Well Ok the wait is over. I'll tell the gruesome tale for all to learn from amd chuckel over.
Twas a dark, dreary, blustery raining eve, the first of march far out in the reaches of the Oakland freeway system. Highway 880 South bound for an evening of didder and movie with a friend in the burb of Mountanview. Not a night fit for man or Harley Davidson. Being the intrrepid FJR pilot I precieve myself to be, I sallied forth into the gauntlet of the Gods.
Traffic was moderate with moderate to heavy rain. My bike was running well ( it is an FJR so that is likely redundent) with good tires (50% +), full kit and an assertive but cautious mental state. The highway is four lanes with a large number of off and on ramps and it is always marginal in the area, a bit rough, tar snakes abound and it tends to collect pools of water and pot holes at odd points.
So I'm crusing along in the number two lane at 55-60 with traffic. A delivery box truck signals and changes from the number three into the number two lane. I'm sure he didn't see me but I had more than sufficent separation so I simply backed off to maintain a safe following distance. All well and good but for the trucks spray! DAMM can't see a thing through the distortion. Head check, mirror check kick down one cog and vector into the number one land for a clean safe pass. I know the road well. Approaching a right turn with a wierd off ramp followed by an on ramp. I pull alongside the truck as I lean into the curve, est. speed 70. The rear wheel is visciously attacked by a pool concealed tar snake which snatches away all grip and in less than an engine revolution I'm droping onto the right R&G slider. The voices in my head are wispering "stay with the bike fool stay with the bike". I do, until the bikes momentum takes it on down the highway toward the concrete center barrier. I kicked free of the machine and start to tumbel. Managed to tuck a bit and get onto my back for a very long slide along the devider. After I stopped with my sholder against the devider I took stock of my injuries. None found! I'm whole and fully functional, well as functional as I ever am. I looked for my bike and located it on the right sholder, four lanes away.
Cautiously I twisted toward the devider and livted myself tenuiously to hands and knees to see what was thundering down the road to kill me. Nothing! Miraculiously all of the traffic had stopped safely. No one hit my bike, no one had hit another vehicle! Lanes one and two were moving through to continue their travel. Five minutes of wonder and gratitude and I began the cautious transit to the right sholder and my bike. The rain had lightened up, a bit. I removed my helmit and heard my engine running! DAMM failsafe, bank sensor failed the freaking engine is still running on its side, meaning no oil! Crap, Crap Crap! Killed the engine with the kill switch and turned off the ignitoin. Now for some quality time with my life.
Settled my but onto the crash barrier, pulled the hood off, dug into the Stitch, lit a cig and started breathing again. Ten minutes later a motorist pulled over to check on me and assisted with standing my bike up. I keyed it on and started it first try. Shutit off, dug out the flash light and inspected the damage. Nothing on the left side at all but the right side was a different story. The right foot guard was trash, crushed and ground to pulp. I have highway pegs installed as well. When the foot guard colapsed it bent the highway peg adapter into the lower radiator hose and punctured it. I kitted up again and rode the bike a few meters to clear the sholder, maximun separation fron the traffic. Pulled out the cell and called cycle tow.
Days later, the crash damage could have been a lot worse. About $2500 parts and labor. Twisted forks, clamps and brace, bent wheel and plastic bits. Should have been riding again in six weeks. I won't bu putting the highway pegs on again.
The problem that has taken so long is the engine. The mechanic didn't try to start the engine at the shop. He asked if the engine ran after the crash and it did. Unfortunatly it was still hot and tight. He went ahead with the repairs and when it was time to fire it up it wouldn't. He spent weeks chasing the no start. After three and a half months he ran compresion and leak down tests. 30 psi compression on all four with 80% leak down. This guy is not a Yamaha dealer so I towed the bike to Mach 1 Motorsports and they have had it for five weeks. Doesnt loo at all good. Deposits on the surface of the piston and valves, burnt valve, extreamely hard to turn over and will not spin. They've only taken the head off so far. Waiting on response from Yamaha YES for disposition. But not good at all. The preliminary estimate to overhaul is $6600. That will total the bike! I rally don't want to do that.
That why I'm looking for a replacemtnt engine. Thats the true story. Thats why I'll be at WFO this weekend in my truck. Please dont laugh at me, I won't be abel to see through the tears to see who I need to take out my frustration and anger on. Six months without a ride and I'm a bit short on patience.
Tim
