What leaves you stranded?

[RicoRider]

My favorite rides get me waaay outta Dodge. The further into BFE the happier.

 

That said, my 97 R1100RT now has over a 100k (nice start) and 25 years on the wiring, sensors and rubber bits. It's down for winter rehab now, so it a good time to ask...WHAT PARTS ARE MOST LIKELY TO FAIL THAT'LL LEAVE ME STRANDED BY THE SIDE OF SOME LONG FORGOTTEN ROAD?

 

Rico

[Hosstage]

Whichever one you do not have with you.

[9Mary7]

1. The Hall Effect Sensor...... needs a rewire if not already done.

2. Fuel hoses inside the tank......replace with oem style molded ones for proper flow. Beemerboneyard.com

More folks will chime in but those two are the only "hidden" gremlins that bite around that bike's age/mileage. 

[Skywagon]

Plastic quick disconnects

Tire Plug Kit

[dirtrider]

16 hours ago, RicoRider said:

My favorite rides get me waaay outta Dodge. The further into BFE the happier.

 

That said, my 97 R1100RT now has over a 100k (nice start) and 25 years on the wiring, sensors and rubber bits. It's down for winter rehab now, so it a good time to ask...WHAT PARTS ARE MOST LIKELY TO FAIL THAT'LL LEAVE ME STRANDED BY THE SIDE OF SOME LONG FORGOTTEN ROAD?

 

Rico

Afternoon Rico

 

At that mileage & age the list could be long. 

 

I addition to what  9Mary7 posted above I will add brake hoses, as they get old & weak so can split then leak, the crown bearing inside the final drive is another rather bothersome weak point, the wire harness that runs from the frame harness to the handlebars is another place of failure (the wires can  fracture near the zip tie due to constant flexing).

 

Clutch cable is another failure point but a seasoned rider can usually ride to a place of safety or repair without using the clutch. 

 

The more obscure things like the drive shaft, starter, alternator are slight possibilities but not a great risk.   

[Jim Moore]

Good question. Really there's not much. The HES, the brake lines, fuel filter, internal fuel lines. I look at the driveshaft as a 100,000-mile consumable. They're pricy, so you may want to look for a lightly used one on EBay. I carry a set of throttle cables, a clutch cable, and an alternator belt when I travel. I wouldn't carry a starter, but I might have one packed up and ready to overnight. I might throw an aftermarket fuel pump in the hard case.

[John Ranalletta]

13 minutes ago, Jim Moore said:

Good question. Really there's not much. The HES, the brake lines, fuel filter, internal fuel lines. I look at the driveshaft as a 100,000-mile consumable. They're pricy, so you may want to look for a lightly used one on EBay. I carry a set of throttle cables, a clutch cable, and an alternator belt when I travel. I wouldn't carry a starter, but I might have one packed up and ready to overnight. I might throw an aftermarket fuel pump in the hard case.

Had a FD fail.  Bought/installed a good used FD and had the original rebuilt.  It was packaged up in the garage so a friend could overnight if ever needed.  It wasn't. 

[RicoRider]

Great lists folks, thanks. Have the HES, fuel filter and 'U' hose, brake lines, alt belt and misc wire wrap done or almost done. Did the clutch and cable maybe 10k ago so feel good about that. The wiring harness at the steering head is a good one @dirtrider and the final drive et al will give me something new to worry about when the scenery/internal mind games stops entertaining. 

[Skywagon]

RicoRider....separate the things you should do at home versus what you might fix on the side of the road. Fue,l filters, fuel lines, brake lines, etc are all super important as others have listed....but unlikely you will fix those on the road....possible, but not likely.  Only fill your bags with tools and parts that you can repair while traveling, otherwise you will need to pull a trailer to carry all the spare parts.  HES and Hoses would be at the top of my list to get done at home as it requires pulling the tank....but most definitely can leave you stranded.

 

Never leave home without a Volt meter.  If you have to repair the wire harness or other things...near impossible without one.

 

All the best.  Sounds like you are well on your way to making your bike new again.

 

 

[Jim Moore]

9 hours ago, RicoRider said:

Great lists folks, thanks. Have the HES, fuel filter and 'U' hose, brake lines, alt belt and misc wire wrap done or almost done. Did the clutch and cable maybe 10k ago so feel good about that. The wiring harness at the steering head is a good one @dirtrider and the final drive et al will give me something new to worry about when the scenery/internal mind games stops entertaining. 

A FD failure is pretty rare on an 1100. It was more common on the 1150 series. I wouldn't spend a lot of time worrying about that.

