| Author | Message | ||
     Rocketsprink |
Good idea. Let HD off the hook. I, for one, say bullshit. I don't really care who comes up with the fix for the stator, clutch weep, zero'd out speedo,battery drain caused by outdated software,harness issues or whatever else pops up. Again, HD OWNED Buell, so it's THEIR responsibility to come up with viable repairs and solutions to these known and ongoing problems. And I will go out of my way to make sure that anyone I know looking for a bike stays away from any HD product. I already talked my brother in law out of trading his Buell for a XR1200. That and the dealer wanted his bike and $4000. When HD purchased Buell, they took on any and all issues whether they like it or not. Again, good way to treat you "future" customers. | ||
| Baggh |
Dktechguy112- I hope Harley decides to fix our bikes (or offer another fair solution)... what do they get out of it? Well... Some of our continued business down the road. Perhaps they enter the sportbike arena once again and would like a good track record of supporting the bikes. At the very least... they keep me (and possibly others) from going public with this... because this is my plan (among other things) if they do not. Jhugger stated that "bitching" on these forums will get us nothing. I agree\disagree... I agree if that is all I planned on doing. Thats not my plan. I started commenting on this thread to kind of gage potential support IF I take a harder stance with HD. Seems as if there is some SOLID interest in making HD do the right thing (at least trying to make them). I'm diggin what many are saying... enough is enough. Rocketspink... I "almost" traded in my 1125 a couple weekends ago on a 48 or Vrod... all I had to do was sign the paper... they were offering me 4K for my bike. I sat there at the table remembering so many posts on this site about people becoming so fed up that they simply wanted rid of the bikes. I can relate... I was about to do the same. They luv'd their Buells and did this trade-in as a last resort... enough was enough. I sat there with all of this going thru my mind... I must have smoked 50 cigs contemplating what to do. I could just walk in there... sign and be done with all of this... no harm in that. No one is going to give me a medal or pats on the back for trying to go after HD... sign and be done. I decided... signing is EXACTLY what HD would want me to do. Signing wouldn't help me or anybody else on this site... but it would put a big smile on HD's face... I decided... enough is enough alright... I walked in... grabbed my 1125 keys and rode off... you guys know the rest. this is about principle yes... enough is enough alright. and people are going to know about it. Jhugger... I appreciate the financial equation... but its not about that to me... its about the frustration I and many like us are experiencing... enough is enough... I dont care how long it takes. | ||
| Baggh |
Dannybuell.. I don't know what you're talkin about... but I think I like it  | ||
| Baggh |
It is going to take alot of "we's" in order to get results. As in... this isn't about me.. its about us. "we" have to fill up HD customer support phone lines... "we" have to begin the papertrail of warranty work... I guess that I just write "I" alot during my posts because its quicker...? but make no mistake... once again... it is going to take our combined efforts to truly get results. I hope you begin unleashing the calls tomorrow... I know I'm making my 5th or so call bright and early | ||
| Baggh |
Dktechguy112... If we cannot get results from HD then your solution is ultimately what I plan on doing... although I have no idea what the hell rewinding a stator even means... I'll do that as a last resort.. but we shouldn't have to do that... many of us} want to at least try to have HD do the right thing. | ||
| Dktechguy112 |
I want Harley to do the right thing. I am just saying i am not confident that they will. Baggh, More power to you, i hope you get Harley to do the right thing. I haven't had the stator problem yet, but if i do I will be calling Harley customer service. | ||
| Jules |
although I have no idea what the hell rewinding a stator even means There are several specialist rewinders that will do this for you (if it comes to that). They'll strip the insulation from the stator windings, unwrap the copper winding and replace it. You should be able to specify the desired power output, so in theory you could ask for a lower output that might produce less heat. They'll then re-insulate it and ship it back. That's the route I'll go if mine fails - but I'll still get HD to order a replacement as that's their job.... It's either that or buying a take-off 08 stator and cover and rotor from Erik Buell Racing in theory either of those has a better chance of success than relying on HD....but I will still claim against them for a replacement when/if I need one. | ||
| Jdugger |
> its about the frustration I and many like us are experiencing... Fine, but the shortest path to satisfaction with your bike is just getting the stator rewound so it's not an issue. A replacement stator from HD is a long wait and (for you) another time bomb. Just sayin' | ||
| Baggh |
Thanks Jules Jdugger... I will certainly do this as a last resort. I do worry that if I happen to have another issue (even if its unrelated to charging) that HD would void my warranty given I tinkered with the stator. Not saying they will... but its a concern. | ||
| Jdugger |
> HD would void my warranty given I doubt they would. But would it matter? Would you be able to get parts? You seem to be missing the point... you aren't riding your motorcycle... Does it really matter if it's under warranty if it can't get fixed? | ||
