My tale of woe with my street bob

All mileages approx

Bought 624 miles on clock 6 months old stored in owners house!

800 miles finish flakes off console rust underneath

1100 1st service mention slight knocking/vibration/jerking sensation through footpegs when using rear brake, does not appear to be a problem just odd.

1200 bottom yoke pitting and top of fork legs corroding.

1400 fork leg cap right hand side starts to bloom and blow off chrome, spokes rusted, engine finish badly tarnished (s100 really works)

4200 ignition barrel starts to seize (now replaced)

4800 service talk to Chris about ignition problem

6000 master cylinder starts to leak fixed by coming in to shop conclusion over tightened but never touched?????
Filed under weird..

6200 mention knocking from forks when braking and jerking sensation from using back brake while ignition in for replacement (mechanic says he thinks this is due to rubber mounts), also point out paint coming off frame at welds (cracking welds?), talk about corrosion problems which are now everywhere on bike:

Finish of forks, wheels, clutch/switchgear housing, frame, detachable sissy bar (less than 8 months old fitted at 1st service), instrument nacelle, headlight surround... look for chrome it will be flaking/rusting apart from bars and fuel caps..

I have always used s100 cleaning products on it from the start, motorcycle cleaner, brake dust remover, metal polish and a special spoke cleaning cloth. It has also had preservative used on it over winter and a light preservative you can polish in summer.

6500 go to replace tyres and rear wheel spindle is seized in, told it will be OK to ride booked in for warranty repair (next Saturday)

6600 after exit from A41 heading to Berkhamstead engine management light and battery light come on, loud mechanical crunch followed by constant crunching noise, it was wet (though just spitting) at this time and I was doing about 50mph.. Instantly pulled clutch and pulled over and killed engine.. looked it over and no obvious damage/old leaks, have hit nothing on road so limped about ½ mile to Stratstone BMW who very kindly took bike in.
You can start the bike up and it sounds fine.. try riding it a short distance and all the lights come on and the crunching starts again.

Though I have no problems with ***** Harley and think your service has been second to none but I do have severe doubts about the fitness for use of this motorcycle now, there are just too many problems piling up.

So far in this 5000 mile service period a large amount of my service interval (and petrol/time) has been consumed bringing the bike down to ***** Harley to have problems checked/fixed and I would hope Harley may want to do something about this and also if the bike is going to be off the road for a prolonged period maybe sort me a loaner.

Anyone one else having big problems with theirs???

I gather there is a problem with the engine mounts which may explain the problems I have.

Again I have to praise the dealer (despite not being the original dealer they have done all services) who have volunteered to go pick the bike up.

 

all the rust makes me think that this thing has been submerged and was a flood bike. all the other problems make sense too. i wonder if it got flooded and the guy didn't have insurance and tried to punt it. what part of the country was the bike in before you bought it.

i wouldn't bring it up to the dealer, cause if somehow the guy hid it, they might be able to uncover it then your screwed.

it sounds like you have a pretty good candidate for a Lemon Law, especially if it hasn't been flooded. i'd do some research for how that works in your state, start documenting everything and get them to give you a new bike. hell, here in NV, you might have already qualified.

 

My thoughts while reading - even before I saw waterman's reply - with rust in the places you mention, sounds like the bike has been underwater.

 

I am in the UK and though he lives near the Severn River he is not in an area which floods being far down from The Bore and there were no floods in the period he owned it.
The bike was absolutely immaculate when I bought it and I went over it very carefully even checking the inside of the petrol tank (I saved for a looooooooong time to get this bike).
When the old ignition barrel was remove there was no sign of any water damge because the dealer checked for that.
The after market sissy bar was fitted after I bought and is one of the worst culprits.
It has been used throughout our less than friendly UK winter but I used a recommended protectant (re-applied regularly) and every time it got wet I sprayed it with a power washer (not a mad strong one just a domestic one) to get rid of any salt and it has been cleaned every weekend before I do any distances.. I like to check any bike while I wash it to see if there are any problems.
As to the rear spindle the spacer is the problem it has "welded" itself to the spindle and the tyre centre reckon there is no grease on it.. which I am pretty sure there should be..
Again the dealer who has done the servicing on it so far have been great*, Harley UK are not interested just say talk to your principle (dealer).
I am left feeling that though I have bought a premium brand hoping for premium quality what I have bought is a label.
Don't think we have a Lemon Law in the UK but it does sound like a great idea!

*For those of you in the UK who want a good dealership run by people who actually ride Harleys - Thames Valley Harley In Slough. I had them recommended to me and they are good people.
!Warning! Going to the show room is likely to lead to poverty I have never seen so many gorgeous bikes in one shop and the guy who does their custom jobs is superb.

 

Got my FXDBI at the end of 2005. I ride through the year in UK weather and the only problem with corrosion was the brake pads of all things. Rust formed under the friction material forcing it off and causing brake failure (front). One of the rear pads was also rusting under the pad but it was still attached to the backplate. Apparently, this is not an isolated incident so I would check yours out. Got SBS now.

Apart from that it's been fine. BTW sorry to hear your woes - hope you get sorted.

 

Rear axle frozen........normal, it happens a lot. Beat it out with a plastic mallet and coat the axle with Anti-Seize product and re-install. Problem taken care of.
The rust under the paint is because of poor surface prep of the metal prior to painting at the factory.
This is something the dealer should take care of....working his end with the factory. He will not like having to do it because the entire machine has to be stripped, prepped and repainted. You will simply have to press him on the matter if you care to get it fixed. Should have never happened, and it is really difficult to imagine that the factory did poor prep work on the metal but there can be no other reason..........pg

 

i was thinking the same thing about flooded or submerged

 

some other stuff you might consider is:

how it was actually stored by the previous owner...he could tell you anything!!

what happened to it on the trip over. the container it was on in the ship might have been breached

how was it stored between transit and the dealer. it might have been in a warehouse and got wet there before it went to the dealer and the dealer replaced some parts, but not all of them. i know personally some people (dealers) that were buying bike that sat in the warehouse in new orleans after katrina. some were submerged and completley stripped down to the cases and some just sat in a damp warehouse for 4 months and replaced things like wheels/brakes/handlebars/chrome bits.

i really think yours might have sat in a damp warehouse for a while. the places you've got rust are very suspect.

the other thing to consider is......don't wash it so much. my buddy here is kind of a wash freak and he went to put on a new front tire and his front axle was all rusted..........and it's normally in the single digit humidity here....water don't last long!!!!

 

Waterman, only because it's driving me nuts, can you tell me where that pic was taken? sorta reminds me of the road between Searchlight Nv and Nipton Ca..................
Thanks!

Troll

 

it's north of town, halfway to Caliente