Major dissappointment - Ride cancelled.

[KIC]

I have to tell you that today is the first time I have been really disappointed in my Venture. Had a great ride planned with a group to go to Northern Arizona, up through Salt River Canyon, Flagstaff, Prescott and staying the night in beautiful Sedona Arizona. As my wife and I left at 4;45am this morning something happened to the rear suspension ( again) and the rear just collapsed. The air system seemed to work to some degree. but the rear was dragging. Ride cancelled. I am fed up with dealing with the CLASS system and rear shock. I had already torn the thing apart last year and put the shock from my 87 on the bike which turned out no to be that original problem but a CLASS problem. Just the thought of tearing that apart again makes my stomach hurt.

 

I don't know about spending $600.00 on a new shock is worth it anymore. Such a beautiful bike. Just don't know if I can depend on it for long rides. This is a real let down for my wife and I.

[Venturous Randy]

If it is the rear shock, I must say that this shock has proven to be extremely dependable over the long run as compared the the 2nd gen rear shock. The only dependable thing about the 2nd gen shock is that they will fail.

This sounds more like a broken frame problem to me than a shock problem and this would be the first broken frame I have heard about on anything other than an 83. I don't understand the rear frame dragging on a shock with no air pressure.

As bad as this was, it could have been worse. If this had occurred at speed in a curve, you may not have been here writing this.

Randy

[KIC]

Well I found the culprit. After checking the bike out pretty thoroughly over the last week. Including a 150 mile ride last Saturday, The bike was running very well. I checked the tire pressures Tuesday night and rode it to work on Wednesday. A little more tinkering and a good washing on Wednesday night and decided NOT to ride it to work on Thursday so everything was ready for our Friday AM departure. I guess on Wednesday I picked up this little hitchhiker. This little nail is going to cost me over $300.00 including a new tire, lost hotel reservations not including my wife and I both took a day off from work.

 

It had 18 lbs of air in it, so when I got off the bike and looked at it it looked OK, but with both of us on it, obviously flat.

 

[bongobobny]

That'll do it Kic'ster...

[Flyinfool]

So does that bring back some confidence since it is really not the bikes fault?

 

A little nail in the center of the tire is not cause for a new tire. Unless it tore a bunch of the belting I would put in a T patch and forget about it. It looks like that tire has a lot of miles left on it.

 

FWIW I put a very powerful N52 magnet on the bottom of my bike to help trip a certain traffic light that I frequent. I don't know how many nails I have pulled off that magnet, I figure everyone of them was looking for my back tire.

Edited May 13, 2016 by Flyinfool

[Condor]

A good reason to be running Ride-On in the tires.....

[Yammer Dan]

I wouldn't tell anybody to plug a tire but I've ran them bald with plugs in the middle like that. One of the plugs that fit from the inside would seal it pretty good. Shame ya missed your ride. We gotta meet one of these days..... If I don't plug one tire too many.......

[Patmac6075]

For me, personally, I wouldn't plug a motorcycle tire. I'm sure many others have ridden countless miles with no problems, but $200 is a small price to pay and in my opinion it's just not worth the risk....especially if I'm carrying my wife or kids on the back.

[MikeWa]

If I was going to plug a motorcycle tire I would use a mushroom plug. Once in there is little chance they will come out.

 

Mike

[KIC]

So does that bring back some confidence since it is really not the bikes fault?

 

A little nail in the center of the tire is not cause for a new tire. Unless it tore a bunch of the belting I would put in a T patch and forget about it. It looks like that tire has a lot of miles left on it.

 

FWIW I put a very powerful N52 magnet on the bottom of my bike to help trip a certain traffic light that I frequent. I don't know how many nails I have pulled off that magnet, I figure everyone of them was looking for my back tire.

 

yea...it does. We are really disappointed about missing the ride. But in all honesty it was for the best. You see, I knew I needed brake pads. I didn't think they were bad, just that it was getting time. Turns out that I REALLY needed new pads. The rear were almost totally done and the right front were ready to hit metal. Also, on the right front, it appears that the tiny clip pin on the front rod that holds the brakes in, had somehow become dislodged and the rod was 1/3 to 1/2 way out. This ride was a twisty curvy mountain ride 2-up. The brakes would not have lasted.

 

That little nail was the mustard seed that prevented a mountain of trouble. I now have a new rear tire. new brakes and a little issue with the CLASS that I am sure to be able to clean up.

 

Bitter sweet to miss the ride. Happy that disaster was averted. ( This ride cost me $350.00 to go nowhere)

[BlueSky]

Glad you got it resolved!

[wrenchrob]

Someone was watching out for you

[cowpuc]

Sorry to read all this KIC,,, aint no fun when a planned ride is messed up like that ,, I know EXACTLY how ya were feeling brother!!

 

Crazy how one little tiny nail can mess things up!!! Same token though,,, sooooo glad you found out that it was nothing really major and that the good Lord was watching out for you and your wife and nothing really bad happened as a result of having a flat tire while out chasing the wind!

[Larry1963]

Better to miss the ride and loose 300 dollars than that thing come apart with you and your wife on it.

Maybe someone is looking out for you

[Yammer Dan]

Sometimes things just turn out right. No matter how much I try to mess them up.... Glad yours turned out good!!

[KIC]

So here are some pictures from my missed ride. Sedona Arizona

 

[KIC]

A few more pictures from my missed ride...

 

[Mover]

That's some awesome looking scenery. Maybe one day I will see it in person.

 

Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk

[cowpuc]

Well,,,,, ,,, I have I ridden some of that area KIC and gotta tell ya brother - those Canyon edges associated with that area are the last places you would have wanted to try and ride out a flat tire on one of these bikes...

 

:biker:GORGEOUS pictures though... The group that you were going to go with sure seem familiar to me - my riding buddies would do the same thing for me had I of been in your shoes... Made sure that I got pictures of the ride I missed and all that

[theportunionkid]

I think you should should look at it like, "what that little nail saved you." Because it's all in how you look at it. Glad you, wife, and venture are ok.

[KIC]

I think you should should look at it like, "what that little nail saved you." Because it's all in how you look at it. Glad you, wife, and venture are ok.

 

I definitely look at it as a blessing that prevented what would have most likely been a disaster. The brakes would have never lasted knowing the ride and the roads to be taken. Had the brake retainer come all the way out, who knows what could have happened to the front wheel braking and control on a curve. I am disappointed about missing the fun ride, feeling really blessed that a little nail saved so much.