| Author | Message | ||
     Fidel (Doncasto) |
From Mike Jaquet's archives: By Steve on Wednesday, July 7, 1999 - 09:09 am: Got the last of my recall notices yesterday... for the shock. I'll miss the "bare spring" look. Question... is the Showa replacement a different part number for the S3T than other models? I'm hoping it would have a stiffer spring to better accommodate passengers. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Brad Bittinger (Brad) on Wednesday, July 7, 1999 - 10:04 am: Steve: I, too, received my shock recall letter yesterday. There is one more, though: the swingarm, so I don't think you've received the last of these happy notes. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Court Canfield on Wednesday, July 7, 1999 - 10:17 am: Steve: There are different Buell rear shocks for different bikes that have various spring rates to reflect the intended usage/laoding of the bike. Some folks have upped their S1WL springs to S3 triple rate to accomadate their considerable girth. The new SHOWA that will replace your WP is a far superior item and does, with valving, a good deal that the WP unit depended on the spring for. The Showa unit is the result of some very methodical and "high science" R&D. Court -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Dale X1 on Wednesday, July 7, 1999 - 10:41 am: Court, then why can't tech services at Buell get my sag corrected! Springing ain't rocket science. 3.0" sag with 340 lbs @ max pre-load is totally unacceptable. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Scott Lobdell on Wednesday, July 7, 1999 - 12:21 pm: I too got my shock recall notice...as well as a bunch of others. I won't let the dealer work on the bike so I'm looking at alternatives for the shock right now. I called Buell and they refused to let me do the shock myself even though they were happy to sell me all the parts to replace the swing arm with the 99 version. This seems odd for a company that markets to the customization of it's products. OTOH, now that they're owned by HD we see the fat, dumb and happy influence of a big American company. The safety switch recall doesn't apply to me since disconnected them some time ago when they started giving me problems. Scott 98 M2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Court Canfield on Wednesday, July 7, 1999 - 12:55 pm: Dale: Not sure who "tech services" is and the specifics of the problem but if you want to drop me an e-mail, I'll do whatever I can in terms of getting you headed toward resolution. Scott: Foul ! It has nothing to do with Harley-Davidson being "fat, dumb and happy" it has everything to do with the absence of tort reform (Father Prosser forgive me for what I am about to say) in America. Fact of the matter is . . . you do the work, something goes haywire and Buell is on the hook. Makes absolutely no difference that you have an SAT indistingusiable from Albert Einstein and your Buell mechanic had to return his Crayola set cause he couldn't count to 64. That's simply the way it is. Upside is that there are more and more competent and capable Buell dealers by the day. If you are "Dealer challenged" drop me a private note and I'll see if I can help get you pointed toward one. This, I'm guessing, is gonna be closer toward getting you riding and happy with the Buell than taking on the American Trial Lawyers Association. Ride safe....know it or not Erik Buell REALLY values your business. Court -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Steve on Wednesday, July 7, 1999 - 01:13 pm: Court: Thanx for the info on different spring rates for the shocks. That's what I was hoping to hear. I always like to have as much knowledge as possible before I drop my bike off to be worked on! And thank you for explaining some of the differences between the two shocks (WP and Showa). That'll help me live with the "springless" look. :-) Say.... "considerable girth"? Surely that wouldn't apply to any of the Badwebers! LOL -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By BW Bittinger (Brad) on Wednesday, July 7, 1999 - 02:05 pm: OK, I'm confused Mssr. Courtmeister. The recall-derived Showa's for S3's have higher spring rates than the Showa's intended for S1WL's? Yes, I am guilty of CG (considerable girth) and my WP works just fine . . . don't want to get to the place that I have 3" sag. Thanks, and thanks, too, for helping out ol' Jim Armstrong. (He's been through the ringer lately.) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Court Canfield on Wednesday, July 7, 1999 - 03:46 pm: QUESTION: The recall-derived Showa's for S3's have higher spring rates than the Showa's intended for S1WL's? ANSWER: The recall-derived Showa's for S3's have higher spring rates than the Showa's intended for S1WL's. It's a cut and paste society, my man ! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Henrik, '98 S3T, V&H, Buell Race AC, Thu (Henrik) on Wednesday, July 7, 1999 - 04:07 pm: Well then, what are the spring rates for the S3T specific Showa? Riding two up this weekend reminded me that the WP is way too soft, when you get close to max load. The "angularity of the dangularity" means lots of vibration transfered to the frame via the swingarmbolts hitting the inside of the isolators - even with full preload. Court, good to see you back. Hope all is well. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Mark (Markw) on Wednesday, July 7, 1999 - 09:00 pm: Court, I've been wondering about the sag measurements since the thread started and I think you may have answered it is a round about way. I have a '99 S3, I weigh in at a svelt 220 and the best i can get the sag down to is 2". I noticed that the sag remained 2" from 2 turns out from full preload all the way up to full preload. I thought this indicated a progressive rate spring and there you go and mention the Showa for the S3 is a triple rate spring! I guess all those years in school paid off. What I'm wondering is whether the sag adjustment in the manual is taylored towards the older, single rate springs and needs to be modified to work with a more sophisticated multi-rate setup? It seems odd to me that Buell, which has many talented engineers and uses some of the most state of the art Finite Element Analysis tools available would put a spring on a bike that didn't meet it's 385 lb max load rating. Could it be that you adjust sag to the point where more preload gives you no more reduction of sag? What I've done is adjust the preload to max, take a measurement, reduce preload by 1 turn until the sag measurement changes then go back 1/2 turn. The bike seems to like this setting and now all I'm trying to get fine tuned is the damping. I lean towards softer compression damping and higher rebound. This setup just feels right to me. BTW, Factory setup through a set of sweepers following Rek (boy can that man ride) 80 mph exit speeds, my setup 100 mph exit speed. I might even be able to keep up with him now, NOT! Mark -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Anonymous on Wednesday, July 7, 1999 - 09:51 pm: Does this mean I'll Have to put a Showa on my S-2 as a part of this recall program? yes, I know it's a better unit, technically speaking -- i just don't dig the looks compared to the WP. