First road trip alone and guess what...

[Guest]

I got my learners last year and passed my final road test 2 weeks ago.
I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE my GS!!!!!!!
Road the country side today but before I left I had to change/fix my left handlebar controller. hacked a GSX600 left control. I noticed that one of my flashers bulb was dead and I needed break fluid so off to Canadian Tire.
Changed the bulbs added the fluid and off I go.... Rats I forgot my ear plugs. stop at another canadian tire and 20mins later, cause no one know where they where.. I have my ear plugs. Off I go. 30 min later I get the the country road... all of a sudden I hear something coming off my bike. What the !!! I stop look and saw that my flasher cover fell off.. WTF I tightened both screws!!! Could it be vibration alone???? Pick the peaces up. Off I go.... Sun is going down and it's getting cold.. sucks big time, I also notice that break fluid is dripping the splashing all over me. sigh! The cover is tight and I dont understand. Will have to look at it later. I still ride on! it's 8pm I stop to get a coffee to warm up my bones. Time to leave for Montreal which is about an 1:15 mins. Start my GS then stall my GS... Starter does not work any more... there is a little ramp. Push start...vroom... I'm freezing and I want to get home fast. Cruising at 130km and 15 min later I look at my instrument panel and my tail light warning is on. F@#$k me!!!!!!!
what now.... put my hand to touch the tail light...... the hole fking tail panel and light is gone.... wait it's not finished..... 55 km from montreal and all traffic stops!!! Fk this I'm lane splitting.... what do I see beside me ..... nice red and blue flashing lights..... AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!! luckily the cop said stay in your lane and he left.... it took 2:20 hours to get home. my neck is stiff from the cold.

So did I enjoy my self HELL YEA!!!! Just the sound of my 4in1 yoshi pipes gives me a devilish grin and sinister laugh!


Tell me this can vibration alone vibrate my bike to peaces????
Should I locktight every thing?

[cowboyup3371]

Synch your carbs and make sure every bolt is properly torqued. I'm curious as to why you kept riding on if your brake fluid was leaking? That would have earned a quick stop and turn around for me.

[tkent02]

Sounds like fun. Fix the bike better next time. Things aren't supposed to fall off, this isnt a KLR 650.

[hjfisk]

Yea not sure what you or PO have done to the bike, but sounds like that bike needs to be gone over stem to stern. I have never had anything vibrate off any of my Suzuki motorcycles. Now I rode with my brother once and he was on a old BSA and we[My wife and I ] were following him and kept stopping and picking up his parts as they fell off, had a back pack full when we got home, including the front fender.

[Steel Toed Tank]

Sounds like someone needs to follow the 10 steps to a happy healthy GS.

Only thing I've ever had come lose was one of the bolts that holds the rear fender to the frame. I replaced both of them with nylon lock-nuts on the bolts.

[GelandeStrasse]

On bright side, that's not a ride you're going to forget!

[dorkburger]

On bright side, that's not a ride you're going to forget!

I find it odd that the rides with much adversity seem to be the most memorable.

[Dogma]

Synch your carbs and make sure every bolt is properly torqued. I'm curious as to why you kept riding on if your brake fluid was leaking? That would have earned a quick stop and turn around for me.

I rode my 1000 for a year or two with leaky reservoirs. I never did get one to seal the lid on that master. The leak rate was never enough to run me out of fluid and get dangerous, but it did eat paint and bed liner. I'm using the master that came with my Concours calipers now.

+1 on the carb balance. A GS shouldn't vibrate enough to make itself lighter. I've seen things come loose before, but that was more about a mistake with the wrenches.

C&c, Loctite should only really be necessary on safety critical items like caliper bolts. Proper torque (usually less than you'd think, especially in aluminum) and the spec'd lock washers should hold it together. Caliper bolts... someone actually lost a caliper on the way to Brown county this year. The wheel was messed up a bit, but that could have been a lot worse.

[c&c]

Memorable indeed!

I removed the tail light last year and I'm am positive I tighten them properly.
And both screws from the front flasher lights fell off.
Even the 4 chrome valve side covers vibrate lose and lost a screw.
It is also old plastic you have to be carful not to over tighten them.

I'll be loktite'ing them for sure!

The engin is getting better stronger and smoother the more I ride it. My hands and bum noticed it. I did not get num nuts yesterday. It must have beed all carbon'd up.
I synced the carbs last year. I might do them again this weekend and readjust the idle screws.

The break fluid reservoir did not leak before I filled it up. I tighted it more last night. I'll see if that helped.
If it continues to leek I will switch it for a modern one and maybe change the break leaver which I was going to do anyway this winter with my complete teardown/rebuild.

[earlfor]

Surprise to me! I've never had anything vibrate loose, much less off, on a GS.

[mcloud]

Hi C&C,
Everything that came loose and fell off my GS was because PO stripped the threads and tried fixing it the wrong way (headlight, oïl filter cover, side stand).

I'm in St-Leonard, PM me if you need a hand .

[mcloud]

OH!
And congrats on your full patch !!

[slayer61]

I do some vintage flattrack racing on a Yamaha 500(ish) single. it vibrates like nobody's business, and parts do occasionally fall off it. My cure has always been to drill and safety wire anything that has vibrated loose in the past. I know this doesn't help your current situation, but it sure gives you piece of mind next time!

1). oil drain plug (required by sanctioning body)
2). top and bottom shock mounts
3). swingarm pivot bolt/nut
4). motor mounts
5). brake caliper mounts
6). exhaust hanger mounts
7). oil filter cover bolts
8). masterlink clip
9). foot peg mounts
10). well by now, you get the idea!