[King Herald]

HES was my first breakdown, 10 miles from home. Went home in a van. That was with 62,000 miles on the clock.

 

Second one was the upgraded left side cam chain tensioner. I installed it, no problem, it did the job. 8000 miles later it suddenly and dramatically came loose, dumping half my engine oil in the road. Again 10 miles from home. I backtracked a few days later to see where the oil leak had started.There was nothing in the pub car park where I'd been, then 500 yards down the road a 3" wide oil trail started suddenly, and carried on a mile to where I'd seen my oil light flickering.

 

Once home, in a van,  I retightened the tensioner, put 2 litres of oil in and started it up.... no problem. I then made a special wrench up so I can tweak the fitting occasionally without removing the throttle body, to see if its come loose again. Its never moved since. 

 

I actually carry enough tools to strip the bike to the ground, including puncture repairs, but none of them were any use on those two breakdowns. 

[dirtrider]

16 hours ago, RicoRider said:

Great lists folks, thanks. Have the HES, fuel filter and 'U' hose, brake lines, alt belt and misc wire wrap done or almost done. Did the clutch and cable maybe 10k ago so feel good about that. The wiring harness at the steering head is a good one @dirtrider and the final drive et al will give me something new to worry about when the scenery/internal mind games stops entertaining. 

Afternoon RicoRider

 

I forgot an important one, the oil sigh glass. Those darn things can pop out at the most inopportune time (usually after a cold morning warmup then a spirited ride away). 

 

I'm not sure I would replace one that isn't leaking but I would probably suggest that you carry a spare sight glass with you. It is fairly difficult to install one along the side of the road but most motorcycle shops could install one (IF) one was available. (that is why you carry a spare)

 

The big problem here is the new BMW service sight glass is made of real glass & those are a REAL BIG PAIN to install without breaking the darn thing.  So if you can find a new-old-stock, or find a plastic-lens sight glass on E-Bay, then those are the ones to carry as a spare.

 

  

 

 

[Miguel!]

The only problem I've had is the throttle cable frayed and broke at the handgrip, after 118K miles. I ended up getting a tow. I posted about this when it happened. dirtrider told me I could have ridden it and used the "choke" lever as the throttle. This would have worked for me as I was only about 15 miles from the shop. In retrospect, I'm surprised I didn't think of this myself when I was on the side of the road and waiting for the tow truck for most of an hour with nothing to do. Thanks DR. 

 

Best

Miguel

[RicoRider]

@dirtrider, good call. I was getting some sight glass leakage so just replaced it. I COULD BE feeling a bit cocky about how much of your alls lists I've covered...but...I know better than to temp the road gods so will just be grateful and vigilant. 

 

And @Miguel!, totally understand a little tunnel vision while stuck on the side of the road, pissed off, waiting for a tow. Pretty cool solution though, no?

[Jim Moore]

Toss a 1.5" freeze plug in the saddlebag. That will take care of your sight glass problem. I also ran a piece of wire across the face of the sight glass and wrapped it around the oil pressure sensor and one of the small bolts at the front of the engine. It looked and felt pretty secure.

[BABABeemer]

My back up plan is a Rampage motorcycle lift in the back of my truck and my wife standing by to come rescue me.😆

[Skywagon]

23 hours ago, Jim Moore said:

Toss a 1.5" freeze plug in the saddlebag

Thanks Jim for a reminder to do so.  I don't know if my wethead is subject to that blowout, but I am going to add an expandable plug to the bag.

[dirtrider]

15 minutes ago, Skywagon said:

Thanks Jim for a reminder to do so.  I don't know if my wethead is subject to that blowout, but I am going to add an expandable plug to the bag.

Afternoon David

 

The BMW hexhead & up all have a snap ring holding the sight glass in place so no need to carry anything extra. 

 

On the older 1100/1150 it can't be a regular freeze plug, it needs to be the expandable type (like the ones that have a nut on them to expand the rubber plug)

 

[Skywagon]

Thanks DR. Didn’t know that  about hex and up. I did carry an expandable plug on my 1150. 

[1150RSSSS]

I was almost stranded by a starter. The originals I have learned had some flaws and were known to have problems. I'm assuming yours has been replaced by 100k, but I was surprised at how quickly mine failed. If you know it was replaced recently my guess is it's probably fine. If you are unsure, it's a not-too-expensive nor difficult-to-install peace of mind kind of thing. It's good you have done the fuel lines inside the tank. Mine failed, but not the part - the clamps were not tightened properly (by the dealership I later learned had done the work) came loose, so good you have gone in there to verify all is good. 

