Guess what fell off my bike last night.

[beergood]

Let me preface this by saying, I am pretty obsessive about using threadlocker. I have used it on just about every bolt on my bike...just about.

But there are some parts that I have had to remove a few times to get at other stuff, or to reposition, and I haven't locked em down yet.

So, last night I was out riding around, made a stop, and when I went to get back on my bike, I noticed my bike wasn't all there.

This is a somewhat mission critical part, and I was forced to wheel the bike into the back of my friends business and leave it until I can find a working solution to get it home.

I also feel somewhat bad, because this part has the potential to disappoint someone if they hit it. Then again, with all the trash and road debris in downtown Detroit, I really didn't contribute too much in the grand scheme of things.

So, any guesses?

 

[marvinsc]

Rear Brake Lever Or Shifter?

 

[MelodicMetalGod]

Well, thinking about mission critical parts brings many things to mind. However, adding in the fact that you didn't notice it was missing until AFTER you had parked the bike and returned makes it a much tougher guess. For instance, marvinsc's suggestion, shift lever is a good one, but I would notice that before I parked the bike. Same goes for front brake lever, rear brake lever and any other control or control part.

Therfore, I'd guess it must be something along the lines of a brake master cylinder or an oil cooler.

Wait, how 'bout this: Oil Drain plug?

You could lose that and travel on without realizing for a while and still bring the bike to a safe stop, yet, once noticed, nobody in their right mind would drive the bike another inch.

 

[beergood]

Good guesses, but no dice.

Man, the oil drain plug would completely blow.

A few years ago a girl I was dating was out with her friend. The friend had a brand new Volkswagon (if I remember correctly it was a Golf or GTI) with only a couple thousand miles on it. They hit something in the road and tore a hole in the oil pan.

I should mention that this chick was not mechanically savvy in the slightest. Once, she was going to Murray's to buy a gas cap, because some lowlife had stolen hers. I had an old Ford Falcon that I was constantly tinkering with, so she asked if I needed anything while she was there. I told her to ask the parts counter guys for a Velocity Extension belt for a 69 Ford Falcon. 20 minutes later she calls me from the store, telling me the guy needs to know what size engine I had. He was actually attempting to look it up on the computer. I told her there is no such thing as a velocity extension belt. She got upset, told the guy behind the counter that they had both been had, and then I heard everyone in the store (other customers, and this poor sap's co-workers) laughing at the both of them. I imagine that poor employee never lived that down.

Anyway, back to the leaking Volkswagon, they tried to pour another couple quarts of oil in at a gas station, but of course it just ran straight out into the parking lot. Well, they decided that since it was still running "okay" that they could drive it home and deal with it the next day. So they drove it the twenty some miles home without any oil in it. Of course, once the engine was shut off and cooled down it returned to the ore state. This broad had a really expensive, gleaming hunk of aluminum under her hood.

I had to explain to my girlfriend that you can run an engine marvelously without any oil in it, but only for one last time.

 

[scotty]

Once one of my front axel caps fell off. I never noticed it. I had driven 100ds of miles without it. They both have red locktite on them now.

 

[t3rmin]

I'm guessing cam chain tensioner bits, since that's what recently fell off of mine. ;-)

 

[klhilberg]

Rear brake Caliper?

 

[TooManyToys]

License plate

 

[scotty]

The lady that was on the back??????

 

[80GS750]

your brake light assembly?

 

[beergood]

your brake light assembly?

Bingo!

There is a gaping hole with some wires hanging out. Kind of a sad site.

Thanks to everyone for playing.

 

[CanadaDan]

Sheesh... I thought I was the only one that happens to

My entire indicator, brake light and license plate assembly came off with the tail end of the fender (over did the trimming on the plastic BMW fenders... trying to streamline the rear end a bit)

Ironically... after the wiring harness kept the entire thing with me I had to CUT all the wires so it wasn't just hanging there.

Rode home with using hand signals with the entire setup in my jacket \\/

 

[Planecrazy]

Shortly after buying my 1100G I arrived home from a ride to discover that the right rear upper shock absorber bolt was missing the nut that secures the shock... "borrowed" one from the parts bike I had at the time (now JonR's running 1100G) and am much more careful about checking bolts than I used to be...

Regards,

 

[MelodicMetalGod]

Bingo!

There is a gaping hole with some wires hanging out. Kind of a sad site.

Thanks to everyone for playing.

Wha....? Excuse me. I've gotta go check my brake light/rear fender hardware. :-|8-[:|

 

[spyug]

Now I got a GS to get away from things falling off.

With the old XS650 you learn to expect that. Theses old twins shake like a dog trying to get rid of fleas and things fall off all the time.:shock:

Actually it is a good feature because it forces you to do a preflight before every ride. I pick up my box wrenches from 10 through 17mm and walk around the bike for at least 5 minutes twisting every nut and bolt I see. I usually find one or two that loosen up...even with liberal amounts of red locktite.

When I strap on the gear and get on that bike I feel like Snoopy getting on the Sopwith dog kennel ready to do battle with the Red Baron.\\/

I haven't got the GS road legal yet so I can't comment on its part shedding ability but its an 83 so I'm hoping its more civilized and things stay attached.

Cheers all,
Spyug

 

[beergood]

Well, there it is, the sad 'eye patch' that got her home. It's a cheap $7 trailer brake light from Murray's auto parts. It did wire up easy and did a good job, but it looks really pathetic.

What kind of made it worse was that it happened outside a buddy of mine's bar. Since I couldn't ride it home like that (or wouldn't ride it home like that), I had to park it on his fenced in patio. At least it was safe.

It was Monday night when I finally got the part and secured a ride down to pick it up and do the patch job. I figured the bar would be dead, but for some reason it was actually pretty busy. So I had to drill a new mount, and do some wire splicing, all with a bunch of drunks watching and asking questions.

Kind of annoying.

On the plus side, I have a new (to me) light on the way. Gotta love Ebay.

And since I was ordering stuff, I got some gumption up, and ordered pods and jets from Z1, and an o-ring kit from that dude listed under the recommended sellers.

Next weekend should be fun!