13-09-13, 01:45 AM
••• TL;DR near the end
So I finally managed to get to work today, only 5 hours late, after the nightmare that was to be my commute. It seems that bad things happen in threes, or they have so far at least. Before I start though, I should give credit to all the help I've had today from various people. My bro was awesome (though he may not see this) and despite having a lot on was tripping over himself trying to help. A colleague I've worked with who happens to live very near me was offering me lifts and driving me all over the place, much appreciated. Yet more colleagues from work offered more lifts. I even pestered Devilsyam from this forum who was suggesting what might be the issue, as I was in panic mode after what happened. So here's what went on..
I left for work nice and early, an hour before I was due in. My commute is about 20 minutes. A short while in to the journey all the electrics on the bike died, along with the engine. It was as if the key was turned off in the ignition (which it wasn't) and nothing would come on. I checked fuses, battery terminals and anything else I could think of. In desperation I phoned a couple of people that came to mind first, my bro being one. He made a good point though when he said "I'm not sure what I can really do."
Then once I'd started being slightly more rational, I decided to call work, then call my breakdown cover company who I had a policy with on a previous bike in the hopes that they'd send a recovery guy out for a different bike. Luckily they did, but said I needed to update my cover details for future callouts. After a long wait sure enough a guy came out to look at it. It was the usual case of "hmm, I don't know what it is, it'll need towing" and I got the impression that I knew more than he did about bike mechanics. Then he tells me that he'd have to go and get a trailer for the bike! This is the third time this sort of thing has happened, so why is it that recovery companies don't send out tow capable vehicles in the first place? surely it'd save time??
After an even longer wait, he came back with a metal frame on wheels attached to the back of the same recovery van he was driving before. Oh dear I thought, this is going to end badly. Imagine all those youtube videos of biker fails involving trailers or vans and ramps. Yeah, that's what was going through my head at that point. I lined the bike up, he went behind to push, and after 2 seconds of me desperately trying to stop the bike from falling away from me I called it and said I wasn't happy with doing this.
Bearing in mind he was an older guy, and didn't look like he could stop it if it started falling. "ok" he says, "I'll call for an extra pair of hands." Thank foc for that. Turns out it's his son who arrives a short time later, who did look like he could stop the bike falling if need be. I was still dubious at this point, but the son seemed sensible enough and the three of us managed to get it on the trailer without any issues. While waiting I'd been calling local garages and arranged to bring it in to one I knew, so we headed there.
Once there, the rather large (not fat) guy I spoke to came out to help unload the bike, and I got the impression he knew exactly what he was doing with it (as you would hope, being a bike garage.) Despite saying they might not be able to look at it till tomorrow, they phoned me later on in the afternoon to say that (drum roll.........) the wiring loom and connector blocks were corroded in several places and should really be replaced. This would cost me £720 including parts and labor. They offered a quick fix, stressing it would be temporary, to patch up the damaged sections and said it would cost me £100.
Being slightly less rich than I was before the accident (bad thing #1) and needing the bike back on the road I opted for the quick fix. Though I wasn't expecting it to be done the same day, they phoned me about an hour and a half before they were due to close, saying it was all done and I owed them £86! Bonus I thought, I could pick it up first thing Friday and it cost less than expected. Telling my bro this, he said "oo, can I pick it up for you?"
So after a bit more organising while at work, I got a text from my bro saying the bike is at his, and it's really nice to ride! "Yes" I said. "Yes it is."
••• Long story short; bike dies due to corroded wiring loom, managed to get a tow to PGH in Torquay (top guys, highly recommended), they patched it up temporarily, my bro collects for me, and to top it off a great guy I worked with this summer taxi's me around to work, from work, then to my bro's to get the bike! Losses today: £86.40
I guess in a lot of ways I'm actually pretty fortunate thinking about it.
So I finally managed to get to work today, only 5 hours late, after the nightmare that was to be my commute. It seems that bad things happen in threes, or they have so far at least. Before I start though, I should give credit to all the help I've had today from various people. My bro was awesome (though he may not see this) and despite having a lot on was tripping over himself trying to help. A colleague I've worked with who happens to live very near me was offering me lifts and driving me all over the place, much appreciated. Yet more colleagues from work offered more lifts. I even pestered Devilsyam from this forum who was suggesting what might be the issue, as I was in panic mode after what happened. So here's what went on..
I left for work nice and early, an hour before I was due in. My commute is about 20 minutes. A short while in to the journey all the electrics on the bike died, along with the engine. It was as if the key was turned off in the ignition (which it wasn't) and nothing would come on. I checked fuses, battery terminals and anything else I could think of. In desperation I phoned a couple of people that came to mind first, my bro being one. He made a good point though when he said "I'm not sure what I can really do."
Then once I'd started being slightly more rational, I decided to call work, then call my breakdown cover company who I had a policy with on a previous bike in the hopes that they'd send a recovery guy out for a different bike. Luckily they did, but said I needed to update my cover details for future callouts. After a long wait sure enough a guy came out to look at it. It was the usual case of "hmm, I don't know what it is, it'll need towing" and I got the impression that I knew more than he did about bike mechanics. Then he tells me that he'd have to go and get a trailer for the bike! This is the third time this sort of thing has happened, so why is it that recovery companies don't send out tow capable vehicles in the first place? surely it'd save time??
After an even longer wait, he came back with a metal frame on wheels attached to the back of the same recovery van he was driving before. Oh dear I thought, this is going to end badly. Imagine all those youtube videos of biker fails involving trailers or vans and ramps. Yeah, that's what was going through my head at that point. I lined the bike up, he went behind to push, and after 2 seconds of me desperately trying to stop the bike from falling away from me I called it and said I wasn't happy with doing this.
Bearing in mind he was an older guy, and didn't look like he could stop it if it started falling. "ok" he says, "I'll call for an extra pair of hands." Thank foc for that. Turns out it's his son who arrives a short time later, who did look like he could stop the bike falling if need be. I was still dubious at this point, but the son seemed sensible enough and the three of us managed to get it on the trailer without any issues. While waiting I'd been calling local garages and arranged to bring it in to one I knew, so we headed there.
Once there, the rather large (not fat) guy I spoke to came out to help unload the bike, and I got the impression he knew exactly what he was doing with it (as you would hope, being a bike garage.) Despite saying they might not be able to look at it till tomorrow, they phoned me later on in the afternoon to say that (drum roll.........) the wiring loom and connector blocks were corroded in several places and should really be replaced. This would cost me £720 including parts and labor. They offered a quick fix, stressing it would be temporary, to patch up the damaged sections and said it would cost me £100.
Being slightly less rich than I was before the accident (bad thing #1) and needing the bike back on the road I opted for the quick fix. Though I wasn't expecting it to be done the same day, they phoned me about an hour and a half before they were due to close, saying it was all done and I owed them £86! Bonus I thought, I could pick it up first thing Friday and it cost less than expected. Telling my bro this, he said "oo, can I pick it up for you?"
So after a bit more organising while at work, I got a text from my bro saying the bike is at his, and it's really nice to ride! "Yes" I said. "Yes it is."
••• Long story short; bike dies due to corroded wiring loom, managed to get a tow to PGH in Torquay (top guys, highly recommended), they patched it up temporarily, my bro collects for me, and to top it off a great guy I worked with this summer taxi's me around to work, from work, then to my bro's to get the bike! Losses today: £86.40
I guess in a lot of ways I'm actually pretty fortunate thinking about it.