[Cmintegra]

Hello fellow R-riders!

We all own and enjoy now a 14-15 years old machines that for sure are kept, pampered and maintained to our common highest possible standards, but still time goes by and never stops ticking...

Meanwhile I'm wondering if as in our own life, it's time or "mileage" what we should really consider to use the "O" word... (being that word "old"... of course...)

Mine is a 2006 built in 2005 with currently some 35k km or about 22k miles.

Not "old" to me by any means, but still wondering about when or with how many clicks on the odometer I should consider my streetrod aged enough to worry...

I consider VERY rude asking someone's age, but maybe we all can share our bike's age and mileage so we can have a real world sample of the current condition of the fleet and/or our thoughts about the probable life expectancy of our machines before a major overhaul should be performed

Who's with me?

Ride safe! (Those of you able to do so now... we here in the far and cold north are still hibernating for the winter...)

 

[rbabos]

Hello fellow R-riders!

We all own and enjoy now a 14-15 years old machines that for sure are kept, pampered and maintained to our common highest possible standards, but still time goes by and never stops ticking...

Meanwhile I'm wondering if as in our own life, it's time or "mileage" what we should really consider to use the "O" word... (being that word "old"... of course...) View attachment 606395

Mine is a 2006 built in 2005 with currently some 35k km or about 22k miles.

Not "old" to me by any means, but still wondering about when or with how many clicks on the odometer I should consider my streetrod aged enough to worry...

I consider VERY rude asking someone's age, but maybe we all can share our bike's age and mileage so we can have a real world sample of the current condition of the fleet and/or our thoughts about the probable life expectancy of our machines before a major overhaul should be performed

Who's with me?

Ride safe! (Those of you able to do so now... we here in the far and cold north are still hibernating for the winter...)

Hell, you just reached what I feel is a realistic first valve check interval. At 35k kms, it's just broke in. Just did my 13 DX with 40+k kms on it and no real wear in the valve train components and oil pressure same as when new. Great gobs of life left. One member here is coming up to 200k miles, engine never been apart. Just normal maintenance. Like anything else mechanical there is an expected life span. Some can exceed it and some can break shit almost immediately. Mostly cruising or only racing would be as extreme examples and effects on life span.
Ron

 

[Ceigenberger]

I’m at 23,600mi on my 06 and looks/ runs like new. Put on 125 miles today

 

[Ernie82]

35K is not a lot of mileage is you maintained. Do a search on "century club" on this site

 

[streetrodracer]

I've got 28,425 on mine and it runs better than the day I bought it. With regular oil and air filter changes ( and not over tightening the drive belt where the transmission output bearing gets damaged ) a 100K miles is no problem for the Revo engine. As Ron said quite a few members have done 200K miles with maybe two replacement clutches after the original clutch wore out. I'm removing my engine to bump it up to a 1250, put in a straight cut 2nd gear, high performance AV&V Canada valves w/Jones Cams and CNC Heads. I don't need to do that for wear though, just for a little added performance.The Revo engine is the best quality V Twin H-D ever built, so very few folks will ever wear one out - there have been failures but often tied to prior abuse. I do wish the gearbox and engine oil were separate that would be ideal but that will never happen. Keep the oil clean & fresh & just ride it forever, no worries my friend - Ride On !

 

[Cmintegra]

Hell, you just reached what I feel is a realistic first valve check interval. At 35k kms, it's just broke in. Just did my 13 DX with 40+k kms on it and no real wear in the valve train components and oil pressure same as when new. Great gobs of life left. One member here is coming up to 200k miles, engine never been apart. Just normal maintenance. Like anything else mechanical there is an expected life span. Some can exceed it and some can break shit almost immediately. Mostly cruising or only racing would be as extreme examples and effects on life span.
Ron

dully noted, my friend. thanks for the advice. During the last visit to the dealer some 1000 km ago, I asked them about the valve check and they told me that waiting until 45-50K km would be possible as the bike is performing great and without any issues. It sounded a bit too much for me and as long as I'm planning to install the screaming eagle slipper clutch I got brand new for cheap in a H-D dealer closing a few months ago, I'll take your advice and maybe will make the valve check when installing the new clutch.

ride safe!

 

[streetrodracer]

All I know is there is no "one mileage fits everybody" figure for valve clearance intervals. A guy that rides conservatively will rotate the engine half the total Rpm of what an aggressive rider will in any given measurement of mileage. Think 4000 Rpm average with a top Rpm of 6500 vs 6000 Rpm average with a top Rpm of rev limiter 9000, doing burnouts, big difference ! The valves retreat into their seats when they wear and reduce clearances at their shims so the harder they are run with high Rpm's the faster that happens, if you're an average rider/user and after initial valve adjustment you can probably double the H-D " money making interval " and suffer no ill effects. Drag Racing and doing burnouts ? H-D interval at the latest maybe sooner just for good maintenance.

