Mileage question

[Ike 1]

You have just added to the plot. How well do you know the owner and bike. Your question is quite reasonable if purchasing new. Buying a used HD with 40k already on it and not knowing how it was maintain or ridden really raises the thought process. So if your saving a ton of money it might be a good idea to put away the difference of what your are paying versus the going price for the same HD with lower miles. Just in case some type of big repair comes up.

Thanks that was what I was wondering, a lot like buying a used car, not knowing how it was maintained. I was just wondering since they are air cooled if there was a shorter life expectancy.

Just my opinion,, No. Not by what I would consider to be the words "Normal Maintenance". But can you keep one of these engines running for 100,000 miles? Absolutely YES!

Maybe I am expecting too much. The word maintenance to me means changing oil filters, changing oil, changing air filters, lubricating pivot points, tightening fasteners, replacing leaking gaskets, adjusting valves, changing worn hoses or belts etc. That is what I call normal maintenance.

Normal Maintenance is not changing inner cam bearings, chain followers, compensator assemblies, or replacing oil pumps due to out of round crankshafts. To me that is not normal Maintenance.
And I would bet a Large percentage of engines have those types of service records before they reach 100K.

Buying the extended Warranty is really the answer to go 100K miles and not worry about it.

And I hope this isnt a dumb question, Im pretty good when it comes to automotive wrenching, but never really done any work on bikes other than oil changes, are these parts you listed common to replace on these engines or that is reccomended when you get so many miles on? or is this something you start hearing making noise and know its time to change?
and if its not routine are they covered by any warrenty?

Sorry just trying to get some education here.

 

[Hoople]

and if its not routine are they covered by any warrenty?

Not considered routine to me, but it seems a lot of those "tasks" happen in under 100K miles. I would say an engine that goes 100K without any internal work, is more RARE than it is Common. (that being <49%)
Look and read around this forum, and judge for yourself.

New bikes come with a 2 year warranty, unlimited mileage. All those mentioned parts & labor are covered.

 

[Ike 1]

Thanks Hoople, and to all that responded, You have more than answered my questions, many thanks.

Ike:worthy

 

[ProF]

My two cents.....
I bought my fxr new in 1986, did reasonable maintenance, nothing out of the ordinary, changed fluids once in a while, and generally did less to it than most people would have. After around 125000 miles the main bearing went bad so I had it rebuilt, and now (yes I still have it) it's got over 200,000 miles on it and it still runs great. I don't know if I'm lucky or what, but I never 'rodded around town with it, never raced it, or did stuff that would prematurely do it in.
Just sayin'.......

 

[Ike 1]

My two cents.....
I bought my fxr new in 1986, did reasonable maintenance, nothing out of the ordinary, changed fluids once in a while, and generally did less to it than most people would have. After around 125000 miles the main bearing went bad so I had it rebuilt, and now (yes I still have it) it's got over 200,000 miles on it and it still runs great. I don't know if I'm lucky or what, but I never 'rodded around town with it, never raced it, or did stuff that would prematurely do it in.
Just sayin'.......

Thanks, My intentions are weekend trips with the wife and friends to the Outer banks and Eastern shore, and TLC during the week. mabe to work on a Friday if the weather is good. and of course garaged and covered when not being ridden. I know a lot of guys are sayin, "Just Ride the frickin thing" Sorry I tend to to baby my investment.

 

[glen073]

I have 103,000 on my 04 Road Glide. It still runs strong. Only problems I've had was the stator had to be replaced at about 50k. Had an oil cooler hose break once and did the chain tensioners twice. I use it has my spare if my new ones in the shop. I've always used Red Line in all three holes.

 

[murf]

I have a couple brothers with 70-80k on their evos and one friend just bought the new Ultra LTD. His old Ultra looked brand new with 100k on it and ran very well. I will say that these bikes were talen care of, when they needed something, they got it.

 

[Hoople]

Getting 100K without splitting the case or replacing cylinders/pistons rings or heads is impressive and more than I would ever expect out of these current 96 engine.

It is refreshing to hear that it can and is being done. That is beyond what I am expecting from my 2009 "96".

 

[Porter]

I just cracked 40k on my 2007 UC, (43K will be 40K put on by me). No major issues to date. TFI and IDS installed myself. All the rest is stock. The only warranty issue I have had was the cruse control switch failed, replaced at no charge.

Reading over the previous posts: I hope for Smitty901's anecdotes and I think like Hoople. So many variables. After I found this site, I wanted some assurances, similar to what you are asking. You know, just a gut check of "what should I expect and what am I getting into here." But I found this site AFTER buying. So, I bought my HD thinking solely about the fun and excitement with the ASSUMPTION that it was a quality product. I never really looked into it before I bought, to be completely honest. Now I think back and my justification was: HD's are pretty much everywhere I look. If they (HD's) are that unreliable, everyone is being duped or everyone likes riding so much that they don't care about the constant repairs (which made no sense at the time, but it does now). So, I started looking around for info and found this site. Then I initially worried that my HD would simply fall apart in the carport. Blown up tranmission, plastic bearings, out of true 2 piece crank that grenades the oil pump and everthing else at 5k miles.....

Now, I am more or less at peace with many of my unsubstantiated worries but I also realize that I don't care solely about how reliable HD's are to a point. I also realize that I am in a position to not care so much about repairs, if I have to have them. Not because I am independently wealthy but now I am addicted to this "medication", like so many others. Above all, riding an HD gives me freedom, peace and excitement. It is a luxury for me that I choose to indulge in, not an investment. At about 20K miles I came to the conclusion that, I have been "duped". If it grenades tomorrow, I will do all I can to repair it or get another.

I think you are being reasonable and I would say that HDs are made well enough to be 1.) still in business, 2.) support a huge internet and after market industry and 3.) get millions of people worldwide, including me, hooked like a junkie. I hope it happen to you if it hasn't already! (and I mean that as a true compliment!:s

 

[trvlr]

Very well said Porter. I could have written the same comments as you did...i.e., found this site AFTER I bought my bike and thought my goodness, I'll never hit 20k miles before the thing implodes on me You find such enjoyment with riding this piece of Americana, that you just ride. All the strange rattles you hear when you first get it...they just seem to disappear into the rhythmic motion of that v-twin directly beneath you. In the end...it's all good :s