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Cruiser
Posts: 219
Pittsburgh, PA | Just got a new 2011 Hammer last week. Got a really great deal on it. It had 56 miles on it when I picked it up. It now has 170 on it. I have been taking it easy on the engine for break in. Driving back and forth to work 12 miles each way. Taking different roads while shifting and not keeping the throttle in one position for too long. I noticed a very slight and momentary loss of power when gassing it two or three times over the last few days. Then yesterday on the way home it died on me with no battery power at all. I pulled over flicked the key and it started right up. For the next mile or so I experienced chugging and losses of power that lasted seconds. I pulled into a gas station and filled it up checked for loose battery connections, they were fine. Had a hard time getting it to start back up. This continued all the way home. It began to chugg real bad and I saw that the gauge showing which gear the bike is in began to jump all over the place, all the way up to fifth through first and neutral. I noticed a bad ticking noise from the lower end/tranny when in neutral that goes away when shifted into gear. Again I lost all electrical power and could not get the lights to come back up. I had it in first gear and drifted it backward and jammed on the brakes. This jolting allowed the power to light up but as soon as I tried the starter I lost all power again.
I have an appointment for warranty work but they can not get to it until 7/11. I have never experienced this before and I would like some ideas on what you think it might be? I will be calling dealers that are further away in order to get it fixed sooner but it still sucks on a brand new bike. I hope it is a simple thing. |
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Visionary
Posts: 3773
Pittsburgh, PA | hey Taz which dealer are you taking it to that they have to wait that long? i think we have a few dealers with in our area.. i bought my 08 vision from A&A but thats not in pgh, i got my recent one from SnOW in cory.. i saw you already check your battery connections. that was going to be the first thing i was to tell you to do... year ago i had a kawasaki do the SAME THING.. but this wouldnt make sense for you as for me it was a short. the main wiring harness worn and was grounding to the frame.. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 935
Rockford, IL | Checking for loose connections in a gas station lot is not very thorough. Now that you are back home get a flashlight and a couple tools and head into the garage and go back over any connections you can find. I'd start at the battery and perhaps remove both cables and sand the battery terminals a bit to remove any "protectant film" and then go from there. |
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Visionary
Posts: 3773
Pittsburgh, PA | im not familiar with the hammer, i was wondering if you lift the seat is there anything under there to check? Look connection to Ecu or something like that? Like i said i dont know the Hammer. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | Taz - do as much looking as you can and hopefully it is just a plug. When my fuel pump went out, on extended warranty, the 3 hour troubleshooting they did prior to testing the pressure of the fuel pump I got billed for. I don't know how that would work for the 1st year warranty, but I was told by more than one dealer that, yeah, I eat the troubleshooting cost. It took them 3 hours to reset the fault codes to find out the ones that wes showing were false, leading them to check the fuel pump pressure...bingo. Anyway, just a word of caution. As far as your break-in goes, unless you're putting in about a good 30 miles at least every other day, your 12 mile ride is bothering me for a break-in. I would be hitting the road for an extended ride, not riding it hard, but long, to get the engine broke in. During my break-in period I got stuck in stop and go traffic on a 70 degree day in NC and I thought I was ruining my engine. Then I didn't do the first oil change until after 1,000 miles on the bike. Today, I have over 119,000 miles on my Vision and it uses no oil or burns it.
Edited by varyder 2012-06-29 9:25 AM
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Cruiser
Posts: 219
Pittsburgh, PA | Gatto's can not get to it until 7/11 and they are about a 10 minute drive for me. Snow's Victory in Chicora has 5 victory trained tech's but they are an hour from me. They can take it for 7/9. I've decided to go there since I think that they are better with Victorys. I have turned my 11 mile trip home into longer trips by detouring down side streets and making some loops cause I wanted to do more than just 11 miles. I might be getting 30-35 miles for the ride home. I was concerned by the noise I'm hearing while it is in neutral. It sounds like the lower end of the engine right by the dipstick but it goes away when shifted into a gear.
I'm not a motorcycle mechanic but i can get by but this is a brand new bike and I have no service manual or experience with this bike. It took a few minutes just to get the side cover off since I was unsure of how they come off, I kept looking for a way to get the seat off first. Here the side panel just pops off. Just looking for ideas. I was thinking of the nuetral saftey switch but that would not explain the noise?
So today I brought the Vision to work. The Hammer is a lot lighter and is faster to respond to more throttle. But it just can not touch the comfort and agility of the Vision. I bought it only cause of the great deal and planned on using it for single rider only for work and other runs. Never had a bike without a windscreen before, my helmet acts like a parachute. |
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Visionary
Posts: 3773
Pittsburgh, PA | Just a heads up snow has more than one shop... chicora is where my vision sat Until they brought it down to their coraoplis shop ... much closer.... |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 880
Orlando, FL | Taz, you just bought it last week and the dealer is telling you over 11 days to look at it? Are you talking to the service manager? If so talk to the General Manager or the owner. You just bought this bike and they should be bending over backwards to get it right for you ASAP! And I mean now! Me, I'd trailer it in, and start nicely raising hell until someone pays attention. Hey wonder how they would like you to wait in the lot with your bike on the trailer and a sign that says, just bought this and waiting til July 11 for my appt to get it fixed!! SHitz, maybe take that sign with you and just hang it on your trailer while you wait. Do you have a lemon law in your state?
