- Joined
- Nov 20, 2005
- Messages
- 9,517
- Location
- Cedar City, Utah
- Bike
- 12/04 ST 1300s
- 2024 Miles
- 000420
- STOC #
- 5901
So you aren't tootling down the freeway, coming upon stopped traffic and find you only hear a weird noise coming from the front brakes, but no stopping power! :
Coming home tonight, I was just at the check station above Temecula when the traffic was again coming to a total stop. I was positioning myself to start Lane Splitting with another motorcycle in front of me, when I tapped the front brakes and only heard a clank, but no slowing on my part! After telling myself;"that didn't sound right, nor feel right..." I did it lightly again only to hear that same clank! I decided at that point I should move over to the shoulder when I decide I would just use the back brake until I get over there. The first time I applied the rear brake, it was fine, the second time it wasn't and now I had no brakes!
As I glided to the shoulder, I used the engine to bring it to a safe stop!
I then removed my gloves and helmet and looked at the left side brake bolts, they were fine, I then went to the right side only to discover that the top bolt was missing! Even though Byron asked me if I had torqued the front brake bolts, I did do the left side, but managed to get distracted and failed to torque the right side! Just after pulling over, I heard (I didn't even see him stop) a "Hi Neighbor!". I turned to my side, only to discover my neighbor two doors down spotted me and pulled over to see if he could help!
He was in his work truck, so I thought maybe he would have some tools. well, he did have some SAE open end wrenches. He looked to see if he had any bolts (good luck with that...right..) so I turned to the bike and started thinking, where on the bike would a bolt be that would fit the front brake bolts? Then it came to me, the bolts used on the exhaust clamp! So I carefully used his 1/2" wrench and took out the exhaust clamp bolt farthest to the right until it came out (too hot to handle) So I took my Leatherman needlenose pliers that I had (my tool kit was on a different bike - problem with swapping bikes all the time!) took the bolt and put it in the hole of the missing brake bolt. It took a bit to get it in (where's a socket wrench when you need it?). I finally tightened them up, gave my neighbor back his wrench and off we both went!
When I got home I searched my parts and found the proper bolt for the exhaust (leaving the other in the brake), and torqued them all down!
Sheesh, talk about a little un-nerving!
Coming home tonight, I was just at the check station above Temecula when the traffic was again coming to a total stop. I was positioning myself to start Lane Splitting with another motorcycle in front of me, when I tapped the front brakes and only heard a clank, but no slowing on my part! After telling myself;"that didn't sound right, nor feel right..." I did it lightly again only to hear that same clank! I decided at that point I should move over to the shoulder when I decide I would just use the back brake until I get over there. The first time I applied the rear brake, it was fine, the second time it wasn't and now I had no brakes!
As I glided to the shoulder, I used the engine to bring it to a safe stop!
I then removed my gloves and helmet and looked at the left side brake bolts, they were fine, I then went to the right side only to discover that the top bolt was missing! Even though Byron asked me if I had torqued the front brake bolts, I did do the left side, but managed to get distracted and failed to torque the right side! Just after pulling over, I heard (I didn't even see him stop) a "Hi Neighbor!". I turned to my side, only to discover my neighbor two doors down spotted me and pulled over to see if he could help!
He was in his work truck, so I thought maybe he would have some tools. well, he did have some SAE open end wrenches. He looked to see if he had any bolts (good luck with that...right..) so I turned to the bike and started thinking, where on the bike would a bolt be that would fit the front brake bolts? Then it came to me, the bolts used on the exhaust clamp! So I carefully used his 1/2" wrench and took out the exhaust clamp bolt farthest to the right until it came out (too hot to handle) So I took my Leatherman needlenose pliers that I had (my tool kit was on a different bike - problem with swapping bikes all the time!) took the bolt and put it in the hole of the missing brake bolt. It took a bit to get it in (where's a socket wrench when you need it?). I finally tightened them up, gave my neighbor back his wrench and off we both went!
When I got home I searched my parts and found the proper bolt for the exhaust (leaving the other in the brake), and torqued them all down!
Sheesh, talk about a little un-nerving!