That wasn't the best idea we've ever had

[mikesaa309]

My mate wanted to go view a MTX 125 in a place called Halesowen, the other side of Birmingham. I said that I'll take him if I manage to get insured for Friday (which I got insured for the Bandit on Thursday)

Said to him that It's suppose to be pissing it down and we both decided to go anyway. So off we went at 9AM and the day started out fine weather wise. Roads were slightly damp, spit spotting with rain on and off but most of the water that hit us was of cars in front going down the A14. I decided that as I didn't want to go motorway due to all the spray of vehicles in front making it worse and the fact I can't just pull over for a rest or check the map on my phone, that I'd stick to 'A' roads.

We finally got off the A14 and through lots of stopping I managed to get to Birmingham by this time the rain had started to piss it down. Then the bandit starts making a funny noise, like a V-twin with a 4 cylinder hum on top off it. I thought that it must be low on fuel so pulled into a petrol station and filled the tank up and it was fine. A few minutes later it happened again. Turns out water was getting into the spark plug wells (whatever they're called) and causing one of the spark plugs not to ignite so was only running on 3 cylinders. Once I got up speed, I'd be going to fast for water to get to it and the engine heat would dry it out and all four cylinders would work.

So by now I'm cold, wet, frustrated and was worried about the bandit, being 70 odd miles from home and the bandit not working right, I thought the worst. It's also by this time gone 3 pm and still no luck in finding the house. Kept checking the map on my phone, headed off then everything was different or not as I expected and ended up getting further away than closer.

Stumbled across a Suzuki dealer, pulled in there to get the bandit checked out, said they can't do anything right now because they're fully booked but it's defiantly running on 3 cylinders and that it's most likely the heavy rain causing it. Just so happens that the Suzuki dealer wasn't too far from the house we're trying to get too and as we were about to head off the guy rang my mate up and said he'll come to us and pick us up. My mate got in the car and I decided to follow on the bike (wasn't going to leave it there). By this time it's gone 4pm.

So at fucking last we get to the house and thank fuck the bike was okay and my mate put a deposit on it. So at least all that wasn't for nothing. The guy showed us how to get to the nearest petrol station and I filled the tank up, and then to the M5 (I followed him on the bike). Before we got to the slip road to the M5 he pulled into a lay-by and told me "When we get to the top of this road, take the first left then follow the M5 till you reach signs for M6 Birmingham and take that exit to the M6 and follow that back." I didn't want to go motorway as I said because of spray of vehicles in front, but I was getting more and more frustrated and just wanted to get home as quickly as possible.

So with the Bandit running on 3 cylinders we joined the M5 and after a while the 4th cylinder kicked back in and all the power was back at long last although I didn't go much faster than 70 for the most part. Couldn't see for shit, cold, wet and slightly pissed off that I agreed to this, it wasn't the best first motorway riding experience. We finally saw signs for the A14, at last I was back on to roads that I know. When we got back to Kettering my mate said "I've never been so happy to see a shithole in my life", I couldn't agree more.

On the plus side at least I got some experience riding the Bandit in the dry and in the wet and got some motorway experience too. Also know that I can handle the Bandit just fine, I know to you lot it's not all that powerful but compared to a 125 it's quick as fuck and certainly requires a tad more skill to ride it properly without falling off. I finally got home at 6:45, how the fuck a 4 hour ride at the most turned into a whole fucking days riding is beyond me, most likely my lack of navigation skills

[Radis]

https://i1324.photobucket.com/albums/u614/hellhound1983/cool-story-bro-2_zps43d8efbb.jpg

[lihp]

They could start calling you Cylinder now instead of Sprocket

[stinkwheel]

For future reference.

Water Displacing fluid number 40

Does exactly what is says on the tin.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[P.addy]

See, Bandits are shit

[mikesaa309]

[mikesaa309]

[P.addy]

Mine did the same, both 400 and 600.

Sell it, time for the Fireblade

[lihp]

The most amazing part of this story is how you went from 9am till 3pm and did just 70miles.

[mikesaa309]

[lihp]

[Easter Bunny]

[mikesaa309]

[Easter Bunny]

[mikesaa309]

[lihp]

[_Troy_]

70 miles in 6 hours is roughly 11.66mph average speed. You say you did more miles, but still
____________________
Current bike: ZX6R J1
Previous bikes: CLR 125 | GS500 | ZX6R G2 | SV650

[EazyDuz]

Invest in a satnav. Or don't you have a smartphone with GPS? If so get a bar mount phone holder with waterproof case
____________________
To shreds you say? Tss tss tss

[P.addy]

[andym]

I've done Chepstow to Glasgow in pissing rain, then Glasgow to Chepstow in pissing rain (second time loads of surface water and the bike didn't like running through all the water at times).... still managed it in 6 1/2 hours even missing my junction and adding an extra 25 miles before realising and turning around.

After the first 10-20 minutes of being soaked to the skin it didn't really bother me..... you need to grow a pair son

[DrSnoosnoo]

Now he's got a bandit. Now he's going to post more inane threads about powwweeerrr.

I'm sorry Mike, I've tried, I really have. If you had read your post over you'd realise nobody would quite give a shit about this story!
____________________
I'm Sam; Northern, Ginger, Lover
Did have: '95 ZZR600 '83 CG125 '97 ZZR1100 '15 Hypermotard 821 SP Do Have: '10 ZX10R

[andym]

[Teflon-Mike]

[Teflon-Mike]

[kramdra]

That is quite an epic failure... I used to do Gatwick to Folkstone on a fucked cg125 in under 2.5 hours - including the first time which was one of the wettest and coldest rides I remember, in December 2010, coming back in the dark on roads I did not know. On a couple of journeys I thought I was going to die - once the headlamp blew both bulbs in middle of nowhere, approaching a bend. I was lucky someone stopped and escorted my bike with hazards. Another was a puncture, costing me about £200 Both dark and wet.

All times I managed it without a map and without stopping except to piss. After passing test months later I rode home on the M20, I got pulled over because they had never seen a 125 on motorway before - and I was slipstreaming a coach (they are fucking massive and can do 70)



Some nice rods, I miss that commute