My Standard is bleeding.

[Willow]

This morning I thought I should ride the Standard since it hasn't been fired for sixteen days and I've put 4,000 miles on the Interstate in that time.

I had pushed the bike out onto the driveway (after rearranging the occupants of the garage) and was getting ready to saddle up when my lovely assistant asked, "Is your bike leaking something?  It feels oily."

Sure enough, there was a drop of oil at the turn in the header and a fair amount spread over the left side of the crankcase.  Yep, it seems that after only 155,000 miles my shift lever seal has begun to weep.  I can't express how appalled I am with the level of quality control that apparently went into building these machines.

 

Anyone else have similar issues popping up with the progression of the odometer reading?

[ChromeDome]

Haven't encountered anything yet but then I just crossed the 100K mark. But I'll start keeping an eye out for shoddy workmanship.

Thanks for the heads up.

[SlowRoad]

I would dump that worn out piece of junk before it falls apart!!    

By the way, I can find a place for it if you would like me to get it out of your way so you don't have to deal with it!!   

[Oss]

I had  thought my bike was behaving in a similar manner and in fact Boz from the New England crew gave me a shifter seal a month or so ago

I showed said seal to my Valkyrie and told her that I was giving her one last chance before replacing the seal and we took a nice ride up the Hudson Valley past West Point   speaking to your motorcycle  is not the same as talking to yourself now is it

Upon return home there was no more leak

So before berating Honda speak to your machine nicely and take it for a ride and see if the problem goes away

YMMV

Oss

[wizard -vrccds#125]

She was just letting you know, she is not happy about the other lady ! 

[Jack]

Ladies don't like being neglected. 

[G-Man]

I only about 130,000 more miles to go before I caN reply to you question, Carl.     

[Hobo]

Better watch that board police guy.....He will move this thread over to the tech site!!!!!!!

      

[Daniel Meyer]

The fix....
http://lifeisaroad.com/valkshiftseal.html

[Black Pearl's Captain]

This sounds more like a lack of maintainence to me. Did you ever respring the seal?

Check your manual, that's why they gave you one. 

Raymond

[fstsix]

Sounds like she was just marking Her spot, with the new member of the family 

[Strider]

I musta gotten a lemon.  Mine started leaking around the shifter after only 90k or so.  A lemon I tell ya!

Mr Honda, I hope you are listening!  

Only getting ready to roll 100,000 and man, I have had a fork seal go out, a leak around my shifter and even had to change a rear bearing - TWICE!  (Well, the fork seal did go out after I hit a pothole fairly hard - but it leaked fork oil all the same).  

Oh, yeah.....

I EVEN HAD A LEAK AROUND A VALVE STEM ONCE - But I guess I can't blame that on Honda.

A real LEMON I wound up with!!!!!  

A LEMON!

Sounds like both of us wound up with one....Sorry brother - I guess you gotta be like me...suck up the shame and move on.

[JimL]

The fix....
http://lifeisaroad.com/valkshiftseal.html

Thanks Daniel!  After reading Willow's post, I started wondering how hard it would be to change mine once that time rolls around.  Nice photos and explanation on changing that seal!!

[FLAVALK]

That Jap-Crap ain't nothin but junk...   

[Daniel Meyer]

The hardest part of the entire procedure is getting your head wrapped around the fact that the Valkyrie is...in fact...leaking oil.

I mean...an oil leak? In a Valk? I've heard a rumor they have a dipstick for checking oil level...but I've never found it, much less needed to actually use it...  

[Whistler]

Willow, I hate hearing about your bad luck . Good thing you picked up that interstate when you did . I can come up anytime to help you part out the standard  and I already have a super guy  who would like the hard bags you just installed. He won't even have to paint them they already match his bike !! Just let me know  .

The only other option I can think of is to see if Motomama would let you borrow her personal mechanic    ??? , but I will warn you he  will probably want to install one of those vibrating seat whatchamacallits  !!

JDW

[fudgie]

Mine went out at 52k ish. I must shift more. 

[Jabba]

Mine went out at 52k ish. I must shift more. 

It's you short guys... you have to REACH for the lever.. and thus, load the seal in ways that were not intended.

Now me... I got about 60K on TWO valks, 30K or so that I have put on them.  At this pace... I'll be riding... FOREVER before I catch up with ANYONE.

I keep telling Willow that mine looks like his... except it ain't all wore ass out.

 

Jabba

[stude31]

Hmmm...

Daniel looks like an easy fix.  I had Hoser's bike up on the lift and his tourer is doing the same thing...

Hoser you out there????  we can fix it... order the part and bring it over...  Same for you willow 

[Stanley Steamer]

Hmmm...

Daniel looks like an easy fix.  I had Hoser's bike up on the lift and his tourer is doing the same thing...

Hoser you out there????  we can fix it... order the part and bring it over...  Same for you willow 

I just replaced mine a few weeks ago at ~80,000 miles....I took the gear shifter loose ONLY at the shaft that comes out of the transmission....I still made an index mark on it to get it back in the original position....a swivel extension was the ticket!!.....

[alph]

why don't you buy a real bike?  (something that'll leave several spots and colors)

[Misfit]

I had to replace mine at just over 50,000. I would say you done well.

[Michael K (Az.)]

Oh the Shame!

[bludragon]

Yes, I have had this problem.  I had it repaired before it leaked excessively. I had it done at 50,000 miles