Went to the dealer today to pick up some oil (crappy rainy day getting bike ready for winter storage). There were 4 new M8s sitting outside the entrance. While I was there I did my usual poking around looking at parts etc. It started to rain really hard so one of the guys from the shop started moving the new M8s inside. As I watched the guy start each one they smoked quite noticeably. I walked over to the sales guy and asked why they were smoking like that. Well, he went into a tirade about them being new and if I'm not interested in buying one I should not worry about it. He then stomped off to another section of the store.

I've read and heard about the M8s smoking, but what's up with that?

 

That was the brand new CVO Zika Glide model.

 

Mine is 1 month old. No problems here with 1800 miles on the clock . Maybe condensation if they all did this ?? Did watch any of the 16's come in ?? The 17's are a great motor and bike so far

 

Definitely wasn't condensation. It was blue smoke.

 

Over 3,600 miles on mine in the three weeks since I got it. No smoke at all. However it could be the same as the TC's. I just cleaned the SE breather last night because of all the dust from farmers combining beans.

The oil from the hollow bolt into the head that secures the backing plate and has a tube into the intake area had coated every thing with oil and the bottom of the filter element was soaked in oil. More than the TC's that I have.

I can imagine that when on the jiffy stand the oil into the intake manifold could drip down into the engine and burn when started up.

I have read were this was one issue that H-D changed but it is still the exact system as in the TC's and required by EPA to route the blowby gasses back into the engine.

There was more oil inside the A/C than on my TC's.

There could be another cause. The M8 piston rings are thinner than in the past. That is to reduce friction. So until they are run in and seated maybe a little oil passes by them.

I think that it is a non issue either way just the normal course of events. One can bypass the vent system( an EPA no no) and just ride it until the rings seat. End of problem.

 

Blue smoke is good, it blends in with the sky and does not show pollution.

 

Blue Smoke Matters!

 

ON another forum there is a thread called "107" Mosquito killers".

Several HD techs are discussing the smoking issue. Basically, some bikes smoke when started and when they warm up, the smoking stops...

It is real, but does not seem to be widespread. I've seen a couple M8 videos that show oil smoke, not condensation, from the exhaust... certainly not acceptable on a new engine...!

Some of the techs in that thread haven't seen a smoker yet, and others have seen several.....

One of the techs tore down one of the smoking engines and found oil puddled on top of the pistons...

They are guessing it's a valve seals issue, kinda like back in '05......

 

The four that I have seen cranked did not smoke. Three of these were in inside of the showroom at two different dealers. The fourth was the one that I test road and a third dealer. The one I test road had I think 8 miles on it. Not saying that this is not happening on some just not on the four that I have witnessed

 

That has been my experience as well. I've seen 10-15 2017 107's started. Not one smoked. Same for the 114, saw 3 started, not one smoked. Not saying others aren't having issue, just not my experience.