Mickeetwo
Guru
Your right.....probably just jinxed myself. But I am also on the BDB riders assistance list and I've already got your number and several others (just in case)
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How reliable
- Thread starter jaybird
- Start date
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No H2O
Active Member
After enough research, not just reading through this thread, but on the 'net in general...let's just say I don't have the time to dedicate to owning a BDM.
For the sake of comparison, my '04 BMW R1150r has 25k mi on it, and all I've ever done was change "consumables" (pads, rotors, oil, final drive fluid, brake fluid, tranny fluid, air filter, you get the idea). Bought for $4k and is my main mode of transportation unless it's snowing or I need to haul people/stuff. When people say they're had their bikes for 2#k miles, I'm thinking you should be able to add a "0" to that number.
My question is this:
The BDM looks like a fairly simple straight-forward design so why all the issues?
For the sake of comparison, my '04 BMW R1150r has 25k mi on it, and all I've ever done was change "consumables" (pads, rotors, oil, final drive fluid, brake fluid, tranny fluid, air filter, you get the idea). Bought for $4k and is my main mode of transportation unless it's snowing or I need to haul people/stuff. When people say they're had their bikes for 2#k miles, I'm thinking you should be able to add a "0" to that number.
My question is this:
The BDM looks like a fairly simple straight-forward design so why all the issues?
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I can't tell if you own a big dog or looking to buy.
At the end if the day I can't disagree a big dog will always require more maintainance and upkeep than a Harley or BMW. I don't recommend them to everyone, you have to have to time to own them like you said.
Rigid mount engine, air cooled, high HP. The EVO design was from 1985, big difference from today's technology.
You can make a big dog more reliable but probably hard pressed to beat a BMW. through the years they have or we have all come up with some things to fix the factory issues. The 2005 and up with the DSSC primary, trans presents some issues just to find starter parts and not to mention that whole setup has redesigned hardware now. nuts, pressure plate, and basket all were redesigned to withstand more abuse by Baker themselves. Not sure if it was Baker or BDM that dropped the ball there...
In regards to your aesthetics question....dont the hot women require the most maintainance?
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No H2O
Active Member
I was looking to buy but research squashed any idea of that.
I'll look at pics of them online all day long but with several cars and a house to maintain, I can't recall the last free weekend I had and when one comes up I want to ride a BDM not work on it.
I'd like to own an American bike but Harleys are being made overseas, EBM is going to cease to exist at some point just like Buell did, Victory is being discontinued, and Indian is owned by Polaris who discontinued Victory.
I'm still unclear as to why BDM components are failing, is it the engine vibration that is shaking stuff loose?
I'll look at pics of them online all day long but with several cars and a house to maintain, I can't recall the last free weekend I had and when one comes up I want to ride a BDM not work on it.
I'd like to own an American bike but Harleys are being made overseas, EBM is going to cease to exist at some point just like Buell did, Victory is being discontinued, and Indian is owned by Polaris who discontinued Victory.
I'm still unclear as to why BDM components are failing, is it the engine vibration that is shaking stuff loose?
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Electronics seem to be the bane of BDMs. The mechanical issues that arise could happen with any S&S engine, Baker trans, etc, etc. The more you overtake the plumbing... the easier it is to have a clogged drain... so to speak. Applying sensitive and fragile PCB (printed circuit board) technology to a platform like this seems cool, but isn't practical. JMO
No H2O
Active Member
No disrespect taken, there's a lot of negativity up this way and TBH I'm only here for the paycheck, can't wait to go back to Kali.
My ideal scenario *was* going to be to use the BDM just like I currently use my BMW, daily commuter/rider/primary mode of transportation and only ride the BMW when the BDM is down for repair.
Repairs on the BMW are neither time-consuming nor difficult but, for me at least, it's about finding the time to get to it which is relegated to weekends.
That being said, let's say I take the BDM down once per year for a 10 day span (two weekends) to change out all the fluids, adjust valves, replace pads, etc. once per year. Well I can't be bikeless for 10 days even in the dead of winter so during that span I could ride the BMW.
It doesn't appear that that scenario is realistic to expect, or is it?
My ideal scenario *was* going to be to use the BDM just like I currently use my BMW, daily commuter/rider/primary mode of transportation and only ride the BMW when the BDM is down for repair.
Repairs on the BMW are neither time-consuming nor difficult but, for me at least, it's about finding the time to get to it which is relegated to weekends.
That being said, let's say I take the BDM down once per year for a 10 day span (two weekends) to change out all the fluids, adjust valves, replace pads, etc. once per year. Well I can't be bikeless for 10 days even in the dead of winter so during that span I could ride the BMW.
It doesn't appear that that scenario is realistic to expect, or is it?
I'm sure others might disagree and I love my Big Dog I rode it from Dallas to California this year and I'd do it again in a heart beat. I've done a lot of work on my bike to make it reliable and have had 6500 trouble free miles. After rebuilding the transmission, clutch carrier, oil pump, and rewiring the bike last year.
