Alin , how do you like the 117?
Every time I take SERG out for a spin I get people giving thumbs up or saying Look its got eagles!
Love this bike
Mixed emotions. I bought the bike new and except for exhaust and air cleaner I rode it stock for about 65,000 miles. Knowing about the cam chain tensioner issue I had aquired some woods TW6HG cams, cam gears, the necessary parts to convert to carb and a set of heads and cylinders reworked for the higher lift cam and higher compression pistons. Somewhere around 63-65,000 miles I heard a "noise" and knew it was time. When I tore into it the tensioners were shot with the outside one down about to metal.
It ran in that configuration until about 95-98,000 miles. It was weeping, leaking, popping and coughing and I didn't feel like doing it myself this time so I worked out a plan with a local well known builder for them to do a frshen up.
Famous last words. Upon dissasembly the lower end was found to be out of spec (loose). They quoted me a price to rebuild the lower end to stock stroke but in my wisdom I said what the hell the lower end is apart lets make it "BIGGER". I explained I wanted dependability, reliability and that I rode year round and all over the country (37 states so far) and could they do that? Sure they said and the work began. They basically did their typical 117 build and didnt listen to anything I said and of course blames it on the nature of the beast. Don't get me wrong the bike runs like a bear and is very quick, embarasses most of my friends and surprises many a foreign bike up to about 110/120 MPH.
I have been through 3-4 starters, a couple of batteries, a ring gear, and a few starter pinion gears. The bike will not start reliably under 50 degrees. So much for my trips. Many times I have woken up on a trip in NH or Maine to find frost on the bike in the morning but be 60-70 in the afternoon. They have had it in for the starting issue a few times (no charge) and it always starts for them. The bike is in their shop and the heat is turned off for the night but I doubt the shop ever gets down to 50. My bike is in an unheated shed that can be 30-50 degrees for days. I put a buddy heater next to it for 15-20 minutes if I want to go for a ride on colder days. After that initial start it will start fine all day as many times as needed but is one cold Bitch on the first start. If you don't get it on the first try you may as well change the spark plugs. Not a confidence inspiring situation for trips and adventures!
With all that being said it runs good and strong with no mechanical issues other than starter/pinion/ring gear. Alls Balls starters have been great about warranteeing their starters. The only starter clutch that works for any length of time is the Weldon HR1 and I swap that from one Alls Balls starter to the next. I keep a spare on the shelf and can swap a starter in about 3 hours. Return that one for warrantee and then put it on the shelf.
I have aquired all the parts necessary to convert to Delphi and am going to use the screaming eagle race tuner. The harness is from Dan Thayer. I have an HPI 58MM throttle body, a new in tank delphi fuel pump/fuel sender, a new coil, ECM. Funny thing is the shop just got finished doing the same thing to their shop bike due to some hard/cold starting issues LOL! They will be doing the initial start and tune after I install all the parts this fall/winter (want them to store it in an out building and gaurantee cold starting). Would I do it again? NO I would have bought a 120R had the timken conversion done and lower end trued and welded by darkhorse. I would have used the delphi conversion on the 120R and still had my stock cases. But you know what they say about hindsight. Whats done is done and I do believe in the end it will be a fun reliable bike but it has taken a few years and is not 100% yet
Ask me again in the spring.
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Topic: 2000 Classic SERG owners / Site Registry ( let me know if I missed someone) (Read 64792 times)