Thursday had a text from a mate, Steve, to se if I fancied a ride out to find some green lanes. Looked a good day so we met up at Ringwood. After a burger at a road side van(very yummy) we went to find a prospective trail he'd seen over Salisbury way. Found the said trail and followed it along for over 4 miles, medium speed hard earth and gravel. We found a good bit of mud and decided to get some real mud on the bikes. Steve has a brand new Transalp(last years model- but new) after a few photo opportunities we got to the end and planned our next move. No maps and no idea where any lanes were
Then from where we had just come from we see another rider coming our way riding a Honda CRF230. After a 20 min chat we all headed off to find a By-Way that was on his map(spot the TRF member!). Nice trail and narrower tan the open trail we'd been on. After about 3/4 of a mile it got much more knarley and muddy, we carried on. Not so long into the trail the CRF had ridden on and the trail was getting quite technical with the mud and branches, Steve was looking like he was going to go back as he feared for his paint work, lots of broken and cut down branches, just then CRF comes back to find us and we decided to continue. I was lead bike at this point. A few hundred metres along the trail I see this big (30 metres?)puddle(lake!!) Thinking CRF had gone through it I went in slowly and carefully. Boy this was deep, but the going was good and I stayed right close to the bank. 2/3 along I'm not sure what happened but I was on my side, and not the bank side either!! Left hand fairing and side of bike could be seen my legs under it trying to support the bike. Steve and CRF man had stopped and could only watch!! They gingerly walked along the bank and I got the bike up right. I managed to push it out the other side and onto dry land. Off came the side panel and air box cover to reveal a very clay mud interior. Out came to filter and I cleaned up the mess with some tissues and my fingers, with was after I took off my boots and emptied the contents out. The water had come over my knees! After trying to start the bike without a hint of anything we raised the front wheel on the bank and once again turned it over. This time good plumes of water came out the exhausts. After 1 3/4 hours we decided to try and tow the bike to a road (CRF man had gone on and reccied the trail(this was the worst bit and the rest was easy!!). Steve had the idea of using some willow as rope, which sort of worked but didn't hold for long. CRF man found some bailing twine from a gate post which proved very good. After about 1/4 mile along the edge of this field we came to the road. And it was on a hill and we were at the top!! After bump starting it down the hill it fired up, oh deep, deep joy!
At this point we thought it prudent to go home. We said our good byes after exchanging numbers and rode off. After about 10 miles Steve and I realized we were heading in the wrong direction so we stopped and turned round at a shut down petrol station, thats when disaster struck! I thought I could smell a burning smell, looked round and saw smoke out the rear of the bike and lots of it! I shut the engine off and got off, milky goo was coming out of the airbox drain hole!! Off came the covers to find a very milky mess. I so happened that we had stopped out side a tractor garage and so I asked if I could wheel the bike inside and drain my oil and also could I buy abot 2 liters of oil. One biscuit tin full of oil, and still very black, well with a hint of mayo(!) later refilled her up with new oil. This should get me home....ish. Well yes and no. The smoke from the engine looked like I'd been shot down!!! I couldn't see Steve behind or any cars for that matter and I was still 40 odd miles from home! I nursed it to Steve's parents house just outside Salisbury who gave us both a very welcome cup of tea and his dad gave the bike some very much needed oil. We both work at Southampton Airport, though I live at Southsea and Steve, Bournemouth. I very slowly rode the bike as far as the airport and parked up. Steve rode home. The next day we picked up the bike in one of his company vans and dropped it off at my garage. I wouldn't have ridden it so far had it not been for the clattering noise from the head. I thought if the engines knackered then might as well soldier on home. The damage was already done. So I now have to find time to strip the engine and see what the damage is. Already bidding on ebay for an engine. My thoughts are to get the bike running again with replaced and new parts or sell the Dommie as a no running bike and put money towards an XR. Depends on the price I'd get for the Dommie I suppose? We'll see, I'm not flush with cash so this could take some time! Te funny thing is that I've not had so much fun on a bike since I had my XL125R, along time ago and I'm still smiling now. Was a great day despite my broken Dommie. My feeling on the damage is that the rings have gone and the heads been starved of oil. I shall check the bottom of the engine but thats been kept full of oil and o sounds coming from down there.
