I am NOT Bashing

[Mariner Fan]

Well, it was priceless, the place was packed! Had a band playing, vendors, and he had to throw a leg over MY RSV and ride out bit*h on the back with him leaving a two week old 36k bike behind!!!!!

 

The ride of shame!!! The dealership should have taken care of your friend!

[ediddy]

Let me tell you a funny story. A few years ago there was an independent cycle shop here. Several of us would meet there three or four days a week to talk motorcycles. There were harley, metric and an iron horse chopper rider. One day the cell phone of one of my harley buddies rang. He almost broke his neck getting to the door. On the way out he shouted, "Wille G was on the way to Daytona bike week and his bike broke down, he's here in Albany at the harley shop anyone want to go.? Everyone left but me. I wouldn't mind seeing Wille G but I wasn't going to break my neck to see him. Willie G and the head engineer for harley were on their way to Daytona and Willie's bike broke down. I didn't laugh but I thought, this is not the kind of advertising I would want if I had a harley. You know Willie has to have the best tricked out harley you can get and he broke down. All of us metric owners gave those harley riders pure hell for many weeks. One of my harley friends had a fat boy and he has $40,000 in it. He had every piece of chrome and engine work you can do to a bike. It does look good. He had a problem with it pulling to the left. As everyone talked to Willie and the engineer they were asked how they liked their harley. My friend said he had a problem with his fat boy pulling to the left. The engineer asked if he could ride the bike and my friend said sure. The engineer came back and said nice bike, but you're right it pulls to the left and walked off. My friend was furious.

[Yammer Dan]

Let me tell you a funny story. A few years ago there was an independent cycle shop here. Several of us would meet there three or four days a week to talk motorcycles. There were harley, metric and an iron horse chopper rider. One day the cell phone of one of my harley buddies rang. He almost broke his neck getting to the door. On the way out he shouted, "Wille G was on the way to Daytona bike week and his bike broke down, he's here in Albany at the harley shop anyone want to go.? Everyone left but me. I wouldn't mind seeing Wille G but I wasn't going to break my neck to see him. Willie G and the head engineer for harley were on their way to Daytona and Willie's bike broke down. I didn't laugh but I thought, this is not the kind of advertising I would want if I had a harley. You know Willie has to have the best tricked out harley you can get and he broke down. All of us metric owners gave those harley riders pure hell for many weeks. One of my harley friends had a fat boy and he has $40,000 in it. He had every piece of chrome and engine work you can do to a bike. It does look good. He had a problem with it pulling to the left. As everyone talked to Willie and the engineer they were asked how they liked their harley. My friend said he had a problem with his fat boy pulling to the left. The engineer asked if he could ride the bike and my friend said sure. The engineer came back and said nice bike, but you're right it pulls to the left and walked off. My friend was furious.

 

 

If he had belonged here he could have gotten a dozen answers and maybe even the right one without anyone riding his bike!!

[myminpins]

The engineer asked if he could ride the bike and my friend said sure. The engineer came back and said nice bike, but you're right it pulls to the left and walked off. My friend was furious.

 

Seriously??? Wow. Those engineers can definitely be a snotty lot. Thanks for nothing?

 

Did he ever fix it?

[MasterGuns]

You're about due for the $1500 cam chain tensioner replacement. This is one of the ongoing problems those models had.

 

 

Don't know where you got $1500 from. Each adjuster was 60 bucks; plus gaskets,I did this maintenance myself.....total cost $157 and some change. Dealer wanted $700.

[MasterGuns]

I really tried not to respond, Gunny, I have all the respect in the world for you. Serving in the marines 30 yrs, Vietnam, you are one hell of a man, but ya kinda hit a nerve there sir, while I didn't spend 30 yrs, I did my time, was a grunt, 0341, and VERY proud, Semper Fi, but....................your opinion of being inexperienced, jealous or lack of knowledge?

Been riding all my life, all types, and am pretty proficient wrenching on my own HD, rebuilt the top end not including the machine work, and the rest of the maintenance that comes with a 31 year old Harley,ya know, its one of "those" AMF bikes. It is one of those bikes most on this forum talk about bad about, its not a very "polite" bike,leaks some oil, 2" drags, yup, pretty obnoxious, just as I guess I can be.Was taught well in the Marines, not shy, proud.

