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Buell Forum » 1125R Superbike Board » Archives 001 » Archive through March 24, 2011 » Clutch weep....why no recall? « Previous Next »

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Smitty1125r
Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 - 07:32 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

5k miles on the bike! Just noticed it yesturday after a short ride with the misses. .Level was ok so it hasnt leaked long. What cause this problem and why isnt there a recall? stator aswell? My stator seems to be ok but with my luck it's prolly right around the corner.
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Usanigel
Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 - 07:53 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Harley/Buell has not had their arm twisted yet! Not enough complaints to the safety people yet to enforce the recall. These two problems/weak points are why I took the extended warranty. But that's another subject.
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Zane_t
Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 - 08:07 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

That's a good subject. Both issues can be safety related. I guess HD/Buell hasn't gotten enough complaints from riders getting killed losing their clutch action or the engine dying from the battery being drained.
It would be nice to get my clutch weep fixed for free instead of paying over 200 bucks for the parts to make the good fix.
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Court
Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 - 08:13 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

>>>> why isnt there a recall? stator aswell?

Why WOULD there be a recall?

What, in your opinion, is a "recall" and how does it occur?

Some folks mistake "a pain in the ass" as meeting the legal criteria for a federally mandated recall.

It tends to color conversations.

For your help . . . here is a copy of the form that you, as a manufacturer, would submit. Carefully read 49 CFR Part 573, "Defect and Noncompliance Reports" and see what you think.

http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/problems/manufacturer/pr t573v.html

Most folks simply do not understand what a recall is.
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Smitty1125r
Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 - 08:35 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Court- I realize what your saying and respectfully disagree with ur Form!
I'm not saying this is something that may kill someone but there is obviously a problem with the clucth and stator. Can you count how many posts there are about these issues. Im just asking why there isn't a real fix for either problem and i dont expect anything for free!
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03fatboy
Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 - 09:06 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

There isn't a recall but they are covered under warranty bring it in and have it fixed for free. Mine has been in for the clutch issue and the harness upgrade at no cost to me.
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Smitty1125r
Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 - 09:22 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

My bike is a 2008 and i dont thnk it's still under warranty.
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Bassettkyle
Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 - 09:28 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Ebracing has the parts for the clutch weep. Way cheaper than anywhere else... Got mine for when it get real bad.
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03fatboy
Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 - 09:45 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Got ya, I saw you only had 5K on it figured it was an 09 or 10. It does suck but sometimes crap happens and you have to pay to play. I know I am not looking forward to it if my stator goes as after this summer, my warranty will be up too. But I will put the money out if it does go south on me just because I love my bike.
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Rogue_biker
Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 - 11:16 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I think you may have to spend more than $200 for all the right parts. AS has all of them in stock so may as well get them all and fix it right. If you do the labor you maybe do it for under $300.

Did you get the bike used? If so, chalk it up to buying a used bike and saving a tone of money up front.

Yup. Buell should have done this as as recall to ease the burden on customers but....they figured it would be mostly rectified by warranty.
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Court
Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 - 11:28 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Good. It sounds as if we are in TOTAL agreement.

There is a HUGE difference between something being wrong, a pain in the ass, a problem or anything else and it being the basis for a RECALL.

A RECALL is a very specific procedure. Most folks, since they only see the impact of a recall when they get something fixed that is wrong, seem to improperly associate a recall with EVERYTHING from improper labeling to bubbling paint as a "recall". They waste needless time in pursuit of solutions chasing the "recall" ghosts.

>>>I'm not saying this is something that may kill someone but there is obviously a problem with the clutch and stator.

I agree. And, as I said above, being a problem is not basis, in the eyes of the feds, for a recall.


>>>Can you count how many posts there are about these issues?


The internet in general and Badweb specifically is a very poor statistical indicator. An incredibly small, too small to form the basis for a meaningful sample, of folks are here in terms of the total Buell population.

>>>>Im just asking why there isn't a real fix for either problem and i dont expect anything for free!

Again, I agree. There should be a "real fix" and it should be coming from Harley-Davidson who had all the research Buell turned over to them at the time they closed Buell. And, in my opinion, this fix should be at no cost to an owner. It's a simple matter of you getting what you paid for. I'd certainly, were I in your shoes, be hounding Harley-Davidson.

Many folks . . again improperly . . direct rage and communication to Erik Buell Racing simply as a result of seeing the "Buell" on it. Erik Buell Racing would risk tremendous legal exposure intervening in HD's affairs.

If I owned one, and I don't, I'd likely get the parts to fix it from Erik Buell Racing, pay for them myself and be done with it. I hold little hope that HD will follow through.

Entirely my personal opinion.
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Court
Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 - 11:31 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

>>>Buell should have done this as as recall to ease the burden on customers but....they figured it would be mostly rectified by warranty.