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By allen on Wednesday, July 7, 1999 - 10:10 pm: Howdy I to have a lack of preload problem. My 99 S3T with max preload comes in at 3+ inches with I and the great wife on the back (310 lb total). My dealer sugested we might try setting the belt tension with us on to avoid over stressing it due to big sag numbers(tension is now at loose side of spec). This would work fine if I was two up at all times. The idea of adjusting the belt each ride kind of puts me off. Is my only aption to buy an aftermarket spring or shock? I hope not because Trina's wrist is healing well and therapy is good also. Soon she will want to ride and I hope to be ready. On the bright side, I leave friday for a 1000 mi weekend ride to a service at the Wyoming VN memorial wall. As a MSgt in the Air Force I look forward to the chance to honor those who gave all to protect my freedom! What a great way of life we all have! Allen & Trina 99 S3T, Lg & Sm bags, Borla, Tank cover, Billet Cool P.S. Has anyone tried Jet-Hot coating on the header? Let me know cost and how much/any heat reduction. Thanks -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By rpcarlson on Wednesday, July 7, 1999 - 10:26 pm: Allen I have Jet Hot on the header on my 1998 S-3T. It really looks good with the silver engine cases of the 1998(which I like better than the black cases of the 1999). The Jet Hot seems to radiate less heat near my leg. But for the looks alone it is worth the $110.00. Ron. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By allen on Wednesday, July 7, 1999 - 10:26 pm: I forgot to say what a otherwise GREAT bike this is! I ride with a wide variety of bikes: assorted Harleys, 3 other Buells, 97 VFR, 99 ZRX(?)1100, Suzukis, Hondas, and Yamahas. I have rode nearly all of them and they all have good and bad points. None even comes close the feel of the Buell (closest is the Kawasaki Eddie Lawson replica it would be my choice if there were no Buells) or the way it begs me to ride! I LOVE THIS BIKE!! Later, Allen & Trina P.S. Again Thanks Court, this is a great company that clearly cares for it's owners! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By rpcarlson on Wednesday, July 7, 1999 - 10:31 pm: Court, the replacement Showa shock for the S-3 has a triple spring rate, is that correct? With a single rider on my S-3 at 165# will is be as responsive as the Showa replacement destined for the S-1? Since I ride only solo would the S-1 spring rate be a better choice, or does the triple spring rate on the S-3 accomodate the wider load range of the S-3? In Battle2Win they tested the Showa and the WP and said that they Showa sping at full travel never got to the higher spring rate and that they thought is really only served as a bottoming spring. Any thoughts? Ron. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By John C on Wednesday, July 7, 1999 - 11:05 pm: While at the homecoming I discussed spring rate with two of Buell's people. While they did not give me specific rates, they said the replacement shock for my bike (a 97 S3T) will have a straight wound spring, while other models would have a progressive rate spring. Their explaination was that the tubular swing arm had more flex and needed a single rate spring on the shock. I guess we will have to wait to see if they were correct or not. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By aceto on Thursday, July 8, 1999 - 02:04 am: Henrik and others with a spring rate problem. Recently I was given some specs for spring sag measured from shock eye to shock eye. This eliminates a sag measurement that includes isolator flex. Even using this method of measurement, at full preload, I am a bit out of spec at the rated load capacity. I can't help but think the isolator is part of the problem. If Henrik is right and the vibration is caused by the swingarm bolt hitting something it may be that the isolator is the culprit. The isolator, deflecting under load, may be contributing to large sag measurements and the vibration some of us are experiencing when two up riding. Who knows, maybe this isolator deflection has contributed to the premature failure two up riding seems to have caused for many folks. Watching the isolator deflect when 345 lbs of passengers get on the bike has convinced me that this method of engine isolation needs a little fine tuning. Thoughts anyone? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Henrik, '98 S3T, V&H, Buell Race AC, Thu (Henrik) on Thursday, July 8, 1999 - 09:47 am: I think that if I could dial in enough preload for two-up riding, the vibration would be substantially less. I had a problem last year, when one of the preload studs cross-threaded, so I couldn't dial in nearly enough preload. The vibration, two-up were so bad I was sure the isolators were gone. I got the shock replaced under warranty, and with more preload the vibration was considerably less, but it still occurs when the rear wheel is loaded up/shock is extended going over bumps. As for spring rates, I would prefer a single rate spring with the correct spring rate over a triple rate spring. Mark: theoretically your sag should change over the entire range of preload settings. I can't figure out why it doesn't for you. A compressed straight rate spring excerts a pressure corresponding to the amount of compression (depends on the spring rate). So if a 10 Kg/mm spring is compressed 10 mm the pressure required would be 10 mm x 10 Kg/mm = 100 Kg. If you compress that same spring even further (like dialing in more preload), additional 10mm for instance, the pressure required would be 20 mm x 10 Kg/mm = 200 Kg. If this same spring was your rear shock, you can see how increasing preload ought to decrease sag. Even with a tripple rate spring which is really just three straight rate springs with different spring rates. The softer spring(rate) = tighter coils compresses first, then the next higher spring rate compresses etc. (this is somewhat simplified, but not too far from the way it works) Sorry, I got carried away, and this post got much longer than intended... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Court Canfield on Thursday, July 8, 1999 - 10:50 am: WOW......Funny how only suspension eclipse performance in the area of potential wonderment to Buell owners. IF I told you I was a "suspension guru" I'd be misrepresenting myself. Ergo, I am going to cut and paste the foregoing dialouge and send it to Andy Speigel (who knows of what he speaks) and one of the Buell suspension gurus with a request that he seek factory permission to prepare a reply and share with us whatever info is appropriate...fully aware that me may tell this middle age "sagging crowd" to start consuming Slim-Fast. And, oh yes, your 1995/6 S-2 is set to recieve the new Showa unit. I'm with you....I hate to relenquish my original. Court -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Dale X1 on Thursday, July 8, 1999 - 11:10 am: Personally, I don't care how the sag is measured or single vs triple rate springing. I care that at max pre-load, 340 lbs on the bike we ARE tearing up the inner fender on both the underseat and oil tank! Obviously there is a problem here. