| Author | Message | ||
     Buellgrrrl |
Well, the good news is that St.Paul HD says their service department is backed up only 2 days, so I might get a stator for the $50 ESP deductable plus the usual parasitic add-ons. The bad news is that making use of the protection of HD's Extended Warranty Program is increasingly difficult. Despite my Buell being 15 miles from SPHD, I had to run out 130 miles to my 2nd home in western Minnesota to get my pickup so I could haul my Buell to SPHD. Following HD policy, we haven't had an HD dealer on the bus line here for years as the dealers all moved to the suburbs. Having had 3 out of service failures that cost at least twice the ESP deductable in the last 5,000 miles, it's clear that my Buell will need regular trucking to HD/Buell dealers for repairs. My insurance covers up to $50 towing and ESP covers another $50. Towing services charge at least $2/mile. Then again, I might get lucky and break down along a Greyhound route... so sounds like I'm going to have to limit my Buell riding to within 100 miles of Buell dealers. That pretty much means North Dakota and the western half of South Dakota and Nebraska are off limits to my Buell. Worse yet, I'd best leave the 2 lanes I love and stick to the interstates. Sadly, if this is all the better Buell can do the riders who bought a Uly instead of a GS will soon be trading for BMWs. It says something of Buell reliability that I feel more secure riding my 22 year old BMW which had 1 out of service failure in 100,000 miles off the beaten path than a 5 year old Buell... | ||
| M1combat |
Do you do your own service? If not... Is the service dept you're taking the bike to any good? I've learned from the experience of others that the XB's can get somewhat delicate if the services that are done to the bike aren't done somewhat meticulously... Mine seems flawless after 22K miles. About 15 or so of that have been pretty hard riding on some tight and some fast canyon roads... At least a couple thousand over 100MPH in temperatures over 100F... Three different exhaust systems (including a different header)... My stupid ass abusing the thing because I'm a bit of a hooligan... It gets good oil though, and more than it should. I don't mean to make light of your situation at all, but the "un-reliable" XB's seem to be the vast minority. | ||
| Kdan |
Profile says she rolls a tuber... | ||
| Pwnzor |
Yeah I'm confused. She sounds frustrated by a sorry turn of events, as anyone might be. I got one of the first XB12R's anywhere. Minor little issue right at the start but other than that she has been rock solid for close to 30,000 miles. In my opinion, warranties are a luxury that should not be extended past the original term. The next paragraph will be a generalization which is not directed at Buellgrrl but applied to the overall population. People tend to lean on their warranty as if no maintenance were required. They figure, "I'll ride it till it breaks, and then they will fix it free". Thing is, they don't consider the fact that the dealer will only fix the broken item. Not the badly worn out items right next to it. Then, with their 1 new part installed next to their 5 old ones, they begin to wear them all out even faster. My old mechanic would tell me stories about people refusing to get something as simple as new brakes when they were obviously needed. Imagine all the things they can't see which are needed even more. Next order of business, customer service and dealer availability. Many of us, new to the brand, seem to have a similar story about many aspects of the whole HD dealer experience. It was this message board in fact which brought these these revelations to light, that lo! and behold, I am not alone in my agony. Dealers drop from the list by the dozen, and the "dear john" letters go to the Buell owners rent silently and without ceremony from the scrolls of the beloved; like so much discarded rubbish -- and with disdain driveth they to the next most distant location for service. Alas, I rather it were not so. Having so eloquently said all that, let me simply state that the finest things in life are rarely easy to own. Merely having the funds to purchase something does not necessarily make you its owner. Only through the proper respect and discipline can you become its master. I have never had to repair my bike. (Message edited by pwnzor on June 19, 2006) | ||
| Loki |