 

[rbabos]

All I know is there is no "one mileage fits everybody" figure for valve clearance intervals. A guy that rides conservatively will rotate the engine half the total Rpm of what an aggressive rider will in any given measurement of mileage. Think 4000 Rpm average with a top Rpm of 6500 vs 6000 Rpm average with a top Rpm of rev limiter 9000, doing burnouts, big difference ! The valves retreat into their seats when they wear and reduce clearances at their shims so the harder they are run with high Rpm's the faster that happens, if you're an average rider/user and after initial valve adjustment you can probably double the H-D " money making interval " and suffer no ill effects. Drag Racing and doing burnouts ? H-D interval at the latest maybe sooner just for good maintenance.

Funny, I would have thunk clearances would reduce. At 42k kms all valves were over the limit. Well one was just on the edge of the upper, the rest definitely. Worst were the front exhaust and both were .015". Then again, who the hell knows what the settings were from the factory to start with. I find it hard to believe any come middle of the road from an assembly line.
Ron

 

[streetrodracer]

Yea, it's hard to say unless a guy does the adjustment carefully on their own like you did Ron - I think it's a race to what wears first - valve and seat wear causing valve retraction in the head with reduced clearances vs. cam, cam bearing surface ( in the upper caps ) and follower, shim wear causing greater clearances. Some aftermarket cams recommend .007" that seems tight to me but then again they may be compensating for manufacturing errors and a non adjustable cam sprocket by reducing clearances to get cam opening & closing timing, lift correct - it's hard to say but if clearance gets too tight the valve stays open and power goes away with popping and misfires. If it's too great reduced power and greater valve train noise. At the end of the day it's the best engine H-D ever hired someone else to design for them, so just take care of it change the oil and don't worry about it - it'll run 100K - 200K miles no problem. Can't ask for much more than that I remember the old days when some street bikes would get to 20K miles and they would be considered worn out, in need of a rebuild, or toss it away like a spent bic lighter and buy another one. Revo never broke enough for H-D as they were used to making big bucks off repairs with junk engines. Revo slipped thru the bad design / planned obsolescence H-D standard because Porsche was involved and wouldn't build cheap badly machined junk. H-D lost, we won - another reason why they axed it - too good, too reliable, not profitable long term -

 

[Cmintegra]

All I know is there is no "one mileage fits everybody" figure for valve clearance intervals. A guy that rides conservatively will rotate the engine half the total Rpm of what an aggressive rider will in any given measurement of mileage. Think 4000 Rpm average with a top Rpm of 6500 vs 6000 Rpm average with a top Rpm of rev limiter 9000, doing burnouts, big difference ! The valves retreat into their se ats when they wear and reduce clearances at their shims so the harder they are run with high Rpm's the faster that happens, if you're an average rider/user and after initial valve adjustment you can probably double the H-D " money making interval " and suffer no ill effects. Drag Racing and doing burnouts ? H-D interval at the latest maybe sooner just for good maintenance.

As always streetrodracer, your comments exudes wisdom and deep knowledge. You're always sharp and well aimed. Thanks for your advice. Definitely, I will do the valve service when the slipper clutch gets its new home in my bike.

As the R now will have to share my riding time with another stable mate, when the snow melts and up here we can resume riding, I will put maybe some 2-3k km more on it and in the summer will get her into treatment and mechanical facelift to have a reloaded R for the next 40k km and 15 years, now that I know that it's just an adolescent bike!!!

 

[RodS]

I’m at 23,600mi on my 06 and looks/ runs like new. Put on 125 miles today

Same on my 2009 vrscaw in Australia. About to add another 1K shortly now Covid has dropped to 0 in Victoria. Great riding weather at the moment.

 

[kennethschein]

101,000 + miles on 05 VRSCB. Just had valve lash adjustment and a lot of other parts were failing due to age (pulley bearing, breather hoses, radiator connection cracked during disassembly, etc). It will be expensive to keep it going forever.

 

[RodS]

101,000 + miles on 05 VRSCB. Just had valve lash adjustment and a lot of other parts were failing due to age (pulley bearing, breather hoses, radiator connection cracked during disassembly, etc). It will be expensive to keep it going forever.