Pics of the adventure below....
Then from where we had just come from we see another rider coming our way riding a Honda CRF230. After a 20 min chat we all headed off to find a By-Way that was on his map(spot the TRF member!). Nice trail and narrower tan the open trail we'd been on. After about 3/4 of a mile it got much more knarley and muddy, we carried on. Not so long into the trail the CRF had ridden on and the trail was getting quite technical with the mud and branches, Steve was looking like he was going to go back as he feared for his paint work, lots of broken and cut down branches, just then CRF comes back to find us and we decided to continue. I was lead bike at this point. A few hundred metres along the trail I see this big (30 metres?)puddle(lake!!) Thinking CRF had gone through it I went in slowly and carefully. Boy this was deep, but the going was good and I stayed right close to the bank. 2/3 along I'm not sure what happened but I was on my side, and not the bank side either!! Left hand fairing and side of bike could be seen my legs under it trying to support the bike. Steve and CRF man had stopped and could only watch!! They gingerly walked along the bank and I got the bike up right. I managed to push it out the other side and onto dry land. Off came the side panel and air box cover to reveal a very clay mud interior. Out came to filter and I cleaned up the mess with some tissues and my fingers, with was after I took off my boots and emptied the contents out. The water had come over my knees! After trying to start the bike without a hint of anything we raised the front wheel on the bank and once again turned it over. This time good plumes of water came out the exhausts. After 1 3/4 hours we decided to try and tow the bike to a road (CRF man had gone on and reccied the trail(this was the worst bit and the rest was easy!!). Steve had the idea of using some willow as rope, which sort of worked but didn't hold for long. CRF man found some bailing twine from a gate post which proved very good. After about 1/4 mile along the edge of this field we came to the road. And it was on a hill and we were at the top!! After bump starting it down the hill it fired up, oh deep, deep joy!At this point we thought it prudent to go home. We said our good byes after exchanging numbers and rode off. After about 10 miles Steve and I realized we were heading in the wrong direction so we stopped and turned round at a shut down petrol station, thats when disaster struck! I thought I could smell a burning smell, looked round and saw smoke out the rear of the bike and lots of it! I shut the engine off and got off, milky goo was coming out of the airbox drain hole!! Off came the covers to find a very milky mess
. I so happened that we had stopped out side a tractor garage and so I asked if I could wheel the bike inside and drain my oil and also could I buy abot 2 liters of oil. One biscuit tin full of oil, and still very black, well with a hint of mayo(!) later refilled her up with new oil. This should get me home....ish. Well yes and no. The smoke from the engine looked like I'd been shot down!!! I couldn't see Steve behind or any cars for that matter and I was still 40 odd miles from home! I nursed it to Steve's parents house just outside Salisbury who gave us both a very welcome cup of tea and his dad gave the bike some very much needed oil. We both work at Southampton Airport, though I live at Southsea and Steve, Bournemouth. I very slowly rode the bike as far as the airport and parked up. Steve rode home. The next day we picked up the bike in one of his company vans and dropped it off at my garage. I wouldn't have ridden it so far had it not been for the clattering noise from the head. I thought if the engines knackered then might as well soldier on home. The damage was already done. So I now have to find time to strip the engine and see what the damage is. Already bidding on ebay for an engine. My thoughts are to get the bike running again with replaced and new parts or sell the Dommie as a no running bike and put money towards an XR. Depends on the price I'd get for the Dommie I suppose? We'll see, I'm not flush with cash so this could take some time! Te funny thing is that I've not had so much fun on a bike since I had my XL125R, along time ago and I'm still smiling now. Was a great day despite my broken Dommie. My feeling on the damage is that the rings have gone and the heads been starved of oil. I shall check the bottom of the engine but thats been kept full of oil and o sounds coming from down there.Pics of the adventure below....
