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Zip ties save the day!
I was out for my weekly run in the country north of Canberra (Australia) this morning.
Cruising nicely around 100kph when the Thruxton suddenly coughed and spluttered and began misfiring badly. Roll off the throttle, unscrew the fuel cap, just in case it is the dreaded tank vacuum lock, but no joy. Won't run over 2500rpm. Limp into the closest small town and park in a rest area. Off with the side cover to get the Allen key to undo the seat. Take the seat off and a quick visual indicates nothing unusual. Unplug/replug the ignitor module, just in case. Start the bike and she runs beautifully. Great, problem fixed. Re-attach the seat and side cover and on my way.
Get about half a kilometer down the road and it starts again. What to do? I'm about 35km away from the closest motorcycle shop on a single lane highway just recently rated as the most dangerous stretch of road in the whole of New South Wales. 100kph limit and the max that I can do is 55 - 60kph. Fortunately there is a bicycle lane that runs for most of the stretch back into Canberra, but being passed by semi trailers and B-Doubles only a few feet away is not my idea of fun. Finally make it into the traffic light controlled T-junction that will take me to the motorcycle shop and the Thruxton up and dies altogether. No idiot lamps, no starter, nothing.
Aha, say I, flat battery. This could explain a few things (except that just prior, the starter motor would turn over just fine). Off with the side cover and seat again. Look at the battery. Why is the earth lead hanging off? The lug has plain broken in two. Two trusty zip ties to secure the broken lug to the battery terminal post and we are mobile once again.
A couple of morals to this story.
1. If you do not have after market seat screws, make sure that you have a coin on you so that you can remove the right hand side cover to get the Allen key located there so that you can take the seat off.
2. Always carry some zip ties. You never know when you may need them!
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