Day Five – Mechanical Armageddon

Up at an optimistic hour. Great sunrise seen through the door of the tent.

Even found a friend while packing up camp.

Start up the bike, paying extra close attention since it behaved weird last night. Starts up fine, head out.

1/10th of a mile later, the bike dies again. Hm. This seems odd. Better check it out. Battery. Check. Ignition switch. Check. Gas. Check. Coolant. Check. Oil.

Oil.

Oil.

WTF happened to my oil!?!?

Limped the bike back to town (2 miles or so). And added 1 qt of oil. Added another 1 qt of oil. Added another 1/2 qt of oil. I just added 2.5 qts of oil to a bike that holds 2.5 qts of oil. Not good.

After starting it up, I notice that there may be a slightly different sound to the bike, but maybe it’s just me being paranoid. It runs well, like normal.

2/10th’s of a mile later, I get cold feet, and go back to the gas station for some more backup oil, and arrange for a rental truck in the next town, 20 miles down the road. I don’t want to risk it, not when I’m this close (350 miles) to Dallas. I plan to do a full services when I get back home.

1/2 of a mile later, I decide arranging the rental truck was a good decision (like Sam Adams, always a good decision). Even though I’m only going 45 on the highway, there is smoke pouring out the front of the bike. Not a good sign.

After getting the Uhaul paperwork filled out, I learn how not to get a bike into a truck. Do not ride it up. You will fall and look like a dumbass. Luckily, not much more damage, just some lights and a scraped elbow.

Interesting, my truck as the Ice Road graphics on it, and I'm going to where this season of Ice Road Truckers was filmed.

I almost forgot how effortless it is to travel in a cage. I am able to go the entire distance with very few stops, A/C, radio, and I was even able to snap some photos while it rained outside. Here is the Mississippi River, crossing the Louisiana border.

After getting the bike unloaded at my parent’s house, we discover the awful truth.

If you know what you’re looking for, then it’s pretty obvious. For everyone else, you are looking at slivers of metal which collected in the oil filter. This metal has circulated through all the moving parts of the engine block, and will continually scratch up all surfaces, and eventually cause pretty much every part to fail. Until the engine is 100% rebuilt, this bike is going nowhere fast.

Elapsed mileage –2,703

Everyone who is reading this, listen up! Lock your computer console, go to your car, open the hood, and check your oil. Now.

 

I mean it.

 

We’ll wait.

 

 

 

 

Ok, good.

Second real concern:

So, while we take an extended intermission, I will figure out which option I’ll take in the future.

• Swap this engine for an engine from a wrecked bike.
• Rebuild this engine.
• Get another bike.
• Take the Firebolt.
• Go bowling.

Stay tuned for more updates!