Print

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

[16HD117]

I would like to see the actual numbers of warranty claims on the 110ci motor. Does anyone know specifics or is the rant about the 110 being a bad motor just personal opinion based on a hand full of people who post on forums such as this? And yes, we are a handful. Look at the number of 110ci motors sold and count the number of members on the site. Can anyone name 100 folks who have had problems? I think there were maybe maybe 16,000 or so 110ci sold in 07 and 08.

If I recall a few years back "everyone" had a bearing spin on the evo motor. I've got lots of buddies who have had several HDs over the years and none had a bearing spin.

I own 2 Ducatis and all the Ducati forums are full of posts about how bad the quality is. Also have a BMW R1200GS, same thing......rear drive units failing left and right. You would think they were falling off the bikes before they were uncrated. I own an 08 Dodge 1 ton with a 6.7 diesel and every Dodge forum is full of posts about how bad they are. Same with the Chevy Duramax, same with the Ford 6.0 and now the 6.4 diesels. My wife has a BMW X5 and if one were to read the BMW forums he may get the impression that it is a miserable excuse for a SUV. I recently bought a .22-.250 and when doing research I found plenty of folks who claim the particular model I bought was junk, couldn't hold a 4" group at 150 yards.

There are forums all over cyberspace with ANYTHING you want to read available on any subject with polar opposite opinions voiced. Until someone shows me numbers related to production and compares it to relative percentage of units, opinions based on individuals personal experience without data are a fart in a hurricane.

Name me a car, truck, motorcycle, boat engine, cell phone, TV, lawn mower, or electric azz wiper and I'll find you plenty of unhappy people who want to convince you they are junk and we should all ban together and sue.

I feel for those who have had problems. I waited over a year to buy a 110ci HD and in that time talked to everyone I could who owned one. I could not find any evidence that the 110ci problems were a bad choice.

Let the rocks fly.

Horse, I think you're dead right on this!  It's a know fact that unhappy customers speak a lot louder and a lot more often than happy customers. 

Look at Hoist. A prime example!
 

[Twolanerider]

Don't know why you're so hung up on these 110's maybe not being do bad after all. When HD develops a new motor, either themselves or with outside help, they spend time, money and engineereing to develop it, and try to get it right. Then they test the chit out of it. When something comes up afterwards, they make a design change and fix it. But this 110 was an afterthought for CVO's, after developing the 96". With 103 conversions easily done to 96" with simple barrel replacement, they needed to do something special for the '07 CVO's. WTF, just bore it out to 4". How bad can we screw things up that way? Well, with these cases not necessarily designed for very large bores, and never making EPA motors this large, they got it wrong. It can be easily fixed by designing good 4" barrels and replacing them all. Which they haven't attempted to do at all. Replacing gaskets after 2 years of this is total BS! But if you think such a repeatable problem on many of these POS 110's is not representitive of the poor design and quality of their flagship engine, then enjoy your perfect 110 motor!

Hoist!

Don't get too hung up on it Howie.  It's human nature to hope/believe yours won't be the next one to fail.  And they have been getting better.  The more recently acquired bikes have not seemed to have been falling with the rapidity they were five or six months ago.  The new member here is hopeful.  That's fine.  And if he never has a problem that will be wonderful.  If he should be unfortunate enough to fall in the procession, however, he won't have been the first to offer up hopeful expectations of future performance and doubts of past reports; right up until the time their own failed too.

[Fired00d]

Horse, I think you're dead right on this!  It's a know fact that unhappy customers speak a lot louder and a lot more often than happy customers. 

Look at Hoist. A prime example!
 

Hehehehehe. Thanks Tommy for my chuckle of the day.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[Hoist!]

Horse, I think you're dead right on this!  It's a know fact that unhappy customers speak a lot louder and a lot more often than happy customers. 

Look at Hoist. A prime example!
 

No Tommy, loud customers speak louder than quiet customers!

