Follow-up to catastrophic transmission failure on my 2006 Rocket Classic. See the original thread:
http://www.r3owners.net/common-issues/3894-catastrophic-transmission-failure.html
British-USA called up Thursday, September 18 to let me know my Bike was ready. After three long months and a blown summer riding season, it was finally done. When I went to pick it up, I discovered that my requests for additional service were ignored. When the bike was delivered June 25, I included an 18 page documentation package of the bike's condition prior to delivery, along with a request for state inspection, tire check, brake check, and install highway bars/footpegs. They couldn't find the package I gave them and didn't know anything about the service items I had requested. When I told them the state inspection had expired, the service manager said everyone drives with expired inspection. It'll be OK. My blood begins to boil. The reason I asked for all that service was to take advantage of the bike being disassembled and provide ample time to order the bars/footpegs. I finally convice the guy to do the state inspection, but the bars will have to be ordered and the other stuff would just have to wait for another time.
Also, the service manager wouldn't give me the parts list until the warranty claim had been processed. But the summary is the bike got a new engine casing and the upgrade kit. I guess since it was assembled from parts, the engine was not stamped with a serial number. The bike is filthy! They didn't even attempt to clean it up. At this point, I just want to take my baby home. BUT before I even start the bike, I buy a 3-year extended warranty from Western Service Contract Corp. at the dealer. The factory warranty has now expired and I didn't want to take any chances on further repair costs. The parts alone on this fiasco were over $5000.
With a whole lot of cautious optimism, I carefully rode it home. With all the traffic lights out from hurricane IKE, it was slow going stop-and-go. Didn't even get out of third gear. No issues detected on this slow ride. The bike pulls hard and I'm happy to have it back.
Rode straight home and parked it for the rest of the weekend. The real test drive would not happen for a couple more days. Lots of storm cleanup to do, but not as bad as some.
When I get home, I noticed it is also missing the bolt for the top right of the radiator shroud and is missing the Triumph badge on the left of the engine.
On Monday, I drove it to work and babied it to make sure everything was working OK. The transmission is stiff and shifts like it did when new, however 3rd through 5th seem to click instead of clunk now. Clutch force is also higher than before. It requires some coaxing to get it into neutral.
Signs of trouble - - 3 to 2 downshift, slowing to make a turn about 1/2 mile from home. Accelerate in 2nd out of the turn and there is that same old problem again! Second gear makes that "slip" and catches again. If you have this problem, you know it. WTF?!! It's like nothing got fixed at all!
Decided to ride it to work the next day and see if the problem was my shifting or maybe the shifter adjustment. The heel-toe shifter was out of adjustment with the heel part too far down. Maybe there wasn't enough travel to ensure complete engagement.
After adjusting the shifter, I get my chance at a red light. Full acceleration in first. Seems strong and ready for second. When I disengage the clutch, the transmission makes this terrible clash of gears. I shift to third and all is well. Slow down and shift back to second. Transmission will not mesh in second at all. Upshift to third, fourth, fifth and it's like nothing is wrong again. This is one extremely unhappy Rocket owner that is beyond p#$&*d off! Did the dealer even test drive it at all?!!
That evening, I call the dealership and kindly ask to speak to the owner. He's tied up with a customer. I leave a message and and he does not return my call. The next day, I get a call from the service manager and explain the problems. He says I'll have to bring it in. Wrong answer. THEY will have to bring it in at their expense. Well that was useless. He also claimed that they cleaned the bike prior to delivery. Gloves are off and I'm not taking any more BS. I'll take a lot of crap, but woe be to you if you lie. Thursday, September 25 I bring it in by skipping 2nd gear, which works very well. Just double click from 1 to 3.
I drop it off at the service desk and explain the problems to a different person. (Service manager is not there this time). No estimate on repair time and no loaners available.
The first failure I attribute to a Triumph manufacturing/design problem, which was supposed to be rectified by the 2008 upgrade kit. The failure after repair I attribute to shoddy workmanship by my dealer. They are soley responsible for making this thing right at no expense to me. Just hope it is not another 3 months till I ride again.
I just wish they had swapped out my engine with a complete new one and let Triumph do the post mortem.
The guys with turbos, superchargers, and other performance mods are not cratering their transmission. Surely my stock setup is not putting excessive loads on the drivetrain. Shifting was fine for the first 10,000 miles. What could be going wrong?
