I have angered the ST1100 Gods

The plan was to replace the left headlight bulb and then get the bike inspected the following morning. I've recently taken the Tupperware on and off for regular maintenance, chasing some cooling issues, and a session balancing the carbs. It has been off and on 3 times in the last month. The bike was just one light bulb away from being able to pass state inspection. Then, I could get right with the law, if you know what I mean.

I had spent the day remodeling in a warm portion of the house. By the time I got to working on the bike the garage was really hot and the natural light was starting to fade. Removal of the garnish went to hell in a hand basket. I had to drill out a screw. So by the time I get to the step where it is time to remove the bulb I am overheated and angry. That is when I did the stupidest thing since I cut the AC hose on a Volvo so I could flush the coolant way back in 2001.

Anyway, I unscrewed the screw holding in the wire clip. That is when I hear the clip clang off of plastic several times before it disappears completely. I spent the next hour looking in every cranny I could for the clip. I even broke out the USB colonoscopy scope. I ran that damn thing down every cranny looking for the clip. I gave up because at that point I was considering dousing the bike in gas, rolling it out into the street and then dancing as the darn thing burned.

This morning I started taking the Tupperware off for the fourth time. I am hunting for that darn clip. I got everything off except for the tail cone. I'm looking in all the crannies with multiple light sources and even running coat hanger wires into holes just to see if I can knock it lose. After I have the nose cone off and I don't see the clip anywhere. it is as if it has disappeared. That is when I hear it. Yep, it was inside the head lamp housing. I went through the empty light bulb hole. But as God is my witness; I heard that thing bounce down the inside of the Tupperware. And I looked into the lens at least three times - once with the scope. I never saw it. So, that is my story.

I'm going to go spend some time thinking about what kind of human being I must be for the gods to be so angry at me. If you do see me on the road please don't wave. I don't want any of my curse to accidentally get on you.

The ST1100 has a third dimension that those clips enter into that is invisible to the human eye ... ;-) That's why I keep an extra supply of them on hand!

What a story. Sorry you had such a hard time with the bail for the light bulb. FWIW, it took me about half an hour the first time to change that bulb. With the tupperware off. I just could not get the blessed bulb out.

"Shiny", my heart aches with empathy.
"Uncle", how can you _not_ find the lost clip. It would drive me nuts to just put on a new one from the stash and ignore the loss.

Later,
Kent Larson in Minnesota

I feel your pain. "We are legion."

OTOH, you should be good to go with the Gods' blessings for quite a while now.

P.S. Every time I've replaced a bulb on my '91 the whole headlight module was out on my lap. Zero actual bulb failures, ever, BTW.

Regards, John

I believe in 'strange' occurrences. One of the few I talk about involves a lost puzzle piece. On our first Christmas, we were given a collection of puzzles. One was a dimpled board with ball bearing game pieces....kind of like the Cracker Barrel game with the golf tees. Anyway, we dropped one ball onto the carpeted floor and spent the next four hours looking for the little 1/4" chromed marble. Took the cushions out of the sofa, turned it over and shook it, put a new bag into the vac and did the whole floor, with the nozzle attachment used on hard to reach places. We emptied the bag and carefully inspected its contents....nothing. Put the living room back together and went to bed. Next morning, the ball was in the middle of the carpeted floor, in plain sight, where we would have seen it the night before. Plus we had vacuumed that entire carpet, twice.

So, yes, I think we may have upset or summoned some minor diety.....much as you did. It could have kept your part but chose to return it. Probably had something to do with all the 'colorful euphemisms'.

mudduc said:

"Shiny", my heart aches with empathy.
"Uncle", how can you _not_ find the lost clip. It would drive me nuts to just put on a new one from the stash and ignore the loss.
Later,
Kent Larson in Minnesota

Click to expand...

Cause I can always make more money but I can't make more time ...

Oldbikefixr said:

Plus we had vacuumed that entire carpet, twice.

Click to expand...

Look at the bright side. The whole living room was probably cleaner than it has been in two weeks! Maybe a dust bunny was having a feud with his buddies?

I usually found that lost bits of important metal (screws, clips etc) ended up in the long V shape formed by the parallel exhaust pipes alongside the sump.
Either that, or down under the V of the cylinder blocks, under the carbs.

Except in one unfortunate case when the circlip on the end of the tube attached to the rear end of the air cleaner holder flicked itself into the open inlet port as I removed the air cleaner body.