Bad crash in carretera austral - need advice and contacts!!!
 

I had a bad crash in Carretera austral. Frontal shock beemer vs a KTM 990 adventure coming out of a bend on the wrong side of the road and totally out of control! I didn´t stand a chance!

I ´m more or less ok but my beemer is not!
I am now in Coyhaique and need the following:
- finding a good workshop in Coyhaique or nearest to rebuild my wheel
- new rim for my BMW F650GS front wheel and spokes
- new fork bridge
- how can I check if my forks are bent? Is there an easy way?

If someone can advise on any of these and can provide contact names etc would really appreciate.

Many thanks,

Hi Maria,

Sorry to hear about your mishap, but I'm glad that you are ok.

To check the fork legs you remove them, then clamp the lower (aluminium) part in a vice. Position something close to the end of the chromed tube and turn the tube. If it is bent it will be obvious to see.

However, if you can't see any damage without this procedure, then straightening out a bent tube is normally possible with a hydraulic press. Don't let anybody attempt this who has never done it before, as it is easy to damage the tube's surface.

Good luck!

Peter.

Hi Maria I'm a huge fan of your sites, I'm sorry about your accident.

But in all probability if you can't actually see if they are bent then I bet they have just moved a little in the triple clamp, undo everything the entire length of the fork to make the forks a little loose wriggle them about twist the shiny parts and then re-tighten.


Easy way to see if your forks are bent is:

Take apart froks.
Stand one up vertically.
Get a piece of string with a washer or nut at the bottom.
And hold it against the forks, slowly twist fork around it's axis.
Repeat for the other fork.

See gravilty can be our friend sometimes.

Easy and is a non techie way to check, I actually had to use this method when I had my off in Italy.

So what happened to the KTM, and is he paying for your repairs? Because there's a BMW breakers yard about 30 miles away from me in Macclesfield England, and I don't mind going down there to pick up the required parts and ship then to you, I sent a Centre stand for a R1200 to Oz and the difference between me sending it and the shop was £140.

Like I said you only have to ask, here's the shops website Cheshire Motorcycle Salvage Motorcycle Parts & spares online!

Lee

Maria
 

Great you are OK. Take care of yourself first.

We are standing by, use HUBB or e-mail direct if we can source parts at BMW dealers here in Buenos Aires. Don't be shy.

Are you in Chile or Argentina now? Shipping by bus is easy within Argentina.

Will ask *Jeff for answers to technical questions as soon as he wakes up. He will be touring again very soon and has been exhausting himself saying goodbye to close friends. (*see Buy/Tour/Sell thread)

We will help in any way we can. xfiltrate, Elisa and Jeff and all of the Buenos Aires community.

Guys thanks for the fast answers and offers of help, I really appreciate!

The guy on the KTM is fine and so was his bike. He is happily off on his trip once again. Lucky he was part of a tour and they had a support vehicule so we waited for it to trail the bike to Coyhaique. For paying for repairs, we did a police statement and he had insurance. God knows what that is worth here! And as it is saturday no chance to speak to anyone of the insurance until monday at least!
Anyway most urgent is finding spare parts and a competent mechanic workshop to rebuild the wheel.

Ed/Lisa and Lee, I may take on your offer of help. I need to speak with BMW in Santiago first see what they say on spare parts, and to MotoEscar in Punta Arenas. If Gonzalo can rebuild my wheel over there, I would get all shipped to his workshop. Anyway lots of things to check first but will let you know! Thanks again!
Maria

Bike repairs
 

Hola Maria,
glad you managed to walk away from the accident. It's a beautiful route through there but potentially hazardous.
I would be surprised if your forks are still straight if your rim is in such bad shape and if your bridge is damaged. Whip them out and if it isn't obvious, even putting a straight edge along the chrome staunchion should show up any deflection.
You might want to consider having a complete secondhand wheel sent out. Could be less hassle than trying to have a new rim laced to your old hub in Coyhaquie. It's a nice town but could still prove difficult to get this done there. You'll probably want to be moving again soon enough.
Good luck mate

Jeff (with Ed and Elisa in BA)

Wow, this will be a crazy story to tell when you get back home. If you have something shipped make sure to do lots of research on your shipping method ahead of time. Otherwise you will be stuck waiting like me right now.