Well, be thankful it's a V-Rod. The engine on my 2001 Road King ran the big end bearing at 46,700Kms. Cost me over $6K to have it repaired and replacement crankshaft was denominated "E" over a 5 year period according to the dealer. That's one iteration every 12 months for a Harley crank. The litany of problems followed my ownership for 15 years until the wife demanded that the "bottomless pit" be sent off to more deserving owners. The list of dealers who gave me a variety of reasons for the knocking noise and expensive attempts at fixing it was legend. One told me it was the cam chain tensioner and charged me $780. When I picked up bike and pointed out the knocking sound was still evident, he said, "All Harley's make that sound". Not what he said initially. When I first took the bike in and he heard it, his response was, "Better leave it here. Don't ride it while it makes that sound or take it straight home". Never went near a dealer again for repairs.

 

[Daveywavy]

2003 with 13,500 miles. I'm the second owner for almost 2 years now. At 61 I think I'm "old" compared to the bike but loving it anyway.

Hello fellow R-riders!

We all own and enjoy now a 14-15 years old machines that for sure are kept, pampered and maintained to our common highest possible standards, but still time goes by and never stops ticking...

Meanwhile I'm wondering if as in our own life, it's time or "mileage" what we should really consider to use the "O" word... (being that word "old"... of course...) View attachment 606395

Mine is a 2006 built in 2005 with currently some 35k km or about 22k miles.

Not "old" to me by any means, but still wondering about when or with how many clicks on the odometer I should consider my streetrod aged enough to worry...

I consider VERY rude asking someone's age, but maybe we all can share our bike's age and mileage so we can have a real world sample of the current condition of the fleet and/or our thoughts about the probable life expectancy of our machines before a major overhaul should be performed

Who's with me?

Ride safe! (Those of you able to do so now... we here in the far and cold north are still hibernating for the winter...)

 

[RodS]

2003 with 13,500 miles. I'm the second owner for almost 2 years now. At 61 I think I'm "old" compared to the bike but loving it anyway.

"Old?". I'm 75 and still riding. Bought my first bike when 16, an Ariel 500. Been two wheeling ever since and still enjoy it. The V-Rod is my most cherished possession.

 

[rbabos]

2003 with 13,500 miles. I'm the second owner for almost 2 years now. At 61 I think I'm "old" compared to the bike but loving it anyway.

I was old like you 7 years ago. I was young at 61 and bought the v rod at 60.
Ron

 

[Knut J]

... until the wife demanded that the "bottomless pit" be sent off to more deserving owners.

 

[RogerF765]

Hello fellow R-riders!

We all own and enjoy now a 14-15 years old machines that for sure are kept, pampered and maintained to our common highest possible standards, but still time goes by and never stops ticking...

Meanwhile I'm wondering if as in our own life, it's time or "mileage" what we should really consider to use the "O" word... (being that word "old"... of course...) View attachment 606395

Mine is a 2006 built in 2005 with currently some 35k km or about 22k miles.

Not "old" to me by any means, but still wondering about when or with how many clicks on the odometer I should consider my streetrod aged enough to worry...

I consider VERY rude asking someone's age, but maybe we all can share our bike's age and mileage so we can have a real world sample of the current condition of the fleet and/or our thoughts about the probable life expectancy of our machines before a major overhaul should be performed

Who's with me?

Ride safe! (Those of you able to do so now... we here in the far and cold north are still hibernating for the winter...)

Mine had 48K miles on it when it inexplicably seized the engine on my way to work. After weighing my options I purchased an engine off of eBay and just received word that it is alive once again and I can pick it up on Wednesday.

 

[streetrodracer]

Holy Crap Batman I hate it when that happens ! See if you can find out what the autopsy report says RogerF765 - we try to keep track of that kinda stuff around here - Thanks !

 

[DESERTRAT]

I've got 28,425 on mine and it runs better than the day I bought it. With regular oil and air filter changes ( and not over tightening the drive belt where the transmission output bearing gets damaged ) a 100K miles is no problem for the Revo engine. As Ron said quite a few members have done 200K miles with maybe two replacement clutches after the original clutch wore out. I'm removing my engine to bump it up to a 1250, put in a straight cut 2nd gear, high performance AV&V Canada valves w/Jones Cams and CNC Heads. I don't need to do that for wear though, just for a little added performance.The Revo engine is the best quality V Twin H-D ever built, so very few folks will ever wear one out - there have been failures but often tied to prior abuse. I do wish the gearbox and engine oil were separate that would be ideal but that will never happen. Keep the oil clean & fresh & just ride it forever, no worries my friend - Ride On !

I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE V-ROD BEING THE BEST MACHINE HARLEY EVER BUILT --EIGHTYEARS OF RIDING MINE I HAVENT DONE NOTHING BUT CHANGE THE OIL AND TIRES ON IT AND HAVE RIDDEN IT ALL OVER THE NATION BALLS TO THE WALL IN GOING FAST-IT AINT FAST BUT NOBODY HAS PASSED ME YET--IT WILL ALMOST OUT RUN MOTOROLIA