919 reliability survey

[rickard919]

Originally Posted by jeffie7

Maybe I'm alone here but I feel it's a valid question since he did have wiring issues before 12K miles.

I keep my 919 under a motorcycle cover. I'm trying to get an idea of what problems to expect.

I don't cover mine at all. Sits outside all the time. Not too sure what happened to his bike. Maybe he's got koala bears chewing his wires at night.

[jeffie7]

Originally Posted by rickard919

I don't cover mine at all. Sits outside all the time. Not too sure what happened to his bike. Maybe he's got koala bears chewing his wires at night.

What year and how are all the plastic bits holding up? I'm guessing the switches are going to get brittle as with maybe some corrosion on all the wiring.

I've never kept a bike outdoors before. I've always had enough garage space.

=( I hate my current garage but hey, its better then no garage.

[rickard919]

All the switches are fine. No problems with any of the wiring. The plastic pieces have faded some. It not the best storage idea but it's convienient for me. I want my bike close to home, even in winter. Today for example, went on a two hour ride after work. Sure it was dark but still above freezing. Almost ten years outside and never a problem.

[mcromo44]

Originally Posted by rickard919

All the switches are fine. No problems with any of the wiring. The plastic pieces have faded some. It not the best storage idea but it's convienient for me. I want my bike close to home, even in winter. Today for example, went on a two hour ride after work. Sure it was dark but still above freezing. Almost ten years outside and never a problem.

Rickard provides the ultimate expression of 919 reliability, to the point that even asking about 919 reliability is a bit of an oxymoron.
Like the 02 front forks he loaned me to allow for some internal examination.
80,000 km or miles, I'm not sure which AND it doesn't matter. Never been opened before and seals are still so good that the tubes are still "919 dry", as in too dry !

[jeffie7]

Originally Posted by rickard919

All the switches are fine. No problems with any of the wiring. The plastic pieces have faded some. It not the best storage idea but it's convienient for me. I want my bike close to home, even in winter. Today for example, went on a two hour ride after work. Sure it was dark but still above freezing. Almost ten years outside and never a problem.

Awesome to hear. Makes me feel a little better about leaving mine out.

[TheBeeDeeGee]

^^^yeah same here, mines outside with a under a walmart motorcycle cover and carport

[rickard919]

Originally Posted by TheBeeDeeGee

^^^yeah same here, mines outside with a under a walmart motorcycle cover and carport

I used a cover for mine the first couple years I owned it. The problem is that I live in a windy city and it cause more damage then it was worth. If you look at the tip of your tail and the paint is gone, it's from your cover. I've seen it many times around my city.

[rickard919]

Originally Posted by mcromo44

Rickard provides the ultimate expression of 919 reliability, to the point that even asking about 919 reliability is a bit of an oxymoron.
Like the 02 front forks he loaned me to allow for some internal examination.
80,000 km or miles, I'm not sure which AND it doesn't matter. Never been opened before and seals are still so good that the tubes are still "919 dry", as in too dry !

That's miles not Km.

[LDH]

Originally Posted by rickard919

I used a cover for mine the first couple years I owned it. The problem is that I live in a windy city and it cause more damage then it was worth. If you look at the tip of your tail and the paint is gone, it's from your cover. I've seen it many times around my city.

Use Geza covers and that will never happen... They don't flap around and can even be used for open towing

[g00gl3it]

Yeah, most of us don't park our bikes in our living room AND cover them.


We just park them in the living room and vacuum around them

[jeffie7]

Originally Posted by g00gl3it

Yeah, most of us don't park our bikes in our living room AND cover them.


We just park them in the living room and vacuum around them

That's how you can tell he married the right woman.

[g00gl3it]

Originally Posted by jeffie7

That's how you can tell he married the right woman.

...and you notice that 'his' has a condom. We see who wears the pants in that family .

[rockdog32]

Originally Posted by jeffie7

Do you keep the bike outdoors?

Nah Jeffie, she lives under my back porch. I do commute rain, hail or shine on her, wash her regularly etc. Great bike.

[rockdog32]

Originally Posted by jeffie7

Maybe I'm alone here but I feel it's a valid question since he did have wiring issues before 12K miles.

I keep my 919 under a motorcycle cover. I'm trying to get an idea of what problems to expect.

When my bike's parked at work, or if I know it will be in the sun all day, like a trip to the beach for example. I keep it under a cover I bought at a cheapy car part shop, that's bigger than it should be, but pulls right down over the whole bike very snug.