I recently had a Suzuki dealer send a tech 1.5 hours to us for assistance. They did the brakes on a members bike and the calipers came off the front, bolts gone on the road somewhere. And the Suzuki dealer KNOWS we have 450 riders in our group. Between that and the possible liability he didn't hesitate to send someone to fix it right. We ate lunch while we waited.
LET's ALL SUPPORT Taz and BOYCOTT Gatto's in Pa. There is power in numbers BOYZ~
Edited by MaddMAx2u 2012-06-29 3:26 PM
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Iron Butt
Posts: 880
Orlando, FL | John, is this GATTO Cycle Shop in Tarentum, PA? I would like to write them and and support your cause by sending a simple e-mail (see below) and urging other members to do the same. It would only take a moment of each members time and could solve your problem. And if it doesn't who cares, it'snot like they are busing butt to take care of you.
Mr. George Gatto
Gatto Cycle Shop
A member of our board, John ****** at Vision-Riders.com recently bought a new Hammer from you __/__/__. Now the bike is running extremely poor and he has been informed that your shop cannot look at it and fix it until July 11, 2012. I find this unacceptable. He bought a new bike from you expecting a good machine that runs. The bike was purchased last week, and it is not unreasonable to expect you to fix it today, not 12 days from now. I urge you to consider the message you are sending and take care of this issue for him as soon as possible. Until then I will urge all riders at this community as well as all other Victory, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Honda, and HD Rider Groups I can find NOT to utilize your facility due to very poor service after the sale.
Sincerely,
Blah blah blah
Perhaps if a lot of us do this it might have an impact. Your bike should be at the head of the service line.
If you would like me to send an e-mail in your behalf, please confirm the dealers name and address and date of purchase. Also if you have a better e-mail address it would be helpful. All I can find is info@gattocycle.com
George Valkenburg
Edited by MaddMAx2u 2012-06-29 3:59 PM
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Visionary
Posts: 3773
Pittsburgh, PA | i likehow you words that. and yes that is the same gatto cycle. i wasnt even aware they sold Vic's.. i remember 4 years ago when i bought my first vic there was like 2-3 shops now i think there is 6.. but this one doesnt seem to be stepping up..... i wonder if the service Manager is aware of the situation...
MaddMax2u remind me to use your services if i ever have a problem!!! |
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Visionary
Posts: 4278
| Read your owners manual it will tell you what to look for when your bike quits on you |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 880
Orlando, FL | johnnyvision, that's funny. Cause when I bought my bike it said on the first page of the manual "If your NEW bike that you PAID thousands of dollars for does not function right in the first year, TAKE IT TO THE DEALER AND MAKE HIM FIX IT!" After the first year, take it to the dealer if you have an extended warranty!!
Arkainzeye, no worries, I got your back! 
Edited by MaddMAx2u 2012-06-29 5:54 PM
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Cruiser
Posts: 219
Pittsburgh, PA | I did not buy the bike locally. Gatto's is a huge harley and honda shop that just signed on with Victory late last year. I've dealt with Snow's for a few items and I really like their treatment of me and my machines. Fact of the matter is Gatto's made no excuse for the delay and Snow's said the holiday and two techs on vacation which I can understand. I like Gatto's distance from me but I trust Snow's to have a victory trained tech work on the bike. I did like the language and I would support the cause if it was needed. I appreciate the help and support. |
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Tourer
Posts: 499
Chattanooga, TN | Good luck, taz. Sorry to hear about your situation, but glad to know you have a few good dealers in your area! |
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Visionary
Posts: 3773
Pittsburgh, PA | Give snow a call. But the one in coraopolis.. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 880
Orlando, FL | Ok Taz, good luck with your ride. Hope it gets fixed Pronto~ |
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Cruiser
Posts: 154
Danbury, Connecticut | When I bought my Vision in 2010 it was barely used and the gentleman I bought it from ordered a new HD trike from Gatto's. I was very impressed with their operation-they took care of the paperwork for us and set me up with a temp plate to ride back to CT from PA. They could not have been more helpful or congenial. I'm in the automotive business and often it is just a matter of which individual you talk to that makes all the difference in your experience. Stop by if they aren't too far and just lurk for a bit and you'll get a feel for who might be more capable of helping you or at least get some rationale for the long wait. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 259
Land O Lakes, FL | Just a thought but my buddy had a similar issue when he bought his Harley. Turned out the tech when they did the PDI didn't tighten the ground down properly on the frame, it was loose. In his case it ended up frying the rectifier but all was taken care of under warranty. Check all the connections where the ground goes to the frame and see if they missed one or it's loose. Also check any of the big relays and fuses to ensure they are all tight and pushed down into place. |
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problems with brand new hammer