getting: my first harley, an mot, dielectric grease and a minor breakdown

[BlackEagleS]

ok, ive not been around harleys long but i thought my first three weeks might amuse some of you.

ive had many british bikes and most recently a couple of vintage ones but these have now been sold so i though “try something new” lets get a harley.

i find just the right one, xl883c with 1200 conversion and se carb and pipes, chrome, panniers etc so I buy it and ride it home. starts ok at the sellers house but less happy when I try at mine a few days later. surprise surprise the battery is flat but after a charge its ok but will it start? take a guess!, only action is the speedo needle twitching – bloody typical.

disconnect the battery and reconnect and all ok but turn the key and all dead again. get out the volt meter and its reading 12.xv but turn the key and its 0!!!! after a lot of searching, cursing and general moaning i find the heated handlebar thermostat earthing out so unbolt rear of tank lift it up and remove all the wiring (im a man i don’t need it), put the tank back and everything ok – charge battery.

start bike and yes it starts – great. so lets go to get the mot. bloke gives me a little bit of grief about the noise of the silencers but everything seems ok until we get to the last check and sod me one of the front indicators not working. bloke GIVES me a bulb and says he will be back in 2 mins so i prise off the indicator cover and replace the bulb but still no go so i get a ‘pink slip’ and told to bring it back tomorrow.

get the bloody thing home and there is voltage to the centre post so it must be the earth. take off the tank and well-well what a surprise the multi plug earth terminals are all green and corroded so clean it all off and smear dielectric grease (i got a marine one cos i figure if its good for boats it must be good) into/on it and put if back together and everything works. ok great but by now im getting a bit fed up but at least i can take it back for the mot right?

some hope. will it start, no bloody way, i run the battery flat trying, check spark plug – ok, take the fuel pipe off to check the fuel – where the hell is the fuel. plenty in the tank but nowt in the pipe.

now i think the yanks have a sense of humour cos when you turn on the petrol switch petrol don’t flow until you start the engine AND only after you make sure the petrol switch vacuum pipe is connected.

its been an eventful first three weeks still at least the mot bloke only charged me £28.

[Brigger]

Originally Posted by BrianS

ok, ive not been around harleys long but i thought my first three weeks might amuse some of you.

ive had many british bikes and most recently a couple of vintage ones but these have now been sold so i though “try something new” lets get a harley.

i find just the right one, xl883c with 1200 conversion and se carb and pipes, chrome, panniers etc so I buy it and ride it home. starts ok at the sellers house but less happy when I try at mine a few days later. surprise surprise the battery is flat but after a charge its ok but will it start? take a guess!, only action is the speedo needle twitching – bloody typical.

disconnect the battery and reconnect and all ok but turn the key and all dead again. get out the volt meter and its reading 12.xv but turn the key and its 0!!!! after a lot of searching, cursing and general moaning i find the heated handlebar thermostat earthing out so unbolt rear of tank lift it up and remove all the wiring (im a man i don’t need it), put the tank back and everything ok – charge battery.

start bike and yes it starts – great. so lets go to get the mot. bloke gives me a little bit of grief about the noise of the silencers but everything seems ok until we get to the last check and sod me one of the front indicators not working. bloke GIVES me a bulb and says he will be back in 2 mins so i prise off the indicator cover and replace the bulb but still no go so i get a ‘pink slip’ and told to bring it back tomorrow.

get the bloody thing home and there is voltage to the centre post so it must be the earth. take off the tank and well-well what a surprise the multi plug earth terminals are all green and corroded so clean it all off and smear dielectric grease (i got a marine one cos i figure if its good for boats it must be good) into/on it and put if back together and everything works. ok great but by now im getting a bit fed up but at least i can take it back for the mot right?

some hope. will it start, no bloody way, i run the battery flat trying, check spark plug – ok, take the fuel pipe off to check the fuel – where the hell is the fuel. plenty in the tank but nowt in the pipe.

now i think the yanks have a sense of humour cos when you turn on the petrol switch petrol don’t flow until you start the engine AND only after you make sure the petrol switch vacuum pipe is connected.

its been an eventful first three weeks still at least the mot bloke only charged me £28.

He he he welcome to Harley ownership... I have just had a bill for £172.00 for fitting a £10.50 relay the original corroded away contacts turned green.... and the bike was (then) less than 12 months old.....

Oh and I nearly forgot, some extra work ws included in the bill: tightened two bolts on and replaced a screw on detachable rack. I call that a bargain

Brigger

[HOG maniac]

Enjoy. Reliability is all down to how you look after it.

Wrap it up warm at night. Keep it polished and don't take it out in the rain or cold and all will be ok

[kiwidave]

I get the feeling, as will many others on reading, that you are gonna get on just fine in the Harley world!

[telboy]

Originally Posted by HOG maniac

Enjoy. Reliability is all down to how you look after it.

Wrap it up warm at night. Keep it polished and don't take it out in the rain or cold and all will be ok

or you could leave in the crate at the dealership and never have a problem just frame the receipt and polish that


me i ride it in all weathers park it in me garden under a leanto and it allways starts,in 6 years of riding harleys i've had no problems

[Gray]

Originally Posted by BrianS

ive had many british bikes

Well you've got the background Mate. Just think each job you do properly is a step nearer to a reliable bike. Trouble is a totally reliable bike is a aspirational thing and never quite achievable. Just when you think it's perfect something will fall off or fail. How do I know that? At least being a Harley you can fix the bloody thing and playing mind games with an inanimate pile of processed dirt, oil and tree sap is sort of fun.

[Brigger]

Originally Posted by Gray

Well you've got the background Mate. Just think each job you do properly is a step nearer to a reliable bike. Trouble is a totally reliable bike is a aspirational thing and never quite achievable. Just when you think it's perfect something will fall off or fail. How do I know that? At least being a Harley you can fix the bloody thing and playing mind games with an inanimate pile of processed dirt, oil and tree sap is sort of fun.

Wise words O master....!!!!

Brigger

[BlackEagleS]

i feel im in good company!!. im going to take this thing apart (well not the engine yet cos it seems to be running well - bit rough on tickover though) and smear the dielectric grease over everything so at least i wont have to worry about the electrics for a good while.

anyone actually used dielectric grease? cos i still cant get my head around how a non conductive grease can be used BETWEEN electrical contacts. i guess when you push the connection back together the two contacts must press together so tightly they must break through the grease and make a metal to metal contact while the grease ensures no corrosion happens but what about say the battery terminal to the starter and power supply lead cos they only get pulled together with the bolt so the grease must stay between them - still i will soon findout when i do it wont i.