Broken Brackets
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 617
Likes: 20
From: Western Illinois
That's what mine looks like now, 20 min job. The dealer will be replacing the broken ones soon and I'll keep the ones I fabed out just incase.
Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 189
Likes: 0
From: Spring Hill FL
Be Expressive. Walk to the Counter and Demand a solution based on the Hundreds of Complaints here.I dont Break ***** often. But when I fix a Target it seems I always find a solution. My first broken bracket was 700 miles, Now after Dyno I hear a Tinging Metalic noise in the Fairing.I Promise ill get a solution. Weather it be replacement for Life or they fix the Problem. Im the Squeaky Mother Freakin Wheel. You should be also. I wont settle for less.
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 138
Likes: 0
From: New Jersey
Be Expressive. Walk to the Counter and Demand a solution based on the Hundreds of Complaints here.I dont Break ***** often. But when I fix a Target it seems I always find a solution. My first broken bracket was 700 miles, Now after Dyno I hear a Tinging Metalic noise in the Fairing.I Promise ill get a solution. Weather it be replacement for Life or they fix the Problem. Im the Squeaky Mother Freakin Wheel. You should be also. I wont settle for less.
Of course they told me that you can't believe what you read on line.
Then I showed them some 40 0dd pics I have collected from other riders with bracket problems locally.
I am now the king of the mounting brackets here..
Did mine about a week or so ago and have done 10 others from some of the local clubs since .. but I guess the dealer knows better lol
Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 654
Likes: 11
It's amazing
Mornin' guys.
I find it absolutely incredible to read some of the responses that riders post on this message board with reference to the HD product and dealerships.
I just read the message; "Doubt in my mind" along with some of the responses and then read "Broken Brackets".
What is wrong with some of you with regards to your acceptance of poor quality HD products?
We spend hugh amounts of money to "fix" poor workmanship, sub standard "initial" HD parts -having to buy after market replacement parts and tolerate poor HD customer service and yet "stain" somebody else for "expressing an opinion".
Truly UNBELIEVABLE!
But maybe that the HD "brotherhood" that we've come to expect!
I find it absolutely incredible to read some of the responses that riders post on this message board with reference to the HD product and dealerships.
I just read the message; "Doubt in my mind" along with some of the responses and then read "Broken Brackets".
What is wrong with some of you with regards to your acceptance of poor quality HD products?
We spend hugh amounts of money to "fix" poor workmanship, sub standard "initial" HD parts -having to buy after market replacement parts and tolerate poor HD customer service and yet "stain" somebody else for "expressing an opinion".
Truly UNBELIEVABLE!
But maybe that the HD "brotherhood" that we've come to expect!
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 134
Likes: 0
From: south western nh
This is great info, the wife and I took a lil 2 day ride, and I felt a vibration, stopped at a dealer and was told the bike was normal, but check the mounts to the fairing as they sometimes break, it's gotten so bad today I cut a ride short and jumped on here searching for the cause, my only question is do we have loose or broken motor mounts that are causing these fairing brackets to break?
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 138
Likes: 0
From: New Jersey
This is great info, the wife and I took a lil 2 day ride, and I felt a vibration, stopped at a dealer and was told the bike was normal, but check the mounts to the fairing as they sometimes break, it's gotten so bad today I cut a ride short and jumped on here searching for the cause, my only question is do we have loose or broken motor mounts that are causing these fairing brackets to break?
the cause of the breakage is very simple it is the poor design, choice of material, and/or the location or number of mounting points in the inner fairing.
The answer to the problem is get a real bike like a Schwinn (just kidding) using either mending plates (bend & form yourself) of a suitable corner brace just replace the broken tabs either weld or drill and screw (I prefer the drill and screw method) and the problem is solved. The fairing vibration peaks at it's worst once the speaker brackets also shear but they won't unless the others broke frstt
e
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 138
Likes: 0
From: New Jersey
Mornin' guys.
I find it absolutely incredible to read some of the responses that riders post on this message board with reference to the HD product and dealerships.
I just read the message; "Doubt in my mind" along with some of the responses and then read "Broken Brackets".
What is wrong with some of you with regards to your acceptance of poor quality HD products?
We spend hugh amounts of money to "fix" poor workmanship, sub standard "initial" HD parts -having to buy after market replacement parts and tolerate poor HD customer service and yet "stain" somebody else for "expressing an opinion".
Truly UNBELIEVABLE!
But maybe that the HD "brotherhood" that we've come to expect!
I find it absolutely incredible to read some of the responses that riders post on this message board with reference to the HD product and dealerships.
I just read the message; "Doubt in my mind" along with some of the responses and then read "Broken Brackets".
What is wrong with some of you with regards to your acceptance of poor quality HD products?
We spend hugh amounts of money to "fix" poor workmanship, sub standard "initial" HD parts -having to buy after market replacement parts and tolerate poor HD customer service and yet "stain" somebody else for "expressing an opinion".
Truly UNBELIEVABLE!
But maybe that the HD "brotherhood" that we've come to expect!
They replace (according to the parts department of a very large dealer) around 4 or 5 sets of speaker brackets a week and sell another 4 or 5 brackets over the counter..but claim they rarely have sold or replaced the main unless the bike was in a really bad front ender.
What they need to do is open their eyes and check all the brackets when a speaker support breaks cause the reason it broke is that other bracket.
As far as customer service goes at least at the dealerships I have done business with over the last 45 years..Harley (especially in the past 10 years) is really right at the top. I have other bikes and my Kawasaki Dealer (all of them in this area) make the worst Harley dealer look like a candidate for Sainthood! .. and yes Harley does need to improve the product they are mere inches away from being a truly outstanding product.
Why do we put up with it and come out here and air our Harley gripes??
Cause even an old Lard Butt like me looks so damn good on a hog lol
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 134
Likes: 0
From: south western nh
well i fixed it, the left on bike speaker brace was broken where the open slot is, took a mig and a washer, welded it, added a line of weld below it where its thinly tapered, all other mounts are solid. I still wonder if its something adding vibration thats causing this problem. I grapped my service manual and looked for 20 minutes for the tqe ratings for the motor mounts and motor alignment braces, couldn't find them in the book, but I'd been up for 20 hours, it's gotta be in there somewhere, took the cover off thats in front off the lower mount, grabbed a torque wrench, put 40 on the center bolt, 30 on the outer 2, they seemed to only be about 20-25, did the lower motor alignment braces to 25. Road tested it seems a lil better, but do I have a vibration problem? dono, for kicks I removed the
detachable tour pack, and am trying that, wondering if theres a problem there, still seems to be vibration that wasn't there before, just added the tour pac last month.
detachable tour pack, and am trying that, wondering if theres a problem there, still seems to be vibration that wasn't there before, just added the tour pac last month.
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,878
Likes: 17
From: The Desert SouthWest
Interesting thread - I've never heard of this problem before but I'll be looking at mine ASAP. Does the fairing vibrate or shake noticeably when they've failed? I've not noticed anythign of the sort but never knew to watch for this. At 87,000 miles I've got to be way past needing to inspect them.