| Jules |
I do worry that if I happen to have another issue (even if its unrelated to charging) that HD would void my warranty given I tinkered with the stator I can understand that concern.. I'm reasonably confident that they wouldn't, confident enough to take that route for my own bike but perhaps not confident enough to suggest it as an option to everyone - well, not without making them aware of the potential risk (even if I feel it is acceptable). Fortunately "HD" (corporate) seems pretty stupid so probably wouldn't recognise a rewound stator if you beat them over the head with it. Those techs that are smart enough to identify the repair would potentially be smart enough to understand why it was necessary. I'm lucky, my dealer is pretty cool.. A lot depends on that relationship. | ||
| Baggh |
Jules... my dealership tech dept. is top notch as well. I agree... the relationship you form with them is key to getting genuine (or as close to genuine as you can get) results. I called HD customer support this morning... awaiting my "case" HD rep to return my call. I called my dealer service tech this morning. In short... my battery light is once again coming on and escalating in the duration that it stays on. After 78 miles (I am keeping a log) the battery light started coming on (started out with a fully charged battery). At 125 miles the light is staying on every time I am at a stop in traffic, traffic light, etc. I can go on and on but I am working with them to find a solution. BUT... and he agrees... there isn't one. He is calling HD support... On my last visit there was tech comments on my service sheet saying the charging system is operating properly. I stated that this comment is screwing me cause it obviously isn't charging during street use. He looked it up cause he knows the bike is not charging. He found that somehow a "sales" rep put that note on my service sheet. The plot is thickening. He said a sales rep has no business making service recommendations or notes. He said that he will change it. I asked for an official list of HD's recommendations AND something official that states Buell R&D is dead. thats what I have so far... btw... guys.. I am riding my bike everyday... its just as problems come up (which they do everyday) I am called HD customer service and taking my bike to the dealer weekly. The only reason I didn't take it in this weekend is that I was doing more tests to log. | ||
| Dktechguy112 |
Baggh, If you get the stator rewound, i doubt that a harley tech would notice, the winding might look different, but the stator would look fairly similar. | ||
| Baggh |
Dk... you're prob right but... as part of working with my HD tech guys to resolve this charging issue I relayed the info I learned here on BWB about possibly installing HID's to alleviate the High Beam issue... their answer.. "Oh no no no... don't do that... that very well could void your warranty and put this whole "charging issue" case out the window." (Message edited by baggh on August 23, 2010) | ||
| Dktechguy112 |
baggh, how will they know if you put HID's on? The only thing that is modified to put in the hid's is the weather boot. order a spear one for $4. And swap the stock lights if you take it to the dealer. I bet i could swap the stockers back in 15-20 min. | ||
| Baggh |
I hear you Dk... and I appreciate the feed but... if I am going to get anywhere with getting a fix I need to keep it as "by the book" as possible. I don't want to give HD any easy outs. | ||
| Baggh |
let me rephrase... more than likely we probably wont ever get an actual "fix" from HD.. can it happen?... maybe... but I am keeping the expectations realistic. This will probably (I hope anyway) lead to an acceptable fair compromise. | ||
| Jules |
My dealer just recomended after market signals as we tried both the spares he had in stock and they were toast. I ordered an integrated setup - but I know what you mean, you just can't trust the big corporations to do the right thing. | ||
| Baggh |
Good to know Jules | ||
| Ratgin |
Question for you all. I was reading in XR1200 forum they are having issues with the gas tank covers and HD just seems to be replacing and not doing R&D to solve and.. someone posted the following question/statment an issue that remained unresolved during warranty period is still a warranty item even after the warranty expires? Anyone having any knowledge on this? | ||
| Freight_dog |
It's official, my second stator is dying. Even at highway cruise it was dropping below 12 v. I had to disconnect one headlight and turn the IC brightness all the way down before it would hold 12.1 v long enough to get me home. I had just taken the bike directly off the battery tender before the ride. I got about 20 miles from home before I had to turn around. I called Western Reserve and they have a stator in stock! It has my name on it. They have my bike scheduled to be worked on next Thurs. | ||
| Mhpalin |
James how long and what kind of mileage did you get out of your second stator Mike | ||
| Freight_dog |
First at 800 miles, currently at 3800 miles. | ||
| Baggh |
Rocketspink... As I commented a billion times in this thread... ... I'm with you... I am 110% in agreement with your opening post that started this thread... This morning I traded in my 1125CR on a 2010 Sportser 48... definitely a bitter\sweet scenario... Bitter cause I luv'd that 1125... Sweet for tons of reasons... I am no longer stressed about all the electrical issues, I totally dig my new bike, AND I actually like my stable of bikes better... a more diverse group. Having the XB and 1125 was kinda same same (other than the obvious power difference) but now having the XB and 48 in my stable.. well... I'm back to all smiles. To all of you that are keeping your 1125's... best of luck to you. There definitely seem to be some good band aids floating around on this site to help keep them runnin. | ||
