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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 24
savannah ga | Well after buying my 08 vision 2 weeks ago I whent to a dealer 75 miles away because of my local dealer has already let me down . So any way i got the level1 kit installed as well . . After i paid for it i noticed the parts said 6qt i figured they must just put that on all of there tickets . I rode off cofused then i niticed my clutch sliped a little . I desided when i got home to check the oil level . folowing the directions i sat the bike up and unscrewed the dipstick and oil came running out . I put it back in and begain to drain it out a little at a time . Total was 1 1/2 qts at the end to get it down to the full mark . Well so much for riding out of my way to find a great tech . I called him today and he said he filled it up on the sidestand . I have worked on many differant bikes and allways filled them with the bike straight up never on the sidestand . So this says a lot about him now I have to find anouther tech . I just wanted to start out fresh and allmost ruined my bike. Thats 2 dealers that cant be trusted in my area . Oh BTW i love the bike its a great bike they just have to work on better service i cant hold that against the bike. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 173
Prescott Valley, AZ | It just goes to show that no matter who does your service it is up to the owner of the machine to check anything that is done to your bike. If you have ANY concerns about those that work on your ride you need to check the work they do as best you can. Granted there are things you cannot check but something as simple as an oil change can and sometimes will go horribly wrong. It only takes a few moments to check that the oil level is correct. None of us that do our own oil changes would "assume" that just beacuse Victory sells an oil change kit that contains X # of quarts that is what will bring it up to the top mark on the dip stick. After you put in some oil (4 quarts or so) you check it and add more if needed. Then start the bike and run it a minute or two and check it again. Obviously that did not happen at the service department you used. I would most certainly make a trip back there and let them know in no uncertain terms that they screwed up and you expect them to make it right!!! There is no excuse for a service department to screw up something as simple as an oil change but the fact is that they did, they need to know about it and make sure it NEVER happens again. When we spend this kind of money for a new bike we expect nothing but the best, and that is exactly what we "should get" but unfortunately it doesn't always work out that way. As they say "lifes a bitch, and then you die" its what you make of that time in between that makes it all worth while!!!!!
Ride Safe, Ride Often!! |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 23
| Well, if it is anything like the dealer I bought my Vision from ,they didn't even have a service manual! I think the tech probably had the oil chang kit and it has 6 qts. in it so he thought thats what it took and put it all in. I am sure it isn't the first time it has happened. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 849
, FL United States | Wes, where are you located? |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 8
cambridge springs pa | I had a problem when I was on vacation, I live in Pa and we went to CA and back. Of course I changed my oil before I left, I use Amsoil. With putting on so many miles, I stopped at a Victory dealer in Weatherford,Tx to have my oil changed. Of course the dealer had a young tech change my oil. When I got home I changed the oil, only to find out my drain plug was CROSSTHREADED ! I called the dealer and the service manager , of course said I was crazy. So from now on I'll do all my own maintainance! The only time I'll take my Vision back to the dealer is for warrranty! Ward |
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Tourer
Posts: 301
Buffalo Grove,Ill | For anyone that is going to have service done while on a trip i would suggest that you ask to watch it done. If a dealer knows you live 600 miles away and he will never see you again who knows what he might do. Change the filter and put your old oil back in? and charge you for new oil. Who knows. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | After the 500 mile service I have been changing the oil myself. I'll be doing number five soon. I get five quarts. I just dump in four and then eyeball half from the last one. It's been perfect ever time. Next go round I only have to buy four quarts. The oil is VERY easy to change on this bike. No jack required. The pan I have fits under the bike.
Good Luck |
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Cruiser
Posts: 297
VA | Just speaking of oil changes, for those that live in a cold weather climate, make sure you give an extra turn to the oil plug. I changed the oil while the weather was still warm. rode about 600 miles over a two weeks. I parked it in the garage and we got some good cold weather, 20F nights. Well, came out one morning and noticed oil all over the ground under the bike. All I can think is that the cold caused contraction and shrunk it enough to cause it to leak. But, for over two weeks, there was no oil leaks, just when we hit that cold snap. I tightened it just a little more, just barely, and now it's not leaking. Just a word for those living in colder climates. Never had that happen before and I do all my own oil changes.