It is a federal crime to deal with a recall item through warranty.
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Dannybuell
Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 - 11:47 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Implied_warranty


To be "merchantable", the goods must reasonably conform to an ordinary buyer's expectations, i.e., they are what they say they are. For example, a fruit that looks and smells good but has hidden defects would violate the implied warranty of merchantability if its quality does not meet the standards for such fruit "as passes ordinarily in the trade".

If the motorcycle industry does a better job in that area then merchantability is an issue in a class action...
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Thefleshrocket
Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 - 12:17 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

It's my understanding that a recall is a NHTSA mandated repair bulletin for a manufacturer defect, which affects a semi-significant number of vehicles, which can result in a safety issue.

The clutch weep and stator failures are both the result of manufacturer defects, both affect a significant number of Buells, and can both result in a potential safety issue. I've seen plenty of recalls where the reason for the recall is that the problem can cause the bike to stall. Both the clutch weep and the stator failure can result in the bike stalling so it would seem that both of those problems meet the safety issue criteria.

I'm not personally arguing for these things to be recalls because my '08 has had the clutch weep fix (appears to be holding after 2000+ miles) and its stator seems to be doing fine, but it seems like it would be helpful for other out-of-warranty owners to not have to fix these problems out of pocket, such as if there was a recall issued for them.
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Court
Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 - 12:46 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

>>>If the motorcycle industry does a better job in that area then merchantability is an issue in a class action...

Precisely and I'm thrilled to see I am the not the only one who's been forced to sit through hours of legal classes having the Uniform Commercial Code and terms like "fitness for purpose" and "merchantability" drilled into my thick skull.

Recalls, as this thread well illustrates, are largely misunderstood.

I recall (pardon the pun) one recall at Buell (I went through all the gory details with Mike the other day) wherein the entire cost of the recall was less than $100.

It met the criteria for a recall.

Buell, throughout it's years, had a committee that evaluated potential recall issues. The driving force of that committee, a veteran of the Quonset Hut, was not only dangerously smart but always vocally erred on the side of caution, prudence and customers.

One of the reasons that some of the "wave of recalls" around 1998 were largely voluntary on the part of Buell. As an example . . . the entire population of shocks was replaced rather than (thanks to a vendor keeping crappy records) try to determine which 30 were potentially constructed with non-specified material.

Interesting discussion.

Court

(P.S. - If you are in the NYC area . . my class I am teaching tonight is on New York Construction Law . . . this discussion is going to be a great warm up! : ) )
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Blake
Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 - 01:25 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

>>> constructed with non-specified material.

Beryllium, beryllium, beryllium?!?!?
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Froggy
Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 - 01:31 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)


quote:

Can you count how many posts there are about these issues. Im just asking why there isn't a real fix for either problem and i dont expect anything for free!




You didn't read those threads then, they have solutions, many of them affordable for those out of warranty.
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Court
Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 - 01:43 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

>>>>>Beryllium, beryllium, beryllium?!?!?

Please ..... Do Not use that word. The next thing you know that " half lawyer / half engineer" shows up .... spews nonsense and disappears into cyberspace.

It's scary!
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Jules
Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 - 01:58 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Another potentially emotive thread...

Personally I'm in the "just get on and fix it camp"; I realise there's also a "HD/Buell should recall the bike and fix it" camp.

There's not a lot of middle ground though..

Personally I'm just about to buy a secondhand 09 Stator (120 Euros) and send that off to be rewound (£125) and then stick that on a shelf in the garage for when/if my current (first) Stator fails.

If I never use it I can always sell it further on down the line. If I do use it @ll get my current stator rewound and keep that as a spare.

I'll pick up a repair kit for the clutch when my warranty expires "just in case".

I actually don't mind these little niggly issues, looking on the net it seems a LOT of bikes are suffering stator and/or VR failures and my old Duc had issues witht he clutch slave cylinder too.

I just see it that spending a few hunderd quid to have the parts readily available to fit IF the issue occurs is good VFM for me.

No down time, no lost riding hours, no concerns - all for around £500 in spares.

Others feel differently, but that's a personal choice (not a basis for a recall).
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Court
Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 - 02:44 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

>>>"HD/Buell should recall the bike and fix it"

My point is . . . that those are TWO DIFFERENT CAMPS.

I'm not denying that HD has a responsibility . . I am saying it does not **appear** (I lack the data) to merit a "recall".

Recall is simply a widely misused term.
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Crowley
Posted on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 - 02:49 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I've got no problem with putting my hand in my pocket and sorting out my re occuring clutch problems. It was sorted several times under Warranty and several times by myself using the upgrade kit on my '08 model. Sadly, none of these have been permanent. Consequently, I'm about 1/3 of the way through making a cable conversion.
If there was a 'permanent' fix, I'd gladly pay for it just to get my lovely 1125 back on the road for the Summer.
Oberon Performance in the UK are on the case attempting to build a slave cylinder that works as intended for an extended period. I've even offered up my bike as a test mule, but I think they need some more firm orders to expidite their research. If anyone needs more info, speak to Steve Street at Oberon.
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