With that said I still wouldn't rely on a Big Dog for a daily transportation. I gotta get work to pay the bills and keep the bike on the road. Too beautiful of a bike anyways no way to keep that bugger clean driving it everyday.
To your earlier point yes.. The rigid mount engine does wreck havoc and bolts need to be re-tightened periodically etc. I've had a mirror fly off going down the road, kickstand, and a headlight ring.
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No H2O
Active Member
"6500 trouble free miles. After rebuilding the transmission, clutch carrier, oil pump, and rewiring the bike last year"
Forget ballpark, I don't think we're in the same zipcode when it comes to reliability. I'm at 25k miles and wouldn't expect to have to do any of that work until at least double that.
I appreciate all the feedback and I'll continue to admire the BDMs from afar.
Forget ballpark, I don't think we're in the same zipcode when it comes to reliability. I'm at 25k miles and wouldn't expect to have to do any of that work until at least double that.
I appreciate all the feedback and I'll continue to admire the BDMs from afar.
Yep no offense taken either! Like I said first off I don't and actually rarely recommend BigDogs to certain folks gotta know what your getting into.
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Every bike needs a wrench put on the bolts at least once a year... solid mounted motor or not, the road pounds the crap out of 'em. The appropriate application of Loc-Tite helps a lot... in other cases (headlight ring) ainti-sieze. Waterproofing the electrical connections and so on... are like checking tire pressures, in the Army, we call it PMCS (preventative maintenance checks and servicers).
Keeping these machines looking good, unless you chrome them out, is as much work as the mechanical end, if not more. But... that is the nature of the beast, look at what you end up with... no Beemer or Hog has the aesthetics or allure.
No H2O
Active Member
"no Beemer or Hog has the aesthetics or allure"
I couldn't agree more.
FWIW I used a white waterproof marker to mark all the critical bolts across to their insertion points. This way all I need to do is walk around the bike and if I see anywhere where the marking is broken/isn't straight, I know that the bolt has started to loosen.
It's so fast that I do this before every ride and it gives me peace of mind but in the case of a nice BDM the markings (though not obvious) will reduce the appeal if seen up close.
I couldn't agree more.
FWIW I used a white waterproof marker to mark all the critical bolts across to their insertion points. This way all I need to do is walk around the bike and if I see anywhere where the marking is broken/isn't straight, I know that the bolt has started to loosen.
It's so fast that I do this before every ride and it gives me peace of mind but in the case of a nice BDM the markings (though not obvious) will reduce the appeal if seen up close.
I've done that too... always called them "witness marks", learned that in my old job, where all torqued connection hardware had to be marked like that to give an indication of tampering if they were loosened by someone, but also to insure all connections were toqued.
BWG56
Guru
What if someone loosened them and then remarked them, huh, didn't think of that did ya?
I had a 98' Suzuki Intruder 1400 v-twin with 14000 miles on it and only changed oil, tires, brakes and battery's on it, and I ran the piss outta it and never had to work on it regularly.
The marks were permanent, some kind of glyptol paint.... any tampering was evident. I didn't have to think of it... somebody smart already had...lolWhat if someone loosened them and then remarked them, huh, didn't think of that did ya?
I had a 98' Suzuki Intruder 1400 v-twin with 14000 miles on it and only changed oil, tires, brakes and battery's on it, and I ran the piss outta it and never had to work on it regularly.
As far as transportation goes... None of the choppers I've ever own were exactly reliable OR nearly as nice looking as the Dog.
There's always a trade off, I guess.
Reliability for speed and power.
Ease of maintenance for looks.
Comfort for performance.
Cars, bikes, boats, aircraft, there are few machines in the world that offset these trade offs well. Big Dog did a pretty good job of it.
High maintenance is high maintenance no matter how sexy the look, though.
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Good point would you buy a Lamborghini as a daily driver? Well probably not a wise choice. Same goes for the big DogsThe marks were permanent, some kind of glyptol paint.... any tampering was evident. I didn't have to think of it... somebody smart already had...lol
As far as transportation goes... None of the choppers I've ever own were exactly reliable OR nearly as nice looking as the Dog.
There's always a trade off, I guess.
Reliability for speed and power.
Ease of maintenance for looks.
Comfort for performance.
Cars, bikes, boats, aircraft, there are few machines in the world that offset these trade offs well. Big Dog did a pretty good job of it.
High maintenance is high maintenance no matter how sexy the look, though.
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I can barely afford to type, Lamborghini....lmao
BWG56
Guru
That would depend on your annual income or bank account
I'm sure some wouldn't think twice about it.
Agreed...there are some out there! But I bet they got a second car too I'm sure the turn around time is not quick for maintainance.That would depend on your annual income or bank account
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BWG56
Guru
The 2nd car is prolly an Endo
with those vehicles I'm sure the cars are picked up and dropped back off after the maintenance is complete, or they get a loaner Huracan to use in the meantime.http://www.caranddriver.com/lamborghini/huracan