Problems, Problems, Problems - 2011 FLTRU
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,616
Likes: 4,440
From: anacoco, la
i bet if you don't add the dakota digital gauges, led lights, and extra speakers that you won't have a lick of trouble with it.....
sorry op, but sounds to me like if you want to do all this kind of customizing, maybe you should learn to do it yourself instead of just taking your bike to the dealership and throwing money at it.
i'm not saying all riders should be able to completely tear their bikes down, but for things like gauge replacements, bar swaps, etc. it just seems like a waste to have the dealer do it.
sorry op, but sounds to me like if you want to do all this kind of customizing, maybe you should learn to do it yourself instead of just taking your bike to the dealership and throwing money at it.
i'm not saying all riders should be able to completely tear their bikes down, but for things like gauge replacements, bar swaps, etc. it just seems like a waste to have the dealer do it.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,349
Likes: 25
From: VALE NC
Ok, fell in love with the 2011 RG Ultra, purchased it in July 2010. Took delivery of the bike in October 2010. I drove the bike for about 600 miles, and then starting personalizing. I put HD heated grips on, Dakota Digital gauges (all 6), Vance and Hines true duals and intake, PCV, and the Hog Tunes tweeter pod and 4 speaker set-up with lowers.
Now is when all the problems started. The TPS went out and the dealership blamed the heated grips. This happened when I was still stationed in Germany. HD refused to warranty it so it cost me about $700. They replaced the TPS and cut the heated grip wiring, disabling them. After they returned the bike to me, I noticed that my Dakota digital Tach had some burned out nodes on it, but since I was returning to the US, I figured I would get it replaced here.
Fast forward a couple of months and Dakota Digital sent me a new gauge, and I took the bike to Rommel's HD in Wilmington (formerly Mike's Famous). I told them the problems the bike had, and they looked into it. Said the heated grips were fried, and replaced them, and then said the new gauge from Dakota was bad as it kept blowing the fuse. Also, the badlands module for my taillights was now fried due to a brake wire they found rubbing the frame. They also replaced the right side radio switch which broke in two. They put the old gauge back in, and $1200 I was out the door.
Shortly thereafter, the cruise control went out, along with the new badlands module. I also supplied them with a new, bench-tested gauge from Dakota which, they said kept blowing fuses again. $235 later, I was told that the digital gauges are causing these problems, the led front and rear turn signals are causing the problems, and Harley is having issues with digital gauge set-ups (they warranted the cruise control switch). They told me if I try to get any more warranty work it will be denied until I put the bike back to stock. I threatened them with lemon law and they laughed and said all the "modifications" I made would rule in their favor.
So everyone, I am at a loss as to what to do. My old Fatboy is sorely being missed right now. Is anyone having electrical problems with the new bikes? I have the Dakota gauges still installed, with the tach that has the burned out leds. I am to the point of returning the bike to stock and selling it.
Now is when all the problems started. The TPS went out and the dealership blamed the heated grips. This happened when I was still stationed in Germany. HD refused to warranty it so it cost me about $700. They replaced the TPS and cut the heated grip wiring, disabling them. After they returned the bike to me, I noticed that my Dakota digital Tach had some burned out nodes on it, but since I was returning to the US, I figured I would get it replaced here.
Fast forward a couple of months and Dakota Digital sent me a new gauge, and I took the bike to Rommel's HD in Wilmington (formerly Mike's Famous). I told them the problems the bike had, and they looked into it. Said the heated grips were fried, and replaced them, and then said the new gauge from Dakota was bad as it kept blowing the fuse. Also, the badlands module for my taillights was now fried due to a brake wire they found rubbing the frame. They also replaced the right side radio switch which broke in two. They put the old gauge back in, and $1200 I was out the door.
Shortly thereafter, the cruise control went out, along with the new badlands module. I also supplied them with a new, bench-tested gauge from Dakota which, they said kept blowing fuses again. $235 later, I was told that the digital gauges are causing these problems, the led front and rear turn signals are causing the problems, and Harley is having issues with digital gauge set-ups (they warranted the cruise control switch). They told me if I try to get any more warranty work it will be denied until I put the bike back to stock. I threatened them with lemon law and they laughed and said all the "modifications" I made would rule in their favor.
So everyone, I am at a loss as to what to do. My old Fatboy is sorely being missed right now. Is anyone having electrical problems with the new bikes? I have the Dakota gauges still installed, with the tach that has the burned out leds. I am to the point of returning the bike to stock and selling it.
its the way they do bussiness now
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 809
Likes: 45
From: WA
I bought an RGU new in March '11 and have 20K on it with 0 problems. Of course, I haven't modified anything, other than Harley Goodies floorboard extensions and a Windvest windshield.
I can't help but notice that many, if not most, problems people report on these forums are with bikes with various engine and electrical mods.
Just sayin' .....
I can't help but notice that many, if not most, problems people report on these forums are with bikes with various engine and electrical mods.
Just sayin' .....
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,543
Likes: 59
From: Chicagoland
I bought an RGU new in March '11 and have 20K on it with 0 problems. Of course, I haven't modified anything, other than Harley Goodies floorboard extensions and a Windvest windshield.
I can't help but notice that many, if not most, problems people report on these forums are with bikes with various engine and electrical mods.
