Trouble Free Ownership?

OK... So the guy that has the Himalayan called me yesterday. It looks like the title is finally at the bank and they are going to send it to him. There was an issue with the VIN number that has finally been sorted out, and it looks like I'm finally going to be able to pick up my new Himalayan possibly as early as next week.

I've been reading on here and some other sources for the last few weeks learning everything I can about the Himalayans and all of their standard problems. Most of my most recent previous bikes have been Triumph Bonneville's and Kawasaki W650's. No problems with any of them. And now I'm starting to get a little antsy as to whether my ownership of the Himalayan will be relatively trouble free...

By the way this bike is a 2021 model with only 165 miles on it. It's still under warranty until February 2023 and I plan on letting the dealer service it until it's out of warranty and then do all the service myself which is what I've always done on my motorcycles.

So my questions are:

1. Have you had a relatively trouble free experience with your Himalayan?
2. How many miles have you put on it.
3. Is there anything in particular I should be concerned with?

There were some problems with earlier bikes but most have been progressively addressed.
There is a list of the changes but folk posting the link were warned off by RE!
They take a while to bed in and loosen off, and seem to like an Irridium plug, so might be best to wait a couple of thousand miles before considering the performance cam and big bore kit , freeflow exhaust and air filter and the Powertronic and deleting the whatever and the whatever and---!
I have a 17 carbed bike with 43500 km and the only non consumable that has been replaced has been the rear shock and no one else seems to have had the problem. But at $150- delivered a replacement is would be no big deal.
Batteries fitted seem to be the same junk the world over, so probably best to replace them around 5000 miles, and save yourself the cost of a tow home.
Clutch on my bike took 40,000 km to bed in and is still fine, but they can burn out in 300 miles if you slip then while riding.
OEM chain should last 10/15000 miles , but depending on your use you may want to change the sprockets sooner to alter the gearing

2020 Model here, purchased from the dealer in Feb 2020 with 6 miles on the clock. Currently just under/at 9,000 miles with a good mix of road and trail - and a LOT of "ADV" experience, ie. I have dropped it plenty, all due to the rider, not the steed.

Love this bike. Very trouble-free, after accounting for some of the break-in quirks like stalls during warm-up, brakes not awesome til bedded in, etc. but zero issues. Took it to a dealer for the 300mi service, both valves needed slight adjustment (tech invited me to sit with him while he worked and welcomed all my questions). I did the Iridium plug 'upgrade' and after about 2,000 miles I never have to use the enrichment lever to start. When I swapped the spark plug, the cap came off of the ignition wire, so I checked everything else and screwed it back together, no issues since. I am still on the initial battery, but I do have the Yuasa replacement battery in the cabinet for when I do experience the issues that others have mentioned.

I bought this bike for its simplicity and ease of doing my own work/maintenace. I did the 3k and the 6k maintenance myself, valves were spot on in spec, oil and filters all looking good, brake fluid was discolored but not ugly when I bled and replaced. Still on original brake pads, but have the replacements when ready.

Replaced the Pirelli tires around 6k miles (rear was done, front is in the "spares" corner, probably has 2k more) and added Mitas E-07 in prep for the MABDR trip. Chain and sprockets are still in decent shape - I did have to align the rear wheel early on when I noted some slight odd wear and the bike would "swirl" to the right just a bit when hands off the bars (professional driver on a closed course, do not try this at home....).

Did the break in by the book, all the TCLOCS each day, all the maintenance on schedule, quality oil, RE brand oil/air filters, use decent gasoline (add some injector cleaner or Seafoam periodically). I swapped in LED headlight and brake lights, I added fog/conspicuity lights and flasher module.

I actually expected (and budgeted for) more issues on what was going to be my 'get back into motos' bike. I have zero reasons to complain or need to swap out this bike.

Love this bike.

Mine's a 2021 reg. '20 model only done 2k, in 6 weeks. Gets better with each outing, and performance seems better than I had been lead to expect. Bought mine on the strength of another owner I know having done 13k (MILES) on his - Purchased December 2020! - No problems.
I tell a lie. He had to replace the tyres recently.

Mine is a 2020 model, I collected it from the dealer in June 2020. Like Modiorne mine was tight to start off with. It would stall frequently. I run it in as the book instructed. It started to get better at about 2000 miles and by the first service which I did myself it was freed up completely. It's done nearly 5000 miles now and is as sweet as a nut. I use the recommended grade oil and fitted an iridium plug. I fitted an automatic chain oiler and have only needed to adjust the chain once. It gets a good once over every week. I couldn't be happier with it

My 2019 model, bought in November that year, has now done a touch under 5000 miles. It's been serviced at 300 and 3000 miles by the dealer where I bought the bike and I ran it in properly. No major issues to date - most issues with stalling etc can be put down to rider error! I'm a new rider (passed my test in October 2019). Like others, an Iriduim plug improved the overall running of the engine and I never have to use the enrichment lever to start. I have no other bikes to compare with but my Himalayan is sweet as a nut as far as I am concerned. Only issue has been a puncture - bloody great nail in the front tyre so not RE's fault!

Irishguy said:

1. Have you had a relatively trouble free experience with your Himalayan?

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Yes. Something in the rear suspension, either the spindle or the linkage, was not adequately greased out of the factory. I have decided to attribute this to RE conserving grease because of Rona-related supply problems. I watched and rewatched some YouChewb videos, then regreased the whole suspension myself just to get my hands dirty on the bike, and to not have to wait for someone else to do it. Took me an hour. I actually felt kinda badass afterward.
Also picked up a screw and had to change a tube. Did it myself on one of those stands.

Irishguy said:

2. How many miles have you put on it.

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3,000 so far.

