Immediately after purchasing my 2005 big dog ridgeback, multiple problems began to arise. The bike would randomly shut off for no apparent reason, also it had an ever increasing squeal that eventually became louder than the engine. The dealer that the bike was purchased from was unable to repair the issues and was dishonest about the service that they were supposed to do. Eventually that dealer refunded the money for my first service and paid me back for most of the damage that was done to my bike. Obviously I no longer wish to bring my bike there for service. After realizing that there were no factory service centers within a reasonable distance, I contacted the big dog factory and was given the run around. I even trailered the bike to daytona where the factory mechanic did a non-approved repair on the squeal, but this is a temporary fix that needs to be addressed. Since daytona the factory has failed to remedy my problems including the front and rear hub bolts are coming loose, the engine still shuts off randomly, and the re-machining of the front pulley could lead to a belt failure at highway speeds. I't appears that several of my bikes issues were actually recalls that both the dealer and the factory have iggnored. Help!!!!!!!!!!!! This bike is unsafe!!!!
The worst 2005 Bigdog Ridgeback problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Brakes2
- Electrical1
- Transmission1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Brakes2
- Electrical1
- Transmission1
Recalls 6
Wheels: hubcap/cover
- What is wrong
- Big dog is recalling 1,257 my 2005 ridgeback motorcycles. The rear wheel may have weak spots in the design, which may cause the wheel to crack under certain operating conditions.
- Risk
- If undetected, this condition may lead to a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the wheels free of charge. The recall began on june 1, 2009. Owners may contact big dog motorcycles customer service department at 1‑316‑267‑9121.
Recall number 09V147000 · Recall details
Electrical system: alternator/generator/regulator
- What is wrong
- On certain motorcycles, a warped bus bar within the voltage regulator can cause a short circuit.
- Risk
- This could possibly result in a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the existing circuit breaker located between the voltage regulator positive battery lead (b+ lead) and the positive battery terminal with an alternative circuit protection device that will prevent a thermal event if there is a short to ground. The recall began on october 1, 2007. Owners may contact big dog at 1‑316‑219‑9129 or email to [email protected].
Recall number 07V356000 · Recall details
Electrical system
- What is wrong
- On certain motorcycles, the electronic harness control (ehc) module can fail resulting in a total shut down of the vehicle's electronic power.
- Risk
- This condition could occur without any prior warning and could result in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the ehc modules free of charge. The recall began on september 19, 2006. Owners may contact big dog at 316‑267‑9121.
Recall number 06V305000 · Recall details
Structure: motorcycle: kickstand/center stand
- What is wrong
- On certain motorcycles, the kickstand spring may stretch and detach from the mounting bracket or the kickstand.
- Risk
- This will allow the kickstand to deploy into the extended position and cause a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a new kickstand spring free of charge. The recall began on february 17, 2006. Owners may contact big dog at 316‑267‑9121.
Recall number 06V019000 · Recall details
Wheels: lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
- What is wrong
- On certain motorcycles, the rear wheel hub bolts could loosen and back out allowing the hub and brake rotor to detach from the wheel with an associated loss of stopping power.
- Risk
- This condition could occur without any prior warning and could result in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will remove, clean and reattach the rear hub bolts free of charge. The recall began on october 14, 2005. Owners may contact big dog at 1‑312‑267‑9121.
Recall number 05V432000 · Recall details
Power train
- What is wrong
- On certain motorcycles, the primary drive sprocket nut may back off the engine main shaft.
- Risk
- This could cause the primary drive to lock up and cause a crash. This condition could occur without any prior warning.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the drive sprocket nut free of charge. The recall began on may 13, 2005. Owners may contact big dog at 316‑267‑9121.
Recall number 05V149000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2005 Bigdog Ridgeback 18
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Big dog motorcycle: electrical side cover contact with belt guard. a wire bundle may protrude into the...
- Bigdog motorcycles - revised speedometer and mount. nj
- Intermittent printed circuit board operation. tt
- Rough shifting, or noisy transmission caused by loose transmission countershaft screw. tt
- Ehc contact improvement procedure (revised). current seal does not allow connector pins to seat properly...
- Headlamp connector may melt, making bulb replacement difficult. tt
- Baker 6-SPEED main shaft snap ring. sc
- Dielectric grease addition to connectors. tt
- Tachometer board replacement - inaccurate tachometer readings or fluctuation in readings due to moisture. ak
- Upper engine mount screw is loose or missing. ak
What 2005 Bigdog Ridgeback owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The two bolts holding the front caliper on my 2005 bigdog ridgeback backed out. I discovered it after riding the motorcycle. The two bolts had backed out to where they were being held by a couple of threads. I then removed the bolts, and found that there was absolutely no" locktite" applied to either of the bolts. If the front caliper falls off while riding, it could be catastrophic. I purchased some "locktite", and applied it to the bolt threads, and reinstalled the bolts.
Compare the 2005 Bigdog Ridgeback
Other model years
20042005
Questions about the 2005 Bigdog Ridgeback
Is the 2005 Bigdog Ridgeback reliable?
Owners have filed 2 complaints about the 2005 Bigdog Ridgeback, close to a typical Ridgeback model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2005 Bigdog Ridgeback?
Brakes, with 2 complaints. Next is electrical (1).
How many recalls does the 2005 Bigdog Ridgeback have?
6 recalls, covering wheels, electrical system and structure.
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