My beloved dr650 broke a valve spring cap and it bounced around inside the head until it punctured the piston, and the bike shut off and I coasted to a stop in Wisconsin, along a rural highway several miles past the last one-horse town. I always knew a breakdown was a possibility on this kind of travel but I had never really thought what I would do about it. In this case, cell phone local sheriff, to local tow, to local U-Haul rental. Tow guy said a mile either way no cell service lucky.
My original plan was to get into town then get a ride home and come back with my trailer. I was only three hours from home at this point. After a few hours, including attempted hitchhiking, I thought of U-Haul. I knew I had to proceed with the plan immediately here on Saturday afternoon to succeed before business close.
I called-ahead and rented the van while waiting for the tow truck to show up, they were closing as we arrived, and left the parking lot before I did. I had the truck operator stop at the hardware store on the way to buy ratcheting tie-downs. I then had him align his deck with the van bed, but I had to roll it myself for legal reasons. I never would have got it up the ramp from the ground by myself.
A lot of pieces to think through and I was hot and dehydrated from not bringing water on the sunny hot day, the Sheriff brought me some. Lesson learned. In the end only a 5 hour delay in my trip.
So happily eating cheeseburgers and drinking ice cold soda in the loud cab of the U-Haul stopping to check the bike every hour. I'll be sleeping in my own bed tonight instead of in the bushes in my moto suit
