i too own a harley, and honestly the first thing i learned was to maintain your own motorcycle. Harleys business plan is to fool everyone once. the guy at the shop behind the counter actually told me "hey there is 30k on that cycle when are you going to turn it in in trade" I humbly asked him i could see the tatoos, the head band, and the out fit, what kind of biker are you that 30k is high mileage? I started riding before i could be licenced. i don't trade bikes in, my bikes get handed down. harley's sole game plan is to separate you from your money, like selling the brooklin bridge, because there is no quality in their motor cycles. i have 30k on my cycle because i watch it very closely and ride it for fun and as a cruiser and do all my maintanence and repairs. the cam chest is apart, because i hear the failing cam noise. sure enough the inboard cam is going.

oddly enough the wear is about 3/32 but the inside shoe is showing the standard cracking , mid center to edge. there is some pitting and that pitting had caused some scoring on the pump. the parts were well oiled though so i got to it in time.

To think that a cam rebuild and that is what this is at 30k is acceptable as reliable is pure pipe dream, a pipe that harley often smokes. the pinion run out ie .003 and according to the shop manuel that is with in the specs .000 - 003.

S and S told me that is right on the cusp and that should their cam kit fail that i should understand why. to me that is equal to you should use our system. I am working on a solution and it doesn't include true'ing the crank at a Harley dealership. Perhaps at nissan but not at the dealership. any dealership that try's to tell you "its just a Harley thing" is saying we don't give a shit, your business means nothing to us, is really saying you need to buy a manual and solve your own problems, that's exactly what I did and have been doing. I have been servicing the bike every 3k miles with fresh oil, tranny oil, primary cam oil, spark plugs, and kn& filters that are cleanable. have changed tires twice, check belt drive adjustment, changed brake pads, replaced faulty brake switch, adjusted throttle cable, adjusted wrong from purchase, adjusted head light, had wheels trued front and back and tires balanced. with respect to the truing of tires and balancing the Kawasaki shop thanked me for the work and stated please come back.

my tires purchase at the mom and pop shop for 90.00 dollar savings, they said thanks please come back. my exhaust system purchased from Vance and Hines, power commander provided the computer fix and Arlene ness provided the intake and none of this purchased at the Harley dealer. The Arlene ness intake had bad studs which I returned and they replaced for free and said sorry for the inconvenience and please let us know if you have any further problems. they had the studs in my hands the next day via get it there mail. By the way they all said thank you for the opportunity to serve you please come back.

I religiously service this bike according to the manual every 3000 miles, if the oil looks tired before 3000 it gets changed along with the tranny oil. and I keep the primary oil fresh. I have made it my life's ambition to not bring Harley any business I positively don't have to. I spend my money with people who are mechanics and take an interest in earning my business. in all my life I have never had a shop tell me its just a Honda thing, 2 bikes, or a Yamaha thing- 2 bikes, or a Kawasaki thing 1 bike - great bike, just the Harley dealership. im looking for a solution to the cam chest problem and it will not include Harley parts or Harley labor. now there was a Harley shop that took care of a warranty issue in a smart manner - that was in el Cajon- I don't live there or near it, but I did have to push for them to correct another warranty issue. they eventually did a bad seal.

As i understand it the pinion problem is due to a two piece crank which exacerbates the cam problem.

harley has worked extremely hard to show me they are just a modern day scam and that i should seek another manufacturer for my motorcycle needs and servicing, Harley i hear you and agree.

Harley