Need help... (taken care of)

[flipstyledsm22]

I am broke down in SF, right outside of downtown. I need tools, or possible tow.

My float valve is stuck open and I'm dumping fuel everywhere. Mainly need locking vise grips, 10mm wrench, big long flat head screw driver, star screw driver, some rags, and possibly carb cleaner.

At the very least a locking vise grip to stop the gas leak until I can coordinate transport.

Located in the Walgreens parking lot on Bay & Columbus.

832-468-0818
Ben

 

[gixxerjeff]

:bump
I'm feeling useless up here in Santa Rosa. I wish I could do more than just bump your thread back up to the top of the screen.
Post on Connie's (Gixxergirl1000) sticky thread above this one. You might have a quicker response. Good luck.

 

[budman]

:bump

Good luck man.

 

[flipstyledsm22]

Thanks guys. I just called the wife and she is going to bring my tool bag.

Just going to people watch until she gets here. Kind of reminds me of high school when we would break down and have to fix vehicles in general parking lots. Walgreens gonna hate me for all the gas spilled in their parking lot... Guess it's not as bad as all the used needles scattered everywhere.

 

[flipstyledsm22]

Another sucky thing... I went on that 49 Mile Ride and not one person pulled over to ask if I needed help. John and the other BARF'ers were ahead of me, so they don't know I'm broke down. Kind of bummed because of that.

 

[flipstyledsm22]

Phone is about dead. Will update this evening.

 

[Gixxergirl1000]

Phone is about dead. Will update this evening.

Are you good, or do I need to see if I've got a volunteer who can help?

 

[flipstyledsm22]

I'm ok now. Thank you. Just waiting for the wife to make the trip down from Sebastopol.

 

[Cincinnatus]

Another sucky thing... I went on that 49 Mile Ride and not one person pulled over to ask if I needed help. John and the other BARF'ers were ahead of me, so they don't know I'm broke down. Kind of bummed because of that.

Sorry I can't help, I'm laid up with a broken ankle.

Any organized group ride that doesn't have a sweep rider isn't organized. That's a failure on the leaders of the ride.

Good luck, get fixed, ride safe! :thumbup

 

[brichter]

Crap. I’m helping my stepdad work on his motorcycle, or I would come up there.

 

[SFMCjohn]

I'm ok now. Thank you. Just waiting for the wife to make the trip down from Sebastopol.

:thumbup

Hey flipstyledsm22,

sounds like help is on the way, sorry no one stopped immediately, must have been a bad feeling being left behind (folks were looking out for you, though, the Mamba Kawi is hard to miss and easy to describe) ...

I’ll pm my cell, now ... :gsxrgrl

Sorry I can't help, I'm laid up with a broken ankle.

Any organized group ride that doesn't have a sweep rider isn't organized. That's a failure on the leaders of the ride.

:thumbup:laughing

was on a ride recently and offered to sweep a guy on a section of dirt road he’d never seen before, but he refused, and I didn’t want to argue ... learned an important lesson. :toothless:angel

 

[flipstyledsm22]

What a DAY!

Let this be a lesson for the rookies (like me!)... Don't force a repair to make a last minute ride that's more than an hour away from your home!

I dreaded calling the wife to come rescue me (Isn't it supposed to be the other way around?), but I knew I needed to do something before some bum was going to walk by and flick a cig in my direction... I was a fire hazard.

Did a full tear down right there in the parking lot and got the crud out of my carbs. Turns out I was a dummy last night and forgot to mark my fuel filter. I basically installed it backwards, allowing all of hells dingle berries to flow right into my clean valley that was once a float valve haven. The wife brought me my tools and I sent her on a mission to find a replacement inline filter... no success, but I managed to flush out my backwards ass filter and got it back on. The most frustrating part of the day, was fatigue... I assembled the carbs and mounted it 4 times!!! And each time I would find a crucial part laying in plain view on a rag. The 3rd time, my wife asked me if I was about finished and I replied, "15 minutes babe!"... Got the last rubber velocity stack in my hand and saw 2 float valves staring at me from a bed of terry cloth... it was at that moment, I looked at the alleyway and thought, maybe heroin is not a bad idea. Boy was I banging head. Anyways, forth times a charm right? Lol!

What a freaking journey! I hope to NOT experience that again! At least I met some really cool BARF'ers and I got a picture on my way home that will remind me of SF :ride

 

[budman]

Damn dude!!!

One hell of a day. Bet ya won’t forget it.

Makes it epic.

I could not have done that shit. Good on ya. :thumbup

 

[Slow Goat]

You have a great wife and you had the knowledge and tools to fix the problem.

Well played. Dig your bike.

 

[gixxerjeff]

I'm glad you made it home,.Ben.
Your wife is an absolute angel. You are a lucky man. (I have an angel too, that's how I know)
I admire your positive spirit and tenacity. Much respect. :thumbup

 

[SFMCjohn]

love this pic ...

you wrestled that Kawasaki to the ground, would’ve been a tow for me ... :laughing:hail

were we correct about the set-screw?

 

[GPzPop]

Dang ...

sorry!
--S

 

[flipstyledsm22]

love this pic ...

you wrestled that Kawasaki to the ground, would’ve been a tow for me ... :laughing:hail

were we correct about the set-screw?

I considered paying for a tow, but I knew the wife would've killed me for blowing that kind of dough when we have an enclosed trailer for the bikes. I didn't want her to go through all the trouble either, trying to muscle the trailer out of the back yard and towing it down to SF by herself... Thought it was best to let her see me struggle with the repairs in the elements. Kinda worked out in my favor. She took it easy on me the rest of the day and didn't nag me to death.

We were correct too! Set screw was the easiest and most forgiving part of the repair!

 

[flipstyledsm22]

Dang ...

sorry!
--S

Not any of you guys fault. I was behind you all and it happened in the beginning of the ride.

It all happened so quick. We had just circled around the roundabout and were heading down hill (probably 3-4 miles into the ride) and the guy riding behind me pulled next to me and yelled, your muffler is leaking. I didn't compute... We then came to a stop light and he again yells, "You're leaking fuel!" I looked down and sure enough, I had a squirt gun. I immediately pulled off to the sidewalk and killed the motor, got down and started inspecting. By this time the sounds of exhausts had faded into the distance. Lucky for me, it was all downhill walking with the bike... Not sure how far I walked, but I was blessed that gravity was there to help me for once and not try to take me out :laughing

 

[Titus58]

Hey Ben,

Damn dude- what an ordeal! So sorry no one was there to help...we were looking for you at the midway stop and at the end, wondered what had happened....

Good on you for making some amazing parking-lot repairs--and sticking to it when you kept getting curve-balls! Love the pics, especially the one of the nearly naked Kawi next to the mural in the parking lot, and then of you in front of the bridge, successfully on your way :ride home :thumbup :thumbup

Let me know if you're interested in redoing the 49 mile scenic ride properly...happy to lead you and your wife on a tour!...I can also send you a detailed guide of the ride and stops, PM me if you're interested. It's actually a great way to discover the many unique parts of the City

Great to meet you and love your bike :thumbup :ride


Tim