[pushin9s]

Well, I visited the dealer yesterday just poking around and the sales manager came over and asked me if I'd heard the bad news. I had no idea what he was talking about, so I said no. I traded my 00 LT in for my GTL. The LT had 94,837 miles on it when I dismounted for the last time. The bike had been as perfect a motorcycle as I've ever owned. In that amount of time the bike never left me stranded and even pulling a trailer I was on the original clutch. I didn't trade it in because it needed work, I traded it in because after all these years I was ready for a new ride...and a GTL at that!!!

I didn't even bother to clean up the LT before taking it in. They got it exactly the way I rode it. They offered me a very fair price for the trade and kept it on the showroom floor for two weeks pulling it out for three different test rides. Everytime I visited, I could sense the LT was brooding about being dropped off at the orphanage. The new owner picked up the bike last Saturday and rode it exactly 163 miles before the rear main seal let go. He brought it back and it is leaking oil like crazy. My garage floor is clean where it sat for all those years, and the dealer's showroom floor is clean where the bike sat after test drives for two weeks. When it let go, it let go hard I guess, which is a little unusual for a rear main I think.

Anyway, the dealer is now going to have to make it right, and I do feel terrible in a way. The dealer is on the hook for the repairs but I guess I traded 163 miles before the bad luck would have been mine. Not gloating or happy here, just letting you know that sometimes I think the bikes become as attached to us as we do to them. Just saying...

 

[dceggert]

My Ultra is pouting with the new-to-me K-GT sitting right next to it in the garage. I told it that it survived the onslaught of the R1200GS I had for a few years but it ain't listening...

 

[Boatzo]

Greg, we do tend to get attached to inanimate objects and we have feelings for them. Don't feel bad, as you said, it was in perfect riding order when you dropped it off, sh1t happens. I hope the dealer isn't too upset.

 

[Samir]

Greg don't feel too bad unless you provided your Dealer with a warranty. There are plenty of radios, final drives, trunk latches etc.. out there that have failed prematurely and Dealers that respond with a dry eye--- "thats the norm--heres the estimate". I suspect your rear main failed within a window of reasonable expectancy and dealer along with buyer should have been aware of this possibility. What the sales person should have said was: Did you hear the GOOD news--The rear main failed on the new owner and no one was injured or killed.

 

[wardenross]

No problem bro!

I'm quite sure the dealer has seen so many different type failures, that he allowed for something like this in the trade price. They are professionals and are well aware of the risks.

That said, which church do you attend? Someone is looking out for you!

 

[RocketRon]

Hope you went and bought a lottery ticket that day! Maybe we have a new psychic on the forum! hehe

 

[pushin9s]

No problem bro!

That said, which church do you attend? Someone is looking out for you!

Warden,

Not the church goer my mother wanted me to be, but I'm guessing when I get to the Pearly Gates my guardian angel will be waiting for me there with a set of brass knuckles.

And for the rest of you kind souls, thanks for the support. I'm not really sweating the bike crapping out on the dealer, and no, the dealer has been very gracious and told me not to worry about it, it was their bike now, not mine (very true statement). Still I guess my country boy, farm raised upbringing just doesn't like having a business deal end like that. The new owner, if he still accepts the bike, will be getting a great bike with a new clutch, and all new seals in the vicinity of the clutch. I'm betting that Emil will reward his new owner with many, many happy miles just like he did for me.

 

[clayton]

Of course they do, ever since I bought my LT Back in 2003 my other bike doesn't get ridden as often. The other bike is a 99 Goldwing and is in great condition, with only 42k. I have to walk by the Goldwing every time I take the LT out for a spin, recently when I pasted by and there was this whistling noise as if to say hey big fella how about a little attention, soooo what the heck I took her out for a ride and just let me say she still rides soooo! smoooth. Just after leaving the house I looked down and noticed the fuel gauge was near empty, so I pulled into the station and opened up tank and a woosh noise rushed out, that was it she was not only trying to tell me she was thirsty but, also needed a good ride for old time sake.