Raptor
Fri Jul 11th, 2008, 08:26 AM
This experience with them has been a nightmare. Back around May 22, I brought my '03 VTR1000f (w/ less than 3,000 miles) to Faster to fix it aftr it had been knocked over in a parking lot. Both of my cans were damaged so I decided to upgrade them, have the jet kit and K&N filter installed, and then have it dyno-tuned.
I was initially told it would be a three week wait. Over a month later, I got the call saying it was ready.
Picked it up and it seemed okay for the first 50 miles or so and then performance went steadily downhill, in a hurry. From there, it wouldn't idle right, long after it was warmed up, was surging all over the RPM range, was popping like crazy etc.. I called them and was told to bring it back in. I did so and on the way there, It was a straight freeway shot up there and the bike seemed to have been improving a little. I got there and told them it might be doing better so we agreed it was possibly bad gasoline from it sitting in their shop for several weeks. Sounded reasonable and I was ready to refill anyway so we all decided I'd fill her up with fresh 91 octane and see how it did then. Not 2 miles from there, it started running like total crap again and dying anytime I had to stop. Once I got on the freeway, I thought it would at least get me to my home exit but it died at least three times...on the freeway, at 60 MPH+.
Called them the next morning to tell them and they told me to bring it in again. I told them I would be in that day.
I brought it to them at about 1:30 so I wouldn't be in stop and go freeway traffic with a bike that won't run in those conditions.
I got there about 1:30 and was told that the mechanic who would look at it was at lunch but he'd get it looked at when he got back. I told them I would wait until he got back since I had some time to kill.
After an hour or so, they still had no word so I walked to the store and back to kill some more time. I got back after a 2 mile hike and still no word. At around 5:30, I was told that it wasn't going to happen today, their hands were tied and there was nothing else that could be done. This was Thursday, July 3. They were to be closed the next day (the fourth), open again Saturday so I was then told that it would be on a lift first thing Saturday.
Saturday, I hadn't heard anythign by 1:00 so I called. So far they took it for a ride that morning and could see the fuel mix wasn't right. Other than that, nothing. I was told if I didn't hear back by the end of the day, call them. By the end of the day, I hadn't heard, what was the point by then. I already knew it wasn't going to be Sunday or Monday...maybe Tuesday.
Tuesday, I call them around noon having received no word yet. I was told that the mechanic who was working on it broke a tooth and hasn't been back. They didn't want to put another mechanic on it who didn't begin the job. Not happeneing Tuesday.
Wednesday, I call after work and they say it's ready to pick up. I get down there about 5:40 or so. They bring it outside and start it. Needed to be choked a little, okay, no problem. We stand there and warm it up. Once warmed up, the idle is still noticeably choppy and there is some throttle lag. They go on to exaplain that they went into the carbs to check it all out and found nothing, but the issue wound up being an external adjustment. Then I was told that because my bike is carbed, doing these kind of upgrades (cans, filter, and jet kit) is going to cause my bike to be "a different animal". "Yes, it's jumpy, but with the airbox lid off (apparently necessary to facilitate a K&N filter) and this whole set up, that about the best you can expect." I take it home noticing throttle lag and loss of top-end power.
Thursday (yesterday), I ride in to work, taking extra special care to warm it up right. get it warmed up, sounding sick, like it's struggling to idle, RPM's surging between 900 and 1,400 at lights. Go to get lunch, same. On the way home the same. Still weak in the high range too.
I ride in this morning to be sure, beyond the shadow of doubt of the problem. It's worse. At the stop lights, it was embarassing. It sounded like a seriously neglected POS. Last three lights I had to stop at, it died and I had to restart it and hold the throttle to keep it going. This was at 190-200 degrees (the fans switch on @ 218). Before, it would hold perfect idle at 1150 from about 140 degrees up.
I have not yet called them this time but certainly plan to as soon as they open. Of course, I'll be making another trip to Faster, losing another weekend (on top of the near two months I've already lost this riding season, numerous, sweet canyon rides, bike nights etc.etc.) and taking the time to fight rush-hour again and organize a ride back home. It's very difficult at this point to be confident at all. I feel like my noobness has been exploited and a lot of the info I've been given in relation to the symptoms is strongly contradicted by the general concensus, not to mention, my own common sense.
I don't know what can be done at this point when what I've been told by Faster is that this is what I shoud expect. I only know that it's not right, I've lost a lot of good riding time, losing more and very, very tired of this song.
