When is it time to get another bike? | Page 5 | GTAMotorcycle.com

When is it time to get another bike?

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Mad Mike said:
You might want to look at quality aftermarket drive belts, about 1/2 the price from Royal or Fort9.

I've replaced drive belts on Suzukis before, they failed after picking up debris that gets impeded in the belt, not because the sprockets are worn.
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Yeah I found a less expensive aftermarket belt ($130 less then HD's). I really need to clean up that area, too much off roading, I guess!
 
I'm now thinking I don't have to open up the transmission. For 2 reasons.

More I review everything it's looking like it was just the belt that shredded, and some of the areas I can inspect of the trans, look ok. I was expecting the shifter paw to be borked but it's fine. I believe the weird shifting I've experienced is from slop in the shift linkages etc. So I will spend my time replacing what I can in that area and tighten it all up.
Also I bought the wrong tool for the main drive shaft... :rolleyes:
I need a bearing race removal tool, I bought a main bolt tool....(probably can send it back, Amazon purchase) But again this is a spot where it looks ok. Normally the HD faithful say that race will walk (move inwards). But mine is in the correct position, so best I just leave it alone.
 
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sburns said:
I'm now thinking I don't have to open up the transmission. For 2 reasons.

More I review everything it's looking like it was just the belt that shredded, and some of the areas I can inspect of the trans, look ok. I was expecting the shifter paw to be borked but it's fine. I believe the weird shifting I've experienced is from slop in the shift linkages etc. So I will spend my time replacing what I can in that area and tighten it all up.
Also I bought the wrong tool for the main drive shaft... :rolleyes:
I need a bearing race removal tool, I bought a main bolt tool....(probably can send it back, Amazon purchase) But again this is a spot where it looks ok. Normally the HD faithful say that race will walk (move inwards). But mine is in the correct position, so best I just leave it alone.
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not to state the obvious, but have you asked the HD forums? Often times they are aware of any well known issues and can save you a lot of troubleshooting time and diagnose/tell you exactly what the problem is based on the symptoms?
 
might be late to respond but everyone here is too rational.

bikes are more toys than vehicle/tool to me so when is it time to sell?
in the words of Marie Kondo, 'Does it spark joy?'
 
bigpoppa said:
not to state the obvious, but have you asked the HD forums? Often times they are aware of any well known issues and can save you a lot of troubleshooting time and diagnose/tell you exactly what the problem is based on the symptoms?
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Not a problem, so the HD forums are pretty much hit and miss, more miss though. There are some great older threads out there with some information, but newer threads seem to die with little traction. I've tried (with other issues), and the other thing, although helpful, a lot of them are way... off base with troubleshooting stuff. With the idle sputtering issue someone told me it might have been parade mode coming on...(parade mode shuts off the rear cylinder and helps with heat, it also resets when you turn the bike off, and there is a dash light when it's on...) :rolleyes:

I believe this breakdown was caused from the belt, and from it just being old. It's actually was at the end of the tension setting, so I kinda new it had to be replaced soon. Here's another good one for you, HD and another mechanic told me the belts actually shrink over time??? What how?? Not from what I have seen.
As for the transmssion I've just had some thoughts something might be off in there, and since I was tearing this down, I thought it might be good for me to investigate it, but the more I've reviewed it and the shift linkages, the transmission seems ok, the shifter and primary need some work done to fix up the sloppiness.

I've found YouTube to be the best source once you find the right video, which allows you to see the parts, and they will mention some issues and how to solve them. And GTAM of course! (y)
 
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sburns said:
I've found YouTube to be the best source once you find the right video, which allows you to see the parts, and they will mention some issues and how to solve them. And GTAM of course! (y)
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Youtube is great but the trick is finding the right video. Not only covering the topic you want but also good shooting skills when they are telling you how to do something .Now add another skill of bike mechanic and you are limited .
You really need to go through 10 videos before finding the one.

This goes for many things on YouTube.

Not everyone can be a YouTuber but everyone wants to be one.
 
sburns said:
Not a problem, so the HD forums are pretty much hit and miss, more miss though. There are some great older threads out there with some information, but newer threads seem to die with little traction. I've tried (with other issues), and the other thing, although helpful, a lot of them are way... off base with troubleshooting stuff. With the idle sputtering issue someone told me it might have been parade mode coming on...(parade mode shuts off the rear cylinder and helps with heat, it also resets when you turn the bike off, and there is a dash light when it's on...) :rolleyes:

I believe this breakdown was caused from the belt, and from it just being old. It's actually was at the end of the tension setting, so I kinda new it had to be replaced soon. Here's another good one for you, HD and another mechanic told me the belts actually shrink over time??? What how?? Not from what I have seen.
As for the transmssion I've just had some thoughts something might be off in there, and since I was tearing this down, I thought it might be good for me to investigate it, but the more I've reviewed it and the shift linkages, the transmission seems ok, the shifter and primary need some work done to fix up the sloppiness.

I've found YouTube to be the best source once you find the right video, which allows you to see the parts, and they will mention some issues and how to solve them. And GTAM of course! (y)
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agreed.

I've also found bike specific facebook groups are great as well.

Very helpful and full of people who are already owners and very familiar with the bike you own

The only reason I'm still on there tbh.
 
I switched when my riding preferences changed.

Bike 1 was good for short to medium commutes
Bike 2 while not perfect for medium to long commutes, it will do it with some aftermarket parts ...
 
Lightcycle said:
Does it Spark joy?
Does it Fuel joy?
Does it... um, Compress joy...?
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you made me almost spit out my coffee.

but here we are back to diagnosing mechanical issues. 😂
 
bigpoppa said:
agreed.

I've also found bike specific facebook groups are great as well.

Very helpful and full of people who are already owners and very familiar with the bike you own

The only reason I'm still on there tbh.
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Agreed, and the Harley facebook groups are the biggest because they change the bikes so seldom. I've posted a question in the parking lot of a restaurant while out on a reide and had 11 replys by the time I sat down at the table with nearly all pin-pointing the exact loose tank bolt that was causing the noise that I thought was coming from my wheel.

Also the only reason that I've remained on Facebook.
 
woot said:
Agreed, and the Harley facebook groups are the biggest because they change the bikes so seldom. I've posted a question in the parking lot of a restaurant while out on a reide and had 11 replys by the time I sat down at the table with nearly all pin-pointing the exact loose tank bolt that was causing the noise that I thought was coming from my wheel.

Also the only reason that I've remained on Facebook.
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So what everyone is saying is that meta should buy HD as that's the only reason people stay on their platform?
 
GreyGhost said:
So what everyone is saying is that meta should buy HD as that's the only reason people stay on their platform?
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I've also used it to find others in the "DIY electric motorcycle" world and now "Ghetto Pontoon Boats"
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