[Lowndes]

I've tried most of the above but my longtime favorite stranded is still running out of gas.  "Can't fix stupid".

[dirtrider]

13 minutes ago, Lowndes said:

I've tried most of the above but my longtime favorite stranded is still running out of gas.  "Can't fix stupid".

Evening  Lowndes

 

Sure you can, just ride an old  KLR. Those have a 3 position petcock (off/on/reserve) so there is one chance to ride to a fueling place when you hit reserve.

 

But the (carbureted) KLR also has a hidden spare fuel supply as the tank wings hang lower than the tunnel so once you run out of fuel (the conventional way (ie run reserve out also) you can lay the KLR over as far as you can on the L/H side then ride on some more (by this time hopefully you take the low fuel issue seriously as you can't ride too darn far on the hidden reserve).  

 

[Lowndes]

Thanks, Dirtrider!!

 

I have taken to carrying a length of tubing in place of a gas can.  It's lighter, smaller, and doesn't leak.  Haven't had to try it yet.  With my luck the only ones to stop will be Teslas.

 

 

[dirtrider]

27 minutes ago, Lowndes said:

Thanks, Dirtrider!!

 

I have taken to carrying a length of tubing in place of a gas can.  It's lighter, smaller, and doesn't leak.  Haven't had to try it yet.  With my luck the only ones to stop will be Teslas.

 

 

Evening  Lowndes

 

It probably doesn't matter with most of todays gasoline vehicles, due to the mandated roll-over fuel retention requirements of newer vehicles it is about impossible, if not totally impossible, to get any sort of hose down the fuel filler neck. Even if could manage to get one in there it might not be removable due to the roll-over check valve. 

 

Most new vehicles do have a Shrader type fuel fitting on the manifold fuel rail but it takes a special fitting to attach to it & hold the valve depressed. (plus you need to either leave the engine running or jump the fuel pump relay to get any fuel out of it.   

[Lowndes]

Waaay over my head with the fuel rail.   And I wouldn't want some stranger messing with mine.

 

I've seen that Shrader, never thought about anything but a pressure test there.  Sure don't want any leaks in there.

 

I'll just wait on an old bike.  Plenty in these parts.  Maybe he'll let me syphon a pint or two.   

[njl4]

I would send your drive shaft out to Machine service in Wisconsin near Greenbay. Fast turnaround time on your drive shaft and the new universal joints are greaseable with zero fittings , the shaft is balanced. 
I had one break on me at 127,000 miles and left me stranded 450 miles from home, no big deal loaded it in a u haul truck and took the ride of shame home. 
you can never tell what will be the next failure but if you are somewhat prepared everything will be fine.

 

 

[RicoRider]

More on the "cant cure stupid"...forgetting to zip up your wallet pocket.

 

Pulling up for a refill in BFE and finding out your wallet flew somewhere...is nuclear. If my final drive, or starter, or HES or, or, or, fails...I can AT LEAST be pissed at ________. But if my cards and ID are scattered over the road cause I failed to zip up...that's...on...gulp...me. 

[King Herald]

9 hours ago, RicoRider said:

More on the "cant cure stupid"...forgetting to zip up your wallet pocket.

 

Pulling up for a refill in BFE and finding out your wallet flew somewhere...is nuclear. If my final drive, or starter, or HES or, or, or, fails...I can AT LEAST be pissed at ________. But if my cards and ID are scattered over the road cause I failed to zip up...that's...on...gulp...me. 

Brother in law did that, in France a couple of years ago. Filled up at a gas station, rode 100 miles to the hotel he had booked.... found his wallet was missing. He rode back to the gas station but it was closed for the night and he didn't have the gas to go any further. He slept laying on his bike that night, behind the gas station.

 

In the morning he used his last bits of paper money to fill the tank, and headed back to the hotel he had booked to battle with the power that be about getting new cards or cash, to get home.

 

Running down the slip lane into the highway he saw something familiar laying in the middle of the road: his wallet! Everything was in it too, nothing amiss.  
 

He thinks he'd put it on the pillion seat after he had filled up and paid, then ridden off without pocketing it. 

[Hosstage]

No more panic inducing feeling than going for your wallet and it's not there. Absolutely heart pounding.

[Oldrider51]

Stripped driveshaft splines on a 87 K7S 1200 miles from home and a broken generator drive on a Suzuki RF900R 2500 miles from home. One fixed in 3 days and ridden home and the other put in the back on a rental van.

[RogerC60]

1 hour ago, Hosstage said:

No more panic inducing feeling than going for your wallet and it's not there. Absolutely heart pounding.

Maybe the "biker's wallet" on a chain isn't such a bad idea?