I have been beyond patient, haven't complained or griped at them at any given point, time after time after time, I've been complacent, despite my frustrations of week after week going by.
I'll be following this post with any relevant updates.
Gary
I was initially told it would be a three week wait. Over a month later, I got the call saying it was ready.
Picked it up and it seemed okay for the first 50 miles or so and then performance went steadily downhill, in a hurry. From there, it wouldn't idle right, long after it was warmed up, was surging all over the RPM range, was popping like crazy etc.. I called them and was told to bring it back in. I did so and on the way there, It was a straight freeway shot up there and the bike seemed to have been improving a little. I got there and told them it might be doing better so we agreed it was possibly bad gasoline from it sitting in their shop for several weeks. Sounded reasonable and I was ready to refill anyway so we all decided I'd fill her up with fresh 91 octane and see how it did then. Not 2 miles from there, it started running like total crap again and dying anytime I had to stop. Once I got on the freeway, I thought it would at least get me to my home exit but it died at least three times...on the freeway, at 60 MPH+.
Called them the next morning to tell them and they told me to bring it in again. I told them I would be in that day.
I brought it to them at about 1:30 so I wouldn't be in stop and go freeway traffic with a bike that won't run in those conditions.
I got there about 1:30 and was told that the mechanic who would look at it was at lunch but he'd get it looked at when he got back. I told them I would wait until he got back since I had some time to kill.
After an hour or so, they still had no word so I walked to the store and back to kill some more time. I got back after a 2 mile hike and still no word. At around 5:30, I was told that it wasn't going to happen today, their hands were tied and there was nothing else that could be done. This was Thursday, July 3. They were to be closed the next day (the fourth), open again Saturday so I was then told that it would be on a lift first thing Saturday.
Saturday, I hadn't heard anythign by 1:00 so I called. So far they took it for a ride that morning and could see the fuel mix wasn't right. Other than that, nothing. I was told if I didn't hear back by the end of the day, call them. By the end of the day, I hadn't heard, what was the point by then. I already knew it wasn't going to be Sunday or Monday...maybe Tuesday.
Tuesday, I call them around noon having received no word yet. I was told that the mechanic who was working on it broke a tooth and hasn't been back. They didn't want to put another mechanic on it who didn't begin the job. Not happeneing Tuesday.
Wednesday, I call after work and they say it's ready to pick up. I get down there about 5:40 or so. They bring it outside and start it. Needed to be choked a little, okay, no problem. We stand there and warm it up. Once warmed up, the idle is still noticeably choppy and there is some throttle lag. They go on to exaplain that they went into the carbs to check it all out and found nothing, but the issue wound up being an external adjustment. Then I was told that because my bike is carbed, doing these kind of upgrades (cans, filter, and jet kit) is going to cause my bike to be "a different animal". "Yes, it's jumpy, but with the airbox lid off (apparently necessary to facilitate a K&N filter) and this whole set up, that about the best you can expect." I take it home noticing throttle lag and loss of top-end power.
Thursday (yesterday), I ride in to work, taking extra special care to warm it up right. get it warmed up, sounding sick, like it's struggling to idle, RPM's surging between 900 and 1,400 at lights. Go to get lunch, same. On the way home the same. Still weak in the high range too.
I ride in this morning to be sure, beyond the shadow of doubt of the problem. It's worse. At the stop lights, it was embarassing. It sounded like a seriously neglected POS. Last three lights I had to stop at, it died and I had to restart it and hold the throttle to keep it going. This was at 190-200 degrees (the fans switch on @ 218). Before, it would hold perfect idle at 1150 from about 140 degrees up.
I have not yet called them this time but certainly plan to as soon as they open. Of course, I'll be making another trip to Faster, losing another weekend (on top of the near two months I've already lost this riding season, numerous, sweet canyon rides, bike nights etc.etc.) and taking the time to fight rush-hour again and organize a ride back home. It's very difficult at this point to be confident at all. I feel like my noobness has been exploited and a lot of the info I've been given in relation to the symptoms is strongly contradicted by the general concensus, not to mention, my own common sense.
I don't know what can be done at this point when what I've been told by Faster is that this is what I shoud expect. I only know that it's not right, I've lost a lot of good riding time, losing more and very, very tired of this song.
I have been beyond patient, haven't complained or griped at them at any given point, time after time after time, I've been complacent, despite my frustrations of week after week going by.
I'll be following this post with any relevant updates.
Gary