Blue-Dunes.com >> Maintenance Log
Date Bike Miles Symptom Part Solution   (Click Columns to Sort)
2003-10-13 Shaun 35800 Service in Turkey Chain and Sprocket Replaced with New
2003-10-13 Matt 23000 Service in Turkey Front Brake Disk Replaced
2003-09-23 Shaun 33500 Can't tell the Make of the Bike All Bike My baby got a cleaning!!!
2003-09-23 Shaun 33500 Maintenance in Yekatinerinburg Rear Tire The extraordinary Continental TKC80 replaced after 8,000 miles (13,000km) on some of the worst roads around - 4,500 of it dirt road and no road (Mongolia)
2003-09-23 Shaun 33500 Maintenance in Yekatinerinburg Jesse Bag Back attachment bolt had vibrated free and been lost leaving the back attached by only one bold (fell off once) The incredible Andre actually machined a new bolt (it's a custom design) and attached.  His part looks exactly like the originals.
2003-09-23 Shaun 33500 Maintenance in Yekatinerinburg Jesse Frame While sturdy and strong the Jesse Luggage frame succumbed to the constant vibration and cracked.  Andre added support, re-welded and painted.
2003-09-23 Shaun 33500 Maintenance in Yekatinerinburg Jesse Frame Attachment clamp bolt had worked itself loose and I had lost one side.  To secure I used both wire and climbing rope (worked surprisingly well)  Andre machined new piece and re-attached.
2003-09-23 Shaun 33500 Maintenance in Yekatinerinburg Kick Stand Kickstands spring attachment had broken (bad design also happened on Henning's bike)  Andrea welded new attachment, attached springs and painted black.
2003-09-23 Shaun 33500 Maintenance in Yekatinerinburg Sprockets Change sprockets for ones that I was carrying (which aren't new but should take me around 4k)  cost €20
2003-09-23 Shaun 33500 Maintenance in Yekatinerinburg Chain Change the chain for a new DID 520NZ -cost €45 ($50).  The previous chain was stock BMW and was new in anchorage so lasted 8,000 miles (13,000km) in harsh conditions with out much oil or lube - still had 1k left on it I think.  Not bad.
2003-09-09 Matt 21000 Accident Brake Disk Due to oil on the road Matt lost control of his bike.  He is ok but an oncoming car ran over the front wheel of his bike warping the front disk.  With some heat to the disk and gentle coaxing, the disk was fine to ride with but needs to be replaced asap - read story
2003-09-07 Matt 19500 No Power and Doesn't Start Battery Terminal Battery Terminal corroded through completely and terminal snapped.  Rewired terminal directly to power cable.
2003-09-07 Matt 19500 No Engine Power and Doesn't Start Emergency Cutoff Switch Wire come out of solder causing bike to be permanently switched off.  Spliced wires and twisted together meaning cutoff switch now does not work and key is used to turn on and off bike.
2003-09-03 Matt 19200 Maintenance Center Suspension Bolt Bolt Broken.  Can't fix.  Special bolt that needs to be sourced.  Keeping a close eye on this one due to critical nature of piece.
2003-09-03 Shaun 31450 Maintenance Left Jesse Luggage Bracket That holds luggage frame to bike via rear foot-peg.  Bolt loosened and bracket lost.  Tie-down with wire for the moment but new part needs to be machined.
2003-09-03 Ilja 16900 Maintenance Right Touratech Luggage Bolt Due to Shaun's problem above Ilja checked his attachments and discovered a nut missing.  Replaced nut without loosing anything
2003-09-02 Shaun 31090 Steam from the front of the bike Radiator (Hole) Small stone had worked it's way down the back of the frame in front of the radiator and pierced the part.   Removed radiator, filled with Stop Leak from local shop and covered hole with 'instant weld'  So far so good.
2003-09-02 Shaun 30400 Clutch loose and not working Clutch Cable Cable frayed and snapped.  Luckily we had a spare one so cable was replaced and up and working within 10 minutes (Thanks Ilja!!)
2003-09-02 All four Dakars 12000 Headlight shaking Headlight Bracket Bad design that has effected all three bikes.  Headlight bracket made of plastic which due to vibration fasteners enlarge holes and detach.  Tried numerous fixed to no avail.  Warranty issue. (Update - BMW refuses claim on warranty saying that they don't see the problem in other bikes - even though it happened to all four of us. BMW are very stingy on warranty claims)
2003-09-01 Shaun 30800 Reported by Local admiring bikes Left Axle adjustment Lost, gone and forgotten.  Non essential.
