Breakdown Poll

[Bengt_Phorqs]

What has caused your breakdown on the road?  More than one option is acceptable.  I think it will be interesting to see what issues cause the most roadside breakdowns.

[Bob_Roller]

The two times my bike let me down, the first was the starter relay, second was an ignition switch had contacts broken off inside .

[Bengt_Phorqs]

Had a starter go bad on me one time and the other was a broken valve stem on a new tire.  Always change your valve stems!

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

My original metal-covered spark plug caps shorted out in the rain, causing me to stop.

The other was of unknown origin, but resulting in a broken connecting rod.  Valves were all good.

[NC Steve]

What breakdowns on the road?  :-?

[scottyintex]

A  lose wire..that connected when sitting still. But made the cycle stumble...lose power when going down the road. Only to regain power when I slowed down. Took a whole damn day to find it...a hot day..and the help of a friend.

[Barry]

What breakdowns on the road?  

+ 1

For local commuting I don't even carry the tool kit (need the space for my lunch) then I forget to put it back in for longer runs which is stupid.

What I always carry is a few small things I need to convert back to points ignition on the road. I've always thought that with using tubes a puncture would be the next most likely cause of a breakdown but it's never happened.

[montmil]

Thirty miles+ out in the country when the bean can harness, which I had pinched between the engine cover's interior web, finally shorted out.

I now carry a spare can but have not needed it; mainly because I pay closer attention when replacing the engine cover.

I do carry a nice tool/parts package on the bike which includes my cell phone and credit card.

[drewboid]

Had an ICU on the R65 go bad on the road and the tops of the carb on the R75  (where there is an inset disk) were leaking air. Intermittent problems with the electrical connections to the starter button on the R75 - ran a second set of wires to a new button on the dash to bypass it.

[Yikes]

Tank venting problems caused me a few unscheduled stops in the early months of owning the bike and a sticky starter relay slowed a number of starts.  The only breakdown that truly stranded me was the failing hall's effects sensor in the beancan.  Since then, I had a second sensor fail but that happened in the backyard so doesn't count as an on-the-road breakdown.  
The only other time I've had to use the cellphone accessory in the toolkit was when I ran out of gas, due to the reserve stand tube on the petcock being disconnected.  Luckily, I have a teenage daughter who loves to drive and is always happy to have an excuse to take the car out, so my having to be collected from the roadside is not as bad as it might be.  

[Lucky_Lou]

My only Terminal failure on the road was a fuel blockage due to gunge in the tank blocking the petcock pipes when i first got the bike, ive had other odd problems but nothing ive not been able to sort out there and then.
Lou

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Oops!  I forgot about one.

I have the flat-top carbs, and the white plastic ring that holds the diaphragm to the slide had gotten too large (ID) and would not hold the diaphragm in place.

I had to find an adhesive that would put up with the gasoline.



I was 300 miles from home, on my way to a Gathering of the Clans.  (didn't make it)

[Lucky_Lou]

Oops!  I forgot about one.

I have the flat-top carbs, and the white plastic ring that holds the diaphragm to the slide had gotten too large (ID) and would not hold the diaphragm in place.

I had to find an adhesive that would put up with the gasoline.



I was 300 miles from home, on my way to a Gathering of the Clans.  (didn't make it)

Were you using a fuel adative when this happend ??.
Lou

[montmil]

Whoa! Sometimes I add a tag to my posts: It's BMW and it's electrical. What possibly could go wrong?

According to the poll, looks like about 50% of the time.

Monte

[donbmw]

I have had only to break downs. First time was a throw out bearing failure. and just a couple weeks ago a ignition wire at the coil pinched and short out. Have not had flat tires on any of my BMW's but on  other bikes but was able to fix them on the road.

Don