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Wayne Pinney (Tennjed) on Wednesday, July 14, 1999 - 09:49 am: Roundmen I too count myself as a gravity hog. However, despite my own guilt, I have noticed the following about rider weight and motorcycle perfomance: Those riders at grand national events that stretch the seams of their leathers generally are the ones that wind up sucking hind tit at the finish line. A thought: Diet and exercise my be the cheapest way to add to the performance of your machine. Ever notice how small Bubba Shobert, Scotty Parker, Chris Carr are? Wayne 5'9" 210lbs 98 s1w groaning under the strain -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Sumo on Wednesday, July 14, 1999 - 06:23 pm: Court, do I understand correctly that the spring on the new Showa unit will be available in different ratings? Being sylph like myself (280lb) I have the pre-load wound right up on my S1 in order to get the recommended 'sag' and I really should have fitted a stiffer spring and unwound it a little. '97 S1 in UK -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By TiminVa on Wednesday, August 11, 1999 - 08:28 am: Help, I can't find the previous post that listed the Showa shock tool part number. Can someone Email it to me. Thanks -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By w.gillespie on Friday, August 27, 1999 - 02:11 pm: My 99 M2 preload needs help with just me (255lbs) if the boy (100lbs) comes along the spring needs more help and if the wife wants to go for a Sunday morning ride (never mind lbs) the spring feels like the boy's PW80 rear spring. What replacement OE of aftermarket spring would be more up to supporting me and the rest of the group. Thanks for any help 99 M2 stock for now the jets or on the shelf to be installed ASAP. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Jewish Lightning (Spiegan) on Friday, August 27, 1999 - 03:35 pm: Mr. Gillespie, Please make sure that the preload on the shock is at maximum (almost no threads showing on the back end of the shock). If that doesn't help, call Tat at American Sportbike (949-448-9983)and see if he's come up with any aftermarket springs. Make sure he knows you have a Showa shock. Best of luck, Andy S -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By 97S3 (Jeff_johnson) on Tuesday, September 21, 1999 - 02:35 pm: I found it! The wrenches that will enable me to adjust the preload on the "recall" Showa shock. McMaster-Carr has them. The 36mm is $16.11 and the 55mm $22.42. They both are 7 inches long. Can be ordered online at McMaster-Carr Jeff- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By 97S3 (Jeff_johnson) on Tuesday, September 21, 1999 - 02:38 pm: I forgot, The page number in the catalog is 2297. the part numbers are 5746A8 for the 36mm and 5746A15 for the 55mm. Jeff- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By David on Friday, October 15, 1999 - 01:59 am: I have yet to replace my 97 S3T shock with the recall Showa. I had my OEM shock re-valved by RACE-TECH and am very happy with its performance. I really don't want to lose this investment and go back to another stock unit. How does the new Showa compare to stock? Even better, how does it compare to a re-valved stock unit? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Henrik; '98 S3T, V&H, Buell Race AC, Thu (Henrik) on Friday, October 15, 1999 - 08:45 am: David: I really like the Showa recall shock. Works lots better than the WP unit. So well that I'm considering just sticking with the Showa, and possibly putting in a harder spring. I can't speak for comparision with a revalved WP though. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Steve Heller (Ocbueller) on Friday, October 15, 1999 - 06:51 pm: Has anyone tried contacting White Power on their view of the shock recall situation? I for one like the look of the original shock and would like to keep it. Perhaps they could supply a replacement version and unsully their reputation. Come on down to the beach and I'll show you some Twisties. Ocbueller -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By David on Friday, October 15, 1999 - 10:00 pm: RE Contacting White Power: What's their web address? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By todd on Sunday, October 17, 1999 - 02:26 am: steve, i to would like to keep my wp shock. i called white brothers [714-692-3404 ask for tech service/ www.whitebros.com ] the tech told me he had no specific info on exactley what is wrong with the shock and why it was recalled. he told me that the shock was ordered by buell and built to there specs.He also told me that white bros is no longer the exclusive american distributor of wp shocks [ altho they r a authorized service center] KTM is the american distributor now and white power buys from them. [KTM west 619-258-6301 ext 15 richard sawitskas] is who i talked to at KTM. He also said that he does nt know why the shock was recalled, and that wp nor buell has told him whats wrong with the shock. he thought that it might b a bad weld where the front shock eye is welded to the shock body. And he is investigating to find out what the problem is exactley. i have heard that the rear mount of the shock has a pressed in sleeve that is of the wrong material for the bolt used to mount it, and this in time could cause a glavanistic reaction between the 2 dissimular metals aand weaking them which in time might cause the bolt to break. if that was true u should b able to press out the sleeve and replace it with a compatible sleeve.has anybody heard of a confirmed shock falirue due to the recall? does anybody know the reason for the recall? how about it court or anonymous guy in the know. i don't consider wp's reputation sullied, i think its buell's rep is the sullied one. i just want to know whats "wrong" with the wp shock, and if i can fix it.i will b calling ktm and/or white bros back to see what they have found out in the near future. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Steve F on Sunday, October 17, 1999 - 01:03 pm: Todd, A fellow UK Buell Enthusiasts Group member had the WP rear shock eye end fracture on his White Lightning earlier this year (pre recall announcement). This was reported in our American Thunder Newsletter. The fracture was across the mount bolt diameter of the eye end, like the big-end on a con-rod/crankshaft if that makes sense. I have a photo of it that I may be able to get scanned and email to you if require. It failed while he was cornering at night, the back of the bike collapsed onto the rear wheel and he was lucky not to crash. Steve F. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By todd on Sunday, October 17, 1999 - 01:20 pm: steve, it sounds like u mean it broke on the swing arm side of the shock, is that correct? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Henrik; '98 S3T, V&H, Buell Race AC, Thu (Henrik) on Sunday, October 17, 1999 - 06:56 pm: Todd: as far as I remember, you're right about the two incompatible materials at the rear shock eye being the reason for the recall. Aluminium in the shock eye vs. steel in the bolt. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Anonymous on Sunday, October 17, 1999 - 10:07 pm: Todd, Thank you for posting that you don't want to replace your shock. When yours breaks and your family's lawyer wants to sue Buell they now will have documentation that you didn't want to follow their recomendations and ignored all their testing that shows the shock should be replaced. Buell will still have to defend the suit at great expense and raise the price for all your fellow Buell friends, but why worry about that now. You won't be after the crash. Buell took one huge hit in the reputation department with the recalls, do you really think they would have done that along with the expense of replacing them if there was not a very real saftey issue? I tend to give them more credit than that. Top level Buell management meeting: Hey, I have an idea. Let's just throw away millions of dollars on a shock recall for no good reason. The money around here is kinda piling up and we need to get rid of some of it.... NOT!