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Cruiser
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| went for a ride today. ran about 85 miles total. whe i got home a baseball sized "drip" was under the bike in the time it took to open the garage door and take of my jacket. bike was running. i put it in the garage and went back to the driveway to look at the "drip". it had soaked into the asphalt so i thought it might be gas instead of oil. sure enoug it smelled like gas. i also noticed it had dripped as i pulled it in leaving a trail. those smelled like gas but looked and felt like oil. then i cheked the bike. there were brown smears on the right side panel behind the engine and on the fins near the top of the engine. again, smelled like gas, felt like oil.
anyone else have this problem.
i park the bike on homasote. there were no stains before i pulled in. i didn't notice any leak on the ground when we stopped for lunch. no stains on the homasote at all since i bought the bike last year.
bike ran fine all day.
any suggestions. with 85 miles on the tank today and no leaks before i left it can't be from overfilling.
i hoped to get rid of this crap when i sold the harley. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | smell the oil on the dipstick and see if it matches. If it is high, it sounds like a headgasket, hopefully it is something else more simplier. Sounds like its time to crank up the warranty. Hope it gets worked out for you xHR. |
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Visionary
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Gainesville Fl Home of the Gators | Clean it up, and check the fin area above the head gasket, and around the motor mount. I have seen a couple of pourus castings that leaked pretty good in that area |
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Cruiser
Posts: 247
| thanks for the suggestions. they came and picked it up today. i'll keep you posted. you answers confirm my suspicion regarding the head gasket because it smelled gassy but felt oily. when i started it up to pull it into the trailer tonight it dripped from start up to shut down. some out of the overflow. dealer guesses are bad crossover, bad gas tank, bad hose connection. i'll pass along the pourous casting thought. i'll keep you posted. hope i have it back for the long weekend coming up. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 247
| Dealer says the tank is leaking. Victory says it is the gas cap. Both on order. I guess Victory has binocular x-ray vision and can see Pa from Ia through the walls of the delaership. Thank goodness I have a great dealer-Trumbauers in Quakertown-or I would have sold this p o s and gone back to Harley by now. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1350
| Just a suggestion for the future, I would not put any vehicle in a trailer or garage that is leaking gas unless you wanted a new bike.
Sorry to hear of your bad experience with Victory. A great dealer makes all the difference. How many other problems have you encountered? Is your bike an '08 then I am sure you are aware of the "first year" conditions.
My '99 and I had several growing pains the first few years but it was worth it. Higgins took great care of the 1 problem I have had with Anny so far. Here's to hoping this is your last problem. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1436
| Fritz, if you could post where the leak was located and if there was a cause. I'm gonna get my dealer to look at mine on the right (sitting on bike) where the brake line rubs everytime I make a turn. Hate for either to rub through if you get my drift, lol. When their running right great bike, but I understand your frustration with the piddly crap breaking. Keep us posted. Where in PA are you? Maybe we'll have some coffee this summer..... |
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Visionary
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Gainesville Fl Home of the Gators | exharleyrider - 2009-04-12 10:53 PM
Dealer says the tank is leaking. Victory says it is the gas cap. Both on order. I guess Victory has binocular x-ray vision and can see Pa from Ia through the walls of the delaership. Thank goodness I have a great dealer-Trumbauers in Quakertown-or I would have sold this p o s and gone back to Harley by now.
I have had two Visions with fuel leaks from the gas cap. Worked fine for thousands of miles, and then poof....fuel leak. Both of them the gas cap turned with no resistance from the sealing surface |
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Cruiser
Posts: 247
| Blue ox-just a suggestion for the future--it only leaks when it is running. I didn't leave it running in the garage but the thought of a new bike sounds pretty good now. Wish Ihad thought of it. Yes I have had too many other major issues hence the p o s monaker. Yes I antcipated some first year issues. I guess that should excuse all the shoddy workmanship and sub par parts-read that buying from the cheapest source and lax QC. And, having the female accessory say I told you so every time another one pops up, every month or so, doesn't help. Ya' see she is a Harley snob and this bike is giving her a lot to Snob over. Used to be I couldn't keep her off the harley. Now I have to fight to get her to go for a ride because she still has no passenger arm rests and the wind whipping she takes is all she can take.
Victory really shot themselves in the foot with the '08.
So Kevin, how long have they known about the crappy, dangerous, gas caps without fixing them. Sounds too much llke harley to me.
Teach-i'm near Philly. Look me up if you get here. If the bike is running by then you can hook up with me and the guys. We ride every sunday and sometimes others. Looking forward to it.
Fortunately for me my congressman is also my friend. He doesn't ride but I will bet his agenda will include adding motorcycles to the lemon laws next year. If they were available now I wouldn't have to park it in the garage leaking gas. heh heh heh. Victory couldn't get away with putting out crap like this.
One week and counting for a gas cap. The gas tank got here in 2 days.