Fork brace:
A welding shop should be able to fab one. It's a simple part.

Wheel and spokes:
If the spokes aren't bent, you will reuse them. If only a couple are bent, they can be removed and you can ride carefully. Unless the rim/wheel is really cratered, a good bicycle shop should be able to heat and poud it into useable shape. A new, bare 19" rim might be available in a large city. Your spokes are the key to all this....

If the forks aren't bent really bad, will compress and rebound, and the axle fits with wheel able to turn freely, I'd just ride on.

My first thoughts would be to cobble the bike back together so you can continue traveling.

Holey crap !!

Glad your ok Maria, thats the important thing... If theres anything I can do contact me..

Bent forks... Like the others said, you can also tell by turning them in a strong light and looking for colour variations. If your wheel hub is ok, then yo should be able to have it built onto any other 19 or maybe 21" rim. As for the fork bridge, your probably best off getting one from Santiago or even the UK..

Its a bad few days for bikers at the moment. I lost my wallet, passport and all bike documents on the RTA40 and crashed again and broke my other pannier. Im now stuck in San Julian caus theres a fuel strike..

Also, i hear that a British guy died in Tierra del fuego. Hit by a truck :(

Wowww Maria!
 

Is there any chance you could upload here a few pictures of the pieces you are talking?
There is a unique guy here who can bend back rims and alu pieces.
I know BA is far but the best mechanics are here.Maybe sending those with truck?Or expedition service?
Or taking bus with the parts?????
Lucky you are safe!!!!
Saludos
KH

I'm in Coyhaique
 

Maria:
Lorenz and Sebastian and I are in Coyhaique right now - all three of us are right now at the Cafe Camello Restaurant doing the internet thing (closes in 20 minutes). Lorenz and Sebastian are staying at the Hostel Natte, I'm at Hostel Salamandra a couple km from there.

tell us where you are at - we'll do what we can.

MotoAventura up in Osorno specializes in BMW's for their tours - sells lots of stuff - they may have some competent local mechanic that can help out, or maybe a spare wheel or whatever else you may need laying around off one of their 650's.

write to Sonia at Chile motorcycles rent,Motorcycle rental agencies|Ciudad Chile

use the 'contact us' page for her email address(es).

Chuck we´ll see you tonite !

Ted, it seems that your trip is as eventful than mine! You must do a speach at Ripley when back home! I am already booked for my presentation in July, so that I can entertain the crowds!

Guys thanks for advices! The wheel is beyond repairs. I also need new forks, fork bridge, handle bar, mirror, and I was advised to replace the head baring as well.
I bloody hope the insurance of the guy will pay, if not blood will be spilled! I will pursue KTM boy around latin america por payment :gunsmilie:

Anyway, just stuck in Coyhaique for some time but I´ve been lucky! Apart for bad bruises I have nothing! Anyone passing over send me an email!

Coyhaique is quite relaxed. Try the "Bomberos" (Fire squad) canteen for a great meal at budget prices ;-)

Jeez, I can imagine how you feel. I had a bloody close miss in Oz a short while ago, when a Range Rover came careening around a bend on a rough gravel road at top speed, more on my side than on his. His and my mirror was shattered, my handprotector broken. So he must have missed my handlebar by micro-millimeters....

Good luck for the rest of the journey!
Hans

Maria, glad you are okay. That bike and you have a lot of survival stories. Too bad you didn't find my Harley when you looked. You could have taken the front end from it. I am sure someone else has by now! I am not familiar with your bike, but you might be surprised what might be able to be grafted on from an old Jap bike, if necessary, and if insurance does not come through. I once put an entire 1973 Honda 500 (metric sizing) front end on a 1969 Harley Davidson (American sizing) just by changing the lower triple tree steering stem.

Hi Ted,
Can you please give more info
Are you sure this is true ???
Thanks few mates there at the moment
regards
joe