Ugarte
Turbocharged
99 thousand miles on my 05 and I give it a 9. It has only let me down once because of a failed ignition switch, but I was only 7 miles from home.
I have never lubed the shaft splines, the tranny has been flawless, and although I had the paint can rattle from 10k to 90k, I have not heard it since. The bike has none of the upgrades. Replaced the primary TPS at 90k and the new blue one has been working great since. I did have to replace the oil tank oil rings at 65k.
Still, I don't trust it. Not because this particular bike does not deserve my trust (it does) but the other Rockets of that vintage have had so many problems. I feel like I am riding a time bomb and at any moment the output shaft bearing will blow, or the tranny, or the splines, or the cam chain. So it is now a local bike (within 200 miles from home, since my AAA towing covers that) and I ride a vstrom for the longer rides.
I have never lubed the shaft splines, the tranny has been flawless, and although I had the paint can rattle from 10k to 90k, I have not heard it since. The bike has none of the upgrades. Replaced the primary TPS at 90k and the new blue one has been working great since. I did have to replace the oil tank oil rings at 65k.
Still, I don't trust it. Not because this particular bike does not deserve my trust (it does) but the other Rockets of that vintage have had so many problems. I feel like I am riding a time bomb and at any moment the output shaft bearing will blow, or the tranny, or the splines, or the cam chain. So it is now a local bike (within 200 miles from home, since my AAA towing covers that) and I ride a vstrom for the longer rides.