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Archive through June 06, 2006Indy_bueller30 06-06-06  12:42 am
         

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M1combat
Posted on Tuesday, June 06, 2006 - 01:55 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

",basically telling them they are idiots,way to go BMC."

I don't believe that's what happened... If the shoe fits though...

Just for the record... I run an '04 XB12R. I rolled my belt on without loosening anything (it was dark, I was in a hurry...), that was about 14K miles ago. The original broke because I had ridden it for about 5K miles with a hole in it and it lasted until I landed a jump with a tad too much throttle.

I understand that's an '04...

The '03 belts CAN NOT be mis-treated in ANY way. They CAN NOT be bent backwards in any less than a 10" arc (and I wouldn't recommend bending it backwards in any fashion other than once you're tightening your tensioner.

Also to note... Do not stress the swingarm wit belt tension unless the swingarm brace is in place. It says all of this in the SM as I recall...
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Saintly
Posted on Tuesday, June 06, 2006 - 07:16 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

But the engineers at Buell arent stupid. There are reasons why they used that belt in the first place, and why they stayed with it for so long.

Yeah ONE whole production year before shitcanning the whole setup in favor of one that works(04 & up). Wow, talk about persistence! (note to reader: please inflect a heavy tone of sarcasm on the preceding words)

Mishandling IS the cause. Period.

That's a crock! If that IS the case them BMC has just implicated many of their dealerships as "THE CAUSE". Period.

I had my second belt replaced by a Buell dealership, as did many of the guys who have had repeated failures. So Buell has deemed that thier dealers ARE mishandling the belt right? Just so I know where to point the blame and possible legal recourse.

Buell seems real good a pointing the blame elsewhere rather than accepting responsibility. I personally installed my third belt on my bike after the second one broke within 1000 miles of the first. I am an proffesional automotive technician by trade, have been for 20 years. I read and strictly adhered to the serive manual AND service Bulletin # B-050. I did NOT mishandle that belt whatsoever! Period!

That belt broke within 2 months. So I guess I'm to blame right? BS!

What is so goddam difficult about admitting that there is a problem and doing the right thing? Happy customers mean profits, Unhappy or pissed off customers mean losses. Buell sure likes to make pissed off customers though.

If Buell would just offer all the 04 & up drivebelt parts to 03 owners at the cost of ONE 03 belt, a lot of loyal customers would be retained.

Just think about it, the list/retail cost of the 04/05/06 upgrade parts is about $600.00
It CAN'T possibly cost Buell more than $300.00 to produce them (probably less)
If you charged each 03 owner $150.00 for this kit (approx cost of one 03 belt) then it would only cost Buell 150.00 per 03 owner to make happy & loyal customers!

But, instead Buell blames their customers for the failures, pisses them off to the point where they will never buy a Buell again, and they tell all their motorcycle riding friends of the F**king they got from BMC.

If 10 pissed off 03 Buell owners tell 20 other riders and as a result 50 people choose NOT to buy a $9500.00 Buell, how much money has Buell lost now? I bet its more than $150.00 !

The solution is SO simple! Buell just needs to do the right thing on this before someone getts hurt or killed by it. I was talking to a fellow badwebber via phone last night, and he said he "would LOVE to be the litigating attorney for the estate af the guy who gets hit and killed while riding an 03 when his belt snapped and he was unable to move out of the way of harm." He said that the revisions of the 03 setup and the implementation of the new(04 & up) driveline is proof of an existing problem.

Oh well, so be it!
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Isham
Posted on Tuesday, June 06, 2006 - 08:06 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

"You know that dip toward the center the belt makes between the two ends when you take it out of the box? If you try to reverse that bend to take the dip out, you have ruined the belt. "

This is BS. That belt is under more stress on the bike then it would ever be in your hands.

If you call that mishandling I call it a cheap product. I love my buell but this is the kind of bs that comes out of the factory. Just like harleys have a reputation for leaking oil. Buell will gain a reputation for snapping belts. I don't think future buell owners want to hear this. Just because I love the mother co. so much I'd lie to sportbikers in response to the question of buell breaking belts, just to defend my wonderful machine.

Even is gates owns some patents on the teeth that's no reason to let them sell a cheap product.
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Thepup
Posted on Tuesday, June 06, 2006 - 06:17 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Did,I bitch Indy,no,I haven't had a problem with my belt,but that doesn't mean there wasn't a bad batch.Does Buell test every belt it sells?I'll answer that for you,NO.Typical Buell-Aid drinker,it's all your fault if something happens to a Buell.
M-1,I don't know if I would imply that anyone else is an idiot if i were you,people in glass houses shouldn't throw rocks.
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M1combat
Posted on Tuesday, June 06, 2006 - 07:06 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I didn't imply that Pup... I said if the shoe fits... wear it. That means it's up to YOU.

