What to do if bike dies on the road.

[Steve314159]

Well guys I got my bike (1980 550) running last fall and the first time I rode it the rear brakes locked up and I barely made it home. Over the winter here I have done a lot of work on it, and it is certainly looking good and running good , at least in the garage, and I think it is ready to go. There have been a couple of nice days here in Indiana lately but I've been reluctant to get out on the road because I'm not sure what's the best way to get it home if something goes wrong.

Say I'm 20 miles from home and the chain breaks, what would you do?

Steve

 

[a747freak]

Im new to riding in general, but it seems a good option would be AAA Plus RV/Motorcycle I plan on getting it ASAP.

 

[80GS1000]

Invest the time and effort into get all the systems of the bike running right and you won't have to worry about it breaking down. These bikes are quite reliable when provided basic maintenance.

Failing that, AAA is a good option. So is having a friend with a trailer.

 

[bwringer]

Cultivate friendships with people who own pickups...


I've been stranded twice on my GS and I've seen a few others experience crashes far from home at GS rallies.

In each case, the kindness of strangers was amazing and much needed.


A roadside assistance plan means that a low bidder tow truck driver who has never seen your bike before will drag it onto his truck with a logging chain... no thanks.

 

[chuck hahn]

Boy Scouts motto.. be prepared. Put a spare master link in the tool pouch.Assuming the chain break allows the use of a link.. As for if a brake caliper locks up. Take the flat tips screwdriver out of the pouch and try to pry the pads back enough to free up the wheel and just dont use that brake till you get home.

 

[bwringer]

Also cultivate friendships with locals who also ride old bikes.

So, you anywhere near Indy?

 

[Steve314159]

I think everything is good to go with the maintenance. I'd rather spend $50 on stainless steel bolts than a towing bill. Can you tow a bike behind a Jeep? Anyone tried that?

 

[chuck hahn]

Just where is your bike right now????? We used to tie a rope around the steering neck and tow them..both due to break downs and trying to pull start them..thank god i havent had to do that in maybe 20 years now, but i still remember "BACK IN THE DAY!!" LOL

 

[jwhelan65]

If you are in fear of your bike failing, you should either find a relaible mechanic to check your bike out or get a different one. You should never ride with thoughts of it breaking down, it's distracts you from paying attention to riding.

 

[Steve314159]

My bike is in the garage, where it's been for the last 20 years. I wasn't worried about safety or getting stranded back then. I would have just hitch-hiked home.

 

[chuck hahn]

well i am glad its home.. i was getting the vibe it was stranded right now...maybe i am too tired...LOL

 

[Steve314159]

And Mr. Whelan,

I appreciate your concern.

Any bike can fail at any time, and from what I've seen most "mechanics" don't know any more than I do. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing.

Steve

 

[chuck hahn]

OHHHH OH...I sense it coming!!!!!!!!!!!! 10..9..8..7..6..5..4..3..2..1...................

 

[lucabond]

I have Good Sam road service since i have a motor home and it also covers motorcycles and anybody in your house hold under 25. Since you will be there when it is towed ask for a flatbed if you cant get 1 make sure they sling it so as not to do any damage. The 1 time I did break down a follow Gsr'er happened by and went home and got his trailer and got me home.
As for you locked brakes you could have cracked the bleed valve then pried the pads apart. Good luck

 

[officerbill]

You should never ride with thoughts of it breaking down, it's distracts you from paying attention to riding.

