This ever happen to anyone...?

[pope3567]

While on a thousand mile saddle sore yesterday I noticed this about 300 miles in. Changed the bulb to red and continued on.

 

No damage to the fender, doesn’t look like anything hit me. The cover was on when I left but now completely gone. At least the screws stayed in. Any ideas?

 

[Guest divey]

While on a thousand mile saddle sore yesterday I noticed this about 300 miles in. Changed the bulb to red and continued on.

 

No damage to the fender, doesn’t look like anything hit me. The cover was on when I left but now completely gone. At least the screws stayed in. Any ideas?

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=109266

Ron because the breaks are all at the screws, I would think that perhaps they were tightened just a tad too tight and cracked the lens just enough around each screw that over time, vibration finished the job. Just a thought. Doug

[cowpuc]

Yep, right there with Doug,, maybe even possibly - if perhaps you have had the lense off in the not to distant past when it was placed back in the fixture it didnt seat correctly and this caused the lens to crack around the screws like Doug mentioned.. I have had similar things like that happen to me = sort of like not getting a raditator gooseneck lined up when replacing a thermostat = tighten her up and POP.. Make sense?

I am hesitant to think it was damaged by impact as usually they have jagged edges when that happens (been there several times too = I flipped a number of bikes in my life trying to ride wheelies).. Another possibility = maybe running a higher output bulb? Heating up the lense can make em brittle.. Just a thought..

[bongobobny]

Yup, the screws were torqued on just a little too tight...

[RedRider]

Were you able to finish the SS? How'd it go?

 

RR

[WildBill1]

Rightie tightie but not too tightie......

[Dale124]

Glad to hear you finished the saddle sore 1000 safe and sound, Ron. It was good practice for meeting Doug and me in Deadwood very soon.

Dale.

[pope3567]

Pretty much what I figured...torquing down on those screws cracked the lens around all three holes and vibration did the rest. Three thousand miles in April and then this ride was just too much. So lesson learned. New lens should arrive early next week. Just really odd looking when I did my walk around and it was gone.

 

As for the saddle sore itself. I did finish it. Took me 19 hours, 26 minutes and I got 3 Tour of Honor sites logged. The head wind from Boardman to Portland Oregon through the Columbia Gorge was intense, as usual. Gas mileage dropped to just under 30 mpg. All in all, a great trip and rewarding experience. The speed limit in Idaho on the interstate was just raised to 80, so that helped. Wish the cruise control on the bike could be set to higher than 80. Other than that, the bike performed flawlessly.

 

Hoping to make Deadwood to meet up with Divey and Dale. The jury's still out (that would be the wife) as to whether I can make the trip, but I've been doing a lot of "honey-dos" around here so the chances are good.

[bongobobny]

I'm not sure on this, but I think Yamaha may put some kind of thread locker on the screws for the lenses as I have noticed the screws seem to come out feeling like they were really torqued down! I did loose a front turn signal lens once after replacing the bulb, but both screws were missing as well so they must have vibrated out...