A New Ride

It wasn't my intention to come home with a different bike, but I did. It was a day like any other day. I took Thor to Gainesville to get him serviced but came home on a 2005 FLHTC and it's black cherry pearl. The whole deal was completely out of my hands, I had little choice in the matter. I hope Thor isn't too sore at me.

The fact is, this is the first time I've ever had to leave him at the dealer for service. He is sick and had to stay in so I had no choice but to leave him there with his top end in organized pieces on the table. He was so exposed, so vulnerable. My poor Thor. I know he's in good hands and will be back under my butt soon.

Diagnosis: his cam chains, tensioners and included guts were "slap wore out." This came as quite a shock to me since I had the cam chains and tensioners replaced (under warranty... YES, buy an extended warranty if you have a bike you actually ride!!) at 75K and he rolled in today with 83K. Because this was a quick turn-around with so few miles since my last replacement, my service dudes did more exploratory. They were concerned a rod problem might be presenting itself, but that wasn't the case. They saw a bolt missing and referred to the motor as a grenade waiting to explode. It seems as though the lifters are a part of the problem so I'm getting new cams and associated pieces and parts.

I came home on the gorgeous new bike because they were going to schedule a claims adjuster to review the motor tomorrow. Considering the bike is in Gainesville and I am in Jacksonville, they just loaned me a bike. I've been singing the praises of this dealership for several years and this is why: they flat out take good care of me and my bike!

The honeymoon of having a new bike will be over tomorrow or the next day but it was fun getting to pretend I'm actually a new bike owner.