I am not going to argue for or against taking them to the dealer for the first service as everyone has their preference.

Dont take this the wrong way as I am not directing it at you but just something I feel is important for all bike owners to be aware of

In this case I think it just points out the importance of checking over your bike on a routine basis paying attention to fasteners. We could all hope that if this was not found by the owner and he carried it in for the first service they would catch it and any other loose fastener, but that is not always the case. It all comes down to the tech going the distance and checking over the complete bike, makes no difference if its at HD or an Indy

Every new HD I have purchased I made a point after first few rides to check fasteners/connections. Anytime I take something apart or add something to the bike I also make sure to check every bolt that was that was put back in after the first ride. If I take it to the shop for any type service I check it over after the first ride.

My son Raced motocross for about 13 years we averaged 2 new bikes each year, When I picked up a new bike I went over every fastener before and after his first ride. I could not tell you how many fasteners I found over all those years were loose on new bikes. When I change fluids on my bike my routine is to take it for a short ride then come home and double check drain bolts and any other fastener that I touched.

The other thing I do is which works good because I am **** about having a clean bike is to check fasteners during the process of wiping down the bike.

For some this may be over kill but in the end I would rather take small amount of time than to be stuck on the side of the road in the summer at 100 degrees because a bolt backed out.

 

Yep..went out and looked at mine to. That pic is deceptive. Looks like a spacer or hunk of metal is missing. Guess somebody got lazy with the tourque wrench.

 

Yep..went out and looked at mine to. That pic is deceptive. Looks like a spacer or hunk of metal is missing. Guess somebody got lazy with the tourque wrench.
Happened to my wifes new car once. Brought it home and was looking it over with the neighbor and he pointed out one of the motor mount bolts sticking out about 3/4 of the way And this was about a 3in long bolt. Stuff happens I guess.

 

No need to panic riders. I am here at the dealer now and showed it to the same service tech who worked on my bike for an oil leak.

At least he admitted his fault. He took the bolt out during the process and forgot to tightened and torque it. So it was a technician error!

And there was no missing piece or hardware that I first thought. I looked at the other 2017 touring models here at the dealer and noted that there is no chrome piece or spacer between the bracket and the motor on the right side. The left side mount has a chrome spacer just like the pic with the red pointer.

Ride Safe!!!

 

It happens and being a new motor he probably never dealt with yet, that check list in his head hasn't been processed enough and I'm sure he will never forget that bolt again lol

 

I agree with you. New motors and lots to learned by the techs.

In contrast to that being said, it seems like there is a ever growing level of apprehension for us consumers in trusting a HD certified tech to work on these bikes. Personally, I do as much wrenching as I can with a service manual for this very reason.

Not here to bash the techs who do this for a living, they have lots of challenges and I totally respect that. All I can hope is that the dealers re-align themselves from the shoes of the owners who shelled out big bucks for their bike, and acquaint themselves with pride of ownership, instead of rushing through repairs and making mistakes. All that does is earns them the "incompetent" badge in the eyes of the owner.

 

I don't think the issue is limited to HD techs (not that you said or implied that) . I see it in just about any job out there, some folks care about the quality of their work and others not so much. Some of it could also be due to the dealership/service manager, as you know time is money are they putting pressure on the techs to move jobs through the process ASAP which can cause issues with quality.

Like you I have always done the majority of my own work but am lucky now that my son owns his own shop and does all my wrenching to repay me for 13 years of wrenching on his race bikes LOL.

My practice has always been to go over all the bolts,nuts etc.... that could have been touched if my bike was in a shop. For me its not so much a distrust of techs but just a piece of mind for myself that I checked everything. In the end we want all techs working on our bikes to be perfect but they are human and mistakes can happen. I wish I could say I had never missed tightening a bolt on all the bikes I had a hand on but I can't.

Working on my sons MX bikes was always nerve racking for me although I made it a practice to check everything twice as soon as he fired up the bike and hit the track my mind kept going over everything I did because his life was hanging in the balance on the track.

 

I get that a bolt can loosen off, but why the massive gap there? It doesn't look like a flimsy bit of sheet metal? What is at the other end of the bracket, or what is its function?

 

Here's a thought-
This, being a newly designed engine, everyone is learning it's idiosyncrasies. It's "unusual habits."
For whatever reason (vibration/focused harmonics/etc.) this bolt may very well need to be locktited in. We shall see if this becomes a more widespread issue.
These are precisely the kinds of things that can escape during a factories "testing" in a market that favors stockholders wishes more than product quality to the inth degree.
Make sense, or did I see too much of Trump's debate? 😜

 

I don't know the HD name for the bolt, but it looks like a a motor mount or at least an attaching point of the motor to the frame. Sometimes very obvious on a car, the engine can actually vibrate/shake.

Tech owned the error, but really no excuse based on first time working on something, new engine, new bike.

Just a total screw up by the tech. I don't give him a pass.

Sh*T happens, i get it, 45 years in aviation I've been on the receiving end of it numerous times. Everything from wrenches left somewhere on the engine, to spark plugs that weren't torqued down and blew out on a flight. Yeah didn't tighten, or torque it, = raw fuel could possibly shoot out, fire at flight level 18 zero, not good.

Sorry, no pass for incompetence/negligence.

Maybe they should have another tech review each others work, like a TI, that won't happen.

That is why when i bring a vehicle, the bike in for something and the service manager/writer says "We'll take care of it and get you out of here as soon as possible"

I say " No take your time, i brought some computer work with me, so don't rush on my account, i''m here for as long as necessary to get done right.

If I have a time constraint I don't bring it in. No pressure from me, its on them.

They owe you, what, well lets keep it real, you have a nick in the frame from the bolt.

How about an expert touch up and a full and complete Detail, not a wash job, a real 100 dollar detail so it looks as clean as the ones on the show room.

Remind them of their own HD advertisements, Para phrasing ( "When our expert technicians service your bike, its more than just an oil change")


Tech commented to the OP, He took the bolt out during the process and forgot to tightened and torque it. So it was a technician error!


Sorry, but i don't have much tolerance for incompetence, even when someone owns it, good for his honesty but still incompetent.


On the bright side, nobody died and he will probably check all of his work much closer in the future.