Motorcycle Mechanical Misadventures

Ride a motorcycle for any length of time and the unfortunate specter of mechanical failure will intersect with your journey. You can reduce the risk of such setbacks with good maintenance, even with well developed riding skill, but nothing will remove the threat of breakdown or mishap altogether. Below are five common motorcycle misfortunes and how to best overcome them.

 

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The broken lever

It could be a simple tip over, or a more dramatic get-off that snaps your brake or clutch lever off. If it happens to be your brake lever, limping along with just a rear brake is inconvenient, but manageable. Losing a clutch lever on the other hand, is a major bummer and can stop you dead in your tracks.

The solution: Carry spare levers. They can be had for as little as $10.00, but when you need them most, they’re priceless. I keep extra levers in my tool kit at all times. Don’t forget to pack the tools necessary to install them. Some people will try to improve the odds of their lever surviving an impact by partially sawing through the far end of the lever. The idea is that the lever will break at the score mark leaving the bulk of the lever intact. It doesn’t always work, but it’s not a bad idea.

 

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The dead battery

I’ve done it twice, killing my battery that is. Once was years ago when I pulled into camp, went for a short hike to scope my surroundings and realized I had left my ignition on. Bump starting my XR650 was not a big deal. Doing the same with a 600 pound adventure bike is nigh impossible.

The solution: Jumper cables are great if you happen to have a second motorcycle or car to pull from. If not, the newer jump packs available on the market are worth having, particularly for the soloist. They can also be used to charge phones, GPS units and all of the other widgets that follow us into the woods.

 

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On a hot and dusty road on the flanks of the Andes in Ecuador. The one tool we had to remove the wheel from the Husky broke, leaving us scrambling for a second tool, which we found at the bottom of a bag. Bring backups.

 

The flat tire

It’s not a matter of if, but when. Flat tires happen and seldom at an opportune time. Continual inspection of your tires can often help stave off some flats, but most flats are caused by good old––bad luck.

The solution: Always travel with the tools needed to fix a flat and know how to make the repair. This includes the necessary tools to remove the wheel and tire. Inspect those tools often to confirm you have them, and most importantly, that they’re in good working order. Don’t hesitate to bring backups of critical tools. All of this is more important than ever for the solo rider.

 

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In 2014 as our team explored Baja, we had a route that brought us to the very limits of our reserves. Fortunately, and unexpectedly, we ran into our our own Overland Journal Editor in Chief, Chris Collard. And, he had extra gas on board. How lucky we were.

 

Running out of gas

It happens far more than it should. A function of poor planning more than outright mechanical failure, running out of gas can be a significant setback.

The Solution: When venturing into rugged terrain, don’t forget to account for the additional demands placed on fuel reserves. Also do your best to account for unexpected reroutes, wrong turns, and simple miscalculations. My BMW Dakar gets great fuel efficiency when traveling solo but anytime I travel with a swarm of big liter bikes, I find I wring my bike’s little neck causing the mpg to drop substantially. If you can’t realistically plan your way into safe fuel ranges, bring extra fuel with you. Even a quart of gas in a small fuel bottle might be all that is needed to get you to the next pump.

 

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As an example, some rims are known to be prone to damage. Something to consider when plowing head-long into a VW sized rock.

 

Prepare for known problems

For some bikes it might be the water pump, the clutch slave, or the propensity to burn oil. No bike is perfect and known problems are often easily researched.

The solution: What ever mechanical peccadillo is prone to impact your particular motorcycle, prepare for it. Having that fuel pump at the bottom of your bag might be invaluable when the need arises to install it. Keeping spares on the bike is a good way to go, but focusing on your bike’s inherent weaknesses will often keep trouble at arm’s length.

 

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This mechanical turned out to be a cultural highlight for our team. With one of the many spare tubes we had, we were able to assist this local rider in the middle of Baja’s central mountains. Don’t forget, it’s not always about you. Sometimes your tools, spares and know-how might help a local, and that alone is worth the time, money, and effort required to help out.

The most important solution to all problems: tools

 

The smartest monkeys know to pack the necessary tools required to overcome even the most basic mishaps. Standing in front of a mechanical problem with nothing but your handsome good looks is all that’s needed to initiate a long walk for assistance. Take time to carefully assemble a comprehensive tool kit. Don’t forget to add backups to key pieces. Take more than you need, and prepare beyond what you expect to encounter in the field. Few people have ever complained of being too prepared.

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Noah Horak somewhere in Siberia experiencing one of many mechanicals in his trip around the world. Image credit: Noah Horak.

 

Christophe Noel is a journalist from Prescott, Arizona. Born into a family of backcountry enthusiasts, Christophe grew up backpacking the mountains and deserts of the American West. An avid cyclist and bikepacker, he also has a passion for motorcycles, travel, food and overlanding.