Good or bad, some speak up, some don't. Some know what they're looking at and doing, some don't. Some know what they're talking about, some don't. But if ya don't think the reporting of 110 problems here are like any other poll, I don't know what to tell ya. There's a margin of error of course. But we pretty well should represent percentage wise, a fair picture of what's going on with the 110. REPEATABLE problem with head gaskets leaking. No coincience here. Just poor design. And easily fixable.

Geez, what's with the new kick here that maybe we're all wrong about these 110's? Must be looking at '09's huh?

Hoist!

[SE-Dave]

This conversation / debate reminds me of the Pealing Chrome issue a couple of years ago. I remember crossing my fingers hoping I would get by. And after two sets of Detonator Wheel replacements I did manage to get BY. dave

[cuttinhorse]

Don't know why you're so hung up on these 110's maybe not being do bad after all.

 But this 110 was an afterthought for CVO's,
Hoist!

Ain't hung up on anything other than asking for numbers which knowone can give. Seems a lot of people are hung up on things like the 110ci being an afterthought. If someone had creds, such as having been on the design team, or perhaps really is Willy G's pool boy Then I would tend to want to validate this 110ci story. But I spent a year trying to validate that it was out of the normal statistical problem and all I can find is the same thing I found when I looked at every other product on the market. People with problems VENT about them. Now, maybe there are are higher percent of issues with the 110ci than most. I don't know. I just would like to see SOMETHING to back up the rhetoric. That is all. I love my 110. I may or may not have a problem. I didn't just go plunk down $29,735 without doing some research. If some people blindly bought what they thought was an afterthough design then I feel sorry for them. I ain't out to make enemies. But if someone asks me what I think of the 110ci I'm not likely to give them anything but the facts as I know them. I have no facts other than I can find about 40 people out of 16,000 who have said they have a problem. Maybe 15,000 have had a problem. I don't know, like I said, I would like facts.it is just the way I am wired. No better than you, just different.

I'll quit being hung up and go complain about something I know for a fact is all messed up. And that is the cost of diesel fuel Peace

[WFP]

In 2004...My then New B/B SEEG was perfect in my eyes, then someone posted about peeling chrome wheels.  I go to the garage and run a finger along the chrome and, all of a sudden felt a bubble and then felt it pop and watched the chrome peel away...internet anecdotal evidence confirmed.  Factory replaced peeling chrome wheels with new ones.

in 2006...beautiful chrimson/charcoal CUSE sits in the garage, perfect in my eyes, then someone posts pictures of the milk dud paint job under direct bright light.  I once again go to the garage and grab my 500 watt halogen light and shine it on the fairing and, yup there was the milky way in all its glory.  factory replaced paint with new parts.

later in 2008, that old reliable 103Cid engine sh!t the bed in Prescott Arizona with multiple problems...the puked out oil under the bike in the garage attributed to failed seal in the primary...when fixed, the tech wouldn't let me take the bike...new problem with scored bearings and cams...so much for the reliable 103.  Note, engine had 44K, pipes/air cleaner and power commander tune, no engine work...I won't discuss 2007 since I attribute that to Service Departments failure to diagnose a problem likely caused by a sever bump on the highway...

My new 2008...well, we will see.  I understand Hoists position and history has shown to me that there can be fire where you see smoke when it comes to these bikes and posting on sites such as this.  But I also think, and sorry hoist, that you are also an overly animated angry owner.  There is no doubt that horse is right that on these boards you often see the extreme cases where there are individuals that expect more than they should.  

I just want a reliable ridable bike...but


I also check for rear cylinder oil leaks more now because of all the posts regarding it...

[Twolanerider]

Now, maybe there are are higher percent of issues with the 110ci than most. I don't know. I just would like to see SOMETHING to back up the rhetoric.

"SOMETHING" really is multiple head gasket revisions in a short time to address something.  They aren't changed for lack of reason.  That is both illustrative and fact.  As for quantification we only have the community of riders to go by.

