This is a bit of a long post but it helps to fully grasp the situation
Here is the basic history of my ride.
Here is..."The Incident".
So, last Thursday at 5:30 PM on I95 in South Florida, a small grenade or artillery shell, detonated in my outer primary, I THINK. <-- Emphasis on I THINK
This event happened at 80-85 MPH as I was trying to lane change to get off the interstate on an exit about 1/8th of a mile ahead. There were 2 distinct pop/bang sounds. About 1 second apart. Each sound was accompanied by a lurch that pushed my body forward. The first caused me to try and pull the clutch in but the lever wouldn't budge and the shifter was jammed in 5th gear. The second pop/bang event, locked up the back wheel. At 80-85 this is a bit of a pucker moment. The bike slowed down considerably (obviously) and the rear started to drift right as it does in a rear-wheel lock-up. I feathered the front brake, put my left foot down to create some drag, and hoped that it would be a painless death. Honestly, the only 2 thoughts that I had were 1.0 My son would be disappointed that I missed his art show at school that night, and 2.) I really should have gotten that new full-face helmet I wanted.
I did not put the bike down. I kept it up all the way to the shoulder at the entrance to the exit. I sat for a few moments in and I can't actually remember what I was thinking. I do know that I put down the stand, got off and stood off to the side of the bike. Fully 5 minutes went by before I gathered my composure to begin to see just WTF happened. I mean WTF. <-- this can't be emphasized enough!
The first thing I noticed was not a drop of fluid was coming out of the engine case. good sign. The second thing I did was check the oil. Clear enough for 1-month-old oil with about 1,200 miles on it. (daily rider to work). No discernable metal in the oil on the dipstick. I looked for a way to get the transmission dipstick out but had no appropriate hex bit, or tool for that matter, to remove it for a check. I got on it, reached down to turn the key on and noticed it was already in the full-on position. So I cycled it...and nothing. Cycled the run switch on the right grip and still got 0 lights or starting action. Like no power at all. Newish battery, new voltage regulator. <-- literally 1 week old with perfect performance for 3 days.
I try to use the clutch to put it in neutral but no joy. By this point I am not freaked out anymore, just pissed, so I pounded my foot on the shifter and got it down to 1st from 5th. I rocked it back and forth to get it to go into 2nd (compression is still good) and finally, after a few minutes, get it into neutral. I pushed it about 1 mile to a house of a friend of a friend and then trailered it home the next day.
I have it in the back of the house, covered. I intend to start the teardown on the primary side since that is what all the signs and symptoms show. I will fully photo document the carnage, starting with the draining of the fluid in the primary case. I hope that you all don't get too bored with the progress but it should be helpful to see what it was that trued to commit suicide in the motor. I hope it was not a normal wear and tear item that I or a previous owner should have kept up with. I can't think of anything on that side, in the outer primary case, besides the tensioner, that would require regular attention. I have only had to make a single clutch adjustment since I've owned her over the last 3 years.
So there you have it.
High-speed lock-up of the rear wheel.
Shifter jammed.
Loud pop/bang sound in left engine area.
Clutch inoperable.
The electrical system spooched again.
My bet is the stator shit the bed and in doing so, blasted the rotor and chunks went "a spinnin" into and around the clutch basket area and finally jammed in the primary chain.
Or not.
Here is the basic history of my ride.
2002 Low Rider. I am the 4th owner. It was bought in May 2002 in Columbus, Ohio. It got sold to owner 2 and came to Florida. It sat mostly from owner #1-2-3 but was serviced properly. Owner 3 and I put most of the miles on it. She put on 7000 in about 2 years and I've doubled that to 15,173 miles in 3 more years.
It is serviced religiously and documented, by me and the other 3 previous owners.
The bike is in relatively pretty good shape for an 18-year-old, neglected until 5 years ago, motorcycle. It is an outside, but a well-covered, bike. It has light surface rust on or about the usual spots that I try to remove about monthly. It is not a show bike. I have been using it, weather and circumstances permitting, as a daily ride 4 days a week, to work in Ft. Lauderdale (57-mile roundtrip).
I have chased a few wiring/ground gremlins with no resolution. Every so often the check engine light will come on and it will stutter and recover. Sometimes not at all. Cold or hot. You get the picture. The possible culprits are loose ground, speedo sensor, crank position sensor, carburetor. The sensors have all been checked with no noticeable metal shavings and grounds tightened up.
