[AmBraCol]

Took a trip over to Salento with my wife, our first trip on the Rumbler 500 together.  Had a good ride through some of the most beautiful country in the Andes and a good lunch of  "trucha al ajillo" with some nice, thin, crispy patacones on the side.  A beautiful day on a beautiful bike through beautiful country with my beautiful wife.  Yep, a beautiful time.

[decker]

Checked front brakes pads, lubed throttle and clutch cables, checked battery connections for breaks and cleaned same, filled and charged the battery. Started it just to hear it thump.

[AmBraCol]

Ran errands, reflecting on how tough it is riding the Rumbler in these 30* temperatures... and how glad I am that the thermometers here read in Celsius instead of Fahrenheit.

[retrolynn]

I went out in the garage,and touched my b5! It is 20 degrees,and we have 6" of snow. Waiting for spring.    Lynn

[Carlsberg Wordsworth]

See out the old year by changing the brake fluid. Some horrible gunge in that master cylinder.....

Onto 2016 (Happy New Year everyone) and spend a day in bed for over exuberance but today tested on how the fluid changed fared.

Seems I put the piston side pad in wrong way (pads on piston ), no idea how I managed this, still no harm done thankfully.

Last roundabout just less than 1/4 mile from home I hear some clinking and clanking and something breaking then the bike engine stops.

*?!!$$ chain (7500 miles) now snapped. Inconceivable! Believe it was the link but not fully inspected yet. Thankfully my neighbour was driving past and helped me push up the hills towards home. Chain now bunched up at the top and hanging from the bottom.

[mattsz]

Last roundabout just less than 1/4 mile from home I hear some clinking and clanking and something breaking then the bike engine stops.

*?!!$$ chain (7500 miles) now snapped. Inconceivable! Believe it was the link but not fully inspected yet. Thankfully my neighbour was driving past and helped me push up the hills towards home. Chain now bunched up at the top and hanging from the bottom.

Well, that could have ended a lot worse!

[Carlsberg Wordsworth]

mattsz - you're not wrong. I've have realised how unfit I am these days though.

So it looks like the split link plate snapped. Closer investigation now shows damaged crankcase

I've not included a pic of the split link btw.

[malky]

Went visiting, but had to turn back because the road had turned into a river. Bummer.

[mattsz]

So it looks like the split link plate snapped. Closer investigation now shows damaged crankcase

That's a bummer - but is that damage very serious?  Will it result in structural weakness or leaks?

[krimp]

I rode in to work this morning. It was a bit nippy (temps were below freezing), but she did just fine.

I have officially crossed the 7500 mile mark.

[Carlsberg Wordsworth]

That's a bummer - but is that damage very serious?  Will it result in structural weakness or leaks?

Eek! Hadn't thought of structural. Guess I won't know on leaks until I get it started. I've ordered a new chain. Didn't order a gasket if I have to pull the side cover off. Did manage to put the chain roughly on to check it still locked in gear as no neutral and spinning front sprocket had me with a gearbox worry but that seems ok.

I'm going to have to order a gasket now as I'm unsure of front sprocket condition now I have a better view.

Oh well, it was time for the 6 month oil change.

[retrolynn]

Thats really rotten! I dont know how it could have been prevented. I hope you can get it repaired.

[AmBraCol]

Rode into town to see the dermatologist and afterwards took a "shortcut" home.  Stopped in at the Texaco station on the edge of town to fill up, the first time this year.  333 kilometers and 4 "imperial" gallons.  OUCH!  This riding in city traffic really sucks the joy out of life and the gas out of the tank! On the other hand, the engine just seems to run smoother and smoother as it runs in.

[AmBraCol]

So I'm sitting in the office getting things done and my wife hollers up "I smell gasoline!".  Note to self:  Keep an eye on the guy filling the tank.  He really "topped it off" this time.  And the bike setting outside in the sun got a bit heated up, with no expansion room for gases.  Outside under the Rumbler was a nice wet spot where gasoline was being forced out by the expansion caused by the sun combined with no room for gases.  Solution?  Wheel it away from the wet spot, ensure no fire danger, start 'er up and go for a ride.  Good excuse to get out of the office for a while.   So took a spin out of town up some of our twisty turny roads and back to the house and back to work.  Didn't even track the distance, but a half hour of riding got the gasoline down to a more manageable level. Sure do miss being able to top off my own tank, thank you very much.

[Scotty Brown]

I've made that mistake of filling up on the center stand and going right home from the station. Always a mess.  Now if I am heading home I fill on the side stand to avoid the overfill.  I like the tank as full as possible to avoid moisture and rust.