As was written above.  EVERYONE started out without a problem.  They weren't yet failed on the dealership floor.  It's not a valid statistical cohort.  But it is at least suggestive that the membership here has had the number of failures they have.  It's an overall small number of 110s relative to entire production.  But that small number has a significant failure rate within its count.

A few months ago one of our cadre asked me to attempt to quantify "some group."  I don't know why and didn't ask.  But helped him out.  I could definitely assign ownership of 118 110" engines on distinct motorcycles.  Of those 118 I could document reports of 23 head gasket, ACR or crankshaft/oil pump problems.  That's an almost 20% rate of failure of components significant enough to strand a rider.  And that's just those that spoke up.  By any standard that's significant.

I don't own one.  Don't have a dog in the 110 fight.  I can still see they haven't held up as they should though.  That does not mean that I don't wish you and every other 110 rider nothing but good luck with the ride.  It also means that in at least prior production the odds of problem were far more likely than anywould should hope for. 

[Ghost Rider]

No Tommy, loud customers speak louder than quiet customers!

Good or bad, some speak up, some don't. Some know what they're looking at and doing, some don't. Some know what they're talking about, some don't. But if ya don't think the reporting of 110 problems here are like any other poll, I don't know what to tell ya. There's a margin of error of course. But we pretty well should represent percentage wise, a fair picture of what's going on with the 110. REPEATABLE problem with head gaskets leaking. No coincience here. Just poor design. And easily fixable.

Geez, what's with the new kick here that maybe we're all wrong about these 110's? Must be looking at '09's huh?

Hoist!

Howie, I will disagree with you there.  As I have said before, I don't think this forum is a good representation of H-D's customer base.  Obviously we can't put all of our members in the same group, you are a much different rider than I am.  But, generally the members here that I would describe as "active" on this forum put more miles on their bikes and know more about them than Harley's average customer.  If there is any issue with a CVO bike I would expect our members to find it first, and diagnose the problem first.  For a large percentage of Harley owners having a bike means washing it Sunday morning, riding Sunday afternoon, and parking it until next week unless you go to bike night at Hooters.  And if they own a CVO they ride it even less because they are worried about "resale value."

I don't believe for a second that if we have a 30% failure rate among members that Harley is experiencing a similar rate on all 110 engines.  Now if every 110 owner rode 15k miles or more a year, than I would buy the correlation.

I appreciate Cuttinhorse's point.  As a proud 110 owner myself, it does get a little tiring coming to the this forum and constantly reading about how bad your bike sucks because it has a 110 engine.  The guy just made a major purchase and would like to feel good about it.  Is that so wrong?

[Hoist!]

Just callin it as I see it Bill. I'm not an angry owner. I love my bike. Much more than HD, and care enough to get it done right. Not an isolated problem with these 110 Head Gaskets. I know of well over 100 personally. And find em on the road, more often than not, on people's bikes who have never heard of the issue.

I've seen this HD movie before with issues. Wasn't interested in the sequel either. They'll fix em eventually too. Always have. But this REPEATABLE problem, that continued from the '07 model year into '08 sure is a damn smoking gun to me. And like I said, easily fixable. But if so many REPEATABLE problems are good enough for ya'll, then be my guest, keep going back to the dealers to fix it (even though there's no known fix yet)! I fixed mine without them. And my motor's so much bertter than they could have ever delivered. And I'm not bitter. Been doing this chit for years. Love my HD's. Not so much the MoCo. Just stating MHO as I see it. And the way I see it is FTF & FTW!!!

Hoist!

[WFP]

Just callin it as I see it Bill. I'm not an angry owner. I love my bike. Much more than HD, and care enough to get it done right. Not an isolated problem with these 110 Head Gaskets. I know of well over 100 personally. And find em on the road, more often than not, on people's bikes who have never heard of the issue.

