wore out my Lehman

[Biker-Dave]

Hi all. I ride a 2001 Harley Ultra with the Lehman kit. I bought the bike in 2011 with 9000 miles on the clock. Best we can tell it was converted when new. Well here is what happened to me. Right before I went on my big October vacation in the Smoky Mountains, I had the swingarm bushings replaced. I was starting to get some movement in the rear wheels. I bought the rebuild kit to fit the bike. New swing arm bushings, shaft, the whole thing. So I get my bike down to NC. Yea I towed it, but I'm there for a month and living in the motorhome, plus having one leg, is what works the best for me.

So, I start having troubles with the trike, vibrations, wobbles, and some handling issues. Ended up snapping the new swing arm pivot shaft in half. Replaced it and snapped the second one. But wait, there's more. I also snapped the top of the motor mount, in two places. Now I had new front motor mounts installed before the trip. So I parked the bike and rented a CanAm. Yeah...that's a subject for another time. So after riding the rest of my vacation on a Honda DN-01(Shout out to Wolf Creek Rentals for trusting an amputee enough to rent me a two wheel bike) I got it home and trailered my trike to my local Lehman dealer.

That poor bike was a mess. Everything that could wear out on the lehman kit, had worn out! I only have 89,000 miles on it. There were broken brackets, missing support brackets, plus a few more things. I have always done the preventive maintenance described in the owners manual, but I still had trouble. The swing arm was worn out to the point that the bushings would just rattle around in there. I had that repaired, swingarms for a 2001 just don't grow on the 'ol parts tree. The mechanic gave it his blessing, and installed it on the bike. So with any luck I'll have it back next week with all new parts.

So...lessons learned...A good mechanic might not know what he is looking at with the Lehman kit. from now on if I have anymore issues with the bike, I'll be going to see Slade at Cycle Shack. There's nothing wrong with the wrench that worked on my bike before, (Still love ya Paul) he was just not familiar with Lehman. Bottom line...EST. $4,000 parts and labor, and after 3 months in on his lift, I should see it this weekend or next week. Ride safe everyone.

D-Bub

[rhino 2]

Hi all. I ride a 2001 Harley Ultra with the Lehman kit. I bought the bike in 2011 with 9000 miles on the clock. Best we can tell it was converted when new. Well here is what happened to me. Right before I went on my big October vacation in the Smoky Mountains, I had the swingarm bushings replaced. I was starting to get some movement in the rear wheels. I bought the rebuild kit to fit the bike. New swing arm bushings, shaft, the whole thing. So I get my bike down to NC. Yea I towed it, but I'm there for a month and living in the motorhome, plus having one leg, is what works the best for me. So, I start having troubles with the trike, vibrations, wobbles, and some handling issues. Ended up snapping the new swing arm pivot shaft in half. Replaced it and snapped the second one. But wait, there's more. I also snapped the top of the motor mount, in two places. Now I had new front motor mounts installed before the trip. So I parked the bike and rented a CanAm. Yeah...that's a subject for another time. So after riding the rest of my vacation on a Honda DN-01(Shout out to Wolf Creek Rentals for trusting an amputee enough to rent me a two wheel bike) I got it home and trailered my trike to my local Lehman dealer. That poor bike was a mess. Everything that could wear out on the lehman kit, had worn out! I only have 89,000 miles on it. There were broken brackets, missing support brackets, plus a few more things. I have always done the preventive maintenance described in the owners manual, but I still had trouble. The swing arm was worn out to the point that the bushings would just rattle around in there. I had that repaired, swingarms for a 2001 just don't grow on the 'ol parts tree. The mechanic gave it his blessing, and installed it on the bike. So with any luck I'll have it back next week with all new parts. So...lessons learned...A good mechanic might not know what he is looking at with the Lehman kit. from now on if I have anymore issues with the bike, I'll be going to see Slade at Cycle Shack. There's nothing wrong with the wrench that worked on my bike before, (Still love ya Paul) he was just not familiar with Lehman. Bottom line...EST. $4,000 parts and labor, and after 3 months in on his lift, I should see it this weekend or next week. Ride safe everyone.

D-Bub

Dave.....Hope it will come back like New[ish].......But you are a better man than i..Gunga din.. I would have and have done a time or two and bailed out of the trike sooner....

Patience is not one of my better virtue's...

[bikerbillone]

Ditto on that Rhino, I woulda left that Lehman somewhere with a junk yard dog.

[CrystalPistol]

Sad to read of the worn bushings and lost time and $$$. I hope all is well after done.

I see that you bought new parts … and you get them in … and then have the failure? Bushings? Shafts breaking? Motor mounts too? Wow, "Bummer" there!

I know those roads in Western NC can be tough on bike swing arm.

I think I read a similar set of failures here recently. I know that when I was working, I was shocked more than once to find a HD on the interstate shoulder broke down with a swing arm shaft failure but I never understood why on a bike.