Just make sure they fix the whole problem. Like also looking at wether the voltage regulator took a hit also or caused the stator to go south. I have long thought that....a parallel if ya don't mind. Some things take better to being abused rather than babied. Like a C130 that sits for a long time. It just keeps breaking and breaking hard. While the one that gets beat the piss out of it, rarely breaks hard grrrl, Just sorry to here it went down again. | ||
| Tramp |
why is it always the case that the riders who "know more" about wrenching than trained technicians do, * * * * don't actually do their own repairs?  I remember this mindset all too well from my years in BMW Service management....the company nickname for the owners' group is the 'whiners' group'. I do NOT miss BMW service customers oddly, my factory original ignition system is still running strong in my 215k mile buell, along with the engine that's never been cracked open. just lucky, I guess....  | ||
| Tramp |
sounds like buellgrrl owns two homes and several motorcycles... excuse me if i don't leap onto the weep-wagon, here. just trade the buell in at a bmw dealership toward a nice, shiny new beemer. end of problem. your buell sounds like it's become a maintenance nightmare for you, so walk away. clearly, you can afford a new motorcycle, so do not pass go and trade that puppy in. end of headache. | ||
| Nutsosane |
Sir Tramp...I second that emotion.  NUTS | ||
| Mbsween |
Buelgrrl, I just rode my 2001 X1 with 30k on the clock 2000 miles (round trip) to Homecoming in Wisconsin. This bike has had its share of problems, but in general they (tubers) work well enough. I had no issues riding through 6 states in a 14 hr period (Riding from 2pm - 4 am no less). If you're that concerned with breakdowns, get a towing package and a good cell phone and carry a credit card. That will get you buy 99% of the problems. Owning a tuber isn't unlike owning an older Ducati/Guzzi/ whatever brand doesn't have an huge dealer network. You need to know the bike a bit, carry some tools, and worry about riding, not breaking down My brother recently attempted a 2000 mile ride ( in 2 days) from Syracuse to Kansas City KS on a 75 R75/5. Granted his bike has more miles (in the 70K range). He ended up stranded in Indiana in the middle of the night when one of the intake valves decided to stop opening. He got stuck in either PA or Virginia with a burned up diode board ( I believe thats what its called). Both failures were reasonably benign, but in both cases they left him without a ride a long way from home. or at least with a problem to fix along way from home. In any case most motorcycles are going to do something nasty and leave you stranded if you ride them enough (another friends VFR ate his VR on the Northesat adventure ride, he was stuck 2 days wating on the part in a big city). Big deal, its part of riding. Trust your ride and it will take you anywhere you want to go. if you can't trust it sell it and move on. Lastly, the XB bikes and the tubers have little in common except the motor. Check the XB boards and look for the prioblems tubers had, you won't find them. (Message edited by mbsween on June 19, 2006) | ||
| Chainsaw |
My insurance covers up to $50 towing and ESP covers another $50. Towing services charge at least $2/mile. May I suggest AAA RV Plus Towing Insurance? It's $100 a year, covers whatever vehicle you're driving or even a passenger in, is good in the entire country and even Canada. They'll tow you up to 100 miles at no extra charge, deliver gas, locksmith services, jump start etc, 4 times a year. AAA Card, don't leave home without it.  | ||
| Gowindward |
It can really suck to break down at home not to mention out on the road. BRAG has some upgrades to it's standard towing benefit. Take a look. http://www.buell.com/en_us/brag/benefits/hitthethrottle_roadside.asp | ||
| Buellgrrrl |
Tramp, just in case you had any mistaken impressions that I'm independently wealthy or something... I'm retired and get by on temp work around Christmas, a modest pension, and investments. Home #1 is a 119 year old 600 square foot place in the 'hood with no basement or central heat. My 600 sqaure foot shop in the back yard is in better shape than the house. Home #2 is my friends place in small town Minnesota- she's only there 3 days a week and lets me stay there in return for keeping an eye on the place. I buy modest new vehicles every 10 years, and keep the old ones for spares. Thusly my Buell will have to last until 2010 at least. As you can see, I can't afford to just dump the Buell and lay out $15K for a new Beemer. The Buell is going to have to last me 'til at least 2010. HD promised me that they'd fix covered items for the length of the 7 year extended warranty, and my financial circumstances force me to hold them to that promise. | ||
