I just had same issue at 6000 miles. It did not provide any warning, and the bearing looked worse than any bearing I had ever seen. Only reason it was caught was a tire swap. Buell replaced the bearing and axle at their expense (after the 2 year warranty expiration). I also had the rusty muffler replaced under warranty...there was an issue with the coating on these mufflers (mine is an 07).
What's next?
Buy a painting and look at it!
They are great bikes, but they are bikes. Things will go wrong, so you fix them and keep riding. Riding them causes some things to go wrong sooner and prevents other problems from happining at all.
That's just bikes.
:D
My bike has the orange seal bearings.. There is a squeak coming from the rear wheel area when I push it backwards. I was assuming it was just the brakes.. Now, because of this thread, I am thinking that it might be the bearings.. I will have to look more closely at it and see which is really making the noise. I would like to have an extra couple sets of the updated bearings "just in case" Where can I buy them??
Sorry AdventureUly, but I consider the engine and wheels to be some pretty important parts on my bikes. This is far from my first bike and so far it's the most disappointing. I love the technology and concepts in the Buells, but failures at 6000 miles just doesn't quite cut it in my books.
"Things will go wrong, so you fix them and keep riding." doesn't really work if you are left laying in the road.
Over-tightening of the wheels after removal is a major cause of bearing damage. Follow the manual's instructions for torquing, untorquing and then finally re-torquing the wheels to the correct ft-lb. rates.
If possible, set your wheels up on a dynamic balancer when changing tires. Have a listen. If you hear sound, then bearings shot. You can't figure this out just by trying to spin the wheels by hand off or on the bike. Bearings are cheap parts to replace, not worth risking an accident by letting it go. If no dynamic balancer, then just change them out as often as you feel comfortable doing, knowing that you are doing preventative maintenance.
Also check the steering head bearings while you are at it.
@hspinola
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 2
2007 ULY (3000 MILES)
U right...GO BACK TO THE JAPANESE BIKES
:D
greets keppi, red bearings since 2005, now 50.000 Kilometers on my "S" and 18.000 Kilometers on the Uly (Schnabeltier)
with some German Autobahnkilometers :D ;)
What engine problems did you have chickn4? Mine is also an 07 and I have not had any issues..exept the rusty exhaust.
Fahren, thanks for the input. This was the first time the wheels were off since purchase. I had the bike in 1 month before the warranty was up and I asked them to look it over completely to catch any warranty issues....which they did, but they weren't going to tear anything apart to find this.
AdventureUly - I currently have a check engine light after the warranty muffler replacement (on the drive home from the shop). I have not gotten the code out of it yet. I am also on my 3rd set of plugs at 6000 miles. I would push the dealer to replace your muffler under warranty....they know it's a problem with the coating that was used. I had to wait 4 months for them to get the part in because of the volume of warranty replacements. The bill would have been over $800 for the muffler, bearing, and axle if I didn't push for it to be warranty.
Don't get me wrong...I enjoy the bike. Sometimes though (just once in a while...like when these things happen) I wonder if I want to risk my life more due to my driving style or to the manufacturer.
Since Uly owners are so far and few between I think someone needs to make a true Uly owner's manual. Just cut the crap and say replace the wheel bearings with a specific type, check the steering head bearings like this and replace/adjust like this, work your dealer to replace the muffler under warranty, get your driving lights from this place, etc. I know the forums deal with some of this, but you have to be searching for it to find it....and that's tough when there are several forum sites to find things on.
I have 30000 miles on my uly and it running like a top I'm on my 3rd set of tires, that only thing I have replaced besides the oil and filters. Its my first America biult bike I would have bought another in 4 to 5 years from now. But If H-D thinks that I'm going to buy one of thier P.O.S bikes now they are dreaming
Thanks chickn4, I think I will do that. I was going to take the exhaust off this weekend and rub it down and re coat it my self. But hay! a new one would save me all that touble.
I agree with you on the owner's manual thing. I have learned far more from this forum than I have from the Buell manual, infact I now use it to anchor my boat in a storm (its that big).
Every one should write a page on a topic they know lots about, from riding and owning the bike, then send it in to......... some one with a bit of time on their hands, who could put it all together and up load it some where.
Now that would be a true OWNER'S manual.
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