Ever been towed?

No Worries · 04-14-2008, 12:34 AM

When I blew the engine on my CBR, I had to call for a tow. Came with a large van with a back tailgate. The bike was lashed down inside and brought to my house. Cost $85.

Today I had to have the GS1000 towed. Ran perfect up Lookout Mountain. On the way down, the engine died. Coasted to a turnoff. No power at all. I pulled out the battery. The fluid was a bit low. A bicyclist going uphill asked if I needed help. I asked if he could spare some water from his three bottles. I filled the battery to the full mark. Put it in and nothing.

I checked the main fuse. Replaced with a new one. Nothing. Turned the ignition switch a hundred times. Nothing. Flipped the emergency switch a hundred times. Nothing. Moved the clutch lever and the ignition switch a hundred times. Nothing.

A couple came back from a hike to their car next to me and asked if I needed a jump. Put the cables on the battery. Nothing. Hooked his cables to my cables. Nothing. I asked if they had a cell phone. Called the number of the guy who towed the CBR. That number was disconnected. Called 411 and got a tow company in Golden.

He came up within an hour and had a flatbed that tilted. Meanwhile, one of my friends on a Aprilia Caponord stopped, but I told him I had a tow. Dozens of sportbikes zoomed by. The huge tow truck came and he lowered the bed. He winched on the bike while I sat on it and kept it from falling. He strapped it down and towed it to my garage where it sits. I'll look at it tomorrow. Sixteen miles and $135, thank you. I was more embarrassed than anything.

OneSickPsycho · 04-14-2008, 12:37 AM

You, my friend... are in need of a new Concours 14...

Mr Lefty · 04-14-2008, 12:44 AM

Yup... when I got my flat and then broke my rear set, break lever, and fairings after patching it... I was about 150 miles outside of anchorage... and it took 50 calls to AAA to get one to go through long enough to let them know where I was. lucky I had signal at all... a mile down the road I lost signal riding in the tow truck for the next 90 miles...

byron12 · 04-14-2008, 12:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ebbs15

Yup... when I got my flat and then broke my rear set, break lever, and fairings after patching it... I was about 150 miles outside of anchorage... and it took 50 calls to AAA to get one to go through long enough to let them know where I was. lucky I had signal at all... a mile down the road I lost signal riding in the tow truck for the next 90 miles...

Damn and I was gonna say he needed triple a but hell I'm going with the new concours 14 I wouldn't mind on myself..........

Mr Lefty · 04-14-2008, 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by byron12

Damn and I was gonna say he needed triple a but hell I'm going with the new concours 14 I wouldn't mind on myself..........

AAA is awesome! it was just that in Alaska... you don't have signal much outside of anchorage... I have nothing but good things to day about AAA

byron12 · 04-14-2008, 02:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ebbs15

AAA is awesome! it was just that in Alaska... you don't have signal much outside of anchorage... I have nothing but good things to day about AAA

I agree just had the locksmith out here making a key for this free bike I got this afternoon pays for itself in one tow or locksmith visit....

No Worries · 04-14-2008, 12:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneSickPsycho

You, my friend... are in need of a new Concours 14...

I'd rather get a Busa and make it into a sport/tourer. Or maybe a Blackbird. But I also like the older CBR 900's and Aprilia Mille's. We'll see.

OneSickPsycho · 04-14-2008, 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by No Worries

I'd rather get a Busa and make it into a sport/tourer. Or maybe a Blackbird. But I also like the older CBR 900's and Aprilia Mille's. We'll see.

Awesome. Any way you look at it, the motorcycle gods are telling you it's time for a change...

NONE_too_SOFT · 04-14-2008, 06:29 AM

fucking riders were just passing you? thats irks me.

No Worries · 04-14-2008, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NONE_too_SOFT

fucking riders were just passing you? thats irks me.

I was just sitting there on a rock waiting for the tow truck. If I had waved down any of the bikers, I'm sure most would have pulled over to help.

So what did I do with the bike? I used my digital voltmeter to figure out what's wrong. With the battery out, I checked the resistance of the power wire from the battery and ground. No resistance, that means a short. I used a clothespin to hold one wire to the power wire while I probed grounds. The Kawasaki R/R that I installed had a ground wire together with a ground for the lights. No resistance until I separated both grounds.

The ground from the R/R was open, but the ground from the lights wasn't. I went to the schematic.

The orange wire had continuity, so I pulled the ignition switch. That's when I found a burned mark on the back of it. I took off the back and saw what burned it.

The red wire at BAT is completely melted away, and the orange wire is burned too. So I need a new or used ignition switch. They come apart so I can use my key and cylinder with a new electrical switch underneath.

Surprisingly, Suzuki still makes them at $145@, but it will take a week to get one. All the used motorcycle parts stores are closed on Monday, so I'll call them tomorrow. Of course it was 75 degrees today. You know I wouldn't give up too easy on this.

04-14-2008, 12:34 AM	#1
No Worries Keyboard Racer Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mile High City Moto: Old Superbikes Posts: 1,016	Ever been towed? When I blew the engine on my CBR, I had to call for a tow. Came with a large van with a back tailgate. The bike was lashed down inside and brought to my house. Cost $85. Today I had to have the GS1000 towed. Ran perfect up Lookout Mountain. On the way down, the engine died. Coasted to a turnoff. No power at all. I pulled out the battery. The fluid was a bit low. A bicyclist going uphill asked if I needed help. I asked if he could spare some water from his three bottles. I filled the battery to the full mark. Put it in and nothing. I checked the main fuse. Replaced with a new one. Nothing. Turned the ignition switch a hundred times. Nothing. Flipped the emergency switch a hundred times. Nothing. Moved the clutch lever and the ignition switch a hundred times. Nothing. A couple came back from a hike to their car next to me and asked if I needed a jump. Put the cables on the battery. Nothing. Hooked his cables to my cables. Nothing. I asked if they had a cell phone. Called the number of the guy who towed the CBR. That number was disconnected. Called 411 and got a tow company in Golden. He came up within an hour and had a flatbed that tilted. Meanwhile, one of my friends on a Aprilia Caponord stopped, but I told him I had a tow. Dozens of sportbikes zoomed by. The huge tow truck came and he lowered the bed. He winched on the bike while I sat on it and kept it from falling. He strapped it down and towed it to my garage where it sits. I'll look at it tomorrow. Sixteen miles and $135, thank you. I was more embarrassed than anything.

04-14-2008, 12:37 AM	#2
OneSickPsycho Ride Like an Asshole Join Date: Feb 2008 Moto: nothing... Posts: 11,254	You, my friend... are in need of a new Concours 14...

04-14-2008, 12:44 AM	#3
Mr Lefty TWFix Legend Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Denver CO Moto: 01 BMW F650GS Dakar Posts: 15,677	Yup... when I got my flat and then broke my rear set, break lever, and fairings after patching it... I was about 150 miles outside of anchorage... and it took 50 calls to AAA to get one to go through long enough to let them know where I was. lucky I had signal at all... a mile down the road I lost signal riding in the tow truck for the next 90 miles...

04-14-2008, 06:29 AM	#9
NONE_too_SOFT Chopstix / \ Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Akron OH Moto: 03 CBR RR Posts: 5,350	fucking riders were just passing you? thats irks me.