Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Chief]

Does anyone have contact within the MoCo who can comment on these problems?  It seems that problems are known by the people that buy the products, but we have to wait until the problems become an epidemic before the MoCo fixes them.  Maybe this is why we are seeing delays in the delivery of many of the '08 bikes.  -Steve

If you want, you can go through HD Customer Service but you'll probably get someone on the phone who will say they haven't heard of any problems with the 110's. 

At least you won't be talking to India, so we've got that going for us. 

[Steve_G]

I had a '99 Road King and a 2000 Ultra that had the bad cam bearings.  There was a lot of complaint and engine failures over these bearings.  Rather than a recall, the MoCo just sent out letters extending the warranty on the engines if you had a failure due to the cheap INA bearings.  I wonder if it will be the same thing with the head gasket problems that seem to be inevitable.  Maybe the MoCo is hoping we will be out of warranty before we put any miles on these things.  -Retail& Steve

[Hoist!]

I had a '99 Road King and a 2000 Ultra that had the bad cam bearings.  There was a lot of complaint and engine failures over these bearings.  Rather than a recall, the MoCo just sent out letters extending the warranty on the engines if you had a failure due to the cheap INA bearings.  I wonder if it will be the same thing with the head gasket problems that seem to be inevitable.  Maybe the MoCo is hoping we will be out of warranty before we put any miles on these things.  -Retail& Steve

Don't kid yourself. They count on that. Of the hundreds of thousands of bikes they move each year, most don't get ridden much. And many owners don't have a clue anyway, and will never know if something's wrong! We're the thorn in their side. We ride 'em, we're into them, we care about them, and we know things about them they haven't figured out yet. You want answers, you come here, not to them. You come here first and go back to them with the facts, and tell them exactly what's going on. They can't argue with you when you know more than they do. I have a HD SM call me occasionally to ask me about issues that they're not familiar with yet. He knows I probably have heard about it, and that I probably even have the new P/N's already! Know your bike, pay attention here, confidently explain what you know is fact, and you'll never get taken advantage of. You'll gain the respect of your SM and get better treatment for it. As long as you don't come off like an arrogant A-hole!

Hoist!

[ultrafxr]

Don't kid yourself. They count on that. Of the hundreds of thousands of bikes they move each year, most don't get ridden much. And many owners don't have a clue anyway, and will never know if something's wrong! We're the thorn in their side. We ride 'em, we're into them, we care about them, and we know things about them they haven't figured out yet. You want answers, you come here, not to them. You come here first and go back to them with the facts, and tell them exactly what's going on. They can't argue with you when you know more than they do. I have a HD SM call me occasionally to ask me about issues that they're not familiar with yet. He knows I probably have heard about it, and that I probably even have the new P/N's already! Know your bike, pay attention here, confidently explain what you know is fact, and you'll never get taken advantage of. You'll gain the respect of your SM and get better treatment for it. As long as you don't come off like an arrogant A-hole!

Hoist!

I think you are right on Hoist.  Moco can replace ours a dozen times for far, far less cost than if they fixed the all of them just one time.  Besides after two years it is not their problem - it is ours or the extended warranty folks (that is a seperate entity, moco just peddles them but does not administer or pay claims).  Friend of mine claims that according to his reaearch the moco have never done a recall campaign. 

Jerry

[dejavo]

Hoist
What you said!!!!!

[grc]

Does anyone have contact within the MoCo who can comment on these problems?  It seems that problems are known by the people that buy the products, but we have to wait until the problems become an epidemic before the MoCo fixes them.  Maybe this is why we are seeing delays in the delivery of many of the '08 bikes.  -Steve

Steve,

Ask the folks with the obviously screwed up paint on the '06 CUSE's how Harley held up production to resolve a major defect.  If there was any delay at all I failed to see it.

Trust me, any delays on '08's aren't due to the MoCo holding up production until they figure out this head gasket/cylinder/ whatever problem.  Most likely it is due to vendor hiccups with some of the new features like drive-by-wire, ABS, etc.