For the record... I agree that Buell ought to make a package deal with the belt and pulleys and stuff to upgrade the system for about $200. The belts are fragile.
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Thepup
Posted on Tuesday, June 06, 2006 - 07:22 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Fair enough M-1,I would have no problem buying the upgrade kit for $200.
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Indy_bueller
Posted on Tuesday, June 06, 2006 - 09:32 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Pup, Saintly. I didn't say YOU did it. I'm saying that their testing proves very well that mishandling causes the belts to break prematurely. At some point, between the point where it was manufactured, and the point it was put on the bike, something happened to it. They have the testing to prove that this is the case. I'm sorry, but to me, thier testing trumps your "I think". Please don't take that as an insult. It is not meant that way.

I would agree that a fair price on a replacement 04-up system would be nice. However, I also own a '03 Ford Focus. In '05, Ford went to an improved front brake disk system because the old one was flimsy. Are they going to upgrade my car? No. Do I expect them to? No. Do I even expect them to offer me a discount on new brakes? Hell no. It is a $hitty situation, but thats the way it is. This kind of thing happens all the time with vehicles. Us owners of '02-'03 XB's just have to deal with it. Just like everyone else in the world that buys a new vehicle whose engineering wasn't perfect in every single little respect right from the beginning. If you think about it, you will agree that includes ALOT of people, and ALOT of vehicles. Being a professional mechanic Saintly, I'm sure you have seen that yourself.

As far as a lawsuit, I doubt it would go anywhere. The testing that Buell did is enough to cast a reasonable doubt about whether they are responsible or not. Besides, I think GATES is the one that should cough up that money. I also think someone should look into it and see if Gates employees aren't damaging the belts before they even make it into the boxes.

I have an '03 myself. Do I like the belt situation? Nope. But I'm throwing down the cash to fix it with an '04-up setup.
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Indy_bueller
Posted on Tuesday, June 06, 2006 - 09:39 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Seriously guys, I apologize if I came across insulting. I didn't mean it. It could easily be that there was a new guy working at Gates and was screwing up the belts before they got in the boxes. Small consolation, I know. I feel for you guys, believe me.

And yes Pup, you are right. I have probably had more than the daily recommended allowance of Buell-Aid lately. I had a great time at Homecoming, so I'm pretty fired up.

Edit: I'm sorry. I did imply that it was your fault. My mistake. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions.

(Message edited by indy_bueller on June 06, 2006)
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Indy_bueller
Posted on Tuesday, June 06, 2006 - 10:03 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Heck, for that matter, it would be nice to get the upgraded throttlebody and fuel pump too. But I will buy those myself.
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Saintly
Posted on Tuesday, June 06, 2006 - 10:04 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

All's cool here Indy.

Can I interest you in a ride?

http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/37/200763.html?1149643801
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Indy_bueller
Posted on Tuesday, June 06, 2006 - 10:12 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

I'd love to Saint, but with Homecoming this month, a track day next month, AND trying to buy all the bits and pieces for the '04 belt upgrade, I'm kinda tapped out.

I'm going to end up with two full sets of wheels, one to put track tires on, another for the street. Oh, and the ones for the street I had powder coated white, to match the 'Bolt.
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Indy_bueller
Posted on Tuesday, June 06, 2006 - 10:17 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Saintly, I noticed your profile said that your second drivebelt was skipping teeth, did you ever figure out why?
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Saintly
Posted on Wednesday, June 07, 2006 - 06:17 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Saintly, I noticed your profile said that your second drivebelt was skipping teeth, did you ever figure out why?

Yeah, it was stretched. That was the one that was replaced by a dealership while I was on a long trip away from home.

It was so stretched that it has slop or slack in it! It "drooped" between the idler & rear pulley.

Any throttle whatsoever would cause it to skip and make a real cool noise similar to a bicycle with baseball cards in the spokes.
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Skyguy
Posted on Wednesday, June 07, 2006 - 02:25 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Indy, The 03 belt was a mistake no matter how you look at it.

It is not like an usual second model year upgrade such as the brakes on your car. The brakes on your car while flimsy were not going fail while driving. Warp the rotors, go through lots of pads maybe but not suddenly fail.

If they were going to suddenly fail there would be a mandatory recall of all models affected.

The drive belt failing prematurly is a safety issue. There is no denying the problems that could arise from a failure. Getting hit, crashing or getting butt raped by an escapee of the mental institution you saw 50 miles back down that lonely middle of nowhere road are all real risks. (sorry can't help myself sometimes).

Both of my failed belts were installed by me and by the manual and not mis-handled at any point unless it was at SOME factory.

If mishandling is the only way possible to have a premature failure. Which factory is going to be taking care of my belt?

I would think the factory that allowed such a poor design to be used in their motorcycles would have to deal with the fix. They could in turn go after Gates to recover their losses.

I can not even begin to explain how far a little effort to make good on a serious problem would do for BMC's image and future sales.

Oh and they should do something about the footpegs also. While it is nice that they are inexpensive and designed not to cause damage to the rest of the bike in a crash/tip-over they should not fail while supporting a riders weight. Just another thing I have to change to trust my bike.

This bike is starting to feel like my ex girlfriend. Fantastic sex when she was "on" but she would breakdown and get evil due to some weird kind of design flaw........................

When I talked to her mothership she also took no responsibility for how her child turned out..............................

I got rid of the girl because no matter how much I loved her she just was not ever going to change her attitude.

I really want to keep the bike............
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