This is increadible! The dealer basically says; hey, we effed up and didn’t fill your tranny all the way, sorry, let us add more oil. That right there is a mess. My response would’ve been, put your mistake in writing, I’ll bring it somewhere else.

 

whats funny is I've had this same experience twice with 2 different dealers now. I'm being to think all the techs are completely incompetent!

 

Has yours "stabilized"? Mine has slowed down, a bit. Not stopped. It's certainly not where I would "set it and forget it".

 

Did yours stabilize? I thought you just changed your riding style to a RPM, range that doesn't do it.

 

Yo Webby and everyone, I hear ya but....its not supposed to transfer and after spending a good amount of change, none of us should have to check our trans each and every ride and or accept this type of situation. Yea I know checkin engine oil is recommended but our bikes are expected to perform at a certain level. Trans oil was never an issue and rarely was it checked by any of us for correct level, again just was not an issue unless we saw a puddle on the ground.

I am glad for those that do not have the problem or those that have stabilized. Reporting to the dealer does nothing unless you have service done, just telling the service manager is not documentation. They nod their head and say they agree and are working on it. Again it is obvious the MOCO DOES NOT HAVE A FIX at this time. They started with gearsets, went to a gasket, seal, and spacer and checklist, they (according to Steve Cole) put in a super duper special part on his bike, none of which has solved the issue for most of us. How long does the MOCO expect us to wait and see or look the other way and live with it. Is the next step a replacement motor and trans assembly? What if they do that and you get another transfer issue? I sure would feel all warm and fuzzy if they found the problem and issued a TSB on how to fix it.

I am calling the MOCO again today, most likely will be told to return the bike to the dealer and have them call tech support. Someone said that the MOCO is sending a tech out to their dealer to look at the bike. Not sure what that will do considering the MOCO is already aware of the problem and has issued some things to try. I would think the tech is being directed thru the MOCO anyhow. Think we all agree its a bad deal all around. I have downloaded the complaint form for the NHSTA and think I will fill it out. Lemon law here states you can file a lemon if there is one issue that could potentially cause death or serious injury. Considering that the trans is low (not empty) I would think this could potentially cause death or serious injury if a bearing locked up due to lack of lube. Potentially is the key word here.

Heck Motojockey's bike has been in the shop so long he must wonder what it looks like and rides like.......been way overdue. OK , vented, feel a little better, still frustrated as hell. Best of luck to all of you that don't have the issue as well as those of us that have it! Updates to follow when available....this crap is gonna drive me to drink........oh wait, I already drink.....now just more!

Eagle Out

 

yeah, since beating on it and getting dyno tuned in early Spring then noticed it dropping and posting about it here, then following Steve Cole's advice, I have put 10,000 miles on my bike, mostly long Touring mile trips with our friends..I kept checking it and as i noticed it was not exhibiting the same condition I gradually extended the frequency of checking while gradually pushing it a little harder as needed up to around 4K rpms, and a little more here and there in short bursts, and I've not been having to add fluid. So as far as my riding behavior is concerned, I haven't felt the power lacking or not performing the way I need it to. keep in mind when I began noticing the issue it was only resulting in the level dropping from Full to Add on the dipstick or thereabouts, nowhere near as severe as subsequent posters started reporting. But as mentioned, the fact that it was dropping at all was cause for concern because it was nothing I have ever noticed in my prior Harleys. I suppose it's possible that if I held it at 5 K rpms for an extended run I could see the issue return, but I have no intention of putting it through that test to validate as it would never be something I will ever do in real World riding..at this point after 1 year and over 15000 miles I've enjoyed the Hell out of my Road King and this issue is not at all something I lose sleep over.

My wife has over 13000 miles on her M8 Freewheeler and has never been down a drop, she is more conservative with her throttle hand than I am tho. Her trike consumes more engine oil than my bike does tho

 

Got it, so it more than likely would still do it if you rode it harder. It probably didn't "stabilize".

 

that could be a fair assumption..but would have to poll the rest of the folks reporting stabilization to compare riding behaviors before and after, etc. to draw any real conclusions I suspect..some of the reports are all over the place in regards to rpms and quantities transferred..I'm done with the analysis paralysis ad nauseum at this point and am just managing it without fretting..if and when there becomes an official declaration of resolution my bike is on record with my dealership so I'll cross that bridge at that time

 

That’s been my experience with most dealer shops and some indys. One reason I do most of my own work and some for friends, plus I enjoy it. When I bought my ‘09 Road Glide I decided the warranty meant nothing to me and did what I wanted to it. When the head set (radio) failed I let the dealer replace it and they failed to tighten the fairing mount nuts. The other thing I let them do was replace the rear brake switch. They didn’t bleed them and I left there with no rear brakes. I bled them when I got home and they were fine. About the only thing I let them do anymore is things that require their special electronic equipment. Might have to let them work on the 2017, but I ain’t lookin’ forward to it!

 

The other night I did my 15K service. I haven't been transferring any oil, so I just dumped in the 28oz (as measured in my Ratio-rite. Ran the engine to operating temp in the garage to get a hot engine oil reading. Added the required amount and shut it down. The next morning I checked the trans and needed to add 6oz exactly to bring it to the full line. Still at the full line this morning. The primary is right where it always is. Strange stuff.