Jealous, ? Jealous of what? I own a HD and again after going into the dealer with the new 36k bike in tow, hell, it ain't a dealership, its a frekin' boutique, clothes, shoes, sandals,(sandals, Harley Davidson sandals!!!!!!!!!! arrrrrghhhhhhh) cat collars, shower curtains, ceiling fans, panties, glasses, come on, really,? Maybe I can get my nails done while they change the oil in my fatboy...........oh please..........Wonder if anyone in the showroom or shop even knows the significance of Holister,? oh yeah, its a clothing line.............Oh, but they won't/can't work on my bike.........MY lack of knowledge, hardly

Gunny, I would love to sit and listen about your life in the Marines, much history and respect there, but HD has lost touch...............

 

 

 

HD is, in my opinion, doing so much more to keep their business thriving, unlike some manufacturers. You need to read "55Chevybelaires" post. Who'd want to buy a brand new 2012 that is exactly the same that manufacturers 1999 model. I wasn't a Gunny either.

Edited September 27, 2011 by MasterGuns

[MasterGuns]

Every time I read about people talking negative about Harleys I think of my friend. He just traded in his 2004 Heritage Softtale with 90K miles. The bike did not give him a lick of trouble. All he did was the general maintenance himself. He now has a Fatboy and plans on putting more miles on. He just returned from a 5K mile trip with zero problems.

 

To me Harley is still a company striving to succeed. I’m not a Harley history buff, but in 1999 I think they had a 88ci motor then changed to a 90 something and then in 2007 it changed to a 96ci. Now the engine is a 103ci. Sometime in there, they went to fuel injection. In 2007 they added 6th gear and in 2009 well over 100 improvements including an all-new frame. Now in 2012 a 103ci motor is standard for most models. I do not believe they still offer a cassette, in fact I think they have a USB port to play MP3’s.

 

The only people or companies that do not fail, are the ones who do not try to improve. The ones who dust themselves off and move forward will succeed.

 

I am a proud owner of a 2004 RSV. My bike looks just like a 1999-2012 with no changes. Maybe if Yamaha would strive for improvements we would see more issues with our machines.

 

You didn't mention the 110 motor, wider rear tires, improved fuel injection, improved sound system and loads of other improvements.

[XV1100SE]

HD is, in my opinion, doing so much more to keep their business thriving, unlike some manufacturers. You need to read "55Chevybelaires" post. Who'd want to buy a brand new 2012 that is exactly the same that manufacturers 1999 model.

 

So what is wrong with having a bike that works? The '99 is almost the same as the 2012.... so ?? The engine is solid, water cooled, shaft drive, audio/intercom, comfortable ride....

 

Maybe the '99 was just so advanced they didn't need to change it?

 

Buying a new car.... would you buy the first year of a major model change? A lot of people don't. Give them a year to work out the bugs. 2nd year is always better. (and I work for an auto manufacturer). Maybe that is why HD struggles with bugs?

 

If your RSV runs and gives you no issues and only requires minor maintenance... isn't that a good thing? Sounds like they've tried fixing the clutch whine over the years (up to "I" basket or higher by now) and I now have an iPod interface... so there have been minor updates. Other than that..... carburators work... cassette is hidden behind a door...motor pulls strong enough....what really has to change???

 

I don't see the other tourers offering the combination of liquid cooled, shaft drive, more passenger room, more than a v-twin..... maybe they haven't kept up with our "same since '99" features !

[elmicko]

I will agree that the engineers that designed and developed the good ol' RSV back in '99 did an amazing job and we've got a bike that still looks and performs with the best of them.

 

However, if these engineers were able to develop something that far ahead of the competition back then, shouldn't they be able to crank out something absolutely amazing by now? Seriously, how many of us have had jobs where the boss told us that what we did last week was so good that we didn't have to try to do anything any better??? I know I've never seen a statement like that on any of my reviews, they always want me to top that great job with something better.

[XV1100SE]

I am not bashing HD, I own one, ........Sooo, if you have ever read one of my previous rants about the factory, today just reloaded me with fresh ammo!

 

Ran into a couple Harley riders on the weekend ... one of them actually recognized the RSV as a Yamaha. They mentioned how if you owned a Harley you needed to know how to "wrench" it and that they had read on a Harley forum how someone on the site had bought a new (made in the USA) Harley and returned it complaining how so much of it is Japanese or other and NOT American parts.