[Lowndes]

What's almost as bad as the wallet gone missing is your cell phone.

 

Several years back I laid mine on a sidecase on the BRP one afternoon.  Realized it when we stopped next.  Went back, searched the overlook parking lot, then searched the road from the parking lot, then just gave up.and went back to the campground.  The next day we are riding home and my brother starts waying and carrying on so we pull over.

 

A guy on the BRP was riding his bike when this group of bikes went past going a little faster than supposed to and he saw something fall from a bike, hit the pavement and "explode".  The big chunk went right between his wheels and he thought it might be a phone.  He stopped and found all the pieces, front case, rear case, phone back, screen, and the battery, and gives it all to his wife following him in the pickup.  She said a while later she was bored to tears at 15 mph so she started reassembling the phone.  Other than the scuffs on the case it was good.  She hit the ON button and it booted.  Now what she says.  Scrolls thru the contacts, finds "home" and my wife just happened to see the message light blinking and listens to this lady's story.  She called my brother's cell phone, said to call the lady on MY phone.  We met for lunch at Little Switzerland.  I got my phone back, they got a free lunch and dinner.  Very nice folks.

 

There really are a lot of really nice people out there.  

Edited February 19, 2023 by Lowndes

[RicoRider]

@Lowndes and @King Herald...great tales of luck and redemption! 

In my case it was only the $20 stashed in my jacket (advice from this DB) that got my sorry ass home.

(Can I say ass?)

[Lowndes]

9 minutes ago, RicoRider said:

 

(Can I say ass?)

Sure!!  We have several but they don't last long.

[szurszewski]

On 2/17/2023 at 6:19 PM, RicoRider said:

More on the "cant cure stupid"...forgetting to zip up your wallet pocket.

 

Pulling up for a refill in BFE and finding out your wallet flew somewhere...is nuclear. If my final drive, or starter, or HES or, or, or, fails...I can AT LEAST be pissed at ________. But if my cards and ID are scattered over the road cause I failed to zip up...that's...on...gulp...me. 

 

11 hours ago, RicoRider said:

@Lowndes and @King Herald...great tales of luck and redemption! 

In my case it was only the $20 stashed in my jacket (advice from this DB) that got my sorry ass home.

(Can I say ass?)

 

 

I haven't managed to leave my wallet or phone behind (lost a pair of glasses setting them on the seat and then riding off - try not to set stuff other than maybe helmet on the seat anymore), but I did leave the chest pocket I use for credit card/receipts from gas fillups open one time and either dropped card putting it in or it fell out along the way. 

 

But to solve either problem, I keep a cc I don't regularly use in with the registration/insurance card on each of my bikes (if you have too many bikes to do this, I do NOT feel sorry for you ;) ). That's come in handy a time or two. I suppose someday when someone successfully steals one of my bikes they'll be able to get a couple of tanks of gas and maybe lunch on me as well!

[King Herald]

5 hours ago, szurszewski said:

 

 

 

I haven't managed to leave my wallet or phone behind (lost a pair of glasses setting them on the seat and then riding off - try not to set stuff other than maybe helmet on the seat anymore), but I did leave the chest pocket I use for credit card/receipts from gas fillups open one time and either dropped card putting it in or it fell out along the way. 

 

But to solve either problem, I keep a cc I don't regularly use in with the registration/insurance card on each of my bikes (if you have too many bikes to do this, I do NOT feel sorry for you ;) ). That's come in handy a time or two. I suppose someday when someone successfully steals one of my bikes they'll be able to get a couple of tanks of gas and maybe lunch on me as well!

When I go touring, which hasn't happened for a couple of years, I keep one credit card stashed in the bike, along with copies of my paperwork, insurances etc. Touring was usually in another country, or several, so passport scan also stashed.  

 

I also take photos of all my cards, passport, insurances etc before I leave, and email them to myself.  If every I lose everything somewhere on the road, in some robbery or disaster, as long as I can access the internet I can get all my details back. It's hard to cancel or replace a credit card if you don't have the emergency telephone number and the details of the card.

[szurszewski]

8 hours ago, King Herald said:

It's hard to cancel or replace a credit card if you don't have the emergency telephone number and the details of the card.

Look into the apps for your respective banks/cards. On most I’ve looked at you can cancel the card right in the app and request a replacement. Some/ a lot of them also now have the ability to “pause” the card - in case you think you lost it but maybe need to check at home or dig under the car seats before you write it off as gone. 

