My bike is broken

[Jayneflakes]

Henry my faithful and lovable 125cc companion has gone bang. Yesterday while riding home from work the throttle seized open and the engine started to scream. I managed to pull over and cut the ignition (after doing nearly sixty in a forty to thirty zone).

Big hugs to the lovely chap who pulled over in his car to make sure I was OK, don't be shocked folks, he was actually another biker on his way home from work. Thanks Buddy, who ever you were.

Poor Henry howled like a banshee when I tried to start him again and I had to shut off the engine once more. The cause of this malady was a corroded throttle cable that despite my cleaning and lubing last month, decided that enough was enough.

So this morning I replaced the throttle cable and spent ages making sure that it runs smoothly and is full of lube. Sure enough the Cable felt silky smooth and after a few hard kicks, the engine failed to start. Thinking I had flooded it, I left it a while and started again a while later. This time he did kick over, with a large cloud of blue smoke and a funny smell.

Henry no longer has a clutch it would seem, the engine sounds rather rattly and starting is not the usual single small kick.

On better news, I have been promoted at work and am now a full timer, which means I should hopefully be able to do those things that normal working people do when they get paid and have paid the bills, you know things like buy a new clutch for their motorbike! Sadly, pay rise will not arrive until the end of the month, so for now poor Henry will just have to sit in the garage with Silvie (my SV, another bike I can't ride! ) and chat to her until I can afford a new clutch. I just really hope that nothing else internal is broken, but until I get in there, I can be sure.

The world just got bigger and I am a pedestrian again. Mind you hopefully with the pay rise I can at last afford to take my Tea Potting test and get out on my SV. Right, what is the best way to get oil off of my hands, I have a presentation to do tomorrow for work and I need to make sure my broken nails are filed and my oily hands are clean.

Sorry to hear about your bike...Why not just stick it on a credit card after all you will have the cash to pay for it come pay day. Thats what they are they for.

I think you should at least check the oil level, preferably consider changing it if you are concerned that any debris could be in the oil from a burnt out clutch (I know I would change the oil, and the filter aswell).

While the bike is off the road, tend to it and inspect it for any other possible faults

Oil off hands: washing up liquid and sugar/sand to make an abrasive grease removing paste, works surprisingly well.

Originally Posted by Bear

Oil off hands: washing up liquid and sugar/sand to make an abrasive grease removing paste, I use it as a lubricant too

[Bri w]

Sorry to hear about Henry. Pity i'm not closer - i learned my spannering on a Henry (Ermintrude cos she was a right c#w) many moons ago - i had all my own hair back then too.

Oil on hands; Fairy and sugar.

Good luck.

[yorkie_chris]

What bike is it?

If it's rattly then further investigation is required, lots of 125s don't have a rev limiter and will rev themselves to death. You need to pull some parts of the top end off I would imagine.

Oh and don't go putting new clutches on your credit card. That's what spastics are for.

[Jayneflakes]

Took the clutch apart today, the plates are lovely and shiny and smell awful, like burnt old ladies purfume. Horrid.

As for the oil, well we had to drain it out and when we took the cover off, there were bits of grit and metal shards everywhere. The main components in the bottom end seem fine and the engine does run, but that clutch was totally Tea-potted and looked like it had been cooked in an oven for at least a week!

The repair bill is going up, New Clutch plates, throttle cable, engine oil, engine flush to get the grit and metal bits out and who knows what else. So far we are facing an absolutely staggering repair bill of about...
£40!

Oh well, with the new promotion and the over time I have been doing, I should just about be able to afford it once I get paid, shame I have spent all of my spare cash this month on useless things like Council Tax, Water Rates, Car tax, Cocaine Addiction, tarts off the street and cat food.

[Red Herring]

Have you found out where the metal bits came from, that's potentially bad news as clutches don't leave bits of metal unless they broke up and took something else with them.

Sorry to hear about your bike but at least you will be able to repair it and what a nice man to stop to help you. Congratulations on your promotion at work and to full time