Still love my Rocket, and I want it back. But for the first time, I'm beginning to wonder if a lower powered seemingly more reliable ride is in my future so I can get some 2-wheel time.
http://www.r3owners.net/common-issues/3894-catastrophic-transmission-failure.html
British-USA called up Thursday, September 18 to let me know my Bike was ready. After three long months and a blown summer riding season, it was finally done. When I went to pick it up, I discovered that my requests for additional service were ignored. When the bike was delivered June 25, I included an 18 page documentation package of the bike's condition prior to delivery, along with a request for state inspection, tire check, brake check, and install highway bars/footpegs. They couldn't find the package I gave them and didn't know anything about the service items I had requested. When I told them the state inspection had expired, the service manager said everyone drives with expired inspection. It'll be OK. My blood begins to boil. The reason I asked for all that service was to take advantage of the bike being disassembled and provide ample time to order the bars/footpegs. I finally convice the guy to do the state inspection, but the bars will have to be ordered and the other stuff would just have to wait for another time.
Also, the service manager wouldn't give me the parts list until the warranty claim had been processed. But the summary is the bike got a new engine casing and the upgrade kit. I guess since it was assembled from parts, the engine was not stamped with a serial number. The bike is filthy! They didn't even attempt to clean it up. At this point, I just want to take my baby home. BUT before I even start the bike, I buy a 3-year extended warranty from Western Service Contract Corp. at the dealer. The factory warranty has now expired and I didn't want to take any chances on further repair costs. The parts alone on this fiasco were over $5000.
With a whole lot of cautious optimism, I carefully rode it home. With all the traffic lights out from hurricane IKE, it was slow going stop-and-go. Didn't even get out of third gear. No issues detected on this slow ride. The bike pulls hard and I'm happy to have it back.
Rode straight home and parked it for the rest of the weekend. The real test drive would not happen for a couple more days. Lots of storm cleanup to do, but not as bad as some.
When I get home, I noticed it is also missing the bolt for the top right of the radiator shroud and is missing the Triumph badge on the left of the engine.
On Monday, I drove it to work and babied it to make sure everything was working OK. The transmission is stiff and shifts like it did when new, however 3rd through 5th seem to click instead of clunk now. Clutch force is also higher than before. It requires some coaxing to get it into neutral.
Signs of trouble - - 3 to 2 downshift, slowing to make a turn about 1/2 mile from home. Accelerate in 2nd out of the turn and there is that same old problem again! Second gear makes that "slip" and catches again. If you have this problem, you know it. WTF?!! It's like nothing got fixed at all!
Decided to ride it to work the next day and see if the problem was my shifting or maybe the shifter adjustment. The heel-toe shifter was out of adjustment with the heel part too far down. Maybe there wasn't enough travel to ensure complete engagement.
After adjusting the shifter, I get my chance at a red light. Full acceleration in first. Seems strong and ready for second. When I disengage the clutch, the transmission makes this terrible clash of gears. I shift to third and all is well. Slow down and shift back to second. Transmission will not mesh in second at all. Upshift to third, fourth, fifth and it's like nothing is wrong again. This is one extremely unhappy Rocket owner that is beyond p#$&*d off! Did the dealer even test drive it at all?!!
That evening, I call the dealership and kindly ask to speak to the owner. He's tied up with a customer. I leave a message and and he does not return my call. The next day, I get a call from the service manager and explain the problems. He says I'll have to bring it in. Wrong answer. THEY will have to bring it in at their expense. Well that was useless. He also claimed that they cleaned the bike prior to delivery. Gloves are off and I'm not taking any more BS. I'll take a lot of crap, but woe be to you if you lie. Thursday, September 25 I bring it in by skipping 2nd gear, which works very well. Just double click from 1 to 3.
I drop it off at the service desk and explain the problems to a different person. (Service manager is not there this time). No estimate on repair time and no loaners available.
The first failure I attribute to a Triumph manufacturing/design problem, which was supposed to be rectified by the 2008 upgrade kit. The failure after repair I attribute to shoddy workmanship by my dealer. They are soley responsible for making this thing right at no expense to me. Just hope it is not another 3 months till I ride again.
I just wish they had swapped out my engine with a complete new one and let Triumph do the post mortem.
The guys with turbos, superchargers, and other performance mods are not cratering their transmission. Surely my stock setup is not putting excessive loads on the drivetrain. Shifting was fine for the first 10,000 miles. What could be going wrong?
Still love my Rocket, and I want it back. But for the first time, I'm beginning to wonder if a lower powered seemingly more reliable ride is in my future so I can get some 2-wheel time.
