| Author | Message | ||
     Chauly |
Many of you know my '97 S-3, and some of you know my tales of woe in recent times (failed crank-pin, mediocre engine rebuild leading to final drive bearing failure). I've just re-assembled the transmission again after the bearing replacement, took it for a ride, and now it sounds like the crankpin is history again, 12,000 miles after the rebuild. :-( Is there no end to this? I have had virtually NO PROBLEMS with this wonderful bike until 22K miles, then all of this. Consider that I bought it new in '97 for $12.5K, have another $2.1K in the rebuild, and it has a market value of virtually $0 at this point. Now what? I could send it off to Aaron and have it rebuilt again; then I would have a great-running, 10-year-old, $20K bike. Or, someone could make me an offer on the bike as a project, and they could send the engine off (or do it themselves) and have a classic tuber S-3(T) for much less. As it stands now, I can't ride it, I don't have the time to repair it myself, and I can't get anything for it as it stands. Is that a good enough reason to be depressed? Charlie | ||
| Nutsosane |
Did you sell the Katoom? I sent a couple fellas your way. If you sell the 'Bolt what's next? As soon as this weather breaks the Fast&Loose Crew are heading your way. NUTS | ||
| Chauly |
Not yet. There was a guy that stopped into the local shop, but I misplaced his number. He's been the only one in touch so far. (At least the KTM runs! Well, so does the S-3, but sounds "expensive") I'm looking at the Uly, believe it or not; I have confidence that EB has been able to effect some change at H-D/Buell as far as quality control, and the ULY is pretty attractive. But as Court put it a while ago, "since Sears stopped selling motorcycles, there hasn't been a really bad motorcycle built.."; there are a lot of attractive bikes out there in the $10K-$12K price range. I have to define my wants a little more clearly. For example, I was tempted by a Husky 510SM yesterday: http://www.husqvarnausa.com/2005/05_SM510R.html  for $6700 out the door. Practical? No. Strictly a "back-pack" commuter/BRP bomber bike. How is it different from the KTM? Smaller, lighter, 17" wheels, more up-to-date. I actually thought about acquiring another set of wheels for the KToom, but it would look funny and still vibrate a lot. Of course, the KTM 950SM is another, but at $12.5K, it had better tour as well! No bags, and a bit awkward to mount some. Triumph is offering the Sprint ST with free hard bags through the end of June, but I already have my ST1100 for Sport-TOURING; I'm looking for a SPORT-Touring; now it's back to the Uly.... Sigh. | ||
| Henrik |
Charlie - sorry to hear about your S3 trouble. Certainly reason to be down. Only you can say whether to keep throwing $$ at it, or to get out and buy something else. Good luck Henrik | ||
| Jersey_thunder |
WHAT OIL HAVE YOU BEEN USING? JT | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Way I see it you have 3 main options, 1. You've had enough, cut your losses & out it for what you can get, probably make more money breaking it. 2.You like it enough to want to keep it, but don't want to break the bank, fix it yourself with help from friends or find another lump to put in it. 3.You like it enough to go to town on it, spend the money on a topline, pro, blueprint, guaranteed, rebuild. I can understand your feeling a bit peed off with the S3 but you have 2 other bikes to ride so life can't be all that bad. My M2 sounds like a sewing machine on steroids about to have a fit, but it's sounded like that since I've had it & hasn't exploded yet (touches wood just in case) Let it develop. | ||
| Chauly |
Mobil 1, 15W-50 | ||
| Chauly |
1. Breaking it up would be depressing, but you may be right... 2.I love it when it runs (quietly!), and it can rip off solo miles as well as my ST1100, with less weight and better handling. Someone compared it to owning a Jaguar: when it runs, no money is enough to let it go, and when it doesn't, no amount of money will persuade someone to take it off your hands! 3. I love my wife... When I first bought the Buell, I called Az Barber in GA (XL list) in a panic. "What's that noise??!!" "Relax, it's normal, unless it gets louder... :-) Well, now it's louder! | ||
| Crusty |
Chauly, before you decide for certain that it's the crank pin, check the motor sprocket nut in the primary. If it's not tight, the engine will sound like it has a bad rod knock. | ||
| Newfie_buell |
A badly adjusted primary chain rattles something awful as well. I'd say its something simple. | ||
| U4euh |
You have a ST and a KTM also?!! Sounds like heaven to me. I'd break out the repair manual, tear it down myself, and spend the rest of the year rebuilding it, but that is just the part of me that likes to get dirty and see what makes things tick. When it gets too stressing, jump on another steed and blow off some stress. With that said, I have an 83 CB1100F that has been in that state since I bought the Buell, so maybe it is not a good idea. |