Irishguy said:

3. Is there anything in particular I should be concerned with?

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Depends on what year bike it is. If I were buying a used bike, after I put the cash in the guy's hand I would ask why he's selling it, and if he had any problems.

It's a good bike. Solid. The engine is really nice. I'm only 3,000 miles in, but my impression is that it's a trouble-free bike but not a maintenance-free bike. It's what bikes used to be 40 years ago: not idiot-proof. You gotta listen to it and do the stuff when the book says.

Irishguy said:

1. Have you had a relatively trouble free experience with your Himalayan?
2. How many miles have you put on it.
3. Is there anything in particular I should be concerned with?

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1) YES
2) 8,500
3) BREAK IN THE MOTOR AS SAID IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL !!!

Morgan60 said:

1) YES
2) 8,500
3) BREAK IN THE MOTOR AS SAID IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL !!!

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Amen to all Morgan says (although I don't have quite that many miles - 1000)!

We all bitch and moan about things but it’s because we want so much more out of our little bikes.

It’s the same on my BMW Bike forum and I’m sure it’s the same on many other forums.
forums ? fora?

Except maybe some forums, where all they talk about is how cool they look on their crotch rocket, and how they took a hairpin bend (switchback) at 150 km speeds and had to buy new pads. Not sure if they were referring to knee pads or incontinence pads.
I’m sure it was knee pads
(PS I had so much trouble with my 2010 Bonnie that I sold it in 2012.)

I have a 2019 model and my issue was dry rot on front tire. dry rot on the fork gaiters. and deterioration of the rubber boot that holds the ECU unit beneath the seat. luckily, everything was still under warranty. so I had the dealer take care of it.

petespace1 said:

Not sure if they were referring to knee pads or incontinence pads.

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For some,(not me - yet), the latter arrives and takes over their lives. I hope you're still able to laugh if it happens to you. - just sayin'
(I do have friends and relatives that aren't laughing).

Bluestrom13 said:

For some,(not me - yet), the latter arrives and takes over their lives. I hope you're still able to laugh if it happens to you. - just sayin'
(I do have friends and relatives that aren't laughing).

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Oh mate, I was laughing at the younger ‘show offs’ (including me in my younger days) who would be talking about knee pads and at my age it will be more like incontinence pads.
If you couldn’t get the joke that’s sad.

Sorry to hear about your friends / relatives. However please don’t ‘assume’ that I don’t have close relos who struggle with the condition.
But thank you for the lesson, I consider myself suitably chastised.

Finally, unlike you, I only wish you a full and healthy and happy life.

Cheers.
Pete

petespace1 said:

Oh mate, I was laughing at the younger ‘show offs’ (including me in my younger days) who would be talking about knee pads and at my age it will be more like incontinence pads.
If you couldn’t get the joke that’s sad.

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Sorry,.... Have drink on me....Though this is all I have in the fridge..

Thanks for all the input so far guys. Keep it coming. Hope to pick up the bike this week. He's had so much trouble getting the VIN number sorted out with the DMV and it's taking so long he gave me an additional $100 off today. So $4400 cash for a basically new 2021 Himilayan with 165 miles on it. Hopefully it will be home this weekend and I can ride.

8740 MILES ...
Engine cutting out without warning ... plug changed.
Engine Temp sensor failed .... replaced.
Tail light failed. See tail light thread.
Steering bearings thrashed at 4000 miles !!!
Seat too low.
Buffet from screen .. screen replaced with lower one.
Rear calliper seized at 3000 miles.

My 30 year old MZ ETZ 300 is more reliable ..

£400 .. ish in repairs in 3 years ... not good. No point getting rid as i’ve paid for all the things that have gone wrong so i may as well keep it.

The bearings and lube have both been changed in current bikes , and in any event 50...ish quid would cover replacing them, and probably a temp sensor.
Caliper was a warranty item, in areas where salt is spread on the roads, and current bikes have the uprated one.
Seat and screen your choice - so did it really cost 350 quid to fix the tail light?
Actually, I forgot that the hard plastic indicators are one item which will fail if you do a bit off road, as they do on a few other bikes.
Reasonably priced hard rubber ones are not hard to find from dirt bike specialists.

Roy Gavin said:

The bearings and lube have both been changed in current bikes , and in any event 50...ish quid would cover replacing them, and probably a temp sensor.
Caliper was a warranty item, in areas where salt is spread on the roads, and current bikes have the uprated one.
Seat and screen your choice - so did it really cost 350 quid to fix the tail light?
Actually, I forgot that the hard plastic indicators are one item which will fail if you do a bit off road, as they do on a few other bikes.
Reasonably priced hard rubber ones are not hard to find from dirt bike specialists.

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Temp sensor ... £86 inc parts
Bearing replacement .. £180 inc parts
Screen replacement due to constant buffeting. £98
Recovery after calliper locked on £52

I answered the OP’s post !

Hows life in the prison camp we call Australia ... ?
Need to get yourselves jabbed, eh !

Landsurfer74 said:

Temp sensor ... £86 inc parts
Bearing replacement .. £180 inc parts
Screen replacement due to constant buffeting. £98
Recovery after calliper locked on £52

I answered the OP’s post !

Hows life in the prison camp we call Australia ... ?
Need to get yourselves jabbed, eh !

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Replying to the OP's post ? He says its a 2021 model.

Roy said that many of the problems you mention have been rectified on newer models, and 2021 is well ... you get my drift.

Chill mate and have a cold one

petespace1 said:

Replying to the OP's post ? He says its a 2021 model.

Roy said that many of the problems you mention have been rectified on newer models, and 2021 is well ... you get my drift.

Chill mate and have a cold one

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Good advice ....