sxty8goats
Senior Member
Set the scene a bit. Bikes been under a cover for about 3 weeks. I've been under the weather for a while and haven't ridden much, when I have I rode the other bike. Red Bike went down this morning. Little damage, low speed.
Today I feel great and the weather is perfect so I decided it was time to pull the cover off of the bike. Normal morning routine, not hurrying. Left turn out of my driveway, I dip the bike a bit deeper than necessary just to feel her over the side. Ride down the road to a stop sign. Stop, wait for traffic. Right turn, again, I dip her a bit more than necessary. I'm not giving her a lot of throttle, just leaning her in and turning, I get maybe 1/4 into the turn and she just slips out from under me. Slides across my lane and stops before crossing into the oncoming lane. So obviously I wasn't hard into her. Traffic stops, Kind folk get out. I assure them that I'm fine and pick the bike up, roll it to the side of the road. Go back to look for the oil I had to have hit.
Nothing in the road but a few old drip spots that I doubt I hit. Very odd. As I'm looking an officer stops behind my bike. Chat a bit. All is good, nice guy. He drives off and I go back to look at the bike.
[See update below, Does not seem to be oil/sabotage. Leaving original thoughts here]
On the right side, the side that went low on me, there is oil on the edge of the tread extending about an inch up towards the center of the tire. It covers about a foot of the edge of the tire. 'Odd' Thinks I. It is thick enough to rub off on my finger and still feel slick. I have no way to clean it off so I carefully ride her back home and grab the cage to get to work. When I parked the bike, the oily area on the tire is now on the top of the tire. Below it on the rim is a small puddle of oil. I checked the rear break caliper and could not find a leak. no drips on the disk or caliper either. Now I'm thinking someone oiled my tire. Bike has sat for weeks under the cover unmoved. It was clean when it went away, heck I rode it over 100 miles that day I put her away. I had a plate stolen this spring and a snow blower stolen as well. I'm not happy about this.
Today I feel great and the weather is perfect so I decided it was time to pull the cover off of the bike. Normal morning routine, not hurrying. Left turn out of my driveway, I dip the bike a bit deeper than necessary just to feel her over the side. Ride down the road to a stop sign. Stop, wait for traffic. Right turn, again, I dip her a bit more than necessary. I'm not giving her a lot of throttle, just leaning her in and turning, I get maybe 1/4 into the turn and she just slips out from under me. Slides across my lane and stops before crossing into the oncoming lane. So obviously I wasn't hard into her. Traffic stops, Kind folk get out. I assure them that I'm fine and pick the bike up, roll it to the side of the road. Go back to look for the oil I had to have hit.
Nothing in the road but a few old drip spots that I doubt I hit. Very odd. As I'm looking an officer stops behind my bike. Chat a bit. All is good, nice guy. He drives off and I go back to look at the bike.
[See update below, Does not seem to be oil/sabotage. Leaving original thoughts here]
On the right side, the side that went low on me, there is oil on the edge of the tread extending about an inch up towards the center of the tire. It covers about a foot of the edge of the tire. 'Odd' Thinks I. It is thick enough to rub off on my finger and still feel slick. I have no way to clean it off so I carefully ride her back home and grab the cage to get to work. When I parked the bike, the oily area on the tire is now on the top of the tire. Below it on the rim is a small puddle of oil. I checked the rear break caliper and could not find a leak. no drips on the disk or caliper either. Now I'm thinking someone oiled my tire. Bike has sat for weeks under the cover unmoved. It was clean when it went away, heck I rode it over 100 miles that day I put her away. I had a plate stolen this spring and a snow blower stolen as well. I'm not happy about this.
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