Edited by divesharc 2008-12-10 2:12 PM
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Tourer
Posts: 506
Woodland Hills, CA | The only bikes I know that are filled on their side stands are the newer Harleys. Otherwise, all the bikes I have seen need to be straight up. As far as having a good dealer, I think I have one, but even the good ones can make a mistake (although they should know how much oil goes into a bike!), so I agree that you should check your bike thoroughly after any work is done by the dealer. On the one occasion I found something not reinstalled correctly, I contacted the service manager, not to complain, but so he could make his tech aware of it so he might be more careful in the future. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 935
Rockford, IL | Personally I find it fairly difficult to believe that any technician at any dealer anywhere (not just Victory) would be anywhere near dumb enough not to know that almost every single bike out there has to be upright to check the oil.
Any chance you talked to anyone at this dealer besides the technician? If a technician told me they checked the oil with the bike on the kickstand I'd be talking directly to the service manager and/or owner and bringing this to thier attention. Its a very dangerous risk to have a technician this stupid anywhere near any customers bike. Not only could this technician cause damage to a bike that would cost money to repair but they could also cause a lot of damage to a dealer as far as customer service and reputation.
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 24
savannah ga | coolhand I live in south east ga near savannah . Like i said i called him and he atmitted he filled it on the side stand . if 6 qt comes in a kit then he must have just dumped it all in and not checked it . I change my own oil and perform all my own services I just get the 500 mile one done and take over from there . I will take it in once in a while to have it looked at just incase i missed somthing . Oh how bad is victory on not using there oil I like to run full synthetics like mobel one for vtwins or amsoil but i dont know if that will give them a reson to denie me on an engine claim or somthing . this 20/40 stuff is a hard oil to find.. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 228
| coachwes - 2008-12-10 4:44 PM
Oh how bad is victory on not using there oil I like to run full synthetics like mobel one for vtwins or amsoil but i dont know if that will give them a reson to denie me on an engine claim or somthing . this 20/40 stuff is a hard oil to find..
By federal law a manufacturer cannot require you to use their brand of oil, filters, etc. As long as the oil or whatever meets their requirements and is serviced at recommended intervals it is OK to use. If a failure occurs they have to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the product in question caused the part to fail before they can deny a warranty claim. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 24
savannah ga | thanks savage and every one for the replies . .i realy love the bike in my opinion its a great all around bike and would recomend it to a friend in fact i have lol . |
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Cruiser
Posts: 193
Buford, GA United States | Coachwes, if you ever have a major problem just take it to Victory of Cumming Ga and ask for Mike, he has taken care of my bike for a year and usually before I mention a problem to him he tells me about it or has already fixed it. He installed my Utopia backrest and would not charge me for it so I flipped him a $20 and headed out the door. So far he has changed out the alternator, stopped the bird from chirping and done two other recalls and gets the bike back to me the next day. I just can't say enough good things about my experience with my dealer. |
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Tourer
Posts: 404
San Antonio, TX United States | Just in response to Victory and their oil. I have already put Amsoil 20W-50 in a Vision. They guy brought the oil that he wanted and we put it in. No problems. But even Amsoil suggests using the 10W-40 in place of the Victory 20W-40 Semi-Synthetic. I msyelf would probably use the Amsoil, but i only pay for the filter when i change my oil. So i have no reason to switch yet. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 24
savannah ga | thanks joker ill look that location up they sound like they are on top of the vision it self .  |
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Cruiser
Posts: 106
L.I., N.Y. | Joker does that back rest fit the stock 08 seat or did you need a new seat? My dealer always secures the the bike in the lift, clamps the front wheel, then begins working on it. He likes questions and doesn't mine you hanging around while he works on you bike. I got to watch him strip the front and sides off a Vision, that had been in an accident on Thursday. Man without the skin that is one ugly bike! When I stopped buy on the way home he was ninety percent done with putting it back together and the guy got his ride back on Saturday early. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 193
Buford, GA United States | Hey slowryder,
Yes the Utopia backrest fits right into the stock seat and for about the first 5 miles it felt really weird but now I can't imagine having the bike without it. I rode up into South Carolina last week on a 220 mile loop and I wasn't the least bit fatigued when I got home. While the bike is incredible without the Utopia I would always have some shoulder strain after a long ride but not anymore. Lay-Z-Boy on wheels... |
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Visionary
Posts: 1436
| My bike actually takes 5 full quarts per oil & filter change instead of the 4.5 called for. Weird eh. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 244
Lindale, TX | At my 500 mile the tech charged me for seven (7) quarts of oil. I questioned him and he said Victory engines sometimes take more oil.