The headlight wire in the starter switch seems to be quite a common problem, part of Hondas manufacturing process,, a search on here seems to verify it.

The rear brake switch I think was the rubber boot breaking up with age and letting the elements in.

There weren't koalas chewing it, but there was a green tree frog living in there for a couple of weeks once till I pulled off the duck tail, and that bloody spider in the front end, so every morning I get back on her it looks like its never been ridden from the cobwebs. My missus sprayed bug spray in the there the other day, easy fix!

[blackthorn64]

Originally Posted by TheBeeDeeGee

Saw this on 599.com and thought it'd be interesting to see the 919 crowds responses. Searched and didn't find a similar thread so here we go.


What year you got
Mileage/Miles you put on it
What mechanical problems have you had


I've only had mine since September (9/19!) but I'll answer anyway.

2002 919
w/13,200 miles (2k are mine)
Changed the oil once so far @ 12k miles, broken bottom exhaust mount which I need to fix

2007 919 (Candy Red)
3600 Miles
No mechanical issues to date

[LDH]

Originally Posted by blackthorn64

2007 919 (Candy Red)
3600 Miles
No mechanical issues to date

What do you do ride it to your mailbox and back daily?

[mcromo44]

Originally Posted by LDH

What do you do ride it to your mailbox and back daily?

Going to get some decent snowboarding done this winter ?

[LDH]

Northstar was good last weekend and I am going to give Wrightwood a try this weekend, but all in all snow is scarce on the West Coast. I was originally just going to do a week long trip to Breck/A-Basin/Keystone like I usually do every year in addition to the Cali resorts I frequent, but I am thinking a more dedicated trip to Whistler/Blackcomb might be in order due to the slow start to this season.

[mcromo44]

Originally Posted by LDH

Use Geza covers and that will never happen... They don't flap around and can even be used for open towing

Thanks for the tip on these as I had never heard of them and want to get something for the bikes re open trailer towing.
I had a quick look at their website, looks like seriously good stuff.
A wide range of materials and sizes, and custom to ice the cake.

[LDH]

Call up Geza and ask for Tom, Tell him I sent ya and he might give ya a discount, but more likely will charge you double

I've been using their covers for over a decade now and coincidentally his booth has been right next to ours for the last several years at Laguna Seca during the MotoGP event so I usually put a bike or two of ours in his booth to display the covers on.

This year I rode my VTR250 into the track every morning so I used it.

This is Mr Sato the owner of Sato Racing sitting on it at the booth

[mcromo44]

Originally Posted by LDH

Call up Geza and ask for Tom, Tell him I sent ya and he might give ya a discount, but more likely will charge you double

I've been using their covers for over a decade now and coincidentally his booth has been right next to ours for the last several years at Laguna Seca during the MotoGP event so I usually put a bike or two of ours in his booth to display the covers on.

This year I rode my VTR250 into the track every morning so I used it.

This is Mr Sato the owner of Sato Racing sitting on it at the booth

I'll make a point of calling him once I sort out what all I need.
Now let's see, CB750, 919, GSXR750 - that means 3 !

[PAULIBIKER]

The only thing I've done besides maintenence is replaced the water pump.

A little disappointing since it started leaking at 7000 miles.

[LDH]

Originally Posted by PAULIBIKER

The only thing I've done besides maintenence is replaced the water pump.

A little disappointing since it started leaking at 7000 miles.

I see that happen fairly often on motorcycles nowdays, but it is usually because someone swaps out the coolant and uses standard automotive coolant (like Prestone) loaded with silicates that harm the seals.

[cb919er]

Originally Posted by jeffie7

Awesome to hear. Makes me feel a little better about leaving mine out.

Mine has spent most of it's life outside without any problems aside from a little fading, but hey, it gives it character...

[jeffie7]

Originally Posted by cb919er

Mine has spent most of it's life outside without any problems aside from a little fading, but hey, it gives it character...

I have the smoke color so it already looks faded from the factory

[FloridaMountaintop]

I have not been to Thailand since 01, but I went to the local Thai restaurant and the server had just arrived from Thailand. He immediatly asked what year was my Hornet! After speaking with him through his broken English, and my VERY limited Thai, he said the Hornet is the cadillac over there, and people flog them and they just keep going!

It made me even more happy of my purchase of this bike...

[DoubleJ]

2006 919, Red (used to belong to Ken!)
Bought in 2008 with 5k miles
Now has 18K

Only problems have been the starter/headlight kill switch and squeal from stock rotors (replaced with F4i rotors and now hardly any noise!)