Golden rule

[b1g-fuLLa]

So I bought a new bike a few weeks back (well not new, but yeah) a Kwaka zxr250a. Picked it up for cheap. Too cheap. Sure enough within three weeks the motor shat itself. Picked up a replacement motor for next to nothing ($250), had a damaged ingnition side and a hole in the sump from a drop, but after swapping the bits off my f**ked motor it was good to go.

I had only a few hours, start to finish to get the motor in. Got it in, filled it with $65 worth of brand new oil , and started her up. Bit smoky at first, (motor had been sitting for ages) but settled down, and ran just fine.

Now as an apprentice mechanic its been drilled into me, countless times, to check the sump plug. Never need an excuse to check the sump plugs tight!! But on this occasion, whether it was the rush i was in or whatever, i forgot.

Now im sure a few of you think you know where this is going, you're probably wrong.

Rode to Whangamata from Te Aroha just fine, bike was running like a dream with more power than the old motor ever had. Checked the oil level twice on the ride over, it didnt budge, nor did I see any drips or leaks.

Arrive in whangamata at my mates batch, and decide to go check out a nice twisty road he was telling me about. Entering an easy bend at about 90k, and suddenly the back wheel loses all traction, and the arse end slides into the oncoming lane, right into the path of a fairly large truck!! just about shat myself, managed to flick it the other way and miss the truck, only to have it step out again. Managed to straighten up, and immediately pulled off the road onto a gravel burm and turned the bike off, just in time to see the last 2L of oil drain out where the sump plug used to be.

My rear tyre was DRENCHED in oil.

I sat down, shaking like a leaf, and had a smoke before hitching back to my mates batch in town. Went to the local mechanic, picked up a few different bolts and aluminium washers to try, payed another $60 for oil, and grabbed a rag to clean the back tyre off.

Found a bolt that fit, filled the oil, and started her up. She ran like nothing had ever happened, and still running beautifully.

PHEW

[Fatt Max]

Farking hell man, what a nightmare

However,

1 - you are ok, and
2 - the bike is ok

So, its all good

eh....

[nadroj]

Had a similar experience when an oil cooler line split and oil ran along the underside onto the rear tyre.
I thought the clutch was slipping until the first corner.

[yod]

there's a story you can tell your grandkids "My most sphincter-puckering moment ever...."

glad it didn't end in tears!

[sil3nt]

I liked the part where you use a rag to clean the oil off. Burnout would have been better!

[Squiggles]

Did cha clean the road up?

[Bliksem]

When fitting a bolt, if its not tightened fully, best to leave it out in the tray so you know what has been done - or rather not done.

Glad you're ok!

[b1g-fuLLa]

I liked the part where you use a rag to clean the oil off. Burnout would have been better!

Yeah, the 2mm tread left on the middle of my rear tyre from the last burnout kinda put me off that one

[b1g-fuLLa]

Farking hell man, what a nightmare

However,

1 - you are ok, and
2 - the bike is ok

So, its all good

eh....

cheers man, the only thing damaged was my pride



""Simple Rule

When fitting a bolt, if its not tightened fully, best to leave it out in the tray so you know what has been done - or rather not done.

Glad you're ok!""

Thats exactly what i do dude, the bolt was never removed. I guess since it was the sump off the previously running motor I just assumed the bolt was tight. Or more, didnt even think about it. I wont be making that mistake again anyway!



"""nadroj
Had a similar experience when an oil cooler line split and oil ran along the underside onto the rear tyre.
I thought the clutch was slipping until the first corner.""

That was my thoughts too. It felt like the clutch was slipping after a gear change, about 100m from the corner, so I backed off a bit, which had to be a good thing



Cheers for the replys guys, nice to post on a forum where people can freely post their stories without wankers giving them shit for it.

Probably cause we're an all kiwi (well mostly) forum

[caseye]

Don't be surprised if ya get jumped by a bunch of back stabbing loud mouthed yaho's soon.This sort of good outcome story is actually what most of us want to see and ehar about, but the useless riders think it's shit that you didn't end up like them, crashed.
Some interesting moments when the back wheel gets an oil slick on it aye?
120kph rear tyre BLOW OUTs are my particular curse.Twice now, both times a few hair raising moments had by all around.
Main thing as FM said, ewe r Ok, bike is all good, nice work.

[SMOKEU]

Katman will be along soon enough to give you his side of the story.

[caseye]

Katman will be along soon enough to give you his side of the story.

Hey, there was no bad happening here and ol Katman doens't bother with good results, obviously the rider had some idea of what to do and did it.
As a bike Mec an Ic, though I'm sure he'll have someit to say about preventative maintenance.

[Katman]

Hey, there was no bad happening here and ol Katman doens't bother with good results, obviously the rider had some idea of what to do and did it.
As a bike Mec an Ic, though I'm sure he'll have someit to say about preventative maintenance.

It's precisely why mechanics need to realise that when customers lives are in their hands there is no room for complacency.