Brake switch recall...NO REAR BRAKES!

[rwhgme]

I had the recall done today. The job took 20 minutes. They parked Trike out front and said I am good to go. I get on, put my helmet and gloves on...38 degrees this morning, start up, put in gear, drive to dealership exit, hit the rear brake pedal....pedal to the floorboard and no rear brakes. They won't even pump up. I pulled back up to the door...almost bang into the garage door as it is opening. The tech flippantly said "another prob?" I said "yeah, you guys are trying to kill me! The VC couldn't but you damn near did!" They said they will bleed the brakes, I said ride it before you give it back. They did. Un-freaking-believable!

[trikermutha]

I had the recall done today. The job took 20 minutes. They parked Trike out front and said I am good to go. I get on, put my helmet and gloves on...38 degrees this morning, start up, put in gear, drive to dealership exit, hit the rear brake pedal....pedal to the floorboard and no rear brakes. They won't even pump up. I pulled back up to the door...almost bang into the garage door as it is opening. The tech flippantly said "another prob?" I said "yeah, you guys are trying to kill me! The VC couldn't but you damn near did!" They said they will bleed the brakes, I said ride it before you give it back. They did. Un-freaking-believable!

Dont you just hate that!!

I know they are only paid for so much time on the recall from the factory. But geez make sure it works before returning it to the customer.

[eagle1]

so everyone must check your brakes before you ride your bike. that means everyone!!
safety first. glad your ok.

[rwhgme]

Thank you! If this were just a switch(electrical) everything would work as before. The tech asked me how my brakes were before the recall. I said that while Harley Trike rear brakes are not real good, I at least had a firm pedal. After the recall, it was firm all right...the floorboard stopped the pedal! PLEASE TEST YOUR BRAKES IN THE LOT BEFORE LEAVING! It could save your life!

[ladyff1481]

Thanks for the info. I just bought a Trike out of state and had the dealer take it to Harley Dealership for recall work before Trike gets shipped to me. I will be sure to check it out thoroughly when it gets here.

[Mr.Wizard]

reports across the net say you are not the only victim of not bleeding the brake line.

beware everyone

[rwhgme]

I heard the same Wiz. Just sucks that my dealer is right off the highway! IF I had gotten on the highway without hitting the rear brakes and had ridden the 25 miles home and then tried the rears on a downhill exit, even though the fronts do more of the braking than the rears, it still could have been a little exciting!

[WilmacMike]

There is NO excuse for them not bleeding the brakes! I don't care if the tech might have said "when I removed the pressure switch no fluid came out" there is still air getting into the system. The cavity from the pressure switch still needs to be filled completely with brake fluid otherwise you will just compress the air that was in it, and whoala no brakes!

Too many times customers are getting the short end of the stick from the high priced dealers/shops. But you can bet they (dealers/shops) are getting the fat end of your wallet! For what? So you can have the scare of your life, a very near death expierence.

I hope you took this up with the shop manager/owner. It is time we tell them this is enough and we are not going to take it any longer!!!

Wow I feel better now. Thanks for letting me get that out. But all kidding aside this type of sloppy work is going to cost someone(s) their life!

Ride safe,

Mike

[Oldmsocko]

For the first time I am a lucky one. They didn't bleed my brakes and they appear to be OK.

[Bikerbozo]

Had my '10 TG in for 25k service and they also did brake switch. It was pouring rain so I drove it out the door to my trailer. Same thing with brake. Right down. I use front brake more anyways. I pumped back and spun right back to them and told them it needed to be bled again. They thought they would have to take wheels off but listened to me and bled 1st. Seemed like a suprise to them that that did trick.
Also had cruise control switch on right handlebar replaced. It had fallen apart. Watch that throttle doesn't stick when the put that back together.

[msocko3]

These asshats are taking shortcuts because Harley is only paying .2 labor and the job on a trike takes a little more than .2 to do it right, the bulletin say to bleed them. Just think if they are not willing to do a job which could imact your safety right, how well are they performing other jobs for you that have explicit instructions.

[berngren]

Rwhgme! I'm glad you was just checking the back brakes. Who know what may have occurred if you really had to hit the brake in an emergency. I'm glad nothing happened. Question? They didn't test ride the trike before giving it to you? At least they should have done that. I guess they didn't. Thank God he gave you sense to check them.

[Gorilla]

parts replacer not mechanics no pride.

[rwhgme]

They did not test ride it before it was given back. All of you that have this work done should request (demand) they test ride it and let them have the pleasure of a little panic. Might make them think twice about giving a 1300 lb missile back to their customers.

[Mr.Wizard]

Local dealer just did a buds CVO.. (see the cam change thread)

When he got there his pedal was rock solid, when he left it travels about 2" and won't stop the bike. Spend about 6 hours yesterday on tweaking his TTS tune. The bike is amazing but when I hit the back brakes I about soiled myself.

We use the same dealer. Mine hasn't been touched. Every dealer needs to use the POWER BLEEDER. Hand bleeding won't work. The switch is in between the master cylinder and the caliper. A few pumps of the rear pedal won't bleed the air out. There is too much travel for the air to reach the bleed port. Toss in ABS and there's a ton of fluid to be moved to see the air spurt out.

If MoCo wants to pay me the .2 hours for it... hey, I'll do it myself. If they want to pay the funeral, court and jury judgement fees, that's OK too but someone is going to get hurt... Mark my word.

[msocko3]

If MoCo wants to pay me the .2 hours for it... hey, I'll do it myself. If they want to pay the funeral, court and jury judgement fees, that's OK too but someone is going to get hurt... Mark my word.

Your right its only a matter of time before someone gets hurt, if I remember correctly ABS pays .4 labor for the switch replacement.

[TNTriker]

Okay, so I take my bike in for a service/repair on the brakes. The first thing I do is check the brake to make sure it has been fixed. Customer has some responsibility here. Now as for using the back brake for stopping, I don't think it works that way. Braking is 70/30 on stopping. The back brake being the 30%. I'm just a girl, what do I know?

[Mr.Wizard]

I'm just a girl, what do I know?

Out run, out brake, out maneuver, out think, look and smell better than we old fogies.

[1550vt]

70/30 rule not true on a Trike. Go out on a damp, or not even a damp day....speed up to around 40-50 and lock the front brake down....see how far you slide before you stop.

If you have no rear brakes on a trike on a wet day and you have to come to an abrupt stop....may as well be playing Russian Roulette.

[TNTriker]

70/30 rule not true on a Trike. Go out on a damp, or not even a damp day....speed up to around 40-50 and lock the front brake down....see how far you slide before you stop.

If you have no rear brakes on a trike on a wet day and you have to come to an abrupt stop....may as well be playing Russian Roulette.

As I said, I'm a girl what do I know. You cannot depend on your back brakes alone for a quick stop. On a damp day they will also slide! You need both sets of brakes or there wouldn't be a front and rear brake or do they just leave them on there because at one time there were only two wheelers?

Wizard! I have been around a few men that smell good also! LOL

BTW, I put 20,000 miles on my Street Glide Trike in 13 months. In the mtns and twisties...My brake pads on the front and back were like new! I down shift instead of braking at every curve and decline! I don't ride others butts and allow some room. I have been behind trikes riders that keep their foot on the brakes most of the time. No wonder the brake pads wear outs so quickly. I can say that I'm a fairly aggressive rider and keep up with most anyone. As I said in the beginning, why would you not test your brakes before leaving the dealership if you just had work done on the brakes?