oh dear...

First of all let this be known, i'm an idiot...

Right so i'd been planning on going out this weekend to get a last go on the bootiful welsh roads before heading back to wolves. So today comes and i get on the bike. It doesn't start so i try bump starting it many times getting nakard pushing it back up hill, it doesnt work, then after multiple tries i thought sod it, tried one last time normal ignition, bing we're there woo! (perhaps all this was a sign)

so i go up to monmouth, brecon, and all that, it starts getting very rainy, very cold and very dark. Visor and geggs steamed up, but i was in the middle of nowhere and turning back would be no quicker than carrying on.

The sun is now setting and it's dark, i cant see a sodding thing with all the steam, rain and headlights. Was now on A40 heading towards A470 to get back down to cardiff. Roads now very empty, i remain glad for a slow driver infront of me as slow was seaming a good idea, and i was using his rear lights as a marker as to where the hell i am on the road (vision was pretty terrible)

I don't quite know what happened, it didn't seem to be a big event, but i discover that now the front cylinder has gone (i have a fender extender)... damn all that water on the roads that i was probably riding through without noticing. i'm 40 miles form caerdydd

Now i'm freezing, still cant see, front cylinder ocassionally kicking in (although it shortly packed in for good), lack of power. I was actually pretty crapping myself, but i just wanted to get back home. so i keep counting down the miles till i arrive in the city, it was a long 40 miles up diahorrea drive withough a saddle

Well i made it back in one piece, all beit one slightly shaken up piece

...oh whats that sorry? severe weather warning for south wales... hmmm

so will the water evapourate out the front cylinder?

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by Draper

So will the water evapourate out the front cylinder?

Sadly no it wont, you'll have to take the plug out and dry it all out before it'll run properly again. Its not a big job, just a bit fiddly.

Make sure you clear the drain hole on the RHS of the front cylinder to.

try a fog city visor, to help with steaming up, i also use catcrap on my glasses

http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/sear...atitle=catcrap

oh dear, this is a time where being an idiot is not good, i would have no idea how to go about doing this, its gotta be sorted for saturday morning for my trip back to wolverhampton

worth taking to a garage? or would rac sort it? unless theres any of the south wales lot that could show me?

hovis i bought this anti-glare stuff from NEC, it seems to work, but on the bike it doesn't seem to be ultimately effective... unless it would have been even worse without it

little red stick that smells horrid, does seam to combat the steam though, put it on glasses and visor and when breath or kettle them they dont steam... but perhaps its effects are short lived. althought i did pull over and give them another go with the stick and a rag

[fizzwheel]

Its really easy to get at the front plug, you just need the right tools and a little patience. If I can do it, you can.

Undo the fairing bolts by the radiator and then you'll find you can pop the fairing off the lugs that hold it onto the radiator.

Then undo the lower radiator mount bolts on each side, then you'll find you can swing the radiator forward and this helps get access to the plug.

Pop the HT lead off, then use the plug spanner in the toolkit and take the plug out and dry it and the HT lead out.

Refit the plug and be careful you dont cross thread it, just use your finger and thumb and do it up like that and then nip it up with the plug spanner, dont over tighten it you'll strip the thread and then you'll be in a world of pain.

Refit the HT lead and the rubber grommet, take care to align the grommet properly and you'll feel it pop into the recess in the cylinder head.

Refit the rad and the fairings, watch the rad bolts that you dont over tighten them. I did and I sheared the head off the bolt.

Just take your time and dont rush it'll be fine.

cheers fizzwheel, your words are much appreciated

estimated time? taking it nice and steady that is

[fizzwheel]

I think it took me an hour the first time I did it.

I had to do it a few times and I got it down to fine art, 10 minutes tops with a bit of practice.

[Biker Biggles]

Wot he said.You will need allen keys for the fairing fasteners,a 10mm spanner for the rad bolts(you may need to unbolt the horn too)and the plug spanner.
Also a good idea would be some WD40 to dry out the plug and its recess.
All quite simple and a confidence booster for the next time.

how does the water actually get into the plug if its sealed in? i can see why the ht lead would be wet and need drying, but i havent ever looked down there so i dont know

just use a rag to dry them?