| Bobbuell1961 |
Baggh, Let me know how your back feels in a few miles,Good looking bike but with 1.6 inches of travel in the rear no thank you | ||
| Letskeepriding |
I haven't sifted through all these posts but, has anyone contacted Eric Buell to see if he has or can come up with a fix ? I almost don't even care about the warranty, I would pay for a fix if needed. I like my 1125 and have no interest in riding a Harley. And for a few hundred bucks I'd rather have my bike running again. | ||
| Jdugger |
> has anyone contacted Eric Buell to see if he has or can come up with a fix ? Someone here did and the reply was that none of the race bikes are having the issue. > I would pay for a fix if needed. That's easy then! The stator can be rewound! It costs about $200 for the work. The Aprilia RSVR is notorious for stator issues as well, and someone here contacted the same shops that had been reported favorably over on the AF-1 Aprilia forum. Send your stator to them, have it rewound in a more durable fashion, and there you go. | ||
| Baggh |
I wrote Erik Buell Racing and received the following response. I appreciate that Erik's tech team took the time to respond to my letter and how quickly they did. However, I decided to move on because the information within offered nothing promising in regards to a fix being on the horizon. Ultimately this is what I was looking for. On a positive note they are certainly aware that there is a problem... I do not believe they (or HD) understand exactly how common problems with these bikes are. I have heard both HD and now the following letter basically disregard sites like BWB as "rumor mills" "conspiracy theory mills" etc. I find this pretty disheartening how easily our problems\stories\etc are discarded. Erik Buell Racing's reply... ... Gene, One of the horrors of the internet is the mass dissemination of bad information and of fear and hysteria. The charging system situation is a really unfortunate one, but we are trying to be as factually driven and objective as possible in understanding it. Although we at Erik Buell Racing have no official capacity in these matters, and no access to records/data, we have several people within HD who we have asked to update us on the general status of this situation. What we hear is that there are many stators that fail after the harness upgrade is done, but they all had some mileage accumulated before the upgrade was done. We do not ever have problems in the race bikes, so don't have any data to add to the mix, and even if we did it is would be statistically insignificant. We are told the analysis shows that the mileage endured without the upgrade in these cases has damaged the stator insulation badly enough that it fails further down the road. This does not happen in all cases, but in far too many. However, they are telling us that they have no incidences of new stators failing with the wiring harness upgrade charging system in place. So if the stator has gone bad, when it is replaced it should be fine. The biggest problem now is they are out of replacement stators at the current time. There are many who are frustrated that these parts are not available, and there is nothing we can do to help. The supplier to Rotax had to make them, and ship from Italy on to HD. There is a long lead time for this, as neither these stators nor their subcomponents were sitting on a shelf. There are some folks talking of conspiracies, which is simply said a pretty far-fetched theory. There are some saying the design is completely wrong, but the facts don't indicate that at the current time. We will be watching to see if indeed those stators which start fresh and run their whole life with the wiring harness upgrade do not meet performance acceptability. If not we will certainly be looking for solutions, but I am sure HD will as well. For those who have this problem and do not want to wait for the replacement parts, it is completely understandable that they wish to move on. For those who can wait, but don't believe the replacement parts will be better, we don't think the facts corroborate this belief yet, but we do understand, and have to admit we don't actually have the facts to prove it, just trust in the people who we know at HD. Our only advice to those wanting to sell would be to try to be objective as possible, as it will always lead you to the most cost-effective decision. Before selling the bike at a huge loss, be sure you can afford it as opposed to having the patience to wait for the new parts to come in. Thank you, Tech Support Erik Buell Racing | ||
| Mac_inger |
Great. I just took my bike in today for my first stator and when talking to the tech, he said he has many people already on their third stator... It would actually be great if Erik Buell Racing did some research on this and came up with a solution,..i would gladly pay them for a fix, rather then wait for HD to figure it out. (Message edited by mac_inger on September 01, 2010) | ||
| Froggy |
You only hear about the issues on a forum, not the majority that have no issue. Check the results of that small sample survey in the other thread. While not perfect, it gives you a jist of how it is blown out of proportion on here by a few, including you. |
