Hi everybody. So I bought a '08 1200C with 21k on the clock. Being that I may have to keep it a few years to pay it off, I was wondering, what kinds of service or work may I encounter or have to plan for with this bike in say the next 30,000 miles or so? Can a 1200 engine make it to 50,000+ without any pricy repairs or overhauls?

 

You should be able to make it to at least 60k before any major overhaul is needed, usually longer.

All you'll likely need done is a 5k maintenance at 25k and your 10k at 30k.

Regular oil changes, clutch adjustment, periodic lubrication. You should be fine for a long time.

 

The stators in Sporties seem to have a life expectancy of around 25,000 miles, so you may have that coming soon. Prices vary based on local labor rates, but expect it to run $400-$500 to have it fixed, assuming you can't do it yourself.

The Spring Plate in the clutch pack is another weak link, typically lasting 30,000-40,000 miles before the brass rivets let go. Once the rivets completely let go, you're looking at $800-$1,000 for a complete clutch basket. However, replacing the Spring Plate is relatively inexpensive if you have it done during the stator replacement since the clutch pack has to come out anyway for that anyway.

Those have been my 2 major recurring issues in 80,000 miles.

 

Tires a few times in the next 30K, and probably brake pads also.

 

Exactly what I was going to post. Only thing I would add is the engine will be just fine. I replaced by 883 engine at 65,000 miles with the 1250. The inside of that engine looked as good as new after 65,000 miles.

 

You shouldn't see pricey repairs if you maintain it. Why not invest in a 65$ Manuel and do the service yourself? Replace the primary fluid early to help the clutch. Buy a battery tender. If your bike dies, then have a tech fix your stator. Just a thought.

 

I guess fortunately ( or maybe unfortunately ) for me I purchased a 2 year warranty along with the bike since it's a higher mileage vehicle.

What are the symptoms of a stator failure, as well as the clutch pack failure so I can look out for them?

 

There are no early warning signs for stator failure. Your check engine and battery light will come on. When that happens, get home, or to a service facility as quickly as possible. Sometimes you might have as much as a 100 miles before the battery is totally dead. Other times, you might have as few as 10 miles.

Changing the primary fluid will not affect the clutch life. It is a bad design. I use the best primary lubricant changed religiously. But that will not help with a poorly designed clutch. Here is a thread I started a couple of years ago about the clutch.

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/sport...tch-alert.html

 

why does harley design stuff to fall apart? Why the hect would they use brass in a clutch assembly?

How long does a typical motorcycle clutch last? Say in a metric crusier?

I dont like the idea of having a motorcycle that I know is going to break down. Makes me want to trade it in on a yamaha. I'm sure yamaha isn't using brass in the clutch.

In 6 years of riding I;ve never had a motorcycle break down so I kind of have high expectations.

Is it a good idea for everyone to just replace the clutch with a SE clutch and stator at 25,000 miles? Maybe I should just buy an extended warrenty when I hit 20,000 miles?

 

They changed the clutch design on the big twin clutch several years ago. But I guess since the majority of Sportys never see 20,000 miles, it wasn't important to them.