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By todd on Monday, October 18, 1999 - 12:16 am: anonymus, iwas asking for the anon in the know. not the chicken$hit coward that u are. i want answers[ and im sure alot of other people would also ] not a useless flame. Besides the recall is VOLUNTEERY. if it was so dangerous it would b mandatory. and just because i want to keep my white power shock does nt mean that i will.it may b unfixable. i just want to know why, so i have that option. i remember court canfeild also saying he would like to keep his wp shock, go flame himto then.there is no big problem with the shock that i can tell. Some of these shocks have been out there 4-5 years. i never heard of an s-2 with a shock breakage. besides steves's post above i have never seen anyone post with regards to that problem. and even IF it broke while i was riding it does nt mean i will die or even fall down. theres even proof of that in steves post above. and yes i do think that buell/hd might go thru the expense of replacing all the shocks if it would save them from one expensive lawsuit espacially concerning how many recalls they got going. whats one more? its not even buells money now, its h-d's money and they have deep pockets. Have some guts and post your name, what u scared off? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By todd on Monday, October 18, 1999 - 12:21 am: henrik, if that is true its a easy fix. just press in a compatible bolt sleeve. problem solved. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By todd on Monday, October 18, 1999 - 12:24 am: just another note about WP. they have been making shocks for years, they know what there doing. There are NO other recalls related to any WP shocks. Whats so wrong with the buell/WP shock? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Darryl Salmon (Sparky) on Monday, October 18, 1999 - 05:25 pm: Buell's Dealer Info book on the '99 models mentions an HD tool made by Kent Moore for adjusting the Showa shock. It is part number B43895 and retails for about $49. It fits both the 36 mm locknut and the shock body but as I haven't seen one yet, I don't know how transportable it is. However I've been using a spanner tool made by Progressive Suspension for their mono shocks that fits a 3/8 drive ratchet or, what works for me, a nifty slider bar from Sears for $12. Both fit easily in the tool kit that stows in the back of the S3. If anybody's interested I can lookup the part numbers for the spanner and the slider bar. Now if I could only find a 3/8" drive 36 mm crowsfoot, I'd be all set. Sparky '98 S3 '96 S1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Joel David Chewning on Tuesday, October 19, 1999 - 03:35 pm: Tat from ASB is coming out with a one piece wrench that has two different sizes for the new shock. I too thought the new Showa shock was a step backward aesthetically.However,I rode the old shock to Laguna Seca (1200 mile weekend with B.R.A.G. Ride).I could barely walk when I got back.Now, admittedly, a lot of this is because of the stock seat('97 M-2).However,I got the Showa installed right after that.It makes ALL the difference in the world,as to bumps transmitted to the seat.Handling seems slightly better also. The old WP shock can kiss my a--. big j -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Steve F on Friday, October 22, 1999 - 06:37 am: Todd Sorry about the delay in answering, work gets in the way of play. Yes the shock fractured at the swingarm eye cleanly across the mount bolt hole. Your theory about dissimilar metal corrosion sounds possible. I have not seen the shock myself and the photo is not clear enough to see if corrosion was evident. Steve -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ||
| Fidel (Doncasto) |
From Mike Jaquet's archives #2: By Don Casto (Doncasto) on Tuesday, November 2, 1999 - 12:17 pm: I am overjoyed to report that Roz (98 S3T) and I have survived our recent problems with a failed recall Showa shock. Getting back on the road took a genuine "team" effort between the dealer, the ATC/BWB boards, Buell Customer Service and myself. I have learned a few things in the process that might be of interest: 1) Checking your rear shock for leaks should be added to your preflight. 2) In some cases right after having the shock installed there may be some "assembly oil" leaking from the Showa. It should not reappear after washing the shock. 3) The incident level of failed dampener seals seems to be low. There have been several failures due faulty installation or manufacturing errors. They generally make themselves apparent in just a few miles. 4) If your shock does fail, the dampener cartridges are available in spite of the shortage of recall kits. The replacement assembly is the same one used in building stock '99 and '00 shocks. I also discovered that if you allow each person you contact, from the dealer's service dept to BMC Customer Service, to operate as a team member rather than an adversary you may be surprised at how far they are willing to go in providing resolution. My experience, although complicated and frustrating at first, was successfully resolved after only a week. Thanks to the dedication and commitment of Paul at Thunder Mountain Buell, Ken W on ATC/BWB boards as well as Jamie and Deanne at Buell Customer Service Roz and I are once again leanin' and grinnin'. Don Casto Boulder, Colorado -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By David Randall (Drandall) on Tuesday, November 2, 1999 - 04:41 pm: Don, I'm not sure about #3. At least five Buell owners I've talked to have had their recall shocks blow seals after a few thousand miles. I hope this isn't being downplayed like the fuellie problems... Dave Metropolis of Duvall, WA Still enjoyin' my Bitchin' Blue Buell (except that now the front AND rear ends pogo; the blown shock has rendered the bike unusable except for cruising). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Don Casto (Doncasto) on Tuesday, November 2, 1999 - 05:22 pm: Dave: My perceptions, or lack thereof, of the incident level was a subjective sampling of the responses I got on the boards. The only definitive source is the folks at BMC. I suspect that the number of shock failures is still less than some other items such as sidestand switches, lower fairings, bag latches, isolators and rocker boxes. I did have occasion to note a leaking WP on one of the bikes I rode with last Sunday. The owner is scheduled in for the recall Showa this week. How long has your shock been bad? Do you need the part number for the replacement dampener assembly? Don Casto -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By David on Sunday, November 7, 1999 - 01:17 pm: An independent buell (and other twins) motorcycle shop in my area opines that the reason Harley is recalling the WP is that they got screwed by KTM (owner of WP) in an attempted merger/takeover and now are screwing them back. According to this guy, the Showas are worse, quality-wise, but cheaper, i.e., better profit margin. He also informs that WP will be addressing the alleged fracture problem. Hmmm... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Jose E. Martinez (Jmartz) on Tuesday, November 23, 1999 - 02:04 pm: Heard from a friend that works at a Buell dealership that although shock recalls include the S1 models, it is really intended for the shock designs where an aluminum piece attaches to the front (engine) mount. This not the case with the all seel front S1 style. Can anybody confirm this? