It just shits me that it has to come this piss aint back and forth between me and HD.

I just got off the phone with the head of serving at HD Aus. He has actually been away in the USA for a couple of weeks and didn't know anything about it. He was actually really good to talk to and stated that he would do whatever he could to either give the bike the OK, or get it fixed. He told me that the guy probably refuses to ride it because he might get pulled over by the cops for the noisy pipes. Valid - I guess.

We did discuss the balance issue, with the primary on the left etc, and he also told me that just about every HD he has ridden pulls left.

So I guess I am going to just have to lump it, or piss it off.

In any language... a shitty situation and not a good start to my HD owners experience.

Well... I am waiting to see what the guy that was in the USA has to say.. BUT... my next plan is to go down and test ride all of the demo bikes they have. If the ride straight, then they don't have a leg to stand on.

What surprised me is when I told the guy at HD Aus that my mates 08 Fatboy rides dead straight, he told me that it must be out of alignment as they will pull left when lined up.

It just pisses me off.

hey give blackey a call, trade her in on a nice victory, oh&s, what an absolute crock of shiiit!!!! try calling the states, or ask to speak adrain o`donoughue, he`s the boss in oz, this is not how you treat your customers!

Yep - I hear ya!

I am following Mrs Mongrel's lead on this one and am giving HD every opportunity to make good - So if they don't and I hit fair trading, then at least I can tell them that we tried everything with HD.

I am keeping a bit of a diary on who said what and when, so that I have all of the dialogue as evidence - so to speak.

You know... I would have been happier if they just had of said... Oh... that does not sound right... lets get it looked at! But no. "All HDs pull left" was the official response!!

I tell ya what though... up until a week ago, I would have told anyone to go buy a Harley. NOW... It has lost its shine. 

He is soft I reckon!!

As a last resort I will ride the fucking thing to the dealer - Tell them they can keep it until its fixed.

Then I will write letters - to the finance company, telling them its fucked and I aint paying until its fixed - To HD Aus telling them I don't want it unless its fixed - HD USA the same, and anyone else who will fucking listen.

Subject: Are they telling me stories

Well Mong

looks to me like they are telling you stories

 OK lads,  A bit of an update.

As above pasted in full:

Posted By skin72au on 02 Feb 2011 8:43 PM
G`day All , i don`t have a Dyna but , i thought all the late model hogs did this due to the extra weight of the primary hanging wider to the left side than older models or something like that , just my personal observation , nothing to back it so maybe a good chance i`m wrong too ?
My 07 FLSTC and 09 FLHRC both did the same thing exactly , even though one was a softy frame and the other a late tourer (possibly more noticable with the softail though) , also one the 96ci B ridgid mounted engine and the other , rubber mount 96ci , i hardly ever take both my hands off the bars at the same time anyway , though if i need to i usually just shift my arse to the right 2 inches or shift my weight slightly as you do , iether way , when cornering through the twisties !
It`s not really a problem too me and the bike 09 FLHRC seems to handle very well indeed as is , stock ! (just done 4200km return G.O.R & lap of Tassie from western Sydney fully loaded and 2 up and the Roadie was better then brilliant)
But it would be interesting too know the real reason they do this , could also explain why she seems to like lefties a little more so than righties , slightly noticable but not enough to be a bother and i guess you just adapt too it !
I carry a bike toolkit in my right saddlebag to counter it or just try to have slightly more weight on the right side if fully loaded all round !
Cheers , Skin

Chimney you are bastard... I heard a little rattle today as came down through the gears, and thought... Oh... Sounds like my heat shield rattled. Now that you have thrown your old man's story out there, it better not haunt me!!! LOL!!!

Nah - its all good mate. After today's convo with HD I am really comfortable with where I am at. I should have waited until I spoke to the right bloke before jumping to conclusions. It's all good. I was too quick to jump up and down and make a fuss before having a sensible discussion with HD. Ah well. You live and learn I guess.

I will be happy to know either way if there is an issue, or if its just me. I hope its just me!!

For you other bastards that were out slaving today... I had a ride for you!! Loved it too.

Cheers
Mongrel

BWahahaha You fucked now chimney!! You will hear every squeak on your bike, car, house, and toilet seat until it shits you to tears!! bWahahahaahahah!!!!

 

I will keep you posted, but I am sure it will be sorted.  I am feeling much better about it now - so all good.  

Faaark I hate you already Chimney LOL.

I got a pair of lairy boots from Passadena and they squeak at times ....but its part of the image and they look great on the foot boards bahahahahaha.

I would pull the fork assemblies, completely disassemble them and measure the fork springs to see if they have the same length. I'd likely replace them with something better, anyway. Remove ALL the oil from the legs and the dampers. Reassemble and then refill very carefully to make sure that you have exactly the same amount of oil in each leg. Unequal oil levels leave unequal air volume above the oil and that results in unequal air compression in the legs, and the air acts as a spring.

HEY Mongrel, have they fixed you or the bike yet?

If Replacing Heavy original mufflers causes Harleys to spear off to the left then there would be more Harleys in the bushes than on the road.

Never made a scrap of difference to my FXD when I had it.

I sit crooked on my bike (FLHTK) and it tends to wander left if I let go of the bars. Hanging on to the bars I never had a problem.

My tyres tend to wear a little more on the right side but I put that down to road camber.

Phil.

My knowledge of Big twins is.. well.. zero..

But, any little thing may lead to something that fixes you problem right?

Years ago I had a Yamaha SZR660 Supersingle, an Italian made Supersport single.. twitchy handling, light weight, loads of torque. Got it back from a service with the dealer, took off from the lights.. front would lift quite easily.

Bugger me the thing started crabbing sideways, front came down and started slapping, happened a few times.

Stopped, looked it over and noticed they had adjusted the chain ON ONE SIDE!, so the wheel was at an angle. Sort of like this between the swing arms (when viewed from the top (the brackets are the swing arms) ] / [

Could be somehow the rear axle is off? Dunno, just have a look, you never know right?

seems to be a common problem with the current crop of fatboys. i know of about 5 or 6 that have had an ongoing problem. a few seem to have been fixed by string lining the bike and making sure the wheels are aligned. from all i have heard it seems to be to do with the wider rear wheel and an offset problem caused by the wider wheel.

I see your back posting Mongrel...Did they sort out your bike or are we never gonna know????

Hello Lads,

The truth is - I have not taken it to them. Reasons being a combination of not really having had the time, and the fact that they are over an hour away. So if I have to leave it with them, I would need to have someone follow me down there so I can get home, and then organise to pick it back up again!

I am still not happy with the way it rides - but right now it is in the too hard basket.

Cheers
Mongrel

Mate  my softie pulled left also

I done the fall away on the frontend

all fixed    lol