Rode 100 miles home, let the bike cool, and checked the oil. I had to drain off at least two quarts of AMSOIL to get the oil level slightly above the full mark in the upright position.
The service manager questioned me until I offered to fax him my reciept showing the seven quarts. He then offered to deduct the price of two quarts of AMSOIL off my next bill.
Is is that hard folks?
Edited by Easttexasrider 2009-04-17 12:34 AM
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | Easttexasrider - 2009-04-17 12:33 AM At my 500 mile the tech charged me for seven (7) quarts of oil. I questioned him and he said Victory engines sometimes take more oil. Rode 100 miles home, let the bike cool, and checked the oil. I had to drain off at least two quarts of AMSOIL to get the oil level slightly above the full mark in the upright position. The service manager questioned me until I offered to fax him my reciept showing the seven quarts. He then offered to deduct the price of two quarts of AMSOIL off my next bill. Is is that hard folks? Between your post ETR and the one that started this, coachwes, I am very concerned that we have techs around that don't know the basics of an engine. I don't know of any motorcycle even using over 5 quarts, and why would one not read the specs to be sure. If you are tech you know too much oil is worse than not enough oil. Where are these folks coming from and who is training them? Is Victory so nonchalant in allowing any one to slap a big Victory sign over their door without checking for some credability? And if they advertise to be any kind of a motorcycle wrench, they lost their credibility if they pull that kind of stunt with me. Any of these war stories don't diminish my appreciation of the Victory product, but it makes me be vigilent and perhaps will result in insulting a tech by saying "Be sure to only put 4 1/2 quarts of oil in when you change MY oil." I would expect something like that from someone who has never rode a motorcycle, but never from a wrench that says he can work on one and doesn't even have enough sense to check the specs.
Edited by varyder 2009-04-17 7:08 AM
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Iron Butt
Posts: 849
, FL United States | Wes and all other Victory riders in Northeast Florida/Southeast Georgia - Rick Gilbert is a certified Victory tech in Jacksonville who is now doing work on his own ( not employed by any dealer). He can be reached @ 904-527-3645 Leave a msg if no answer, Pls. He has his own tools (many of which are specialty Victory).
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Tourer
Posts: 404
San Antonio, TX United States | Just information, the older Victory bikes did take almost all of the 6 quarts. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | dwhite28 - 2009-04-17 1:17 PMJust information, the older Victory bikes did take almost all of the 6 quarts. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | dwhite28 - 2009-04-17 1:17 PM Just information, the older Victory bikes did take almost all of the 6 quarts. Thanks for the history David, it is good to know. I stress that if the tech is not familiar with the engine, check the specs. I'm sure you are good at it. My Jeep Cherokee takes 6 quarts as well and I have to emphasize that when I have someone else changes my oil. Being an old Army maintenance wrench I still had the habit of "checking" the book after twenty years and still do it today. I learn something new everytime.
Edited by varyder 2009-04-17 1:23 PM
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Tourer
Posts: 404
San Antonio, TX United States | I agree, i still check if i question my memory. (which happens more lately, lol) I deal with so many types of vehicles on a daily basis i always prefer to make sure. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1158
Richmond, Virginia | Just did my own oil change for the first time on my Vision. Granted i am lucky by having a hydraulic bike lift in the garage so I am able to work on the bike without it being on the side stand, also much easier to drain the pan and remove the filter when its at waist height.
At the recommendation of so many of you on here, I purchased a case of Amsoil. Thinking to myself "ok, these guys say you can tell a difference immediately..... they must be smoking too much crack". Well, I am now living proof that the bike runs totally different
right from the get go. After doing the oil change and cleaning up, i wanted to take the bike for a couple mile run to fully pump the oil into all the necessary places, check for leaks etc. The FIRST thing I noticed was that the engine was quieter. Secondly, I have mentioned this in a post before, how difficult it is to get this bike into Neutral. I read from a few of you that the Amsoil takes care of that
AND IT DID I M M e D I A t e l y ! I dont have to throttle up to get it to slip into neutral anymore. The engine is smoother than before as well, (as if it needed to be any smoother). So FYI 4.5 quarts of Amsoil tops it off properly, the process is a breeze, and there is no mess if you use a hospital bed pan to catch the old oil. |
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6qts in engine after service