Iron owners and all new sportsters! Please read this!
#11
03-22-2011 | 12:05 PM
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 247
Likes: 0
sounds like everyone is telling you that you should expect a harley davidson to not work properly without fixing things fairly regularly.
I haven't had any problems with my 2009 iron, except for the speedomoter breaking 2x, and the battery terminals rotting out.
I think my next bike will be a victory though. No offense to all of you who love your harleys, I love my iron 883 A LOT, but if it doesn't work right all the time, every time, why on EARTH would I buy another harley?
I'm not willing to accept that this is "character" and "you wouldn't get it" and all that.
Well, I don't get it. I expect an american product to be reliable and work all the time.
I have only 16K miles on mine, but I keep hearing horror stories about the big twins that makes me give Victory some serious consideration. But my next bike is still 3 years off, lots can happen between now and then.
I haven't had any problems with my 2009 iron, except for the speedomoter breaking 2x, and the battery terminals rotting out.
I think my next bike will be a victory though. No offense to all of you who love your harleys, I love my iron 883 A LOT, but if it doesn't work right all the time, every time, why on EARTH would I buy another harley?
I'm not willing to accept that this is "character" and "you wouldn't get it" and all that.
Well, I don't get it. I expect an american product to be reliable and work all the time.
I have only 16K miles on mine, but I keep hearing horror stories about the big twins that makes me give Victory some serious consideration. But my next bike is still 3 years off, lots can happen between now and then.
RAL
#12
03-22-2011 | 12:14 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 24,948
Likes: 2,251
From: Eastern NE
I say...quit "smash-jamming" on the shifter & you won't have this problem...
For OP - address the problem w/your dealership (repeated shift seal leak) and have them assess - maybe some good will come of it - like a tech bulletin/recall fix. Seals do fail, but not very often so report back on what the dealer says.
For OP - address the problem w/your dealership (repeated shift seal leak) and have them assess - maybe some good will come of it - like a tech bulletin/recall fix. Seals do fail, but not very often so report back on what the dealer says.
#13
03-22-2011 | 01:04 PM
Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 121
Likes: 1
im at 2500 miles and mine seeps too. i took it to hd and the tech looked at it and told me it wasnt leaking that much and it was "normal" but if it bothered me i could bring it in anytime.
i kinda want to bring it in but at the same time i rather buy the 2 dollar seal and replace it myself instead of the hassle of dropping the bike off wait a couple of days and then go get it.
i kinda want to bring it in but at the same time i rather buy the 2 dollar seal and replace it myself instead of the hassle of dropping the bike off wait a couple of days and then go get it.
#16
03-22-2011 | 02:53 PM
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
2005 883 first time harley owner
for sure I have owned 2 BMW's great reliable machine 50,000 miles each and never a major repair or oil leak the last one confidently crossed the country just putting in gas ... nothing better built in the world ... trust me a maintenace engineer by trade ... the sportster ... obvioulsy one of the worst designed bikes on the road ... gee finally they figured out rubber mounting an engine ... Norton did that back in the 60's ... and counter balance and engine ... wow rocket science to HD ... done in the 70's by most other twin engine builders ... HD engineers are home grown obviously and don't feel they have to compete .. so choose not to ... it is all about the paint and chrome that rust at the drop of a hat on a HD ... so it goes ... I still bought one and so far am happy to own one ... I can fix any thing and have already begun to ... so it goes ...
#17
03-22-2011 | 02:54 PM
#18
03-22-2011 | 02:59 PM
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 218
Likes: 1
My Wife's 883N has yet to leak, even after her accident. My old Sporty never dripped and the same for our friend's 07 1200C. FWIW, the only time my hopped-up StreetGlide had the runs was when I forgot to properly tighten an oil-cooler line.
Not defending the MoCo, but you are very unlucky if 2 bikes of 2 model years both developed the same problem. Kinda makes me wonder...
Not defending the MoCo, but you are very unlucky if 2 bikes of 2 model years both developed the same problem. Kinda makes me wonder...
#19
03-22-2011 | 03:42 PM
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,807
Likes: 2
Cool Victory is a fine bike. Honda makes a better bike than that though so what it comes down to is what moves you?
Then victory came along, but like I said, my 09 iron works fine now and I don't plan on replacing it (it is paid off too) until 2013.
How many 40 year old Hondas do you see? How many 40 year old Harleys do you see?
More telling is how many 2 year old harleys do you see for sale with less than 2K miles on them?
How many hondas or bmws do you see with over 100K miles?
I'm encouraged, however, to read here that several of our own forum members have passed 100K on their harleys...