RE: Reliablity Question Again

["Rick Damiani" <rickd@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-st@xxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:owner-st@xxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of
> Gregory D. Girard
> Sent: Sunday, February 20, 2000 7:20 AM
> To: ST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Reliablity Question Again
>
> I can deal with the fact that Triumph will not match
> Honda reliability, but what about the issues of
> electrical stuff, valves going out of whack from
> soft shims, center-stand issues, and anything else that
> should concern me. Interesting, in searching the mail
> archives, I've yet to hear of any real high-mileage
> riders on Sprint STs.

That would be because we are all out riding our motorcycles, of
course. I have about 26,000 miles on my '99 Sprint (I've had it
since the beginning of last May - about nine months now) and have
had the following special problems:

- - Minor fuel leak - corrected under warrantee *and* redesigned in
later models so leaking is less likely.
- - Crack in exhaust header - corrected under warrantee.
- - Fuel gauge is unreliable - soon (I hope) to be corrected.
- - One pannier inner is developing a small crack due to vibration -
also being addressed by the warrantee.

My only 'complaint' about the bike relates to the pannier kit - I
am noticing that point where the front of the bag's lip meets the
end of the grove in the rail is wearing away and allowing the bags
to move around a bit - which is accelerating the wear (naturally)
and leading to a pannier that will come unlatched. The dealer
offered to replace them under warrantee as well, but I think I'll
add some rubber squares and wait for a re-designed part.

I have had a couple of other, non-Triumph related bike troubles as
well (a 1/2" diameter steel rod 2' long taking out my oil filter
on the freeway, for example) but I can't very well blame Triumph
for not armor-plating the underside of my bike.

I have checked the valves (or had them checked) at 6,000 miles,
12,000 miles and 24,000 miles - it needed two exhaust shims at
6,000 and one intake shim at 24,000. The shims that came out were
dimensionally unchanged (that is, they were still the same size
they were marked as being) and had all gone tight, not loose.

> I  really like the RS, and if I heard from say 5 or 6
> individuals that had put 20,000 miles or more each on
> the Sprint ST without major meltdown, I'd be real
> inclined to put my order in. I think I heard of one
> individual that put 14,700 miles as the record so far.

Well, here's one for you then. No meltdowns of any sort, and the
only times the bike has been unavailable for me to ride are the
days I have it in the shop - and It's not made an overnight visit
yet.

P.S. I will try to locate a digital camera and take some before
and after shots of the pannier mounts and my modification if
anyone is interested.



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