Just sayin' .....
I can't help but notice that many, if not most, problems people report on these forums are with bikes with various engine and electrical mods.
Just sayin' .....
In all honesty, I believe a lot of the problem is this new era of HD "techs". A lot of those guys only know how to repair what the latest TSB states. Add the fact that HD only wants you to buy and install "their" accessories.
i bet if you don't add the dakota digital gauges, led lights, and extra speakers that you won't have a lick of trouble with it.....
sorry op, but sounds to me like if you want to do all this kind of customizing, maybe you should learn to do it yourself instead of just taking your bike to the dealership and throwing money at it.
i'm not saying all riders should be able to completely tear their bikes down, but for things like gauge replacements, bar swaps, etc. it just seems like a waste to have the dealer do it.
sorry op, but sounds to me like if you want to do all this kind of customizing, maybe you should learn to do it yourself instead of just taking your bike to the dealership and throwing money at it.
i'm not saying all riders should be able to completely tear their bikes down, but for things like gauge replacements, bar swaps, etc. it just seems like a waste to have the dealer do it.
Also, warranties and extended warranties are great, if you plan to keep the bike stock or spend thousands more on "Harley" equipment, which I don't believe many people do. Otherwise you're sh*t outta luck. Sorry, don't want to be a jerk-off, but that's my 2 cents. Fix your bike and show them the f*uckin door! You can do it! Ride hard and ride safe!
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It appears that some of the replies here are not really helpful. It seems some of you buy a bike to keep it stock and just hang chrome goodies on it, whereas others that want to do some mods poo-poo those that change anything. Are you nay-sayers getting kickbacks from the MoCo warranty department? OK, so, let me tell you a little about myself since I have been accused of just taking the bike to the dealer and throwing money at it.
I am an ASE certified master technician. Some of my old jobs include rewiring over the road tractors, engine R&R for Cummins, Cat, and Detroit, and a line mechanic for 1 of the largest trucking firms in the US. I also work on computers and am not afraid of the computerized technology we now have in our vehicles. I can solder a circuit board or weld a frame.
I installed all the mods myself. The problems started with the heated grips. I followed the MoCo instructions verbatim, even called MoCo to confirm certain steps, and after a month, the TPS unit burned out. The dealership in Germany insisted that the grips were installed wrong, so we got on phone with MoCo, who confirmed the correct installation, and then the German dealer stated, MoCo is wrong. They replaced the TPS and disconnected the heated grips. And the probelms have spiraled upwards since then.
Some of your are right. If I had left the bike stock, I probably would not be having any issues. But, who buys a bike to leave it stock? The only reason I took the bike into the dealer in the first place was for obvious warranty issues like having one of the radio control buttons fall out, the cruise controls quitting, the ABS light coming on, etc. You CVO guys with your $40K motorcycles need to stay on the CVO board because obviously if you have that kind of money, you don't really need to mod anything. You just trade the bike in on the first annual service for another CVO. The rest of us need to know the issues before spending our hard earned $25K on a bike that MoCo is basically telling us cannot be modified or changed in any way what-so-ever unless a factory trained MoCo tech is hanging chrome on it.
I intend to put the old gauges back in this weekend. But let me tell you what MoCo Techs from Rommel HD said. And I quote, "Return the bike to complete stock, to include the badlands LED tail lights and turn signals, the Arlen Ness turn signal bar, the gauges and the sound system, or we will not warrantee anything anymore."
As soon as I get it back to stock, I believe I am going to visit the Victory dealer.
I am an ASE certified master technician. Some of my old jobs include rewiring over the road tractors, engine R&R for Cummins, Cat, and Detroit, and a line mechanic for 1 of the largest trucking firms in the US. I also work on computers and am not afraid of the computerized technology we now have in our vehicles. I can solder a circuit board or weld a frame.
I installed all the mods myself. The problems started with the heated grips. I followed the MoCo instructions verbatim, even called MoCo to confirm certain steps, and after a month, the TPS unit burned out. The dealership in Germany insisted that the grips were installed wrong, so we got on phone with MoCo, who confirmed the correct installation, and then the German dealer stated, MoCo is wrong. They replaced the TPS and disconnected the heated grips. And the probelms have spiraled upwards since then.
Some of your are right. If I had left the bike stock, I probably would not be having any issues. But, who buys a bike to leave it stock? The only reason I took the bike into the dealer in the first place was for obvious warranty issues like having one of the radio control buttons fall out, the cruise controls quitting, the ABS light coming on, etc. You CVO guys with your $40K motorcycles need to stay on the CVO board because obviously if you have that kind of money, you don't really need to mod anything. You just trade the bike in on the first annual service for another CVO. The rest of us need to know the issues before spending our hard earned $25K on a bike that MoCo is basically telling us cannot be modified or changed in any way what-so-ever unless a factory trained MoCo tech is hanging chrome on it.
I intend to put the old gauges back in this weekend. But let me tell you what MoCo Techs from Rommel HD said. And I quote, "Return the bike to complete stock, to include the badlands LED tail lights and turn signals, the Arlen Ness turn signal bar, the gauges and the sound system, or we will not warrantee anything anymore."
As soon as I get it back to stock, I believe I am going to visit the Victory dealer.