2017 Border Run

[SteveD]

We've both earned velocity points recently Charlie. I think we'll keep it under license losing speeds but then there's opportunity to deal with!

[SteveD]

Weather turning...cooler than previous forecast!
The tyres won't get too hot and might not wear so fast. We probably won't be riding into a glaring sunset!
Always look on the bri.....

[SteveD]

Wish I could come!

We are expecting you anytime soon.

[Airbear]

Weather turning...cooler than previous forecast!
The tyres won't get too hot and might not wear so fast. We probably won't be riding into a glaring sunset!
Always look on the bri.....

Such optimism deserves rewards. The forecast for Eucla is good:

https://www.yr.no/place/Australia/Weste ... /long.html

But there may be a little moisture along the way:

https://www.yr.no/place/Australia/South ... /long.html

We'll be rootin' for you.

[Roy Gavin]

I think the guys were washed out around Burra.
One of the bikes has died---------.
SOS went out Sat night but nothing since.
I think I am the nearest BMW/ ADV forum member / parts stash so maybe it is sorted
I've had 125 mm rain since Friday mid day and a couple of large branches down with the wind , so not ideal biking weather!
Warmed up a little today, 9C and dry so hopefully they will be able to get things moving.

[Airbear]

Roy, here's an update from Steve, posted on another forum on Sunday morning:

Well, an eventful weekend.

We were doing good time and comfortably so. Riding into a very strong headwind coming into Burra was hard work though. We stopped to swap bikes and the FBC wouldn't start.

Long story short, after trying many things then chatting to Jeff we were unable to solve the problem.

A mate of Grants drove over yesterday and they're on their way home now.

We were met in Burra by Doug who is a friend from Adelaide. We rode back to Adelaide yesterday for a trailer and got the bike back here late. Doug put us all up including Brett from Traf.

Grant is probably at Bordertown already. I'm still in bed.

[grant81rs]

Gidday Fella,

Sorry for the delay in replying to btw.

Yep our adventure came to a stand still on the side of the road about 20kms east of Burra around 4pm on Friday just as a massive storm front came through.
We had just done 1000kms and going by my GPS we were running 2mins behind scheduled since I had left home at 4am that morning.
As mentioned a very strong head wind we were riding into on the Morgan/Burra road when I notice the bike lagging, 105kms 3500rpms in 5th and no more left on the throttle, it was just hesitate to roll on, so I selected 4th and it would roll up to 5rpm and the speed would increase as normal, so again I would go for 5th and over a few 100 meters it would come back to 105 or there about again, this I repeated a few times and then I pulled over to let SteveD have a ride and get his thoughts.

Anyway it would not start again, so we pushed the bike a 100M back to a truck parking bay and got in under cover as best we could under a picnic table shelter and then it poured down.
The bike would turn over as normal and give some puffs like it wanted to go. carbie main jets were checked and blown our, diaphragms inspected, fuel flow etc, the thing you think would get it going but nothing. At battery was starting to weaken so I went and knocked on the door of a resting truckie how had just started his truck and asked for a jump start to boost the turnover of the engine and see if that would help. The old truckie was great and reversered up and whipped out his jumper leads, this unfortunately did not help the cause either, he offered to sit and charge the battery with his idling truck but we knew at this point that it was starting odd, we thanked him and he drove off.

I now rang the RACV roadside rescue and organised that while Steve phonced Doug who we were meeting at Burra and said we would be late into town.
About 1.5 hours later the RACV roadside arrived with a trailer and got me loaded and into Burra to a motel,Steve went ahead and met Doug. A shower, a few beers and a hot meal where had and plans laid out and "What Nexted"...
Calls to texts to Jeff were made at this point discussing the problems, the symptoms, this and that etc which were tried but again, nothing, the bike would turn over but not fire or even stumble.
We got onto the bmw page on facebook and put out a call for help or spares in the area etc, with some response and suggestion of trying this and that, but nothing eventuated.

Doug and Steve decided that it was to far to continue to the WA boarder from Burra the next day with the amount of daylight available to them, the volume and size of kangaroos out there was mental in numbers so night riding just not a choice for the sane.

Like mentioned, the next morning around 10.30 am and with the generosity of Doug, he and Steve set off back to Adelaide to Dougs house for the 200km trip on their bikes and then returned with a SUV and trailer, later the day. also earlier that morning we had replaced the ICU, the coils, and the hall effects sensor, the spark plugs and tried other thing, it had good spark and fuel still but nothing.

Later the day the boys returned, I had hung around Burra, the pub for lunch, the coffee and street and also around the motel grounds who btw were amazing and generous "The Golden Chain motel" in Burra, highly recommended.
We loaded the bike and again headed the 200kms back to Doug's place in Adelaide which we arrived around 9.30pm after a pub stop for a feed.

Before this Brett my mate from Trafalgar had rang on the Friday night to see how the trip was progressing, I told him the news which we discussed as he is a mechanic and runs his own shop, he rang again Saturday late morning just after the boys had left on their bikes for Adelaide, I told him again about the ICU and hall effects sensor we had tried.
He insisted he drive over asap and left Trafalgar at 12noon with his ute, one of those XR8 Fords and arrived 800kms later at 9pm in Adelaide as we got to Dougs place basically, good timing!!

Sunday morning were loaded the bike in darkness onto the ute and drove home arriving at 5pm back in Trafalgar, the bike now is up on the lift and ready to pull down this week.

Steve stayed a few days and was shown around Adelaide by Doug and is leaving today (Tuesday) for Melbourne and home.

It all worked out, good times were had and a few grumpy ones on my behalf and I still haven't been to Western Australia yet, but I will one day.

I will post my findings about the bike as I get into it.

[Airbear]

So, a good adventure was had, despite some grumpiness. Well done.

[grant81rs]

Update....

So on the day the weather was a cold 9c degrees with a super strong head wind on a long up hill gradient from Morang to Burra in South Australia out in the wide open countryside..
My mechanic mate has just left the shed and we found this.
Out with spark plugs and compression tested each side and nothing.
Thumb on the plug holes, turn over engine and nothing but air coming back up the pushrod tube holes.
"Its cooked my mate said".
We then added a little squirt of oil down the plug hole on one side, put the compression tester back on and got a reading of 25psi, repeated the other side and got the same 25psi. So at least no holes in the tops of the pistons as the squirt of oil is creating a temporary seal to give some compression on the guage..
So there you go, it was a very cold day with super strong head winds up a long gradually incline over a distance of 85km and i was pushing it along at 120kph but the ole flying bloodclot just didnt like it after 170,000kms traveled.
It will get pulled down this weekend, measurements taken and new parts ordered.
Well thats the theory for now and nodoubt the plot could thicken and deeper we probe
Cheers Grant

[ME 109]

I'm thinking exhaust valve seats, or valve heads receding. Waiting for an exhaust valve clearance report.
If it is...........you prolly could have reset them and ridden home.
Did you check clearance before you left Grant? Maybe the valves were on the tight side and a 1000 k day took its toll.

I didn't consider suggesting to check the clearances.