Posts Tagged ‘Harley’

Motorcycle Recall: A Harley Davidson engineer runs out of gas and 9100 US motorcycles are recalled!

Posted: May 2, 2014 in Motorcycle TV
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Harley Davidson is recalling 2013 and 2014 Breakout and CVO Breakouts. The recall is due to faulty fuel range indicator which is reporting inaccurate information. The bikes can run out of fuel even though the indicator is reporting there is still gas in the tank. Not a good thing if you are on a highway in front of a 10 ton truck!

Harley is reporting that there have been no accidents as a result of this problem and is voluntarily recalling the bikes. They do state there has been 17 warranty claims relating to fuel level inaccuracies.

According to HD there are 18,492 of these bikes worldwide and 9,102 in the United States. Maripat Blankenheim, HD Director of External Communications, stated: “The way we became aware of this was on a test vehicle, One of our current product engineers was on a test bike when it ran it out fuel while it was being tested.”

Apparently the problem is incorrectly calibrated software due to the way the suspension of the Breakout is set. HD states “It investigated and concluded that a suspension difference on the recalled models changed the angle of the fuel tank by approximately three degrees, causing an incorrect fuel-level reading.”

If you have a 2013-14 FXSBSE or FSXB Breakout a contact your local dealership to schedule your repair.

The NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V185000

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6 ½ Question with Adam Cramer Star of Philly Throttle!

Posted: April 24, 2014 in Motorcycle, Motorcycle TV
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Recently I had a chance to exchange emails with Adam Cramer star of Discovery Channel’s motorcycle show “Philly Throttle and owner of Liberty VintageMotorcycles. I have posted several times (here, here) about him and the show and the legal battle with Discovery. Mr. Cramer had to be coy about the future of the TV show but he did answer some fun questions.

Adam the owner

Adam the owner

1.  What is the craziest thing you have done on or to a motorcycle?

          I got chased by the cops for 3 hours around center city Philly on my 1965 triumph.  No helmet, not sober and got away by doing a wheelie for 3 blocks before losing the cops by riding up the art museum steps Rocky ran up and riding down a back staircase.

2.  What is the third most important thing in your life?

        Motorcycles, family first, my building second.

3.  What “Guinness” type world record would you like to break?

I’d like to have the wheelie title!  I believe “wheelie king” Doug Domukus is champ now.

4.  What is the longest trip, by motorcycle, that you have taken?

Philly to California to Nevada to Texas to Philly, 8700 miles round trip.

Liberty Vintage Motorcycles

Liberty Vintage Motorcycles

5.  Where/what is the number one place you want to visit or ride on a motorcycle?

The Isle of Man.

6.  In the movie of your life, who would play you?

I would play me in the movie of my life, I would be happy with no one else!

7.  If you could ask yourself an informative, direct, motorcycle related question, what would you ask and answer

What is your favorite bike? All of them!

Thanks Adam for playing along!

Motorcycle fuel leak fixed, did not cost HD!

Posted: April 23, 2014 in Motorcycle
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As noted in an earlier post I took the Army motorcycle into Frederick HD to fix a fuel leak.  The check value (part #14 in the image below) part of the fuel line was weeping gas when the bike was off and dripping when it was running.

Turns out that there are two “O” rings that complete the seal when the fuel line is attached and make everything work.  According to the folks at the dealership they replaced both O rings, essentially rebuilding the quick disconnect.  The cost was $26 dollars; my extended warranty has a deductible of $50.  So, for once, I did not have a repair bill of HD (hundred dollars)!

 

ijustwant2ride.com

The leaky part!

I am going to be on a Motorcycle Radio Show: Well sort of, DAWG House Radio ;-)

Posted: April 22, 2014 in Motorcycle advocacy, Motorcycle news
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 dawghouseradio

I have mentioned in a couple of other posts that I enjoy DAWG House Radio.  DAWG House is an internet based broadcast that covers motorcycle related topics.   The show is part of the National Talk Radio network.

So why do I bring this up?  The guys have invited me to sit in this week!  If you want to listen to me sound all kinds of stupid check it out.  J

You can listen live on Tuesdays (or to the podcast) from 6-8 PM (Eastern Standard Time).  You can also get to the podcast on their FaceBook page as well.

 

Patriot Guard Riders Challenge Coin.

Posted: April 20, 2014 in Motorcycle
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photo by warren massey

As I mentioned in my last post I took the Army Bike in for to fix a fuel leak and to get its 30K service. While I was checking the bike into the dealership a gentlemen approached, admiring the bike.

We spoke for a few minutes and then we shook hands. During the handshake he passed a challenge coin. Turns out he is with the Patriot Guard Riders. It was the first challenge coin I have received in a while.

For those of you who do not know what a challenge coin is it is a medallion that typically bares the unit or organizations insignia. The coins are typically handed out on a limited basis during special event or when an individual performs a task at a high level. You can read more about the history of the coin here.

The Heritage Softail Classic is in for a fuel leak and 30K mile service

Posted: April 18, 2014 in Motorcycle
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I seems that after 28,500 miles the quick connect on the fuel line has decided to leak. I detached and reattached the line several times to no avail. It is a constant weeping when the bike is off and a dripping leak when it under power.  The service manual did not provide any real info on this issue and looking at the different boards it was not in skill set to repair. Not happy about it but, this is one of the reasons I bought the extended warranty.

