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Tourer
Posts: 575
Spirit Lake IA "Birthplace of Victory Motorcycles" | Have a week long motorcycle trip to Colorado coming up by the end of May. My 2009 Vision has 1300 miles on it and I'm having troubles with my dealer (who is 90 miles away) trying to schedule the 1250 mile service at a time when I can drive the bike up there. Dealer seems too busy selling bikes to be concerned with giving good service after the sale . . . kinda what I'd expect from Harley, not Victory.
I know I can change the oil and many of the inspections are quite minor (may need to do myself), but I need your advice on the major safety related things that should be checked on the bike prior to a trip like this. Obviously fluid levels and tires, but what could go wrong or need adjustment 1300 miles into the bike's life span? I do have a 2008 shop manual and some mechanical aptitude. Any advice would be appreciated. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | Going by your manual is a great start. I've find this bike is minimal in maintaining if you don't count oil and tire changes. The first month I had mine I road 1,500 round trip to FL. and the first year a 3,400 mile round trip to south Texas. Never gave me a second of concern the entire trip.
Have fun. |
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Central Wisconsin | Man314 - 2010-04-15 1:09 PM ... I need your advice on the major safety related things that should be checked on the bike prior to a trip like this. Obviously fluid levels and tires, but what could go wrong or need adjustment 1300 miles into the bike's life span? I do have a 2008 shop manual and some mechanical aptitude. Any advice would be appreciated. Last July I bought my '09 Vision and had about the same amount of miles as you have now. My wife and I made a trip Wisconsin-Tennessee-Wisconsin
I made sure I started out with a fresh oil/filter change, proper tire pressure, like you stated. I also carry a tire repair kit,some tools and the owners manual. I made sure the rear air shock (bought the victory air pump) had the right amount of pressure but I failed to keep the rear shock pressure current. So unbeknown to me at the time, I now have some cupping in my rear tire. If your bike had more miles I would suggest fresh brake/clutch fluid. Tom 
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 38
manitoba canada | i would just check belt tension ,tire presure ,rear shock presure and brake fluid levels ,do the oil change and go. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1350
| "Dealer seems too busy selling bikes to be concerned with giving good service after the sale"
Could it be he is just swamped with new sales and spring maintenance work? This is the busiest time of the year for any shop. People getting their bikes ready for summer riding plus the warm days we had caused most of to start even earlier. It's easy to bad mouth a dealer without wearing his shoes. You say long ride but not how long. I ride from CT to SLC to Sturgis and get an oil change in Sturgis. Will your long trip even bring you to the 2500 mile oil change on returning? |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 763
Anderson, IN (48mi NE of downtown Indianapolis) | I never perform maintenence before a trip. Too much chance for something to go wrong during the service and I not know about it until 500 miles from home. I have seen guys forget to torque a spark plug, axle nut, handlebars, and oil drain plug after finger tightening. I have seen a spark plug blow out and hit the guy in the leg. I have seen the handlebars come completely off while in motion. I have seen a guy complain about his clutch acting weird then realize his oil drain plug fell out. I have seen a rear axle slide out about 2 inches during a ride. And, I had my own front axle slide out about 3 inches before I noticed it. None of these were on Visions, but my point still applies.
I agree with mkj022. Just check belt tension,tire presure, rear shock pressure, and brake fluid levels. I would peek at the air filter too. If all ok then go. If you suspect anything needs attention, make adjustments well in advance of your trip. This way you can log a few miles before the trip to make sure everything is put back together right and tight.
Enjoy your trip. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 33
Attleboro, MA | So "victoryvisiontour" when you perform maintenance... you just drive around town until everything either falls off or stays on......then you go on your trip???? LOL
Just do what you need to do when you need to do it. and Ride |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 38
manitoba canada | He is saying he never does a major sevice just before a long ride ,put some short trip miles on after a major sevice, then before a long ride just do a quick check over . I agree with him on this seen to many things go wrong after a major service. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1436
| I agree you do NOT need to do anything out of the norm. I probably have FAR more miles in the saddle than anyone on this site and the advice given here is good. Check your fluids, visual on obvious bolts & belt, tire pressure and start off with fresh oil. With as few miles as you have the air filter is fine and so are plugs. The Ole "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies.
I'm on a 3 week trip to Montana, Yellowstone, Black Hills, etc in late June and won't be doing anything "special" before departing. Just enjoy yourself, bikes today are EXTREMELY reliable. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | Use your manual, please, that is what it is for. If you keep that as your base point you'll do well and will be consistant. As to vvt comment is I go that same route. If I'm planning my trip, like I'm hoping to be in July [cross fingers, and i'm not superstitious at all] I'll do any major service that would be due in that time frame in early to mid-June. This will allow all the bugs to reveal themselves. Of course, I'll probably change the oil a few days before I actually leave and do a once over to make sure all is well, but that would be the daily once over. Just my 0.02.
Edited by varyder 2010-04-16 9:25 PM
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Tourer
Posts: 575
Spirit Lake IA "Birthplace of Victory Motorcycles" | Sorry, a bit dyslexic when I posted . . . I meant 2500 service. Thanks for the advice. Going out now to change oil and make the checks. Makes sense to do any service with some buffer time in between to let the "bugs" show up close to home. Thx! |
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Cruiser
Posts: 160
Lennox, SD | Geeze, I just had my break in service done today at Adventure.
If you would have asked I could have let you have my time slot and I would work it in latter.
Sorry I didn't see this earlier.
I intend on doing my 2500 mile service myself |
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Tourer
Posts: 575
Spirit Lake IA "Birthplace of Victory Motorcycles" | I did the 2500 service myself yesterday. Piece of cake once I got a filter wrench that could get in there with the tight clearance. I know the shop is busy and without getting into details, the frustration was not that I couldn't get in when I wanted (I travel alot and have limited options), it was how they responded to me not being able to shift a previously booked spot. It's gotta be tough with a 4 man shop during busy season. They are a good dealer and I hope they stick around. That's part of the reason I was going to pay them for the service. I'll take it to them for the next major service when it is not as busy. |
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1250 mile checkup and a long trip planned