Words of encouragement continued! & fun picture

[kev187]

3.5 weeks & I finally got the bike back.  



I had the bike for 2 weeks 1000 miles & a flawless by the book break in, when it started over heating.  I had posted earlier about my anger about the bike & the experience.



So 3.5 weeks, bike needed a new head gasket, new valve guide seals, the valves were covered in burnt carbon from oil blowing up in the valves.  The tech said all was a result of the bad head gasket?  The valves looked just terrible.  So finally all the parts came in & the bike was together, it was terrible seeing the bike ripped apart for weeks with the pistons hanging out & the head on the table.  This must have been a Friday afternoon bike with some Brit drinking on the job starting his weekend early?   Triumph dropped the ball on this one.



I am happy to have it back & riding again, but I fear I am not going to keep the bike.  This was my long term "reliable" bike purchase, so I can start tooling on older bikes on the side.  Its a fun bike, but that major tear down has left a bad taste in my mouth with Triumph.  How can I be sure this thing is going to last the long haul past the 2 year warranty?  Very sad that I spent $10K & I had to see my bike apart.



So anyway~ I hope everyone out there is having better luck than me with their bikes.  I am doing a nice ride from DC to PA this Sunday, hope it makes it.  We had some amazing riding weather the last few weeks that I missed out on, I need to make up for lost time.  Well see what I am shopping for in the spring.



On a more positive note, I thought everyone would get a kick out of the pic below, two guys I ride with at work & their 05 model bikes, how often do you see these 3 bikes together?



Kevin

[Sasquatch]

No matter how good a manufacturer is, you will get one out that needs a major repair.



I would not worry about it.  I have rebuilt many motors in my day and they have all lived long and happy lives.

[waltconrad]

Ride the piss out of it ,it might really be fixed. I feel your pain my dead w650 is gathering dust on my porch.

[djr]

When I first bought my Tiger in 03, I had MAJOR problems with it drinking oil. Triumph also ordered a strip down (but the did a FULL strip down) to measure everything. Mech did a beautiful job and was extremely thorough but it still had the same problem after the rebuild.



I was also Mr. Angry but Triumph's response to my problem was superb. They replaced the whole bike and picked up all taxes and on the road costs to boot and provised ƒ1100 worth of panniers for my trouble.



That was very good after sales service helped hugely by my local dealer http://www.motorcenterguy.be/.



Even after the bike was changed it did still sit in the back of my mind (you know the kind of thing, if it can happen once will it do it again?). After two years of riding Tiger number 2 I can confirm that the dread feeling is very quickly replaced with the happy feeling and the stupid grin. Give it a chance, you never know you might just get the enjoyment you had planned for.



I assume Triumph gave you suitable recompense for your troubles?