So this evening I dropped it of at Frederick HD not only for the fuel issue but for them to perform the 30K mile service. I am only about 1500 miles short of the service point so I thought do it now or bring in back in a couple months.

Anyway, with some luck I will get my bike back tomorrow and be riding Sunday afternoon!WP_20131221_12_02_33_Pro

Motorcycle Book Review: Stealing Speed

Posted: April 15, 2014 in Motorcycle, Motorcycle racing
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Part spy novel with technology stolen from behind the iron curtain and people escaping socialism/communism in cars with false bottoms. Part technology story of how Nazi rocket technology helped create the two stroke engine domination. Part history book on motorcycle racing in the 1950-60s. This book is also the story of how Suzuki became a major motorcycle manufacture.

20140415-084712.jpgThis, true story, is about two men Walter Kaaden, the father of the modern two stroke engine and Ernst Degner the man who raced Kaaden’s motorcycle. The story of the modern two strokes begins with Kaaden working on Germany’s V1 rockets and understanding how that technology could be used by the, then lowly, two stroke engine. After the war, he returned to his home in the communist controlled sector of Germany that would become East Germany. He begins using his Nazi knowledge to assemble racing motorcycles.

Ernst Degner was not only a racer but also one of Kaaden’s assistant engineers. Their work allowed the East Germans to go from nothing to competing and winning on the Grand Prix. Deganer and Kaaden became stars of the communist system, but where Kaaden was an older man happy to live his life with his family in his home town, Deganer was not.

Deganer raced at a time where men died at nearly every race. The skills of the winner of those races were well compensated and they lived a very “comfortable” lifestyle, unless you were a communist. Deganer’s rewards were much less than his western counterparts. Where they would take their winnings and buy expensive cars and vacation in southern France. Daganer received an apartment and the 1950s version of the Yugo.

Deganer wanted more; he wanted what the winners from other countries received. It was representatives from Suzuki that promised the desired lifestyle he wanted, if he would give them the two stroke technology and know-how. Deganer defected from East Germany in 1961 taking with him the information that made Suzuki into a world motorcycle power. In 1962 he won the world championship with Suzuki while riding there copy of the East German two stroke.

But his and Kaaden’s story did not turn out well. Kaaden would be under secret police scrutiny (problerly for his life time) while receiving almost no recognition for his contributions to motorcycling. Deganer would suffer in a terrible crash that would spiral him into depression and drug use. The only real winner in this story was the two stroke engine and Suzuki.

I found that the history of the modern two stroke engine is a dark story arising from Nazi slave labor and the thousands of people who died under the V1 rocket, from under the boot heal and rifles of communism/socialism, and the ashes of international espionage. The author, Mat Oxley, tells this story in a lively, entreatingly manner that holds the reader though out the entire story.

The book is a well written, interesting read, 4 out of 5 starts.

4 out 5

 

 

Servicing your Motorcycle: DIY or Dealership

Posted: April 10, 2014 in Motorcycle
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I see a lot of this type of question on many of the other blogs, websites and forms.  Most typically they start off congenial but spin down to the “the dealership sucks and charges too much” and “if you don’t do it yourself you are a wimp”.

My POV on this subject originates in 2000 at a Ford dealership in Fayetteville, NC.  I was there buying a new vehicle, the first Ford Sport Trac sold in Fayetteville, when I overheard a heated and loud argument at the service desk.

Ostensibly a man had, what he considered, warranty work performed on his transmission (it was older F250 with a couple 100K of what looked like hard miles).  As I was waiting for my vehicle to be taken off the truck (I said it was the first) I listened to the conversion between the service representative and the owner of the truck.  Just like all these type of conversations it started politely but got heated in a hurry.

The dealership wanted to charge him over $1500 dollars for the work while he insisted it should be covered by warranty.  What it boiled down to was that the dealership stated with that many miles the transmission should have been serviced, if I remember correctly, five times.  The owner was stating that it had been serviced, he did it himself.  She responded that for the warranty to be honored the service had to be performed by a “certified” mechanic, that they would not honor the warranty. 

Now I do not know how the situation was resolved, my brand new Sport Trac came off the truck and I was checking it out. But that argument left an imprint on me that have lasted to this day.  If my vehicles are under warranty the dealership gets all service work, with the occasional exception for the standard oil change (and I keep records of that).  I also attempt to be very prompt in getting the services performed at the appropriate mileage points, give or take a few thousand miles.

I do know how to do a lot of the work myself.  I can do a lot of the basic things (that do not require a computer and there is less and less of that every year) like all the fluid changes, spark plugs and wires, batteries, lights, etc.. I have worked with friends to change transmissions and I have helped work on the pumpkins of four wheel drives.  I even use to know how to use the tire changing machines and wheel balancers and I think I could figure out how to use the modern equipment to do that job too.