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By todd on Tuesday, November 23, 1999 - 04:21 pm: Jose, I heard that it is the rear shock mount where the shock attaches to the swingarm is were the shock can fail, and that it did happen to one guy in england, but I also heard it is the "eye" that is welded onto the front of the shock that is the part that can fail if the weld breaks. that is the part that ktm/wp is going to replace if u opt to keep the wp shock, and go thru them to do it. i also heard that on s-2's that the "eye" is not welded on, but is part of the shock body, and that these shocks do not "need" to b replaced.If you use new parts to have the wp "fixed" that u will get a shock body that has the eye as a machined part of the shock body itself. I would like to keep my wp, but the parts run about $285 plus labor [100-150 ? ] plus if i did that i would also put in the gold valve and a hevier spring. Quickley u have a $5-700 bill. For that kind of money i would consider just spending a couple more 100 and getting the fox or penske shocks. The replacement showa is $257. Also i would like to see or hear of someone else being the gueina pig frist. Any body rebuild there wp yet? I do consider a shock, espacially on a performance sportbike an item that needs to be serviced and or rebuilt at least every 10-20,000 miles to keep it at or near peak performance. A shock is not somthing to last for the life of the bike. Knowing that i would rather have a quality shock that i can rebuild on a regfular maintenace schedule. By the way on my 97 s-1 it is a steel "eye" welded on to the shock body. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Steve Heller (Ocbueller) on Wednesday, December 1, 1999 - 06:42 pm: Have been informed that the upgrade parts for the WP originally offered up by Richard Sawitskas are no longer available. Can only assume legal hassles. Any other options over that butt ugly Showa? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Don Casto (Doncasto) on Thursday, January 20, 2000 - 04:54 pm: I have a huge personal favor to ask of all other Buell owners with Showa shock leakages or failures. Could you please provide me with the following details of each incident via email: Model/Year Buell VIN# Date of incident(s) Recall or Origonal Showa Millage at Failure Thanks, Don Casto doncasto@uswest.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By James BuellElbow Witt (Jim_witt) on Sunday, January 30, 2000 - 03:21 pm: Don Casto (or anyone), When I took my S3T in the shop 4 months ago, the suspension was setup to the maximum, due to all the gear (via my trip) I was carrying on the bike. They were supposed to reset the suspension, but it didn't happen. Anyway I made a few adjustments to the shock to decrease the preload I had on it. Then I adjusted the compression and rebound. When I grabbed onto the canister I noticed there was quite a bit of oil on the outside of it. There wasn't a pool of oil under the bike. How to you determine if the recall shock is shot? Ride while you can, -JW:>) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Don Casto (Doncasto) on Sunday, January 30, 2000 - 04:24 pm: Jim (not Dim) Witt: Mine actually puddled under the shock during a lunch stop. The oil ran out of the holes in the rear of the can. If you clean up the exterior of the shock and then never see anything other than oil on the exterior after riding I would suspect the oil is coming from another source. If it leaks it has failed. It will only get worse with more miles and will eventually cause the shock to fail completely when the fluid has all drained out. It may also blow out suddenly. In either case you will be riding a Buell pogo stick and will be placing the life and property those around you as well as your own in jeopardy. If it turns out to be a failure be sure to let me know so I can add your incident to my database. Fidel -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Peter McIntosh (Buellnz) on Monday, February 14, 2000 - 12:32 am: I own a 1995 S2(no 323, built in September, 1994) - I've done over 30,000 miles of reasonably hardriding around New Zealand roads and the bike still performs flawlessly. I am not happy about the shock recall as I don't like the look of the Showa unit as opposed to the WP exposed spring unit. To change will radically alter the look of my bike - why couldn't Buell produce a lookalike spring for the S2s and S2Ts? I have owned my S2 since new and don't want to change as I find it meets my needs as a rider perfectly - a more amenable approach from Buell would help - I have questioned the look of the the relacement unit at my local dealer(I have not yet had it done) and was told "you don't have a choice"!!!. Hey, it's my motorcycle and I believe Erik should take note of his riders - The S2 is a modern classic and should be allowed to retain its original look -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Jose E. Martinez (Jmartz) on Monday, February 14, 2000 - 11:25 am: Peter: As has been presented to me by my dealer, the rear shock/spring portion of the recall, although made inclusive for all models '95 and up, was only intended for those units with the aluminum front mount. S2's have this type but '96-'97 S1's and '97 M2's do not. These are safe to keep. If you can grab hold of one of these, exchage the spring (yours is a progressive wound) and you're in business. Good luck finding one. You cannot buy them new anymore and all recalled ones go back to Buell. Only exchanging with someone is possible. Jose -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Anonymous on Monday, February 14, 2000 - 03:08 pm: What dealer was that Jose? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Jose E. Martinez (Jmartz) on Monday, February 14, 2000 - 03:35 pm: Anonymous: E-mail me and I will respond to you directly. Jose -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By wgillespie on Thursday, July 6, 2000 - 11:09 pm: Has anyone heard rumbling about a 99 M2 shock recall? Dropped the M2 off for a front rocker box oil leak, got to talking to the Buell service guy. He says that in the next week or so I should be getting "the letter" explaining the recall. In his words the shock will be replaced with about the same shock as on the X1. Is he full of it? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Anonymous on Friday, July 7, 2000 - 06:10 pm: No. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By wgillespie on Friday, July 7, 2000 - 09:10 pm: No to the recall or No to the full of it? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Anonymous on Saturday, July 8, 2000 - 03:49 pm: No to the "Full of it." There is a current recall on all 1999 M2 models and all 2000 M2,X1,S3 models for shock replacement. No delivery date on parts as of yet, anyone who tells you different, is a liar...PERIOD! R -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By mikej (Mikej) on Saturday, July 8, 2000 - 04:38 pm: In anticipatory wondering I'll ask, will the new shock have the adjustability of the X1 style shock and the remote reservoir, or will the replacement M2 shock still only have the one adjustment dial in addition to weight/sag adjustment? Just curious, otherwise I'll just wait and see. