Hey Big Dog Forum,
I want to post this to a forum to share my experience owning a Big Dog and want to hear your experience owning a Big Dog.
I own 2008 Big Dog Ridgeback, had this bike for about 3 years now. I absolutely fell in love with the design of a Big Dog and Bourget choppers after seeing one at the bike show. A wide 330 tire and 9 ft. frame w/ extended fork is an attention catcher; bike turns heads everywhere I go. Sometimes it’s even too much attention. People want to take pictures with it; tourists snap photos every time I ride this beast downtown @ magnificent mile. Loud Vance & Hines 2-1 exhaust announces arrival better than any siren. To me bike looks absolutely stunning.
To keep Ridgeback at its best, I baby the bike, and meticulously maintain it to keep it in the finest possible condition. Chrome is polished, and cleaned. Paint has fresh coat of wax protectant. I keep maintenance religiously up to date, oil change once a year etc... Looking back over 15 years of owning and riding motorcycles, I haven't spent and dedicated so much attention to any of my earlier bikes. Today bike runs perfectly as a fine machine.
On the other hand, over 3 years of ownership, I had quite a few issues with the bike. In 2013 transmission went bad, could not get it in neutral or into high gear. Over the term of a year, had 3 different professional mechanics to repair it. After nearly 1k spends between mechanics in labor and part, I finally had transmission removed and send to manufacturer - Baker Drivetrain. Total rebuild w/ installation came out to be 2K. Overall 3K spends on transmission. In 2012 break cables went bad, replaced front, rear and acceleration cables. In 2013, rear brakes misaligned causing a pads and disks to overheat. Replaced front/rear pads. Same year, after inspection mechanic located 2 engine mount bolts missing. Small things keep falling apart such as two suction cups for rider seat fell off. Passenger peg support bracket tends to become loose after few hundred miles. Battery went bad, replaced. Today a speedometer plastic reset button fell off. Many other things I had to fix, tune-up, adjust and replace over the years. Thanks God (knocking on a wood) S&S engine still running w/ no issues. Overall I feel like bike is falling apart and I am constantly on the lookout if anything else will break.
A Big Dog is not a cheap toy considering a price tag of 25K+, bike looks amazing, but mechanically it feels to be such a shitty designed machine. It’s a motorcycle that I want to keep in the garage just to look at, and not to ride it. I am tired and frustrated of constantly fixing it and waiting what else will fall off the bike or will break.
Yesterday I went to Honda dealer, and test rode Goldwing F6B model. Honestly guys, as much as I love Big Dog, I really enjoyed a ride on F6B. I realize there is no comparison to Ridgeback, but it was a pleasant test ride. Comfortable ride, powerful engine and its reliable. But its not an attention catcher, and no wow factor with F6B.
It feels like a crazy love affair, I love the Big Dog bikes, but hate the fact there is always something to fix.
What is your experience with Big Dog bikes? Love it or hate it?
I want to post this to a forum to share my experience owning a Big Dog and want to hear your experience owning a Big Dog.
I own 2008 Big Dog Ridgeback, had this bike for about 3 years now. I absolutely fell in love with the design of a Big Dog and Bourget choppers after seeing one at the bike show. A wide 330 tire and 9 ft. frame w/ extended fork is an attention catcher; bike turns heads everywhere I go. Sometimes it’s even too much attention. People want to take pictures with it; tourists snap photos every time I ride this beast downtown @ magnificent mile. Loud Vance & Hines 2-1 exhaust announces arrival better than any siren. To me bike looks absolutely stunning.
To keep Ridgeback at its best, I baby the bike, and meticulously maintain it to keep it in the finest possible condition. Chrome is polished, and cleaned. Paint has fresh coat of wax protectant. I keep maintenance religiously up to date, oil change once a year etc... Looking back over 15 years of owning and riding motorcycles, I haven't spent and dedicated so much attention to any of my earlier bikes. Today bike runs perfectly as a fine machine.
On the other hand, over 3 years of ownership, I had quite a few issues with the bike. In 2013 transmission went bad, could not get it in neutral or into high gear. Over the term of a year, had 3 different professional mechanics to repair it. After nearly 1k spends between mechanics in labor and part, I finally had transmission removed and send to manufacturer - Baker Drivetrain. Total rebuild w/ installation came out to be 2K. Overall 3K spends on transmission. In 2012 break cables went bad, replaced front, rear and acceleration cables. In 2013, rear brakes misaligned causing a pads and disks to overheat. Replaced front/rear pads. Same year, after inspection mechanic located 2 engine mount bolts missing. Small things keep falling apart such as two suction cups for rider seat fell off. Passenger peg support bracket tends to become loose after few hundred miles. Battery went bad, replaced. Today a speedometer plastic reset button fell off. Many other things I had to fix, tune-up, adjust and replace over the years. Thanks God (knocking on a wood) S&S engine still running w/ no issues. Overall I feel like bike is falling apart and I am constantly on the lookout if anything else will break.
A Big Dog is not a cheap toy considering a price tag of 25K+, bike looks amazing, but mechanically it feels to be such a shitty designed machine. It’s a motorcycle that I want to keep in the garage just to look at, and not to ride it. I am tired and frustrated of constantly fixing it and waiting what else will fall off the bike or will break.
Yesterday I went to Honda dealer, and test rode Goldwing F6B model. Honestly guys, as much as I love Big Dog, I really enjoyed a ride on F6B. I realize there is no comparison to Ridgeback, but it was a pleasant test ride. Comfortable ride, powerful engine and its reliable. But its not an attention catcher, and no wow factor with F6B.
It feels like a crazy love affair, I love the Big Dog bikes, but hate the fact there is always something to fix.
What is your experience with Big Dog bikes? Love it or hate it?
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no doubt about it !
