Author |
Message |
Buellathebuzzer
| Posted on Friday, April 06, 2012 - 05:07 am: |
|
I live in a warehouse that was converted to 200+ lofts. There's 4 levels of parking in the parking ramp and the management is pretty generous about letting MC riders park their bikes in those corners of the garage that you can't get a car into. I store my two M2s year round at no additional cost. This spring a guy that I will fondly refer to as The Creep has started parking his 98 HD Sportster next to my Buells. First, he parks the thing at an angle such that a space that could hold four bikes can only hold three. Second, the dang thing leaks a huge amount of oil all over the floor. After a week there was a puddle almost as big as his bike. Third, he smokes in the garage next to the bikes and leaves cigarette butts laying on the floor (smokers, pick up after yourselves). So, when I talk to my friends about this leaky HD they all reply, "It's a Harley, they leak oil" Isn't this essentially the same engine as my 2000 M2 which doesn't leak oil? Why should we expect the HD to leak oil and the Buell not to? |
Argentcorvid
| Posted on Friday, April 06, 2012 - 09:17 am: |
|
I have a 98 and the rocker box gaskets leaked pretty bad when i bought it. also, I think the primary cover had been pulled and the shifter shaft seal fell out (it was missing) so primary lube would get splashed on the shifter shaft and run out along it after a good ride. It doesn't leak anymore, because I take care of my bikes. |
Jramsey
| Posted on Friday, April 06, 2012 - 09:26 am: |
|
Get a box of Diapers and an ashtray and leave them on his seat. |
Buellathebuzzer
| Posted on Friday, April 06, 2012 - 06:27 pm: |
|
Every time I see the guy in the hallway he smiles at me and my skin crawls. i should try to move past this. |
Azrael_cervale
| Posted on Friday, April 06, 2012 - 06:37 pm: |
|
My 99 doesn't leak a drop. Its far from a perfect bike but with maintenance it shouldn't leak. |
01x1buell
| Posted on Friday, April 06, 2012 - 06:57 pm: |
|
when i bought my x1( i am second owner) it waas leaking everywhere, now not a drop. |
Jim2
| Posted on Friday, April 06, 2012 - 07:32 pm: |
|
Get a coffee can or flower pot half-filled with sand for an ash tray and set it in the area. Introduce yourself by complimenting his bike. Ask him how runs and talk about how to fix the leaks. Offer to help him figure it out. He's probably just not smart enough to figure out how to provide his own ash tray and fix his own oil leaks. Sorry. I know I can't see the guy and he might not be someone worth approaching but it's hard to judge a book by it's cover. Sometimes you gotta open it up and see what it's about. At least he smiles, it could be worse. |
Harleyelf
| Posted on Friday, April 06, 2012 - 08:17 pm: |
|
Any chance of making the spot an assigned parking area for your exclusive use? The oil puddle is a potential liability to the owner if anyone slips. Make him park in his car spot. Assert your territoriality. |
Alfau
| Posted on Friday, April 06, 2012 - 11:18 pm: |
|
Try this approach! "Pretty bad oil leak you got there mate! Are you trying to soak it up with cigarette butts?" just a thought. |
Buellathebuzzer
| Posted on Saturday, April 07, 2012 - 09:25 am: |
|
MN state law prohibits smoking in the common areas of the building. I'm talking to rental management about that. I'll no doubt talk to him about the oil leak. It's funny, he picked up a bag of Tiddy Cat clay litter. I guess it keeps you from slipping on the oil, but there are a lot better products for cleaning up oil. He's got a 1" layer under his bike that is about 3 ft by 1.5 ft and it's almost completely soaked. Do you have to change our oil as often when you have a leak that severe? teehee. |
Hybridmomentspass
| Posted on Saturday, April 07, 2012 - 10:48 am: |
|
Yeah the harley/oil thing gets old Seals wear out sometimes, big deal. Why is he a creep exactly? Cause he smokes or has a leaky bike? As others have mentioned, you should talk to him, try to help him fix it Give you some experience on the motor should you ever have to do it on yours! |
Harleyelf
| Posted on Saturday, April 07, 2012 - 08:05 pm: |
|
Trust your instincts. If his smirk makes your skin crawl, there's probably a personality defect behind it. My old Sportster never leaked, can you see where the oil comes from? Hoses are cheap, shifter shaft seals even cheaper. Make him pay you if you want to avoid becoming buddies. |
Hogluvr
| Posted on Saturday, April 07, 2012 - 09:59 pm: |
|
The whole Harley leaking oil thing goes back to the days when the primary chain was lubed by the crankcase breather, it would collect oil in the primary and leak out. Not so with modern bikes. Probably what everyone else has said, a lack of maintenance issue. Take the high road and offer to help with the leak issue, not sure what to do about the smoking?? |
M2marc
| Posted on Sunday, April 08, 2012 - 08:26 pm: |
|
You never know when someone might need help. Maybe he is just as pissed of as you about the leak but doesnt know what to do. If you are confident enough to help him then you should do so. Smoking etiquette is something else. I've been on both sides of that debate being a former smoker. |
Buellathebuzzer
| Posted on Sunday, April 22, 2012 - 11:49 pm: |
|
Okay, so here's the update. 1) he's creepy because he avoids looking at you even when he's talking to you. lots of little things. sometimes you just know that a person is creepy. 2) I left a simple note that started out all cheerfully with "Hey neighbor"and asked him to (a) back his bike up a couple feet to make so I could get back into the space (he was consistently blocking the way into the area and (b) if he saw anyone smoking in the area to ask them to please take it outside. in 24 hours his bike was gone and haven't seen it in like 2 weeks. hmm. |
01x1buell
| Posted on Monday, April 23, 2012 - 05:29 pm: |
|
interesting and kind of odd. |
Jim2
| Posted on Monday, April 23, 2012 - 06:00 pm: |
|
He probably took his bike to the Stealer to get the leaks fixed. It'll be back in about a month. |
Deant
| Posted on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 - 12:44 pm: |
|
older Harleys were supposed to leak oil in two ways. One if they were old enough to be total loss oil systems. I doubt many of them are on the road. Also for many years before sealed primaries the primary chain was oiled with a small line from the oil pump that dripped on the chain. The manual actually had you adjust the flow by the size of the spot it left. I have a copy of an original panhead manual. I converted my pan to a belt primary inside the cover and turned the chain oiler screw shut. So yes some old Harleys should leak oil but not any newer ones. |
Rex
| Posted on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 - 01:14 pm: |
|
My Buells do not leak.... |
Azrael_cervale
| Posted on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 - 02:01 pm: |
|
There's an adjustment for that..... |
Buellathebuzzer
| Posted on Friday, April 27, 2012 - 10:10 am: |
|
The bike reappeared last night. Maybe the oil leaks fixed, too soon to tell. However, I noticed his rear tire for the first time last night. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/406 2/677579.html |
Xdigitalx
| Posted on Friday, April 27, 2012 - 02:57 pm: |
|
1. Maybe he looks away from you because he thinks YOU are creepy. 2. You've seen and spoken to this guy many times, yet you leave a so-called cheerful note? Did you leave your name on it so he knows your his stalker? |
Alfau
| Posted on Friday, April 27, 2012 - 06:30 pm: |
|
Talk to the man, if not,go to the management. You might want to buy a bullet proof vest. |