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Court Canfield on Monday, July 10, 2000 - 11:03 am: >>No delivery date on parts as of yet, anyone who tells you different, is a liar...PERIOD! << That is an accurate statement. In fact, to expound, I'd go one step further and suggest that no completion date for the design of the new shock is firm. I hope I am wrong. One of the websites suggested that "all that needs to be done is to have the shock produced and ship them". That's a fairy tale optimistic over simplification, I fear. The process of designing, performing gov't mandated durability testing, homologation (assuming this impacts exports models), specification writing, manufacturing, delivery and distribution is a very involved logistical process requiring symphony like integration of a host of disciplines. Buell's been caught with it's engineering pants at it's knees several times prior (S-1 Twin Tail and M-2 Tach Kit) (NOTE: these were NOT Buell's fault. They were both the result of accidental remarks by marketing folks at dealer meetings)and, hopefully, lessons in expeditious process planning (and use of Compression® outsourcing) will minimize the wait time on this recall. Buell folks are working late to insure the time is minimized.......I'm guessing. Best bet: Remain calm and keep in close dontact with your authorized Buell dealer who will be kept abreast of all developements. Ride safe, Court -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Scott '00-X1 on Tuesday, July 11, 2000 - 09:05 pm: Just received my Penske & need advice on installation... It looks like (judging by the length of the line going from the compression (rebound) adjuster to the shock) the shock mounts "backwards", i.e. the piston drawn out forward. Can this be right? I also got some rubber bumpers but don't know what they are for. BTW, I ordered on June 19. The shock looks/seems well built & much stronger than the Showa. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By MAC110 2000 X1 on Wednesday, July 12, 2000 - 12:55 pm: Court, In regards to the "Shock Recall", is it safe to ride the bike until it is replaced? What exactly is the problem? My local dealer had few details. Thanks, MAC110 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By JoeB on Thursday, July 13, 2000 - 12:48 am: 2000 S3T Just got home from a very rough ride - with a very lucky ending. I have a 2000 S3T. The front eye on the rear shock completely broke free due to premature metal fatigue where the eye is welded to the shock body. The rear tire dropped to the inner fender well. The bike's rear end swerved around but I was able to maintain control. Fortunately, I was only doing about 30 mph and had very few cars around me. This failure at speed or on turns surely would have thrown me off the bike. I am extremely angry and disappointed in Buell because: 1. I have received nothing from Buell in regards to any recalls. I learned of a shock recall from my neighbor who also has a 2000 S3T who just happened to be surfing the WEB a few days ago and saw the posting at the Buell website. 2. I have had numerous problems with the bike since day 1 - this latest incident being the worst. 3. This incident leaves me with NO confidence in this bike. I ride my children quite frequently and my wife from time to time. It's going to take a lot of persuasion to overcome this incident. I REALLY enjoy this bike - but this makes me wonder about Buell's purported engineering excellence. I have only 1260 miles on the bike! It wasn't even rough pavement when the failure occurred. I have the following questions of anyone who would care to comment: 1. Is the latest recall due to this type of failure? 2. Can anyone share any data that you have collected (aside from the data in this thread)regarding the rear shock problems? I will be discussing my options with the dealer on Friday - 7/14. | ||
| Fidel (Doncasto) |
By Court (Court) on Wednesday, October 18, 2000 - 11:14 am: Yes, I was correct. Buell WILL replace the SRP with the "new and improved" model. Here's the filing they registered with the NHTSA. . . Report Date: October 18, 2000 11:07:10 AM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 00V163000 Component: SUSPENSION:MOTORCYCLE REAR Manufacturer: BUELL MOTORCYCLE CO. Mfg. Campaign #: 0820 Year: 1999 Make: BUELL Model: M2 CYCLONE Potential Number of Units Affected: 6219 Manufactured From: JAN 1998 To: MAR 2000 Year of Recall: '00 Type of Report: Vehicle Summary: Vehicle Description: Motorcycles. The rear shock absorber can break, dragging the underside of the vehicle on the ground. This could affect the handling, increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will install a shock reinforcement package (SRP) which protects the structual integrity of the suspension system. A new shock absorber is currently being developed. When the new shock absorber is available, if an owner choses, they can have it installed at no charge through the dealer network. Owner notification is expected to begin during late June/early July 2000. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Buell at 1-414-343-8400. Also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Auto Safety Hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236). | ||
| White Viper - UK (Roy) |
The following is copy correspondance with Maxton engineering for your info: Make: Buell > > Model: S1 White Lightening > > Year: 1998 > > Enquiry: I've heard you're developing a rear shock for Buells. > Can you confirm when it will be available and price please. > Many thanks Roy Thanks for your enquiry, Unfortunatley we do not have a spec sheet on your Buell yet but have just developed a shock that is out on reliabilty test, it works very well, the gentleman who is road testing the unit has ridden alot of Buells and tried many different makes of shock, including Penske and W.P and seems to think that ours works the best. We are very pleased with how the shock works and looks we are just waiting for the road tests to finish. With regards to price its not definate but the unit will cost approx £550.00 plus V.A.T and will be built to order, we will valve and spring the shock to suit your rider weight and what you use the bike for and it will have an alloy body and ride height adjustment. I have attached a picture of the Maxton Buell shock it is only the prototype unit but gives you an idea of what our shock looks like. If you would like to talk further about the modifications we carry out you can ring me on the telephone number above, if you can not get through fax me your number and I'll ring you back as our phone can be very busy. Regards Richard Maxton Engineering Chapel Works, Kingswood, Frodsham, Warrington, Cheshire, WA6 6HX. U.K. TEL : +44 01928 740531 FAX : +44 01928 740635  Looks the business to me... Roy H | ||
| Mike Moriarty (Shooter) |
nice....whats the exchange to U.S. $$$? | ||
| Darryl Salmon (Sparky) |
Not bad. GBP 550 = $796. Potential weakness: Is that a steel heim joint on the left threaded into the alum. alloy body? If so what steps are taken to prevent galvanic corrosion? | ||
| Sean Pepper (Rocketman) |
Sparky, don't be silly. We are talking MAXTON here. They have been making suspension systems for road and race bikes for many years, and that includes fantastic results in testing, at the Isle of Man TT !!!! http://www.maxtonsuspension.co.uk/ Rocket in England | ||
| BigHairyRalph (Ralph) |
That's great Rocket, but ya know for fifty bucks more a guy could pick up a Penske from Tat. As I'm sure you know Penske has a rather good reputation when it comes to suspension equipment (understatement!). Not to mention Penske is and has been playing with Buells since very early on. Lots of on track experience. | ||
| Sean Pepper (Rocketman) |