So where does that leave me?  I have the knowledge to do some of my own work, but I do not want to jeopardize my warranty just in case I have a major problem down the road.  All my vehicles get their service at the dealership at least through the end of the warranty, and I do typically get the extended warranty.  To some folks I will be a stupid wimp but I think I fit in there with the majority of the population. 

 

Motorcycle TV: Heirs to the Dare

Posted: April 6, 2014 in Motorcycle, Motorcycle TV
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from discovery channelI am not really sure what to make of this show. I “think” it was a pilot episode that Discovery Channel ran, even though they did not buy the series. This appears to be the only Heirs to the Dare episode.

The show follows three modern daredevils (each inspired by Evil Knievel of course) as they set about their business, well sort of. Of the three there is only one nationally recognized daredevil Bubba Blackwell (my friends and I met Bubba at last year’s Gettysburg Bike Rally and he spoke about this show). The other two are Henry “Pitbull” Rife a Midwest regional All Terrain Vehicle act and the retired, “I want to get back in but the wife is not happy about it”, Super Joe Reed.

The show begins with Pitbull wanting to go to the next level and actually make money for his stunts. He and his one man crew pay a visit to Bubba to talk about the business side of stunt shows on the day that Bubba is going to jump two helicopters. Bubba shares some of his business “secrets” with Henry and then proceeds to successfully jump the choppers (you can see the jump at the Heirs to the Dare link above)

While that is going on Super Joe regales with tails of his daredevil career including video of him jumping three helicopters without a landing ramp, which was impressive. But this quickly turns when his wife discovers that he has bought a bike and demands that he returns it to the dealership. That argument coincides with his discussion of how he wants to jump the Snake River and beat Evil Knievel.

This is where the show pretty much ends, you get the feeling that there was to be more but, unless I have missed it, this was the one and only. I give it three stars because it left us hanging.

3 out of 5 stars

Why am I not into motorcycle racing?

Posted: March 26, 2014 in Motorcycle, Motorcycle news
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I like to listen to the DawgHouse 2 Wheel Radio show .  It is a motorcycle podcast which the hosts call “A completely irreverent, totally biased, intellectually challenged and scornful study of the twisted life of the motorcycling world & those who inhabit our planet, all wrapped up in a disturbing weekly show!” and I can’t completely disagree with that description to much  😉  The show use to be on Saturday mornings on a local Washington, DC radio station but was dropped when the station changed formats. It is now broadcast on the internet Tuesday nights.  I typically listen to the podcasts during my commute.morehead1

The last couple weeks they have been discussing and lamenting the fact that motorcycle racing does not have much of a following in the US. So after listening to those shows I sat back and thought about why I am not a follower of motorcycle racing. I do caveat the following this with the fact that I have watched some bike racing on TV, both road and super-cross.

While I am a lifelong rider I have never really followed the road racing scene (in fact I have only once attempted to attend a bike race at BSR/Summit Point but the $30 entrance fee was too much to watch just a small portion of the track). I do follow, loosely, NASCAR and I have even been to a couple races (in the 80s).

Long story short I came to the following conclusions (right or wrong just my thoughts):

1. I want to see more of the race. I can, for the most part, see the entire track at NASCAR and super cross, not so with road racing, car or bike. When I can’t see all the action I do not feel I am getting my money’s worth, I don’t really know what is going on, and unless I am near the start/finish line I have no idea who won. Motorcycle road racing on TV just is not as well coved as a NASCAR (which only has a couple of road races) or as well as the auto grand prix style races which also has attendance issues.

This maybe an American predilection for this type of racing.  Like our version of football and fondness of baseball, it is neither right nor wrong  it just is.  With the NASCAR tracks folks can see the action, depending on how thick the beer googles are!  And the same applies for our other major American sports, I can see the entire playing field from my seat. I can see the entire track at Supercross and when I see it on TV it looks better attended than any other version of motorcycle racing I have seen.

2. Harley is not road racing. Yeah, I know, but the fact is that the folks you want to watch are the folks who watch NASCAR and ride Harley. My two favorite manufactures are Harley and Honda (Royal Enfield is #3) but there is a large gap between #1 and the rest. So unless I am really enamored with a Honda sport bike (I am not) I have no emotional draw to the sport.

Without that emotional pull do I want to pay $30 dollars to see part of race then walk or ride around the track to see different parts of the action?   No not really.

tamagawa_nov6_49So what would get me into motorcycle racing? What could be done to fix this situation?

I only have one idea which might be used pull people into the sport.  First, it will not be road racing.  Second it will have to be a V-Twin bike. So what I am thinking is that we have a V-Twin series (NASCAR has car and truck) for those of us not into the sport bike world.

It would also have to be an oval (turn left) track.  The NASCAR super speedways would be too large for bikes like this but not the short tracks like Bristol could be a lot of fun.

Would Harley, Indian, Victory Star and others compete, would it be a privateer series? I do not know but I do know that I would be more interested in seeing a race of this nature then I would a normal superbike road race.

Combine a V-twin race to an oval and I start to think WOW! And when I think back to the old pictures of motorcycle racing in the early 1900’s I think of oval board tracks and large crowds. Would I go to the speedway during Daytona Bike Week to watch guys race Harley and Indians, yes I would!

Just saying…..

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