| Bomber |
my electric generating equipment also crapped out recently -- can't complain, though, and won't, as it's just part of the deal -- I've had fewer (non-onwer induced) problems with my Y2K MaDuece than any other scoot I've owned (mainly Yamahas, notorious for electrical failures) breaking down is the pits, no doubt -- having to go a long far for a pick up, wel, that ain't the factory's doin, far as I can see Ms Grrrl -- seems the blush is off the rose, and you are no longer enjoying your tuber -- may be better off unloading it and riding something you DO care for | ||
| Buellgrrrl |
Bomber, sorry, but I can't afford to abandon the Buell- I'd take at least a $6000 loss. However, it might be smart for HD to buy me out- the repairs at 35,000 miles wiped out the profit they made on the extended warranty, and this years repairs will probably wipe out any profit they made building and selling the bike. With two years left on the extended warranty after that, HD might be wise to buy me out completely- a substantial trade in allowance to entice me to buy an XB would only prolong the agony. | ||
| S1eric |
Hey Tramp Glad to see your buell ignition is still going after all those miles (215 K ). Which brings me to my point. My Buell a 97S1 finally left me in push mode 2 weeks ago. Ignition failure ! DAMMMITTTT ! No Spark. Bad cam sensor. No big deal once I got the bike back home. But folks have to remember that counter parts guys aren`t techs. and a good service manual is worth its weight in gold. Yes the Buell is back on the road and running just fine. S1erc | ||
| Bomber |
Grrrl -- HD made $0 on the extended warranty -- they are handled by third party vendors -- now THAT group may have lost it's shirt on your scoot, but I've never heard of one of those shops buying a bike back -- | ||
| Buellgrrrl |
IIRC, HD warranty is a wholy owned subsiderary of the Motor Company. | ||
| Bomber |
Thank you ma'am -- I've learned something today -- I stand (actually, sit) corrected! | ||
| Buellgirlie |
hey grrrl, girlie here. interesting how our names got confused sometimes. anyway, even if you cant lay out 15K for a new beemer, you could always get a used one. and then it'll never break because they are so reliable!  and even if it did break down, sounds like you know how to work on them, and have access to legions of other bmw fans/owners/experts. so, problem solved. what made you buy a buell anyway? you really dont seem like you like it...i'm also not sure how you calculate a $6k loss on a 2001 M2. kbb price on that (for my zip code, retail is $4950, trade in value $3410) so get it sold, and get yourself something you enjoy. my 2 cents, not trying to be mean, but it seems like all you want to do is complain about your buell. if its that awful, then get rid of it. why torture yourself? D | ||
| Buellgrrrl |
Thanks Girlie- I've got 3 BMWs already, 2 of them bought new when the prices were halfway reasonable. I bought the Buell because I was due for a new one (10 years since I bought the '92 BMW R100GS). As for selling the M2L, street price for one with under 10,000 miles is around $3000. With 40,000 miles on mine I'd be lucky to get $2000 for it. If HD had the wisdom to buy me out, the Moto Guzzis look tempting- there are new left over models going for as low as $6200. With the new BMW R1200R on the way, new R1150Rs will probably be going for under $10k as soon as the snow flies. Or I could just keep rebuilding the old BMWs forever- it's easier to get parts for them than a new Buell! | ||
| Djkaplan |
For heaven's sake... a Moto Guzzi? I know a guy who made his own parts for 10 years to keep his old Guzzi going because of the lack of availability and outrageous prices for the parts to keep the bike going. For the last 5 years oh his life, he used a beer can as a head pipe gasket. Don't compound your problem... buy a used Japanese bike (preferably a Honda, you meet the nicest people on them...) and enjoy your life. | ||
| Buellgirlie |
not that i have any room to talk about divesting part of a fleet.....but if you've got 3 good BMWs and a pain-in-the-a$$ buell, then just sell the one that gives you more trouble than its worth (to you)? I've never really found mileage as a serious deterrent to motorcycle purchases - is your warranty transferable too? as long as it was well-taken care of, and there's a warranty - why not just sell it off? good luck with your choices, D btw - SPHD treated me very well when i lived in minneapolis summer 2004. | ||