Hairy Corn Head, did you check out Maxtons website ? Unlike Penske, Maxton don't build suspension systems for anything but motorcycles, and then, they don't so much as mass produce 'em, more, burn some midnight oil to get the customer what they want. They have a "hands on" deal at the TT every year, and just to make sure the race teams are not treated any better than the man in the street, if you were fortunate enough to be in the UK with your bike, no matter what make, they will install the shock for you and set it up for you at their pleasure. That's of course, after they've built the shock to suit you in the first instance ! Remember, this is a small company and a very, very special one at that, and there reputation is held in the highest regard by many. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but Penske make a mass produced shock and the rest of it is down to the purchaser(fit and setting). I don't belive the Penske is set up with spring rates and valving to suit the individual, never mind the environment the individual is going to be using it in, like Maxton do ! One more Hairy detail. Didn't Penske recently suspend sales of the Buell unit in view of the recent "failures" from other Buell fitted shocks ? Now I know you can sue for millions for tripping over a crack in the pavement, on your side of the pond, but I'd have thought Penske would have had more faith in their product, especially if it were that good. Seem's to me, they had an ideal opportunity to drop their price a tad and capitalise on the market, and yet, they chose to do what Buell themselves did, sit on the fence ! Don't get me wrong, the Penske, I imagine, is a world class shock, but when someone like Maxton jumps into the fray, you have to seriously consider what is best for you, because the Maxton product WILL be the "doggies ball cocks", and it has the advantage of being built to suit you and your riding style and the place you ride in and you can talk to them anytime you like ! Give 'em a call, I'm sure they'd be able to offer you some sound advice. Rocket in England | ||
| Sean Pepper (Rocketman) |
Here's the Maxton staff, all 7 of them.  Like I said, hands on ! Rocket in England | ||
| Lyons Dunn Lillard (Cap) |
Penske valve and springs your shock to your weight and specs. Penske shocks are expensive but work much better than the Showa's that I have or ridden. I would love to compare the Maxton, Hyper Pro and anything else to see what is really the best! I can get the WP's to work and I will start experimenting with the Showa's this winter. I will swear by Penske on this side if the Atlantic! | ||
| Henrik (Henrik) |
Just got a Penske on the S2. I discussed my weight, gear weight, bike weight, riding style etc. with Max at Penske. We decided on a spring rate, and a shock was built to order by Penske within a couple of days. I opted for the thrust bearing as well for easier preload adjustment. I went with a 650 lbs/inch spring, which may turn out not to be enough. Penske will trade in springs and re-valve the shock until you're satisfied. After the initial set-up phase Penske will still revalve the shock for free for life (not talking free-be rebuild of course). Overall I'm very happy with the Penske (unlike another US made shock I tried). Henrik | ||
| N. Garretson - Sportster.org LSR BBS Adm (Lsr_bbs) |
Henrik, did you deal with Max @ Traxxion by any chance? If so, technically not Penske, but GREAT guys and really know their stuff. They're up in Woodstock, Georgia - keep meaning to go by there but every time I go to the folks, it's a race weekend so they're not at the shop. Thrust bearing...must be a new thing. How much was it - and you'll defenately like it as the preload is a pain to adjust without it - have to look into this, course I don't adjust the preload all that often. Neil Garretson X0.5 | ||
| Sean Pepper (Rocketman) |
Now, I'm glad to hear Penske do all that. That's the first time it's been explained to me. Just to clarify this issue: I have a mate with a TL 1000 and he went Maxton. Absolutely swears by it, and it gets rid of the silly Suzuki gizzmo ! I have seen the Warr's Racer with the Maxton shock installed, and if nothing else, it looks damn good ! Anyway, looks isn't what it's all about. All I'm saying is, here's another shock for consideration. My input is, I'm considering buying a Maxton shock, but unlike Cap, I'm not in the least tuned in to suspension dynamics, so if I was to ride my own Buell, I would expect to feel a vast difference betwixt the Maxton and the Showa. If I don't, if I ever get the opportunity to try, I'll have wasted my money. Anyway, like I said, it's nice to here the Penske boys are on top of the situation. You just can't beat the personal touch, and that to me, is what I find very inspiring when someone "stands on" their product in this way, and , as I understand it, Maxton do, and it seems Penske too ! So, everything in the kitchen is just dandy ? Over to an expert. Cap ? Rocket in England | ||
| BigHairyRalph (Ralph) |
Drat! You guys beat me to it. Pocket Rocket, I don't doubt Maxtons quality or dedication. But, how much experience do they have with the pull shock? Penske has years. Honestly Rocket, I just have a hard on for Buell shocks. All the shocks that have been on Buells have been of excellent quality (we'll let Works slide in). All the shocks on Buells have also been recalled, or started off their history blowing seals and puking oil. At this point I have a stand back and watch attitude. Please, by all means, put a Maxton shock on your bike. But do me a favor, put more miles on the dang thing. By the way, my S1 is slowly developing to look like your Lightning Strike. When I'm finished, will it be the "doggies ball cocks"?. Now that is one wierd asss coliloquism | ||
| Sean Pepper (Rocketman) |
Man of Many Hairs, I've done talking about Maxton, except I'll say one thing. 30 years experience at the top level, with the TT as their yardstick, is not to be shied away from. If they have any experience with the pull shock, I aint party to it ! However, just because other, and probably lesser mortals have failed, doesn't mean Maxton will. Like the man said, "you gotta be in it to win it ". Try anything once my friend, at least ! Ahhh, not possible, your S1 looking like mine. I'm afraid the next phase is on its way. I don't want to say to much, but I have in place a budget and a plan, and even as we type, things will be happening ! Very soon, Rocket's Strike, will yet again raise even more eyebrows ! Rocket in England | ||
| Lyons Dunn Lillard (Cap) |
Rocket, Ask Maxton if they can add High and Low speed compression adjusters on the Buell pull shock. I would buy one in a minute. My only other options are the Hyper Pro or the German brand that has the similar design. | ||
| Paul (Jph) |
Can anyone give me some advice on stripping the Showa rear shock as I have decided to have a spring made locally. The local Harley dealer hasn't a clue! Thanks JPH | ||
| Sean Pepper (Rocketman) |
Cap, I asked Maxton and they said high and low speed compression damping was not going to be fitted on the Buell shock. They claim it is very difficult to do, as it is a pull shock, although they do fit this set-up to all their conventional shocks. They also state that the low speed damping adjustment is to help slide the bike when exiting corners, something they say is for the race track and not really necessary for the road ! The Maxton shock is fully adjustable for rebound and compression damping and preload. As for experience with the pull shock........ Maxton developed a pull shock for the Armstrong 500 GP bike, and they think EB based the Buell shock on this design. The Armstrong shock wasn't successful and they went back to a conventional shock. Rocket in England | ||
| Lyons Dunn Lillard (Cap) |
