Done!!!!!!!

And not in the good way. Bike went back to the dealer yesterday with a rattle in the top end. I thought for sure they'd screwed something up doing the recall work. Got the call today, low to no oil pressure, the rattle is most likely a collapsed lifter from lack of oil. The motor seems fine in that I shut it down as soon as I heard the rattle start. They're investigating and think that the plastic oil gear has stripped out. that's a fix that can cost from $400 to $2,000, depending on how I instruct them to go about it. They charge about $60 to pull the clutch cover and take a look. I authorized that work. Once I hear from them tomorrow, I'll make a decision on the repair.

As it is, the bike will be repaired, professionally detailed and put up for sale. I've reached the end of my rope with 6 major repairs in 6 months / 10,000 miles. I'm hoping to price it in the neighborhood of $5k, which will give me enough to buy a nice used VTX 1800. I will keep y'all up to speed as things progress.

I'm hoping to have a wad of cash in hand and be able to buy a northern bike with real low miles before the weather turns good there. I would trust Mark, Kevin or Steve to look at a bike and make a purchase decision for me. I'm looking north because it's currently what I think is the buying season for bikes up north and the prices are looking great with very low miles. Here's just a few I've found:

hartford.craigslist.org/mcy/4258614324.html

allentown.craigslist.org/mcy/4210277552.html

toledo.craigslist.org/mcd/4260659959.html

You are a good man Eric. You held on to that bike longer than I would have. Hope you can get a VTX1800 soon. Just remember black is the fastest color.

Thanks bud. I'd like to take a VTX for a ride. Is your's in Florida where I might borrow it for a couple hours? I'm thinkin the 1300 should be a bit similar to the 1800.

Good idea. The X is in Fl. I will be in Fl. next week for a wedding so you can use the bike a day or two if you want.  If we can work out the timing.

bummer , sometimes there is no winning , good luck finding a good 1800 vtx , wife and I set 1 one time and it seemed to have less room for 2 up then my 1300 vtx did , don't even know what that was about , but she had to be shoe horned in the pass seat ,   

Trip, I'll be in Brooksville next Thursday. I could stop by early morning, around 7 A.M., on my way over and would be coming back late afternoon. You're only 10 miles south of 50, which is how I'll be coming over. Let me know what you think.

Thur. may be good. Not sure what time. If I don't call Wed, or before, call me.

Will do. I could stop by early, pick it up and then later in the afternoon bring it back and we could go have a few beers and wings.

Beers and wings sounds great. http://www.beefobradys.com/beef-o-bradys-menu.aspx  
Same place as last time. 

trip wrote:Beers and wings sounds great. http://www.beefobradys.com/beef-o-bradys-menu.aspx  
Same place as last time. 

Or http://www.brasstapbeerbar.com/location/7/DadeCity-FL  They are in the same building.

trip wrote:

trip wrote:Beers and wings sounds great. http://www.beefobradys.com/beef-o-bradys-menu.aspx  
Same place as last time. 

Or http://www.brasstapbeerbar.com/location/7/DadeCity-FL  They are in the same building.

Oh heck yeah!!  

Well, got the word yesterday that the plastic oil gear failed. Kawasaki had a program where they'd replace them when they fail but that ended 5 years ago. I'm ordering the Judge Oil Gear and going to have the mechanic install it. This fix keeps me from having to split the case and instead simply installs a new gear on the end of the shaft. It's a pretty ingenious fix. Will keep the time to around 3 hours @ $70 per hour and part cost of $250.

Judges Oil Gear

man that's a bitch , having to spend money to send its on its way ,    

Yeah, but I'm keeping my feelers out for a VTX 1800

Simpleman77 wrote:Yeah, but I'm keeping my feelers out for a VTX 1800

I can't beleave as nice as that bike looked you had so many problems with it , that sucks big time , hope ya find a good 1800 vtx