I have replaced the following items, front brake pads with brake fluid flush in front, battery, voltage regulator. I have tightened all the ground wires. I tested the regulator and stator at the time of the battery replacement to determine it was the voltage regulator that was bad and killed the 3-year-old battery. The stator was putting out 22v-27v at 2000 or so rpm (enricher idle speed). The battery had 9.2v and would not hold charge passed 10.
It is serviced religiously and documented, by me and the other 3 previous owners.
The bike is in relatively pretty good shape for an 18-year-old, neglected until 5 years ago, motorcycle. It is an outside, but a well-covered, bike. It has light surface rust on or about the usual spots that I try to remove about monthly. It is not a show bike. I have been using it, weather and circumstances permitting, as a daily ride 4 days a week, to work in Ft. Lauderdale (57-mile roundtrip).
I have chased a few wiring/ground gremlins with no resolution. Every so often the check engine light will come on and it will stutter and recover. Sometimes not at all. Cold or hot. You get the picture. The possible culprits are loose ground, speedo sensor, crank position sensor, carburetor. The sensors have all been checked with no noticeable metal shavings and grounds tightened up.
I have replaced the following items, front brake pads with brake fluid flush in front, battery, voltage regulator. I have tightened all the ground wires. I tested the regulator and stator at the time of the battery replacement to determine it was the voltage regulator that was bad and killed the 3-year-old battery. The stator was putting out 22v-27v at 2000 or so rpm (enricher idle speed). The battery had 9.2v and would not hold charge passed 10.
Here is..."The Incident".
So, last Thursday at 5:30 PM on I95 in South Florida, a small grenade or artillery shell, detonated in my outer primary, I THINK. <-- Emphasis on I THINK
This event happened at 80-85 MPH as I was trying to lane change to get off the interstate on an exit about 1/8th of a mile ahead. There were 2 distinct pop/bang sounds. About 1 second apart. Each sound was accompanied by a lurch that pushed my body forward. The first caused me to try and pull the clutch in but the lever wouldn't budge and the shifter was jammed in 5th gear. The second pop/bang event, locked up the back wheel. At 80-85 this is a bit of a pucker moment. The bike slowed down considerably (obviously) and the rear started to drift right as it does in a rear-wheel lock-up. I feathered the front brake, put my left foot down to create some drag, and hoped that it would be a painless death. Honestly, the only 2 thoughts that I had were 1.0 My son would be disappointed that I missed his art show at school that night, and 2.) I really should have gotten that new full-face helmet I wanted.
I did not put the bike down. I kept it up all the way to the shoulder at the entrance to the exit. I sat for a few moments in and I can't actually remember what I was thinking. I do know that I put down the stand, got off and stood off to the side of the bike. Fully 5 minutes went by before I gathered my composure to begin to see just WTF happened. I mean WTF. <-- this can't be emphasized enough!
The first thing I noticed was not a drop of fluid was coming out of the engine case. good sign. The second thing I did was check the oil. Clear enough for 1-month-old oil with about 1,200 miles on it. (daily rider to work). No discernable metal in the oil on the dipstick. I looked for a way to get the transmission dipstick out but had no appropriate hex bit, or tool for that matter, to remove it for a check. I got on it, reached down to turn the key on and noticed it was already in the full-on position. So I cycled it...and nothing. Cycled the run switch on the right grip and still got 0 lights or starting action. Like no power at all. Newish battery, new voltage regulator. <-- literally 1 week old with perfect performance for 3 days.
I try to use the clutch to put it in neutral but no joy. By this point I am not freaked out anymore, just pissed, so I pounded my foot on the shifter and got it down to 1st from 5th. I rocked it back and forth to get it to go into 2nd (compression is still good) and finally, after a few minutes, get it into neutral. I pushed it about 1 mile to a house of a friend of a friend and then trailered it home the next day.
I have it in the back of the house, covered. I intend to start the teardown on the primary side since that is what all the signs and symptoms show. I will fully photo document the carnage, starting with the draining of the fluid in the primary case. I hope that you all don't get too bored with the progress but it should be helpful to see what it was that trued to commit suicide in the motor. I hope it was not a normal wear and tear item that I or a previous owner should have kept up with. I can't think of anything on that side, in the outer primary case, besides the tensioner, that would require regular attention. I have only had to make a single clutch adjustment since I've owned her over the last 3 years.
So there you have it.
High-speed lock-up of the rear wheel.
Shifter jammed.
Loud pop/bang sound in left engine area.
Clutch inoperable.
The electrical system spooched again.
My bet is the stator shit the bed and in doing so, blasted the rotor and chunks went "a spinnin" into and around the clutch basket area and finally jammed in the primary chain.
Or not.