Jerry

[MJZ]

Just got off the telephone with the dealer about refunding my deposit for the 08 SEUltra. I told them again it was not worth the gamble when I felt 99% sure they would be rebuilding every 110 at about 4-6K. Of course they said it was only a problem with a very few and they were all 07's. It is exactly that kind of BS that makes me sure I did the right thing. I am very thankful "Elvis" became available at the right moment for me. I told the dealer to put me on the list for the 09 SERG, I hope by then MoCo will have either fixed their 110 problems or will have scraped it for a new engine.

[vagabond6542]

Hey all,
I have been following this thread for some time now. And not once have I heard that someone has tried re-torqueing the heads/jugs combination. Has anyone done this, before the engine blew a gasket? And also along these lines, if we are the ones that have to re-engineer their mistakes, we shouldn't be telling Mo-Co how to fix them. I have a couple of ideas of my own for the first fix, that is, should the stock setup can't hold together.
Let Mo-Co come to their knees first. IMHO

MJZ,
Did the right thing, Bro.
Hope the "09"'s are better.

[FLTRCVO]

How many miles you have on that repair now?  I'm still waiting on parts to do both jugs.  Thanks for providing the part numbers.  It's funny that the dealer is waiting on the cylinder kit which is 17458-07 which is the same number published in the parts book.  If you have a -07A gasket and -07A cylinder then the kit would also change to show the modifications to the components.

I have over 8,000 miles on the repair.

[grc]

Hey all,
I have been following this thread for some time now. And not once have I heard that someone has tried re-torqueing the heads/jugs combination. Has anyone done this, before the engine blew a gasket? And also along these lines, if we are the ones that have to re-engineer their mistakes, we shouldn't be telling Mo-Co how to fix them. I have a couple of ideas of my own for the first fix, that is, should the stock setup can't hold together.
Let Mo-Co come to their knees first. IMHO

MJZ,
Did the right thing, Bro.
Hope the "09"'s are better.

vagabond,

1.  Excellent point, re-torquing after several heat cycles may make a marginal design survive.  Not sure how you would prove that was what prevented subsequent failures though.

2. I don't think you have to worry about anyone telling the MoCo anything.  They don't seem to care much about what we think or say, too busy counting their cash to worry about us.

3. The MoCo isn't going to "come to their knees".  That would require them to actually admit they have a problem, and to really care about their customers.  I don't see it happening, at least not while they are still making big profits. 

Jerry

[vagabond6542]

vagabond,

1.  Excellent point, re-torquing after several heat cycles may make a marginal design survive.  Not sure how you would prove that was what prevented subsequent failures though.

2. I don't think you have to worry about anyone telling the MoCo anything.  They don't seem to care much about what we think or say, too busy counting their cash to worry about us.

3. The MoCo isn't going to "come to their knees".  That would require them to actually admit they have a problem, and to really care about their customers.  I don't see it happening, at least not while they are still making big profits. 

Jerry

Jerry,

On Item 1, the proof would be the mileage before engine "lunches" with weeping and whatever else that would follow.

On Items 2 & 3, I know it is a fantasy, but hey you gotta hope.

But to further the idea of engine longevity.  I had found out from someone at a dealer, that using pure synthetic oil will find failures in the seal of the engine.  So if you are not leaking using synthetic after accumulating thousands of miles. Your engine is solid.  But that doesn't mean that the paper gaskets that Mo-Co uses will last forever.

[Steve_G]

Has anyone called Harley's customer service number and voiced their complaints regarding these failures?  -Or do you just talk to your local shop?  -Just wondering    -Steve

[Midnight Rider]

Has anyone called Harley's customer service number and voiced their complaints regarding these failures?  -Or do you just talk to your local shop?  -Just wondering    -Steve

I think some have, some haven't.  If it were me, I would probably let the dealer handle things the first time, but the second and third would be directed at the MOCO, just for documentation purposes.

[skreminegul07]

Has anyone called Harley's customer service number and voiced their complaints regarding these failures?  -Or do you just talk to your local shop?  -Just wondering    -Steve

I just got off the phone with HD Milwaukee.  I have them on speed dial and they know my name when I call.  I've also written letters.

[Chief]

I just got off the phone with HD Milwaukee.  I have them on speed dial and they know my name when I call.  I've also written letters.

What has their position been? Would it be helpful if more of us get to the same people? Can that be done?