Ugarte
Turbocharged
My Rocket has nearly 93000 miles and still runs like new. I have had almost no significant problems with it. But I certainly don’t deserve to have such a reliable problem free bike the way I treat it. Yes, I change the oils on schedule and clean the air filter, but that is about it.
In theory my Rocket is a time bomb just waiting to blow up for one reason or another. Lets start with the valves. They were checked by the dealer at 10k and were in spec, but they have not been checked since. Those who do check their valves on a regular basis have reported that the valves tend to tighten rather than loosen. So, in theory, the beast could suck a valve at any moment.
Then there is the cam chain. The beast has had the paint can rattle off and on since about 10k. Since it was still under warranty my idea was to just ride the hell out it anyway and if it blew up then take it to the dealer under warranty. I put nearly 50000 miles on the bike in the first two years in part to try and force the bugs out while it was still under warranty. But it didn’t blow up, it just kept happily rattling on. Still I suppose it could blow up at any time.
Although I have greased the bevel box splines at every rear tire change, I have never removed the bevel box and greased the shaft drive splines. From what I have read several Rockets have blown out those splines for lack of lubrication. Why mine have not blown out yet I have no idea. I will check and grease the shaft drive splines on the next rear tire change which will be at about 100k miles. But they may blow up before I get there. We will see.
The output shaft bearing should have blown by now too I guess, or maybe I got one of the Rockets that was actually built properly.
The tranny has been perfect, not once has it ever popped out of gear.
Last summer I started having high idle problems. I thought I would have to get a new primary TPS but cleaning the crank angle sensor, and lubricating the throttle linkage reduced the high idle to a rarity. And now the cooler weather seems to have stopped it completely. So I still have the original primary TPS.
I also have the original fuel filter…..LOL!
The bike is rapidly becoming a jalopy. A fitting on the overflow bottle broke but I never got it fixed. I just disconnected the overflow system. The ignition switch blew out about 30k miles ago and I never got that fixed either, just wired up a toggle switch and it has worked just fine. The hi-lo beam switch failed and since I didn’t want to pay for a new switch box I just opened it up and wired the high beams on permanently. I don’t ride at night anymore so I don’t really even need low beams. The battery is over six years old and cannot keep a charge more than a day, but as long as I keep it on the Tender it works just fine, and I ride with portable jump battery in a saddle bag just in case.
So there you have it. Father forgive me for I have sinned, and grant me absolution. Amen.
In theory my Rocket is a time bomb just waiting to blow up for one reason or another. Lets start with the valves. They were checked by the dealer at 10k and were in spec, but they have not been checked since. Those who do check their valves on a regular basis have reported that the valves tend to tighten rather than loosen. So, in theory, the beast could suck a valve at any moment.
Then there is the cam chain. The beast has had the paint can rattle off and on since about 10k. Since it was still under warranty my idea was to just ride the hell out it anyway and if it blew up then take it to the dealer under warranty. I put nearly 50000 miles on the bike in the first two years in part to try and force the bugs out while it was still under warranty. But it didn’t blow up, it just kept happily rattling on. Still I suppose it could blow up at any time.
Although I have greased the bevel box splines at every rear tire change, I have never removed the bevel box and greased the shaft drive splines. From what I have read several Rockets have blown out those splines for lack of lubrication. Why mine have not blown out yet I have no idea. I will check and grease the shaft drive splines on the next rear tire change which will be at about 100k miles. But they may blow up before I get there. We will see.
The output shaft bearing should have blown by now too I guess, or maybe I got one of the Rockets that was actually built properly.
The tranny has been perfect, not once has it ever popped out of gear.
Last summer I started having high idle problems. I thought I would have to get a new primary TPS but cleaning the crank angle sensor, and lubricating the throttle linkage reduced the high idle to a rarity. And now the cooler weather seems to have stopped it completely. So I still have the original primary TPS.
I also have the original fuel filter…..LOL!
The bike is rapidly becoming a jalopy. A fitting on the overflow bottle broke but I never got it fixed. I just disconnected the overflow system. The ignition switch blew out about 30k miles ago and I never got that fixed either, just wired up a toggle switch and it has worked just fine. The hi-lo beam switch failed and since I didn’t want to pay for a new switch box I just opened it up and wired the high beams on permanently. I don’t ride at night anymore so I don’t really even need low beams. The battery is over six years old and cannot keep a charge more than a day, but as long as I keep it on the Tender it works just fine, and I ride with portable jump battery in a saddle bag just in case.
So there you have it. Father forgive me for I have sinned, and grant me absolution. Amen.
