Finally made it home

[markclark57]

Just got the call, $2,700.00 out the door and back on the road in a couple weeks. Whew . . .

[crazygene49]

What did they say went wrong?

[Netnorske]

Originally Posted by markclark57

Just got the call, $2,700.00 out the door and back on the road in a couple weeks. Whew . . .

Indeed...what was the diagnosis?

[dmyers]

What kind of warranty will they offer after the repair ?

[mobandy78]

Damn! My allowance would only let me trailer it back home and stick it in the garage until a later date. Good luck getting it fixed.

[markclark57]

Originally Posted by crazygene49

What did they say went wrong?

Front bevel gear bearing got loose in the case and chewed up some other stuff including the case. The case is reusable. Rebuild the trans with a new bevel gear assembly and Barnet MT25 spring. Parts should be hear in about a week. I didn't ask about warranty yet. The lead guy said he wasn't sure if performance mods and a car tire had anything to do with it, but that the trans is between all the extra torque. Guess I'll start riding more like a Granny.

I didn't tell them, but $3K was my "NO" line so it was close to not getting fixed.

[Idaho]

At least it is within your budget. I sure hope the repair turns out flawless.

[ballast]

Really glad to hear you will back up and running.

[Jared]

Originally Posted by Utah Motorcyclist

You mind explaining how it fails.

????

I rode with Mark just a few days before this disaster and his bike seemed problem free. Can someone please explain how this bevel gear fails...

[skiman]

I wonder how much would have been if you stop riding it as soon you heard the noise

[ringadingh]

Originally Posted by Utah Motorcyclist

????

I rode with Mark just a few days before this disaster and his bike seemed problem free. Can someone please explain how this bevel gear fails...

Bearings just wear out over time, oil condition & volume, temperature, torque & load, all play a part in how long a bearing will last.
The thing is to replace it before it does a lot of damage. Mark rode his bike for another 182 miles after hearing the warning signs that something was wrong. Many times a noise is nothing and can be ignored for a while, other times it can lead to an expensive repair.
I'm sure had it been replaced in time, the bearing would have been minimal cost and damage to other parts. But thats hard to to do when your on the road far from home.

[irishguy]

Sorry to hear about your Bike troubles Mark.

[canedriver]

Whew a manageable cost. Glad to see you will be back on the road. I would ask for a break down on parts. Compare what your charged to actual cost for you to buy them. That can save you some change.

I have said this before in other threads but it bears repeating.

I know a Kawasaki dealer personally. His cost is considerably more on some parts then mr cycles in asheville. He just doesn't have the storage capacity to keep a lot of parts on hand or order bulk parts like mr cycles. I have him trained well now. If it's parts I need he makes me a parts list to check prices and order them myself if i want. I do not always do this but it can save you some money. This isn't a push for mr cycles, it is just who i check first. Use anyone you want. I only found out about them because of the luncheon at the national rally. Pays to associate yourself with out rallys

[Chili]

A lot of the dealers around here won't put in parts they don't supply or at the very least will decline to offer any type of warranty on the work unless they supply the parts.

[markclark57]

Originally Posted by skiman

I wonder how much would have been if you stop riding it as soon you heard the noise

Originally Posted by ringadingh

Bearings just wear out over time, oil condition & volume, temperature, torque & load, all play a part in how long a bearing will last.
The thing is to replace it before it does a lot of damage. Mark rode his bike for another 182 miles after hearing the warning signs that something was wrong. Many times a noise is nothing and can be ignored for a while, other times it can lead to an expensive repair.
I'm sure had it been replaced in time, the bearing would have been minimal cost and damage to other parts. But thats hard to to do when your on the road far from home.

When I first noticed an odd "noise" it was just before Kanab, Utah. Nice little town, but not much going on after 5:00 pm on a Friday. I'm not a motorcycle mechanic, but I looked things over and couldn't find anything wrong at the time. Checked the oil, the radiator, the fan, the brakes, tire pressure, wiggled the fenders and the lights, even the luggage straps. My wife was waiting for me in just 200 more miles at the Flagstaff Super 8, so I gassed up and proceeded with the idea that Grace was getting serviced as soon as I got home anyway. I'd just take it really easy on her the rest of the way home.

Things were not really "broken" until a few miles after the turnoff to the North Rim (not much there either). This was one of the roads we were on during the Rally, so I knew the road ahead. That's about where clutch failed. . . a few more miles the trans. I had to make the decision to keep going (knowing that it would cause more damage) or pull off the road (no shoulder, no street lights, no cell phone signal, and very little traffic) while the bike was still moving. (Not to mention that I was alone and unarmed in an area that some of the local residents might think that I was dinner) As long as I didn't have to shift or decelerate Grace was still running good. I had just gassed up and was already taking it easy, so I figured I could at least make the turn-off to the main highway and possibly a cell phone signal. When I got that far, there was no traffic and still no cell phone signal so I managed a down shift, made the corner, and kept going. I found out later that the smoke/oil leak was brake fluid from the broken clutch getting on the cross over pipe for the left side exhaust.

Grace really proved her name by getting me to the first available business with lights, people, and an "OPEN" sign before she died. I'm sure she could have gone further if she wasn't out of gas, but with no clutch I couldn't have gotten very far anyway. I've re-thought my decisions at least 100 times since, and I'd do the same with no regrets.