Bikes break down, bikers fall down. The old adage; once burnt twice shy, comes to mind.
Steve's original question was if something real bad happens what do I do next? Being prepared is a good idea, but other than haveing a complete second bike with you it's hard to know what you are going to break while out for a ride.
Riding with thought of what is going to break, or how much it is going to hurt to fall down here distracts a rider. But putting these thoughts out of ones mind isn't any too easy. At some point it is the rider who has to ask himself, do I ride anymore or not?
If the answer is I ride, then prepare, put the best with the best and hope for the best. Have a on bike tool kit, bulbs, fuses, duct tape, bunge cords, an extra bit of fuel line, some wire and wire connectors and other parts to replace any on the bike you feel may fail at anytime. Most important bit in this kit may be a charged cell phone w/ gps.
However if the answer is I'm too concerned about falling, failing or whatever, park the bike and put a for sale sign on. No one can do anything well if they are overly concerned with the 'what ifs'.
In the end it is a balancing act; confidence/fear. I've seen someone's signature line to says something like go fast until your fear of speed is replaced with your fear of death. There are no do overs, go all out for it or stay home and be safe.
Steve, remember why you got the bike... and ride! If it breaks call someone to get you home and fix it!
Bill

 

[Guest]

I blew an engine around 1K miles from home.

 

[oldgsfan]

I carry a few spare tools, a spare clutch cable and a spare clutch handle, 'cause in 20 years of riding, those are the only broken parts that have ever left me stranded..

But honestly, I've been stranded way more often by a car breaking down than a bike.

 

[sscott]

I would say yes to a jeep and trailer pulling a bike.

I would also say people like BWringer, LarryD and others living around the central Indy area is only a phone call away from helping. I'm not that knowledgable but I do have a truck and willing to help.

Get to know the peeps here, it helps!

 

[twr1776]

#3 Yesterday, 10:43 PM 80GS1000 Invest the time and effort into get all the systems of the bike running right and you won't have to worry about it breaking down. These bikes are quite reliable when provided basic maintenance.

Failing that, AAA is a good option. So is having a friend with a trailer.

The maintenance is the key. If you do it properly, and without cutting any corners you should not have any issues with breaking down. If you go to GS rallies there are usually enough GSers carrying parts and expertise to rebuild one on the side of the road if needed. :dancing: One thing you should carry when far away from home is a tire plugging kit. Two years ago Al got a flat on the way to the SE rally in the middle of rural NC and if Brian had not had a kit we would have really been screwed. Fortunately we limped into a gas station and Brian plugged the tire in the parking lot, weekend saved. :clap:

It is also a good idea to have a backup plan. Fortunately for me I have a pickup in the garage ready to go and on rally weekends I set up with my brother or friends to "rescue" me if needed. Even if you do not know anyone with a pickup a car with a hitch and a rented U-Haul trailer can also work. What part of Indiana are you in? I would say between Brian in Indy, myself and Wazz in the NW corner you should be pretty well covered "in state".

 

[Sandy]

As mentioned, proper maintenance and prep is the key. Spend some time and money replace or fix the things that can leave you stranded or have a work around with you. An example is replacing o-rings in the carbs will make the bike run nice where as they won't usually leave you stranded but a failed gas line that's easy and cheap to replace will. A big one on these GS's that could leave you stranded is the charging system, check it out throughly!!!. BassCliff's website is a great place for info. The engine and transmission are basically bullet proof, if it starts and has oil and gas it will get you home. About the only thing I can think of right now the will actually leave you stranded other than actually crashing it would a broken chain, flat tire, electrical failure, bad wheel bearings or a broken throttle cable. So if you have checked and serviced the charging system that failure is unlikely and for a few dollars you can replace the wheel bearing and cables and the chain is real easy to check or/and replace. As for a flat tire, carry a repair kit if it's tubeless and patch kit and/or tubes and a set of tire levers. Oh, another thing that could strand you that's totally preventable is a rusted out fuel tank that springs a leak. If you've got lots rust in the tank you should get it sealed ASAP. It will spring a leak, maybe tomorrow, maybe next year, but it will happen so fix it now rather than later. The giveaway there is blistering in the paint on the bottom of tank, DO NOT poke them. That's the sort of thing running these old bikes is all about. Back in the day people toured all over the place on this things and with proper upkeep and maintenance there's no reason you still can't do that. Get to know your bike, there are lots of folks here to answer questions so ask the questions. If you're a little shy about getting too far into your bike ask questions. I've seen lots of people start out not knowing which end of screwdriver to hold and are now rebuilding bikes from the ground up.