Big Thanks to Frosty & Pillion

[jonbuoy]

Made it all the way to South Island, Arthurs Pass and back up the coast to Auckland, bike didn't miss a beat. Cleaned and polished it took it for a spin up the east coast road and POP! Bike sneezed and popped the Gasket on the front Rocker cover!!

Phoned the AA about 6pm, asked for a tow as there was oil leaking now from the front. Car driver stops to help me push the bike up the pavement.

About 6.30 a guy and his wife (later known to be Frosty and Pillion) stopped to ask if I'm OK. Tell em toweys on the way.

Later on Frosty turns up on his bike (about 8pm now - still waiting for tow truck) and Pillion in the car. Frosty did his best to patch up the gasket with Gaffer tape he got from Servo but oil still dribbling out. Phone AA again 8.30 now! - told truck is on the way!

Tow truck eventually turns up around 9.30 I think - both Frosty and Pillion stayed till it did - Luckily as Frosty knew more about tying bikes down than me and truck driver!!

So in short a massive thankyou to them both, nice to know there are people out there that will give up their time for no other reason than to help a guy theyve never met out.

About 10 other bikes road past without stopping - maybe they thought I was having a picnic on the side of the road - or I gave the impression everything was under control.

Anyways all ended happily in the end!

[skelstar]

Good on ya FROSTY.
Good bloke.

[mv.senna]

About 10 other bikes road past without stopping - maybe they thought I was having a picnic on the side of the road - or I gave the impression everything was under control.!

good on ya Frosty.

Hey Jonbuoy - glad to hear it worked out for you in the end, sadly the exact same thing happened to me a couple of weeks before xmas just outstide of hamilton. It's amazing how many people went past on bikes, and didn't stop - maybe they thought the same as with you...although why we'd have stopped to have a picnic on the side of the road, in the pissing down rain, in the middle of bastard nowhere, i couldn't imagine...:slap:

[Swoop]

Good on ya frosty!

That's why I still have the rego of the Mitsy you are after on the dash of my cage...

[justsomeguy]

No need to thank him, that's what he does. It's in his job description as the patron saint of KB. Even skipped out for an hour on his anniversary to help the world's slowest Indian check out a bike..... (Sorry Linda, I never knew, honest).......

[Sniper]

Good on ya frosty, and bugger that you were waiting ages before any help turned up

[Zapf]

Made it all the way to South Island, Arthurs Pass and back up the coast to Auckland, bike didn't miss a beat. Cleaned and polished it took it for a spin up the east coast road and POP! Bike sneezed and popped the Gasket on the front Rocker cover!!

Something we should know about VTR 1000's?

[jonbuoy]

He yeah top bloke for sure! I would have been more pissed off if it was raining...... Not sure why it happened - It runs sweet so my theory is that it did a bigger than normal fart (ala VTR1000's) back through the carbs into the airbox and down the breather pipe and popped out the gasket. - my theory only - haven't investigated much since. I will speak to Cyclesport before I drop it into them for sorting. At least it didn't happen in South Island but could of done without it at all as am moving house at moment.

[jonbuoy]

I just found some stuff on the VTR1000 forum - same thing happened to another guy - was a spit back through the carbys. Also another guy had his whole carb blow off the inlet from it!!! - so I guess I really was lucky! It seems its caused by a combination of hot air temp, high octane fuel - I was running on BP ultimate as it always seemed to like it more. Apparantly - the higher rating the more chance of a backfire (I'm surprised at that though), and shutting the throttle quickly from certain revs. So I guess I'll be running 95 from now on...

[thealmightytaco]

Higher octane burns slower and colder, so it might still have burning gas goin' when the pressure reverses and send it into the carbs?

I'm pullin' myself with that explanation I think, but I know higher octane=slow, cold, full burn, so I'm thinkin' that full burn ends up comin' out to your carb once in a blue moon for this sitchiation. Whereas lower octane = fast hot weak burn, overheating everything and giving you a knock, but the burn is over before the carb opens again.

There ya go! Too high an octane and you're at risk of havin' it still burning when your inlet opens again (if some stragglers have been left behind after the exhaust) sending the flame up into your carb. Presto explosion. Stick with 95. Or what the manufacturer suggests rather.