Hi, Greg.

You've got a bike here in Javier's shop, I see. One of your "fifty or so around the world"?

Someone removed my oil fill cap and maybe put something in it. I had a tire changed at a small shop and was kidding around with the guys hanging out there. When I got on the bike to ride on, they all gathered to watch and laugh. I thought it was because I was a fun guy.

It was such a hot day that I didn't notice the extra heat on my Darien pant leg. When we stopped for gas (about 160 miles later), the oil all over the bike (and me) was horrifying. I put in the spare liter of oil that I carried, and that got me to the next major town where I got more oil.

The next morning, it seized up on the road and that was that. I knew it was running badly, but I thought it would get me back to Buenos Aires. It cost me a lot to get the bike trucked back to BA, and that still grinds on me.

Got back to BA today from a quick trip home for parts. The motor should be back together sometime soon. Hopefully.

Javier seems competent, but not very motivated. Still, it's my time pressure, not his, and I understand that. My riding buddy needs to be home by a certain time, and we might have to split up for the ride up to Fortaleza.

I'm keeping a Zen posture.

I am exhausted.

I flew home on Saturday and got the parts to rebuild my motor back in Buenos Aires. Spent less than 24 hours at home and flew back to BA today (Monday). Hopefully the crankcase can get put back together tomorrow and I can get the rest of the motor back together.

Since the motor wasn't going to get worked on, I went to the U.S. Embassy and had them add more pages to my passport and am now in a Wi-Fi cafe in the Palermo Soho neighborhood.

Colorado was chilly and I loved that. Back to being sweaty all the time.

The beer is helping.

After the (upgraded 685cc) motor gets back in, I'll still have to scrub the new rings in for at least a day of working the motor. Maybe back on the road in 3 days if all goes well tomorrow.

Last resort is to wait for John's KLR here in mid-February. That's just in case something goes wrong that was overlooked.

Got the motor repaired and we are traveling again. Thanks for all the suggestions and offers! :D

Good to hear you're moving again
 

Hi Marty KLR'er:

Good to hear you're moving again. Sorry not to get back to you sooner but I don't check these boards much, plus been away for a while.

That '82 Silverwing is still down there at Javier's? Of the seven or eight motorcycles my Parkinson's pillion ( The Ultimate Globe Ride ) and I used on our 'rtw ride that was the one she liked the best. The least was the KLR, especially the 950 mile day from Seattle to my home in Montana, then the next day the other 550 miles :-)

Ugly thought, the oil filler plug on your KLR being taken out, loosened or something put in as an additive. On a BMW I have the filler plug came out (my fault, did not tighten it well enough) but I got lucky, heard the noise, stopped and used a hardware store rubber drain stopper twisted in to plug the hole. On the '01 KLR I used one of the Dual Star caps, think I'll do the same with the '09. The original Kawasaki filler plug seemed to invite quick finger twisting by digits other than my own.
Thanks for the head's up on possible vandalization opportunities.
Hope the rest of your trip is less mechanically and financially challenging.
ATB,

There was a Honda on a lift table in the shop, and Javier said it was yours, so I suppose that's it. It was covered with a lot of stuff, so it's mostly a coat rack now.

The 685 motor is going strong, so that's a blessing. All appears well with the motor. It's other problems now, but it will all work out. I'm just glad to be moving again.

Now in Salvador, Brazil. Don't know where I'm headed next. I'll find out soon.