Has your bike ever left you completely stranded?

[rocketman]

After seeing several threads about hard starting/no start without a number of tries, and having had a couple of issues with that myself (although it did finally start after a bit of fiddling with the key, etc) I got to wondering if anyone has had an issue where it just simply wouldn't start, no matter what, that required ti being towed home or to a shop?
I hadn't ridden my in a while after several issues with the check engine light and fuel pump not starting up until I played with the key several times this spring (but I also have been spending plenty of time on the new old Beemer so no loss of riding time), but did eventually get going again. This past week I decided what the hell, and took it for several extended rides, even got into some stop and go to get it really warm/hot yet had no issues. so I have to assume whatever the issue I am having is intermittent and shouldn't worry over much about it. i did finally schedule a time to take it to the dealer this week to have them check into it and hopefully they will find the problem and be able to fix it.

RM

 

[Rich]

On my NT I had one case where, for some reason, I couldn't get the key seated into the ignition. It had been resistant from time to time, but I was fiddling, wiggling, and niggling for what seemed like forever before I got it in so I could start it. It did it at home again, even worse, but patience, condemnation of all deities large and small, and enough lock-ease and finally got it working fine. That was over a year ago and it's been fine since. No other problems: 16,000 miles.

I did have my ST1100 leave me stranded in downtown Seattle one fine summer day. The battery failed. Bike steadily slowed down and stopped. Couldn't figure it out, so I had a bike shop come and get it. A towing charge and replacement battery cured the problem.

 

[skiper]

Not my Deity Free NT from "Honda" MotoSport Cult. No - never let me down. The saddle bag wouldn't open on a long trip - like Kens' situation. Oh Ken- is my apostraphy in the right place - can't remember or spell it.. It actually impresses me how surefire the NT is. But I hear most fuel injected machines start very well..

 

[Warren]

My NT has been stone cold reliable. Not so much as a flat tire. I can't say the same thing for some of the Brit bikes I have owned in the past.

 

[John Browning]

My NT acted up at 600 miles, stalled then started just after the 600 mile service. I thought I messed up but it finally started. No more issue until 1800 miles when it quit several times on a day ride. I was close to the dealer so they picked me up and hauled the bike in. As usual, it started once we got to the dealer. The next day, the dealer found that the fuel pump would cycle by bumping the tank. Fuel pump replaced at 1800 and a few miles, no more issues at this time at 11,600 miles. An issue like this for Honda I think would be very rare.

 

[JohnC]

All the bikes are much more reliable than they were 50 or 60 years ago. The downside is when things do break, you may not be able to limp home.

My first two bikes were British, a 1965 650 cc BSA, then a 1970 650 cc Triumph. Both had battery and points ignition systems. Did you know a pop-top lid from the time was .032" thick? That is close enough to manufacturer's specs to set points and spark gaps if dwell wasn't screwed too badly.

 

[suvcw04]

Been riding since 1966. One way or another, all my bikes have come home under their own power.
Have had to do a little shade tree, side of the road, spit and string repairs at times, but I never walked home.

 

[enigmatic biker]

I'm superstitious about bragging about my bike's reliability (like asking a pitcher in the 8th inning if he realizes he has a "no-hitter" going), so I won't mention that the only time my NT failed to get me home was after laying it down in a parking lot and dislocated my shoulder 100 miles from home, which, of course, was the rider's fault and not the bike's. Fortunately, I have towing coverage on the insurance, so the tow home was covered.
Other than that, just routine maintenance and wear and tear.
Len

 

[charlie b]

Not the NT. The Guzzi though...broken throttle cable, 3 times. Broken clutch cable, once. Electric gremlin, intermittent, 3 times until I finally found the loose connector. That's over about 5 years and 25k miles on a 29yr old bike.

 

[Pick]

On my Kawasaki Vulcan 750, the stator went out in Vermont -- 1,000 miles from home on a trip. Luckily, I had installed a voltmeter, so I had a bit of warning that the battery was slowly draining. And thank God for smart phones - my brother had one and found a dealer 20 miles up the road. Of course, they were too busy and didn't have the parts, but after some pleading and whining, they decided to work me in. Overnighted some parts from California. Unfortunately, on that bike you have to pull the engine to get at the stator. Anyway, 2.5 days later, and $907 lighter, I was on my way home. That's the only problem I ever had with that bike in 50,000+ miles.

 

[Chuck 500]

Currently dead as a rock in my garage. Idle for three weeks killed battery. Got new battery yesterday. Hooked it up backwards. may have (probably) ruined new battery. trying again this afternoon. (Did I say I was inept?)