Teach, near Philly. Hit me up if you get this way. That is if the gas cap get's here by then. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1436
| ex, The same crew must have made my Vision OR perhaps the guys who have ridden HD's for a long time just expect more. You know like the bike actually doing what it's suppose to, or the dealer/manufacturer actually stocking parts, lol... They'll get it fixed for you. Hey two weeks for a gas cap? Any Visions on their showroom floor? If so I'd have a new cap tomorrow, lol. By the way my female Accessory must know yours, lol...... mine finally gave up and doesn't say a word. At least it hasn't stranded us (knock on wood). |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | XHR I would say the best thing for you to do is sell and don't look back. I would suggest getting the taller windshield as it works great for my wife unit and she ain't no biker chick. If it is okay for her it should be ok for any body. However, don't spend your money as it sounds as if your gal feels the same way. Just chalk it up that Victory is a POS and move on. I am sorry to hear you got a bad apple of the bunch. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 247
| i have the taller windshield. they put that on when they replaced the one that was so distorted you couldn't see through it.
teach-agreed. and mine is a iker. rode to sturgis form philly. has a license. i guess that makes her opinion count. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1340
Gainesville Fl Home of the Gators | exharleyrider - 2009-04-13 7:33 PM
So Kevin, how long have they known about the crappy, dangerous, gas caps without fixing them. Sounds too much llke harley to me.
Been in the industry for 20 plus years, and this is not the first time of have seen issues with Vendor supplied caps. I doubt that the instance of failure is anywhere near a recall.
Edited by kevinx 2009-04-14 2:04 PM
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Visionary
Posts: 1436
| You know I really don't understand the animosity towards a fellow Vision rider because he has had some terrible luck with his bike and expressed it here. I won't speak for Ex but I recieved similar commentary last year when I experienced a bunch of problems and became frustrated. Varyder we can always count on you to kick a fellow rider when he's down. You could have let this go by without your commentary and opinion, just as I could have let your commentary go by without comment. Maybe we should both learn a lesson here. Miles ridden are never the measure of a rider......... T |
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Cruiser
Posts: 212
Tavares, Fl | It could also be the gas tank, mine leaked everytime I filled it and they finally replaced the whole tank. Talk about frustrating. There was obviously a problem with the filler neck on some of the 08's |
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Visionary
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Gainesville Fl Home of the Gators | Teach - 2009-04-14 6:40 PM
You know I really don't understand the animosity towards a fellow Vision rider because he has had some terrible luck with his bike and expressed it here.
Bravo |
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Cruiser
Posts: 247
| Teach, thanks for coming to my aid. Maybe you remembered I did the same for you last year under the same condition. I remember you left for a while shortly after that and chalked it up to work scheduling. I was glad to see you back after that. You were often a voice of reason. This site doesn't have much tolerance for people who express dissatisfaction. You'd think they'd want to know what was pissing us off.
And ditto on varyder. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 247
| Teach, thanks for coming to my aid. Maybe you remembered I did the same for you last year under the same condition. I remember you left for a while shortly after that and chalked it up to work scheduling. I was glad to see you back after that. You were often a voice of reason. This site doesn't have much tolerance for people who express dissatisfaction. You'd think they'd want to know what was pissing us off.
And ditto on varyder. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 247
| Unfortunately the good things I said abot Trumbaurs in Quakertown, Pa probably went unnoticed. They are a great dealer. Can't say enough good things about them. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1436
| I'm sure they'll get you all squared away Ex... My dealer was a little in the dark last year but having gotten their techs to school and getting familiar with all the issues I had has kind of gotten them up to speed. At the end of the day they always seem to get something worked out. On the other issue I was just thinking out loud, lol... I do love this bike but sometimes it just really tee's me off, lol.
On a plus note my oil is changed, tires are fairly new and first trip to Ga planned.... ok I lied I never plan but I know I'll be there the second week in June to meet some friends for a ride. We'll be at TWO campground in Suches if anyone wants to stop by.
Probably to Texas from there and then up to Yellowstone and back to Kentucky. Looks like the Alaska trip is coming together for next summer, woo hoo!!!! See you all on the road..... T |
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Visionary
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New Bohemia, VA | Sorry if you take it that I have anomosity toward a fellow Vision, Victory, or any rider for that matter. I read some of the post, and a forum is to use the freedom to respond, and what I often read is that some folk are down right miserable on the Vision. I got rid of my GoldWing because I was down right tired of it.
I figure if the Vision is not your fit, get something that is. Though it may not be reciprocal, I would be glad to ride with you veterans of the road any given day. I read of all the great rides you are going to make or have made and look forward to the day when I can break and ride like that. Until then I ride back and forth to work, and my trips to see the fam.
I hope all the issues you all are having are worked out if you plan on keeping your Vision so you will be able to enjoy it as many others have to include myself.
And as forums go, don't bank too much on Victory changing anything because any of us making any kind of post here. It is the letter, or the phone call or email to them or the visit to the dealer that is the venue to complain, not one of the many forums out on the internet that could be saying anything with or without value.
Edited by varyder 2009-04-14 10:03 PM
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fuell/oil leak