I've seen this HD movie before with issues. Wasn't interested in the sequel either. They'll fix em eventually too. Always have. But this REPEATABLE problem, that continued from the '07 model year into '08 sure is a damn smoking gun to me. And like I said, easily fixable. But if so many REPEATABLE problems are good enough for ya'll, then be my guest, keep going back to the dealers to fix it (even though there's no known fix yet)! I fixed mine without them. And my motor's so much bertter than they could have ever delivered. And I'm not bitter. Been doing this chit for years. Love my HD's. Not so much the MoCo. Just stating MHO as I see it. And the way I see it is FTF & FTW!!!

Hoist!

 

Sorry Hoist, FTF & FTW constantly in your posts makes you an Angry Owner...

[Chief]

The biggest difference between this forum and many of the other vehicle related forums is that the most of the membership here was here BEFORE having the problems. These weren't disgruntled owners looking for a place to vent, but quite the opposite. I started on this forum in September 2006, before owning my 2007 FLHTCUSE2. I got the bike in December and observed the leak in March or April. It was in my garage that I pointed out Hoist's leak to him and I believe Hoist pointed out Hogbreath's leak to him, although I may be wrong on that one.

I will say that without question, EVERY SINGLE 2007 Road King or Ultra that I have personally ridden with has had leaking head gaskets, most multiple times. Hard10 has been through 3 sets. Hogbreath replaced his motor after the second leak. I didn't know Vagabond when his first motor was replaced, but he's had bad problems. Ultrafxr suffered the leaks and then had the motor go south before getting it replaced. Gunn Runner has had his leak repaired. TwoJay had leaks. Dereck has gone through it twice, maybe three times.

The important thing to remember her is that these people are all members of this site that I have ridden with. This is a handful of riders and 100% of them have had the same problem. I don't think any of these people joined this site AFTER they had a leak, all were here for the good things and then suffered the leak.

You're lucky in that you have a late model year 08 with a supposedly running change in the cylinders. Hopefully you won't have a problem, but please get off of this "I want to see numbers or you're all just a bunch of cry babies" chit. We've been living with these problems too long for you to come in here and start off questioning the credibility of the site members you don't even know.

I travelled to the TN HOG rally last year just to get up in front of the HD executives to questoin them about the leaks. In the rally parking lot I parked to a B/O ultra with 2,700 mile I think. I checked it when I got off of my bike. Leaker.

Before going to the Hot Springs rally last year, Hard10 came over and we went by the dealer for a small item. I spotted a 2007 B/B ultra in for an oil change. Leaker! I pointed it out to the SM and he added head gaskets to the work order.

Two weeks ago I was at a Hooters bike night and saw a B/O that had a side car. I looked at the cases and yep! Leaker. I pointed it out to the owner and he indicated that he had just gotten it out of the shop for, you guessed it... head gaskets.

If you're really interested in how bad the problem is, start asking the owners of 2007 RKs and Ultras you see if they have had any problems. I think you'll be amazed at the failure rate.

<RANT OFF>

[Fired00d]

Sorry Hoist, FTF & FTW constantly in your posts makes you an Angry Owner...

Amen!!!!!

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[Hoist!]

Sorry Hoist, FTF & FTW constantly in your posts makes you an Angry Owner...

Sorry Bill, it makes me a happy HD motorcycle owner that has felt this way about the MoCo for some time now. And I keep buying HD's. I've been on my own with my HD's for years though. Why is the 110 any different? They all take work to get em the way you want. Never thought I'd have to build my own engine for it. But so be it. So I did. I'm not trying to be in denial because I spent so much $ on a bike and make bekieve it and the MoCo are perfect. I just did what I needed to. But their track record on this motor frankly sucks! And their response to the issue sucks even more. So if FTF & FTW makes me "an angry owner", then so be it as well. I love my SERK and now it's the bike it should'a been. FTF & FTW!!!

Hoist!

[Hoist!]

Amen!!!!!

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

Good one chithead!

Hoist!