Question for you past or present metric owners
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,162
Likes: 1
From: Just South of Detroit, MI
Get a second opinion. Those engines are virtually bulletproof. I've seen stunt riders on those bikes hold the throttle wide open and bounce off the rev limiter all day without any damage.
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,775
Likes: 6
From: Simpson County Kentucky
It isn't normal for any machine.
Quite honestly I'd recommend you search and post on some sport bike forums. Metric riders don't bite (any worse than they get bitten here). There may be a known issue with that particular model.
To me it sounds like over revving or could be detonation from low octane gas.
A few questions,
Is your son familiar with engine sounds, could there have been some indication of something going wrong (pinging)?
Did he buy the bike new? Has he ever loaned it to a friend?
Is Suzuki going to cover the repairs, warranty? If the dealer won't take it up with the company then find another dealer or call the company yourself.
An independent bike mechanic can probably fix it cheaper than the dealer but I'd give Suzuki a chance to stand behind their product. You might be surprised. Last year Kawasaki paid to replace the oil pump and rebuild the engine in my 1993 Vulcan it has 45,000 miles on it.
Quite honestly I'd recommend you search and post on some sport bike forums. Metric riders don't bite (any worse than they get bitten here). There may be a known issue with that particular model.
To me it sounds like over revving or could be detonation from low octane gas.
A few questions,
Is your son familiar with engine sounds, could there have been some indication of something going wrong (pinging)?
Did he buy the bike new? Has he ever loaned it to a friend?
Is Suzuki going to cover the repairs, warranty? If the dealer won't take it up with the company then find another dealer or call the company yourself.
An independent bike mechanic can probably fix it cheaper than the dealer but I'd give Suzuki a chance to stand behind their product. You might be surprised. Last year Kawasaki paid to replace the oil pump and rebuild the engine in my 1993 Vulcan it has 45,000 miles on it.
CR Repair
No not really but I pressed him pretty hard about how it was running the last time and he said it was running just fine right up to the time he parked it. I can't believe you can have 3 of 4 cylinders with bad compression and not notice something, that's the part that is stumping me.
Did he buy the bike new? Has he ever loaned it to a friend?
Yes, he bought it new. Only one other person has ridden the bike out of his view and that was about a year ago so I don't think that was a possible cause. The earlier comment about low rpm may be closer to home. He, like me, is a bit of a chugger so if anything he has been lugging it rather than over revving it.
Thanks to everyone for the comments, it's a big help.
Everyone can rest assured I've already talked to him about coming over to the dark side......It is his destiny........
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,460
Likes: 1
From: pasco county FL
Is it possibe a can jumped? too much overlap can cause a loss of compression or valve's meeting with a piston. Where in FL??? If in the clearwater area , he might want to ask the guys ar r&b cycle in holiday thier opinion , god guy's .... just scared to look at a HD
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,548
Likes: 163
From: Mt. Airy, MD
I agree, get a 2nd opinion asap. If it was running fine when he shut it off and then running crappy when he started it, I don't see how it can be bent valves.
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 162
Likes: 0
From: NYC
It sounds like he missed 2nd gear when on-it-hard, over revved the motor and bent the valves. It's a common mistake caused by inexperience and the revlimiter can't stop it from over-spinning in this situation. The valve stems on those bikes are very thin (usually hollow) to maximize flow and save weight.
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,775
Likes: 6
From: Simpson County Kentucky
It sounds like he missed 2nd gear when on-it-hard, over revved the motor and bent the valves. It's a common mistake caused by inexperience and the revlimiter can't stop it from over-spinning in this situation. The valve stems on those bikes are very thin (usually hollow) to maximize flow and save weight.