V
vivalast
Guest
Well an eventful day to say the least....
This turned out to be a little wordy,tl;dr at the bottom...
So it began with my casual ride to work. A little ways from work I stopped at a redlight. I glanced into a Tim Horton's parking and what's that? The silver paintjob and uncanny fairing, an original Katana? Well my curiosity of seeing a rare bike and meeting a fellow GS'er got the better of me and I pulled into the lot. My bike had been giving me some electrical woes so I left it running to be safe.
Turned out to be 84(85?) 750 Katana. Very nice looking bike with about 50000(30K miles)on it. Talked to the owner a bit and learned a few interesting things. Ironically enough we talked about electrical issues and he pointed me towards Honda R/R.
I realized I was going to be running late and decided to head out. The Katana rider left with another rider he was with. I walked over to my running bike let out the clutch anddddd she dies. Was so dead it wouldn't even turn over. So I attempted my emergency fix of pulling the trainlight and signals fuses to no avail. After failing to bump start with the help of a stranger I gave up and call home. One thing to note:none of the several Hardley riders even offered assistance to the rider clad in full leather and his random helper running around the parking lot in 80 degree heat. I parked the bike behind the coffee shop took the battery out and a little while later my mother arrives. I asked her to charge the battery and she dropped me off at work.
I arrived at work an hour late and found out a few people thought I had wrecked. 5 minutes after the time I was supposed to start someone joked that I had probably wiped out. A little after that my work called my house and they were told I had left at my usual time for work. People were relieved once I showed up.
I got off just before midnight and was picked up by my mother. As we pulled into the parking lot I was greeted by sight of several skateboarders behind the coffee shop around my bike doing their skateboarder things.
I replaced the headlight fuse but decided against the signals fuse. Started the bike up and was out of the parking lot with my mother following close behind me.
Things were going smoothly but around 10 minutes from home my heart dropped. Two cars passed us in the opposite lane and I spotted the unmistakable red POLICE across the second's hood. Even though my mother was close behind me it didn't change the fact my taillight was out. I kept checking behind me and much to my dismay I see brake lights followed by headlights. Eventually I saw the cherries behind my mother and she let him pass and I slowed to a stop and pulled over. While slowing down the bike died. He got out to inform me my taillight's out and I explained that the bike was now dead.
So after some chitchat he apologized and offered me a bump. Told me to put the bike in 3rd....I just kind of
'ed and said 'Yes Officer.' Down the road we went, bumped down on the seat and the bike weakly responded quickly shifted it down to 1st quickly and it sprang to life. Bike died again after getting stuck behind some guy taking his time turning left. Thankfully I had enough momentum to bump it back to life. Got it home a few minutes later.
So we're both home in one piece, got to see a 'real Katana'(bleh to any of the modern ones), and met another GS'er. I'd say this misadventure was a good one.
I know it may be a bit offtopic/tech sec butttt:I'm certain it's either the battery or R/R at fault. Where can one acquire one of the Honda R/R's?
tl;dr-Saw a nice Katana...stopped and talked to the owner...battery died...got battery charged...on ride home get pulled over and bike dies...get bump started...fin
This turned out to be a little wordy,tl;dr at the bottom...
So it began with my casual ride to work. A little ways from work I stopped at a redlight. I glanced into a Tim Horton's parking and what's that? The silver paintjob and uncanny fairing, an original Katana? Well my curiosity of seeing a rare bike and meeting a fellow GS'er got the better of me and I pulled into the lot. My bike had been giving me some electrical woes so I left it running to be safe.
Turned out to be 84(85?) 750 Katana. Very nice looking bike with about 50000(30K miles)on it. Talked to the owner a bit and learned a few interesting things. Ironically enough we talked about electrical issues and he pointed me towards Honda R/R.
I realized I was going to be running late and decided to head out. The Katana rider left with another rider he was with. I walked over to my running bike let out the clutch anddddd she dies. Was so dead it wouldn't even turn over. So I attempted my emergency fix of pulling the trainlight and signals fuses to no avail. After failing to bump start with the help of a stranger I gave up and call home. One thing to note:none of the several Hardley riders even offered assistance to the rider clad in full leather and his random helper running around the parking lot in 80 degree heat. I parked the bike behind the coffee shop took the battery out and a little while later my mother arrives. I asked her to charge the battery and she dropped me off at work.
I arrived at work an hour late and found out a few people thought I had wrecked. 5 minutes after the time I was supposed to start someone joked that I had probably wiped out. A little after that my work called my house and they were told I had left at my usual time for work. People were relieved once I showed up.
I got off just before midnight and was picked up by my mother. As we pulled into the parking lot I was greeted by sight of several skateboarders behind the coffee shop around my bike doing their skateboarder things.
Things were going smoothly but around 10 minutes from home my heart dropped. Two cars passed us in the opposite lane and I spotted the unmistakable red POLICE across the second's hood. Even though my mother was close behind me it didn't change the fact my taillight was out. I kept checking behind me and much to my dismay I see brake lights followed by headlights. Eventually I saw the cherries behind my mother and she let him pass and I slowed to a stop and pulled over. While slowing down the bike died. He got out to inform me my taillight's out and I explained that the bike was now dead.
So after some chitchat he apologized and offered me a bump. Told me to put the bike in 3rd....I just kind of
'ed and said 'Yes Officer.' Down the road we went, bumped down on the seat and the bike weakly responded quickly shifted it down to 1st quickly and it sprang to life. Bike died again after getting stuck behind some guy taking his time turning left. Thankfully I had enough momentum to bump it back to life. Got it home a few minutes later.So we're both home in one piece, got to see a 'real Katana'(bleh to any of the modern ones), and met another GS'er. I'd say this misadventure was a good one.
I know it may be a bit offtopic/tech sec butttt:I'm certain it's either the battery or R/R at fault. Where can one acquire one of the Honda R/R's?
tl;dr-Saw a nice Katana...stopped and talked to the owner...battery died...got battery charged...on ride home get pulled over and bike dies...get bump started...fin
