it can easily be done wrong. I'm not calling you out in any way, but I've done primary chain adjustment on many harleys and buells and never had any trouble getting it right besides what's it take maybe 15 minutes to complete an adjustment and that's if you take a break. | ||
| Froggy |
Right, my dealer was a Badweb sponsor, and is also an EBR dealer. The two techs that work on my bike between them have an XB12SCG, 1125CR, and a flat tracked Blast. The guy I get my parts from has an X1W. One of the managers has an S3T and an XB12R. They are no strangers to Buells, and have hosted many Battletrax events. Overall I am happy with their service department. Nobody is perfect, but in the few times that something wasn't 100% perfect, they made everything right.
Spidey is the guy *I* go to when stumped, thats how damn good he is. He won't even let Erik himself work on his bikes. He is one of the few that has Erik's phone number, and is friends with many of the former Buell engineers.
I've personally spent over an hour trying to get it right, still couldn't. Spidey tried, it felt great for the first few miles, then sucked again. Dealer does it, feels great, then sucks again. Other badwebbers do it, feels great, then sucks again. It is a terrible design, and don't blame my bike, it is every XB I've ridden and owned, even my Blast too but it doesn't seem to suffer as much. | ||
| Bikelit |
Primary adjustment takes about 10 minutes. Tranny fluid also 10 minutes. Oil change about 15. Lube cables, check pads and tire pressure, give the bike a once over. Total about an hour or two max for everything. I never considered the maintenance a big deal. Over a million Harleys on the road without a primary problem. If neither you or your friends can get it right, then clearly something else is wrong...... | ||
| Luftkoph |
Ian03xl you have to understand froggy is a grumpy old curmudgeon trapped in a dapper young mans body. | ||
| Ironhead1977 |
Even though the primary chain is what it is,I agree with Froggy it is an out dated design and a pita because you never get it perfect only good enough.Talk about ease of maintenance,my Kaw vaquero has self adjusting valves no primary chain, hydraulic clutch,and one hole for oil. basically all you do is change the oil,check the tires and look for loose bolts. | ||
| Tootal |
In 06, Harley introduced the self adjusting primary chain. I incorporated this to my 2002 RG and now I forget about it. It would have been nice to have this feature on the Uly but even the Sportsters didn't get it. Hmmm, maybe I need to start a new project!??? The problem lies with the design of the adjuster, it's totally different than the Big Twins. |