I was just wanting to know if they could put both adjusters on the compression side. The stock adjuster controls low speed while high speed is controls chassis pitch and high shaft speeds. That was what he meant. Thanks for checking for me. I may try one of their shocks though. | ||
| Donn Griffin (Seeeu911) |
I'm upgrading to the 99 swingarm for my 98S1WL..there was a list of parts here once. Does anyone remember the post ? I can't seem to find it.. any info would be most appreciated. Thanks | ||
| Paul Batts (Xlwp) |
just found I've got a bent swingarm. gotta spare, no prob Stock '98 S1W setup Is there a better answer to the rubber isolators, for drag racing purposes? Solid mount maybe? What's the best way to get the old arm out and and the new one in, aside from seperating the motor and frame as the manual suggests. Thanks PB | ||
| Fidel (Doncasto) |
I was able to get the part number for the new isolator kit today. The kit superceedes the old 91360-99YA kit (2 isolators with washers) which is no longer available. The bad news (especially for me with my Buell as my only transport) is that they are currently backordered and not expected to be available until December, 2000. The new kit is #Z0010.CB Fidel | ||
| J Calhoun (V2win) |
Hey guys, I just installed the new 2001 K1400.E shock on my 97 S3T. WOW. What a difference it has made. I can finaly ride two up with no problems. The shock is 1.77 inches shorter than the old setup and requires that the new front shock mount that comes with the kit be installed. Its a little more work than I expected since the exhaust has to come off to remove the old mounting arm. But it is worth the work. I am a happy camper! I put the new exhaust mounting kit on at the same time. Im not so sure it will be the hot setup since it does not line up like it should with the race pipe. Hope the new race replacement arrives soon. I keep welding as mounts break on the old one. | ||
| Ben Lincoln (Mmytacist) |
I took my '95 S2 in for all recall work. The parts were on hand and the work done within one week. So I've got this Showa shock on there now, but it seems from reading this list that there might have been a replacement Showa for the original replacement Showa that replaced the WP? (How do they keep these things straight?, and how do I know which is installed on my ride? I didn't get any manual with the new shock either. Does one exist? Regards, b | ||
| Daniel Dunn (Buelliedan) |
Ben, There is not a recall on the Showa for your bike so don't worry. No manuals for the shocks exist either. Dan | ||
| Fidel (Doncasto) |
Ben: You can find an instruction sheet for the recall shock HERE Fidel | ||
| J Calhoun (V2win) |
Ben, I will have to disagree with some here. Yes there is a new shock available now for your bike. The part # for your particular bike is K 1400 E. This is the same shock that will be on the 2001 models. The K "kit" will include all parts needed to install it on your bike. It will increase the bikes load capacity to the new 2001 specs. And yes mine came with an installation/instruction sheet with specs for adjusting the preload, dampening and rebound. The settings are completly different than the original and recall showas. | ||
| Paul Batts (Xlwp) |
Fidel, Thanks PB | ||
| Peter Moltmann (Peter) |
J Calhoun, Do you know if that number is for all models, or only the S3/T? PPiA | ||
| J Calhoun (V2win) |
Kit #'s are as follows: S1/S1W/N2/X1: K1400.C S2/S2T/1999-2000 S3/S3T: K1400.8 1997-1998 S3/S3T: K1400.E | ||
| J Calhoun (V2win) |
Hey Ben, As I get older my memory gets shorter. Dont say it, everything else still works just fine:). Anyway, my Nov 2 post should have read part # K1400.8 for your S2. The above post has all the correct #s for all applications. | ||
| Bryan T Nill (Loki) |
Paul, American Sport Bike part # 5475, Swing Arm Isolators. Billet aluminum pieces Loki hope this helps | ||
| Joe Motta |
Is there a replacement shock kit being offered for 2000 X-1's ? | ||
| Buell Howser (Buellhowser) |
As promised, here's some excerpts from Buell's official response to my isolator problems. "During Mr. (Howser's) ownership of the motorcycle, he has adjusted the preloads and has had a modification by the dealer for a heavier rate spring. His alleged damages to the motorcycle's isolators are due to overweight conditions." "Review of this matter indicates that Mr. (Howser's) needs have exceeded the design capabilities of his motorcycle. Whenever a customer makes a purchase, the customer should always evaluate their needs, prior to purchase." "The load capacities of this motorcycle (S3) are advertised in the literature and owner's manual. These documents are available to the public, as well as at the dealer level. The load capacity for this motorcycle is 385 pounds as depicted in the 1999 Owner's Manual and 1999 Advertising Brochure." "Mr. (Howser) advised that his weight is 220 pounds, his wife's weight is 120 pounds and that he travels with full luggage. The fluids (oil,gas) must also be taken into consideration. A full tank of gas alone weighs 43 pounds. If one were to add up the above weight, the load capacity was GROSSLY EXCEEDED on this motorcycle." ....."Harley Davidson and Buell do not meet with the customers who are purchasing the motorcycles. We have no control over who purchases a motorcycle. This meeting is at the dealer level. We recommend that he return to his purchasing dealer to resolve this matter." "We hope.................this will not dampen your enthusiasm for Harley Davidson and Buell motorcycles." When I pay 14K+ for a sport touring bike that my dealer specifically recommended for my needs and this is the result, you better ******* believe my enthusiasm for HD and Buell is dampened. So what do you guys think of this? BH | ||
| Jose Quinones (José_quiñones) |
Buellhowser, Thanks for posting that. It's interesting because Buell thinks that people and dealers should have known that the load capacity shown in the brochure/manual included fluids. When people see a load capacity of 385 pounds, they don't think to subtract the fluids which would give you an accurate load rating of only 330 pounds. If you look at the numbers and subtract them you can figure that out yourself, but I doubt if any dealer was telling anybody this, especially the people going in to buy an S3T to tour with a passenger. Imagine if the first question your salesperson asked you was "Do you and your passenger weigh less than 330 pounds combined?" Would you buy that bike? Hell NO! Well at least for the 2001 model year Buell is accurately reporting the load capacity. Well done, Buell, but a little too late to please some of your present customers. Free isolators and shocks, anyone? José Quiñones 99S3T solo ride, XL1200S for two-up touring! | ||
| J Calhoun (V2win) |
 | ||
| Paul Batts (Xlwp) |
Thanks Bryan. Now my question for all is this. I've got the swingarm out of the bike and I'm trying to figure out if these isolators are good. Is the isolator suppose to be a straight stack or is is offset (like mine)? These isolators are the second generation (improved 2 ring "B") items and there is no visible seperation. They just have sort of a squashed look to them. Thanks PB | ||
| Fidel (Doncasto) |
Paul: IMHO - I would not reassemble the swingarm without the new 2001 isolators. The part number is in the QRF at the top of this topic. They are supposed to be available by the end of the month. Fidel | ||
| Doug P (Dougp) |
So, who or what is the recommended source for Penske shocks? Tat, Traxxion, or just call Penske direct? And what info should I have prepared? (along with some $$$$$$$'s) thanks, Doug P. ('cause the Showa's gotta go) |
