Author Topic: Adventure Touring on a Concours?  (Read 24096 times)

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Offline NinjaBob

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Re: Adventure Touring on a Concours?
« Reply #15 on: September 09, 2022, 07:32:32 pm »
Yes, I was pronouncing it poo dray until someone corrected me.
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Offline NinjaBob

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Re: Adventure Touring on a Concours?
« Reply #16 on: September 10, 2022, 05:21:43 pm »
On the final day of our ride together Tony and I planned to split up, he would ride back south to Woodward, Texas and I would ride east to Wichita, KS for a weekend visit with my son and his family, but not before a tourist stop at Monument Rocks south of Goodland. Tony assured me this natural rock formation was worth the detour. WE arrived about 9:15 and  took several pictures.






After the picture session we split up. I had a route that I thought was my quickest route back to US83 then all the way to Wichita on KS 96. I think Tony's route took went south on a dirt count road to KS4. Not far from Monument Rocks the dirt ranch road got slippery. It was visually deceptive as it looked dry. As I crossed a bridge over  dry creek the Concours got squirrely and the rear end fishedtail 3 or 4 times. I was sure I was going down but somehow saved it. THis happedned again after a few hundred yards. Unfortuntely the third strike put me down! The big Concourslanded on my ankle. I still don't know whether I hurt the ankle from the contact of from twisting it to extract myself, maybe both.

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Offline HawkGTRider

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Re: Adventure Touring on a Concours?
« Reply #17 on: September 11, 2022, 12:03:15 am »
Sorry to hear about the ankle...may you have a speedy recovery. Those unpaved roads can be sneaky for sure.
Geoffrey Greene
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Difficult roads can lead to beautiful destinations.

Offline NinjaBob

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Re: Adventure Touring on a Concours?
« Reply #18 on: September 11, 2022, 08:26:19 am »
Sorry to hear about the ankle...may you have a speedy recovery. Those unpaved roads can be sneaky for sure.

Thanks!
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Offline NinjaBob

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Re: Adventure Touring on a Concours?
« Reply #19 on: September 11, 2022, 12:15:24 pm »
My phone was ringing as I picked myself up off the ground. But it was not in its mount and voice mail picked up before I could locate it. I would get a voicemail from Tont warning me about the mud!
I texted him to let him know what happened. I managed to pick the bike up and get it started. I bungied the broken left mirror to the rear seat and got underway. Luckily no more slippery stuff and I reached US 83 and headed south for Scott City and KS 96. But I could see rain ahead and Tony texted and suggested I meet him in Dighton via KS 4 to avoid the rain. The Concours was running fine at first and I swear the temperature gauge showed normal but then things went south. The first problem was a soft clutch lever. I started shifting without the clutch. Next the engine began to surge a bit. In retrospect I suspect it was overheating but my attention was absorbed by the clutch issue and maybe I failed to see the temp gauge. At any rate no warning light came on.
ONce I got to the crossroads in Dighton and the Qwik Stop store where I would me Tony I was forced to stop. I had no clutch and of course the engine died! I put it in neutral and pushed acroos the busy intersection, sore ankle and all.

As well as breaking my upper fairing and mirroe bracket the crash cracked my clutch reservoir and put a pin hole in my radiator hose.

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Offline HawkGTRider

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Re: Adventure Touring on a Concours?
« Reply #20 on: September 11, 2022, 01:32:17 pm »
Cracked clutch reservoir and a compromised radiator hose...yeppers, those would cause the problems you were experiencing. You did well to get as far as you did.
Geoffrey Greene
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Offline NinjaBob

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Re: Adventure Touring on a Concours?
« Reply #21 on: September 11, 2022, 03:33:51 pm »
Tony and I immediately set to trying to get the bike rodeworthy. We drained and dried the clutch reservoir and patched it with quick setting  JB Weld. After the required curing time we tried some new DOT3 to no avail, the clutch would not build any pressure.  I was not riding anywhere without a clutch plus the bike had other issues. I called AMA Roadside Assistance and got Beth, a very helpful anf kind agent on the line. We had issues with our cell phones staying connected and after the third dropped call Beth called the store and the manager kindly alowed me to use their land line. Beth worked diligently trying to find the closest tow to get me to Wichita, but was not getting any takers. The only tow company was Kidds Towing and Recovery in WICHITA 210 miles away! An estimated 240 minute wait. I did not look forward to hanging out at the Quik Shop for 4 hours! By the way. AMA Roadside Assistance covers the first 35 miles for free. I had to give my credit card info to pay for the  175 mile difference. The charge was only $75.00!

Helping me had disrupted Tony's travel plans, he hates the heat and loves to arrive at his motel as early as possible and crank the AC on high. He noticed a tiny mom & pop motel two blocks away. He walked over and rented a two bed room and invited me in to wait for my tow. So my long  wait for the tow turned out to be in the comfort of a cool motel room watching TV and sipping a cold beer.

It wasn't long before Robert with Kidd's Towing texted me to give an ETA, he was beating the 4 hour estimate.

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Offline fz1grl

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Re: Adventure Touring on a Concours?
« Reply #22 on: September 11, 2022, 11:28:06 pm »
Wow sorry to hear about your misfortune and looking forward to the rest of the story.  I assume that is why we missed you at the BS Rally this year.  Had been wondering about you.
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Offline NinjaBob

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Re: Adventure Touring on a Concours?
« Reply #23 on: September 12, 2022, 08:46:46 am »
Wow sorry to hear about your misfortune and looking forward to the rest of the story.  I assume that is why we missed you at the BS Rally this year.  Had been wondering about you.
Thanks Denise. Yes, I have been recouperating! There is not much left of the story. My tow to my Son's place in Wichita went well as could be expected. The driver was friendly and an interesting guy to talk to so it wasn't boring. I got to Grants house about 9:30. The next day I worked on the clutch some more and located the leaking water hose. I figured I could find a suitable temporary replacement for the hose at an auto parts store If I could get the clutch working. I picked up a brake bleeder from the local Cycle Gear but could never get the master cylindar to pump up. Although I could not see any fluid leaking I have to assume the damage was preventing a seal. I gave up and booked a flight home. I am heading back to Wichita soon with my trailer.
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Offline Brick

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Re: Adventure Touring on a Concours?
« Reply #24 on: September 14, 2022, 09:09:56 am »
Damn Bob… sorry for all this trouble! Thanks for posting it however. It seems every post is sunshine and roses. This helps remind me how things can go. Glad you are on the mend.
Brick


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Offline NinjaBob

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Re: Adventure Touring on a Concours?
« Reply #25 on: September 14, 2022, 09:26:50 am »
Thanks Brick!
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Offline HawkGTRider

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Re: Adventure Touring on a Concours?
« Reply #26 on: September 15, 2022, 07:13:21 am »
Darned slick roads!

I've been guilty of taking whatever I'm riding down pretty much whatever road I see that looks interesting. I've been lucky, and I know it, in that I've not dropped one of my street bikes in slick conditions.
Geoffrey Greene
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Offline bcd

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Re: Adventure Touring on a Concours?
« Reply #27 on: September 15, 2022, 10:37:07 am »
Wow! What a great trip, except for the slippy mud part. Sorry to hear about the bike and especially your ankle, but glad you're on the mend! 

Thanks for the trip report, I really enjoyed it.
==BD

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Offline NinjaBob

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Re: Adventure Touring on a Concours?
« Reply #28 on: September 15, 2022, 05:17:51 pm »
Thank you, Bryan!
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