RantMachine

Got my tools and multimeter packed for after work, will start by checking those. Would guess that its fried the battery rather than just running out of juice as I've always kept it on the maintenance charger when off the road.

Side note: "Fire" is not a diagnostic. Cheers though Glorian

Problem 3: I was dumb enough to buy this crapbucket in the first place. I stand by the F650 and G650 being great bikes, just... damn, not this particular one.

So, the BMW is buggered. Again. Yes, again again. Or again again again. I've lost count, ok? To set the scene: 25 miles of riding on mixed roads prior to the breakdown, everything from 20mph city streets to the A14. Riding back from the meet at Connington, stopped at my old house to plan a weekend ride up to PeatBogHorror with one of my old housemates. Got on my bike to depart, and the fun began. Problem 1: First off, noted that when paddling the bike backwards with the steering at full lock, there is a sensation a bit like I'm rolling it over a never-ending manhole cover. Very small but frequent juddering, most noticeable through the bars but can be felt through the seat too. Not apparent when the front wheel is pointing forwards. Also worth noting that I managed to leave my disc lock on when setting off from Connington... didn't exactly pull away aggressively and no noticeable damage besides a scuff in the paint on my fork leg, but perhaps buggered the disc? Although if a warped disc was the issue I would've thought that it would be a slower pulsing sensation as the bent bit passed between the calipers, rather than constant juddering. Also would've thought that I'd feel a warped disc regardless of the angle of the wheel, rather than just at full lock! Problem 2: Eventually figured "well, even if the disc is warped, I still need to get it home to my tools - time to ride it home carefully". Put key in, turned key, usual procedure. Neutral, Oil Pressure, and Coolant Temp lights come on. Once ECU has run diagnostic, coolant temp light switches off indicating the ignition can now be used. At this point the bike would normally start and the oil pressure light would switch off as the oil pump kicks in. Instead... "TICK". Very quiet and soft "tick" sound, just the once, and immediately all the lights go dead, including the headlamp. Initial reaction is "oh bollocks, a fuse has gone". But sometimes this bike is just plain temperamental, so I turn the key to the "off" position then back to "on" to check if it really is a fuse. Lights come on, ECU runs diagnostic, completes diagnostic. Press ignition... "TICK". All lights go off again. Attempt to switch off and on again, this time bike does nothing. Yep, that'll be buggered then. I guess something has shorted itself. Seems odd that I had absolutely no trouble riding up to his house, parked the bike, left it for 5 minutes or so, wheeled it back out onto the road, and then it inexplicably died. Surely I should've had it cut out while I was riding it? Unless maybe it's the wiring to the ignition that is buggered, or something...? It was pitch black and the garage has no lights, so I'll be back tomorrow to try and look at it properly. In the meanwhile... any thoughts? I guess Problem 2 is just a case of checking the fuses and then checking absolutely everything until I find the buggered wire, then fixing it and replacing the fuse. But if anyone can think of good places to start looking based on the fact that it was riding fine beforehand, I'm all ears. Only other thing that crossed my mind is that the reg/rec could've gone nuts and fried the battery leaving it just enough power to start up the ECU but not nearly enough for the solenoid. Also, what on earth could be causing Problem 1??? It's the bit where it only does it at full lock that baffles me Almost makes me wonder if the two are related, if a wire is catching somewhere in something and knackering itself while also catching on something to create the juddering feeling. Oh, and we thought we could hear some kind of high pitch clunking coming from the bike (a bit like the sound of my spring loaded footpegs clicking into place), just when I first take it off the stand and roll it forward or back. The noise then stops until it's been back on the stand. He thinks it's coming from the bottom end, I think it's coming from further back like the suspension linkage or something. Or it could just be the poor tired on sidestand creaking as its relieved of the bike's weight. Will try to work that out tomorrow too. All in all... f**k IT f**k IT f**k IT f**k IT. Going there with a bunch of tools and a multimeter tomorrow to try and work it out, but any leads or suggestions in the meanwhile are appreciated.

Cue Bob and his angle grinder... Edit: Actually, there's a though - if you're replacing the pipe rather than just taking it off and putting it back on, could always cut the pipe away in order to get access to the bolt? Edit edit: When typing that I accidentally wrote "if you're replacing the bike" at first

Huh, and here I was using a plastic thingie to transport eggs in safety on my bike... http://g02.a.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1W67aIXXXXXcqXpXXq6xXFXXXf/Free-Shipping-10pcs-NEW-Kitchen-Folding-Plastic-2-font-b-Eggs-b-font-font-b-Protector.jpg

I think he just logs in once every day and does a forum search for his name to see if he's been mentioned lately

You out this week Neil? Haven't seen you in bloomin ages

You've said his name, that's usually enough to summon him.

Awesome site, really good range of stupidly big boots! Will have to use them next time I need a new pair.

And if you do choose to argue it soon comes down to Hitler, Natzis and/or yo momma. Or Chinese bikes Or any of the below... http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k96/spastic_potato/TMBFBanner_zps8900fd34.jpg

I'm all set to go tonight. Got my burger money and everything

My opinions bow down before your extensive life experience and limitless wisdom

Won't catch me driving some filthy cage... And not just because I don't have the right license for it

Never rely on or owe anything to anyone.

Or did you mean the brake hose has snapped somehow? Admittedly I'd be shocked if that was the case

Never buy a Chinese bike or put a cat in a tumble dryer /thread

Take time to enjoy the little things in life, because you never know how long the big things will last.

That escalated rapidly.

Butterscotch coated. Be careful though, there are little bits of glass in it after all these bricks that people have been throwing.

Just saw this on Facebook...

I think Blind Date would've been much better if Jim Bowen hosted it. "Come and look at what you could've won" - need I say more?

It's kids that always get to me, not so much famous people. Cilla lived a dream, got her name in lights, had a family, and lived to a decent age. Kids dying is just awful, they never even got to live properly. When that primary school shooting happened in the states a few years ago, I first heard about it while reading the paper over a morning coffee before work one day, and it brought tears to my eyes. Admittedly I was part way through a major breakdown at the time and pretty much everything could bring tears to my eyes, but that got me a lot better than most.

http://z5.ifrm.com/30485/194/0/e5283965/e5283965.gif

HOW HAVE I NEVER NOTICED THIS ONE BEFORE