[King Herald]

15 hours ago, szurszewski said:

Look into the apps for your respective banks/cards. On most I’ve looked at you can cancel the card right in the app and request a replacement. Some/ a lot of them also now have the ability to “pause” the card - in case you think you lost it but maybe need to check at home or dig under the car seats before you write it off as gone. 

Yes, my HSBC bank app does that, but if you lose everything on the road, phone included,  it doesn't work so well.

 

You'd literally have to be robbed at gunpoint to get in that situation though so a bit extreme. 

 

I once knew a bike guy back in the 80's who got held up in Romania, they took everything but the clothes he was stood in, bike included. 

 

 

[Lowndes]

Another STRANDED option I employ somewhat more frequently is the "lost key" rendition.  This works very well for cages, too.  Long ago I learned a trick from an old indian who showed me how to zip-tie a spare key in an out-of-sight location.   THAT has saved THIS sorry ass way too many times.  Happened again last week in Orlando in the cage.  Left the fob laying on the seat.  It's not supposed to lock with the fob inside but it musta forgot.   I ran out of tiny zip-ties so I used a big zip-tie and a mini carabeiner for the next time.  Same old indian trick on the bikes.  Cheap to do, not so cheap to not do.

 

 

 

Good idea on the extra CC stored with the bike tag and insurance papers.  I use the same tank bag on all bikes so that works a charm.  Got to use that one, too.  THANKS.

[dirtrider]

23 minutes ago, Lowndes said:

Another STRANDED option I employ somewhat more frequently is the "lost key" rendition.  This works very well for cages, too.  Long ago I learned a trick from an old indian who showed me how to zip-tie a spare key in an out-of-sight location.   THAT has saved THIS sorry ass way too many times.  Happened again last week in Orlando in the cage.  Left the fob laying on the seat.  It's not supposed to lock with the fob inside but it musta forgot.   I ran out of tiny zip-ties so I used a big zip-tie and a mini carabeiner for the next time.  Same old indian trick on the bikes.  Cheap to do, not so cheap to not do.

 

Good idea on the extra CC stored with the bike tag and insurance papers.  I use the same tank bag on all bikes so that works a charm.  Got to use that one, too.  THANKS.

Afternoon Lowndes

 

My wife locks her key fob, along with her purse, in her SUV  all the time. It's not an accident as she does it on purpose.  She has an APP on her phone to remotely unlock the vehicle, remotely start it, or even remotely locate it by GPS.  

 

If she really gets in a bind she could always call me from someone else's  phone so I can then remotely unlock it for her from my phone.  

[Skywagon]

I have a key stashed on the bike. Instead of a credit card stashed, I keep a Benjamin stashed where it would be near impossible for someone to find. If someone stole the credit card, that could be a big headache. If they find and steal the money, then pretty minor problem. I also keep a  20, 10, 5, and 5 ones in my jacket in a sandwich bag sealed. 

[dirtrider]

23 minutes ago, Skywagon said:

I have a key stashed on the bike. Instead of a credit card stashed, I keep a Benjamin stashed where it would be near impossible for someone to find. If someone stole the credit card, that could be a big headache. If they find and steal the money, then pretty minor problem. I also keep a  20, 10, 5, and 5 ones in my jacket in a sandwich bag sealed. 

Evening David

 

I must be using my credit card way too much. I know the number, exp date, & SEC number from memory.

 

I used to carry a stashed Benjamin (long ago) but the one time I tried to use it (way out in boonies in northern Mi. late at night) the only place open wouldn't take it thinking it was counterfeit. Since then I carry a few smaller bills.

 

In their defense, I had just pulled in after 8 hours of riding very rustic 2 track dirt & mud with part of that time getting my bike unstuck from a mud/swamp bog & without any ID (I wasn't planning on not returning to my campsite that night but I was flat worn out) 

 

[Skywagon]

Hey DR...I do know my credit card by memory too.  The challenge is how do you use it at a gas station if no physical card.  There are lot's of places that wont take $100 I know, but it gives me an alternative.

[Miguel!]

Regarding hiding a key on my R1100RT, it turns out the key blank is the same blank used by BMW cars of the middle 90s. A local locksmith made 5 keys for me at $4 each. I put one in each jacket and my riding pants. I put another between the passenger foot peg rubber and the aluminum foot peg with the head cut flat. Its VERY hard to see but I know it's there. I also put a small tag with my phone number and name on the key I normally use when riding. I hope someone would call me if I lose it. THere's no branding on the key that indicates what the key fits.  Miguel 

[9Mary7]

13 hours ago, Miguel! said:

my R1100RT

Yet another advantage of the 1100 series!

 

13 hours ago, Miguel! said:

the key blank is the same blank used by BMW cars of the middle 90s