Losing Her Spark 😞 | 5BikeChallenge

Even on the times I dumped her, my F650GS was always faithful and reliable. Through thick and thin, better and worse, she has been there for me…

…until now.

Perhaps it is coincidence. Perhaps she has been reading my email. But I find it very odd that immediately after I decided to spend a weekend with a sexy Italian model, my F650GS began to lose her spark. Literally.

And now I sit waiting mid-journey from Toronto to Montreal to see if we will be able to travel the final 120 miles together in time to make my date with “MV”.

It started two weeks ago after a full day tripping with friends through some decent back roads on the way to the beach and back. Arriving home after a good eight hours of riding, and wanting to continue enjoying the brilliant early summer weather, I decided to make one final run around the downtown. Making one final stop before heading home just before midnight to check my phone, I found myself stranded. Though she still had some energy, she refused to turn over and go all the way. Too chicken to attempt a bump start on the main drag of the entertainment district at midnight on Saturday, I called the Automobile Association for a boost.

Five years is a respectable life for a battery, and I assumed I had just reached the end of its usable life. At home I put her on my Optimate 4 charger, which did a great job of resuscitating the spent cell, but after a couple of days it was flagging again. I figured it was just not capable of holding a charge any longer. Since I needed an oil service, I called my garage and lined up a good Yuasa YTX14 AGM battery and had it installed on Friday. Yeah, back in business!

The weekend was very rainy but I still managed to run some errands and prepare for my trip. And then early Monday we struck out together for Montreal via my father’s house located 2/3 of the way. Stopping for gas with just 60 miles to go, I could hear a familiar hesitation in the ignition. But she started, and I knew we could not stop again for anything. I knew my father would have a charger. I also knew I had a deeper issue with my electrical system.

As with any health issue, the first line of inquiry is Dr. Google. Why is it that on Google that little mysterious bump seems to match exactly the diagnosis of some rare form of cancer? So it is with motorcycle ailments: that recharge problem seemed to fit perfectly with a series of complaints about failed stators. The catch: the stock BMW stator comes only as part of a full generator kit costing in the neighbourhood of $1000. Please no, don’t let it be my stator!

July 1st is Canada Day, and this year it falls on a Wednesday. Aside from being a day of national celebration, it also unofficially marks the first day of summer. Pretty much the whole country grinds to a halt as people head for cottages, campgrounds and beaches for an extended holiday. It is the Tuesday morning just before Canada Day I find myself in the closest Motorrad dealer service department hoping for a diagnosis and – with any luck – a simple repair. Ottawa GoodTime Centre is the only BMW Motorrad dealer in the city, and I have stopped in there many times when in that city to check out accessories. Now I found myself at their service counter praying to the gods of beer and back-bacon that my bike could be seen, assessed and hopefully made right again.

It worked!

Given a couple of hours to pace around until they could see my F650GS, I made my way across the street to Canadian Tire (Canada’s largest automotive, sporting and housewares chain) to get myself a lithium battery booster. No matter what the diagnosis, these tiny little power packs will be an invaluable insurance on long trips. Plus they charge phones, cameras and have an emergency beacon light to boot! I hope I never have to use it for its primary intended purpose.

Back at the service desk I am given the good news (they think it a short in the regulator / rectifier which is a less expensive part) and the bad news (the part will be shipped from Toronto and MAY arrive on Thursday if they get it in transit fast enough. Otherwise it would not arrive until Friday afternoon, too tight for my Italian bike pickup time in Montreal.

So now it is Thursday and I sit waiting for the phone to ring. If they get the part I will head to Ottawa, hope the repair works, then move on to Montreal later this afternoon. If the part does not arrive, I may throw caution into the wind, hop on my bike and hope the fully charged battery lasts me for that trip and then back to Ottawa sometime next week for the repair.

I guess all there is to say at this point is…TO BE CONTINUED!