| Author | Message | ||
     Tleighbell |
As a previous XB9S owner and lover, I have been seriously thinking of buying a Uly for the luggage and for carrying my SO. However, getting •••••••• from a Harley dealer to stay away due to parts availability issues, Says he knows of people waiting over a year for certain parts. This was second hand info so I did not get details. This is contrary to everything I have read. What is the real story? Also, if off road capability is not an issue, what are the collective thoughts on an S3T as an alternative to Uly? | ||
| Hughlysses |
It seems like most times we hear of a long lead parts issue here, it turns out to be a dealer problem rather than a supplier problem. The availability of drive belts seems to vary greatly from time to time; not sure what the present status of those are. I'd suggest checking with Al Lighton at American Sport Bike; he seems to have good info on this subject since he sells most replacement parts through his store. I don't see an S3T being any better from a parts standpoint. They're great bikes, and the seat height is a lot lower than a Uly, but the seat's not nearly as comfortable for rider or passenger, they have a much harsher ride, and adjustment of that underslung reverse-acting rear shock is a royal PITA compared to the handy knob adjustment on the Uly. If 2-up and luggage is your main focus, go for the Uly. | ||
| Fltwistygirl |
As owners of two Ulys, we have not had a problem. American Sportbike keeps a lot of the stuff on hand, usually just a few days turnaround. Also, if you need a part, sometimes you can post up here and will get pointed in the right direction. We had a seat bracket that was a warranty item that took 6 weeks to come in last spring. It fortunately was not something that kept me from riding (the XT is my primary transportation). Not knowing which HD dealership is in question, I'd say there is a possibility the Harley dealer wants to sell you a Road King or Ultra Classic instead of any Buell. Back in '06 when I was looking for a backordered part for my city-x and calling around, one dealer left a particularly bad taste in my mouth when they suggested I "buy a real bike like a Road King" instead of trying to fix my Buell. | ||
| Tleighbell |
More anti-Buell propaganda from the Harley guys? Although I did see recent issues with 3 bearing wheels. I rode British bikes until about 10 years ago and and it was and still is much easier to get parts for them than some more current Japanese bikes. But there were a lot more Triumphs, BSAs and Nortons sold over the years than Buells I suspect. | ||
| Britchri10 |
I've owned a Blast, an X1 & a Uly (my current bike). I have never experienced any major problems or had to wait for long to source any spare parts I have needed. This board is invaluable, as is American Sport Bike. Chris C | ||
| Reepicheep |
There might be some issues, but nothing we can't get through. As observed in another thread, I had far less trouble getting parts for my Uly last summer than my buddies had getting for their KTM's of the same age. Most of the parts the harley parts counter told me "you can't get anymore" were resolved by me asking "are you sure there isn't a superseeded number for that one?" The one part it looked like I really couldn't get was the luggage rack for the Hepco mounts. A bother as I had one and a half surviving bags and I wanted to stick with the Hepco's... but if I was buying new I would just get some nice aluminum cases anyway. More durable, no more expensive, and they look cooler.  I upgraded from a 9sx I loved to a Uly for the same reasons you are. I miss the scalpel like precision and agility of the 9sx occasionally, but never so much that I would go back from the Uly. | ||
| Uly_man |
Parts for many bikes can take time to get. I had the same problem for a Honda 30 years ago so nothing new on that one. Here in the UK dealers will only hold the most basic or most ordered (read the problem ones) parts. It costs them money to stock them and its better for cash flow to bring them in from the makers warehouse. Its the way things are today like it or not. | ||
| Rwcfrank |
Do we know who actually makes the belts yet? | ||
| Swampy |
I believe the parts availability is getting better. I can now walk into my local Never-been-a-Buell-Dealer H-D Dealer and the parts guy doesn't tell me what he used to tell me before Buell was shut down, he just asks what year and what model then he does what he never did before....he orders Buell parts for me! |