| Road_thing |
Now, this is gonna seem kinda cruel, but it's all in good fun! Only a Buell rider with years of experience and maturity out the wazoo (note the distinct resemblance to a Q-Tip in the following picture)  would push his broken bike up a ramp with THIS:  at the other end. And guess which, um, mature gent has this:  on the car parked in his garage? Folks, I don't think Honda riders get this kind of mileage out of their "adventures"! rt | ||
| Bomber |
ROFLMAO! now that the scoot is operational, and making it's own electricity, those picks are FUNNY! tho, upon further rumination, pushing up the ramp to FMJ DOES seem, er, ehem, slightly wonky! all worked out tho, Big J got me and the MaDuece home in grand style, Daves and Lake Shore HD got me the parts in a matter of a day, and, once I got the time to spin wrenchs (hey, Bomber, can I come over so's you can fix my bike?), all was right with the world ;-} | ||
| CJXB |
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| Buellgrrrl |
Girlie, taking a $6000 depreciation hit for 5 years of use isn't in my budget. I require that vehicles last a minimum of 10 years- it costs too much in depreciation to dump them any sooner. For example, my Buell costs $9000 to put on the street in November of 2001 and I expect it to be worth at least 20% of that when I replace it after 10 years. Thats about $720 a year depreciation. Thusly to stay on budget I'd need to get about $6000 for the Buell today. If the Motor Company wants to buy my bike back for that amount I'll be happy to surrender it and never darken their door again. If not, I'll continue to put at least 10,000 miles a year on the Buell and the Motor Company will have to fix their mistakes when it breaks. Now granted some riders would just sign on bottomline, take a big loss on a lemon Buell, and go deeper into debt for whatever new bike strikes their fancy this week. I haven't taken out a loan since 1978, and because I live within my means and demand value for my money I can afford to retire and ride at the ripe old age of 55. | ||
| Cowboy |
Just my 2 BITS------my X1 (2001) 40000 miles, runs better now than any time in its life. I find it tuffer than Justin boot leather. | ||
| Crusty |
I just sold my 2000 M2 with 55,000 miles for $3,000. I'm sure you could get that much for yours without a lot of effort. Do you really think it's easier to get parts for an older BMW? I could tell you stories about my '72 R60/5, or my R75, but instead I'll leave it at the statement that you'd have to pay me a substantial amount of hard currency before I ever plant my butt on one of those Teutonic Toilets again. | ||
| Lost_in_ohio |
Did I miss something.......we are talking about toys right? My motorcycle is a toy for me. It is not my primary transportation, but prefered .....You shouldn't talk about toys and depreciation. Who cares what it is worth? My happiness is worth more that a motorcycle giving me a headache. If you really cared about cash you surely would not have three motorcycles sitting around....Insurance has to be killing you......even at prefered rates. I looked at BMW before I bought the buell. Talk about no dealer support. I ride a lot in south. Check and see about getting service for that BMW in the carolinas, Tennessee, or the Virginias. I will take my chances with the buell at least there is service. that being said honda probably has the best support network. | ||
| Buellgirlie |
grrrl - congrats on being debt free since 1978 and retired at 55. i hope to have that sort of financial freedom one day. you must be pretty financially savvy to have accomplished those goals. demanding that a "thing", in this case, your buell motorcycle, to comply with your imposed expectations of performance, longevity, and depreciation is a bit surreal, isnt it? especially with the internet and how much research is available these days. if it doesnt meet your standards (did your research tell you that your tube frame buell was going to be a long-lasting, reliable, value-holding asset with a large dealer network?) - you can keep it and accept it for its quirks or you can sell it for what you can get for it. i have bad visions of you posting a complaint every week til 2010, when you'll have a huge bonfire to destroy your buell........... have you talked to your dealership? have you written a letter to buell motorcycle company or harley-davidson customer service? what are you trying to accomplish, exactly? D |