2003-09-01 Shaun 30800 Maintenance Front Bike Bracket Metal frame snapped that holds front headlight bracket to bike.  Needs welding and fix outstanding.
2003-08-26 Matt 18000 Maintenance Rear Tire Replaced with new
2003-08-26 Shaun 29700 Maintenance Rear Brake Pads Replaced with new
2003-08-26 Matt 18000 Maintenance Oil Changed oil with new (15-W-40)
2003-08-26 Matt 18000 Oil coming from front fork Fork Seal Due to no fork boots (voids the warranty according to BMW!!) fork seal broken.  Ordered new and waiting to be replaced.
2003-08-20 Ilja 12000 Engine Spinning No Gear Engagement Clutch Plates Removing Clutch plates, cleaning and re-assembling.  Photo of replacement work
2003-08-20 Ilja 12000 Clutch cable stuck Clutch Spindle Due to clutch plates stuck, insistent use of the clutch broke a couple of gears on the spindle.  Removing spindle and turning 180 degrees resulted in fix as it only turn's around 100 degrees
2003-08-11 Shaun 29100 Loud thunk and sound of metal dragging Kick Stand Rock hit kick stand and spring broke resulting in kickstand dragging.  Tie kick stand to bike and now using center stand.  Fixed.
2003-08-07 Matt 17000 Large thunk and plastic flying all around Rear tail light Whole assembly had worked itself loose and come off destroying itself.  New part ordered from the desert and GSM phone.  Fixed in Ulaan Bator.
2003-08-06 Shaun 28800 It's all Dark!!! Front Headlight Bulb Blown again. Second bulb replaced in Ulan Ude 25 days later
2003-08-05 Shaun 28500 Cable with wires sticking out ABS on/off cable broken Needs soldering - not deemed vital and not fixed yet
2003-07-29 Henning 16930 Observation by Shaun Headlamp bulb Not working, needs to be replaced.  Henning now riding on full beam
2003-07-26 Matt 36 yrs Difficulty Getting started in the morning Entire body Spray liberally with very cold water.  Part then springs out of bed looking dazed, but starts immediately.
2003-07-25 Matt 16600 Windscreen swinging in the breeze Windscreen Screws came out.  replaced screw but cross threaded screw in process so windscreen is taped to secure.
2003-07-24 Henning 16500 Jesse Bags coming undone about every 5-10 miles for the last three weeks Jesse Bags One last attempt to fix with lock tight and brute force.  Next solution..... they will be converted to hard mounted bags at a welding shop. ...bad lock mechanism design.....not well suited for rough dirt road use. (Shaun:  note that this issue has been fixed on my bags which are a later design.)
2003-07-24 Henning 16500 Battery acid all around the battery Battery Cleaned and cursed
2003-07-24 Henning 16500 Rattling Various Bolts Tightened Bolts
2003-07-24 Henning 16500 Loose Chain Chain Tightened Chain
2003-07-24 Shaun 27500 Observation Headlamp Headlamp attachment broken.  Headlamp now loose.  Removed entire assembly and tightened all attachments. Worked itself loose again after 1000km
2003-07-23 Matt 16400 Loss of Judgment Front Wheel Due to letting local ride bike, front wheel crushed.  Replaced rim with help of local motocross champion.
2003-07-23 Matt 16400 Observation Happy-trails pannier frame Another break in the frame of Matt's Happy Trails Frame.  Frame is made of soft steel and is hollow - does not hold up to rough roads we have been encountering
2003-07-22 Shaun 27400 Erratic Steering Flat Tire Previous Patch had blown, replaced tube with almost new one.
2003-07-22 Matt 16000 Cracked weld on left pannier Happy-trails pannier Compression strap to hold on to grab bar.  Will reweld as done to right pannier in Alaska
2003-07-21 Matt 16000 Erratic Steering Flat Tire Nail in the Tire, removed and patched tube.
2003-07-21 Henning 16000 Touratech Y coupling cracked Touratech Tanks Taped and hope to replace soon.
2003-07-20 Shaun 27270 Engine Dies - no power Battery Ural Battery lead terminal had snapped.  Connected electrical wire from terminal to neutral wire.
2003-07-19 Matt 15000 Hole in pannier Happy-trails right pannier Following minor slip in mud, the pannier frame was shifted slightly to the right.  The pannier now rubs against the axle bolt and the frame.  Will have to remove frame and hammer back into shape.  Recommend against the large Happy-trails panniers for this type of trip.  The small ones may work.
2003-07-15 Shaun 27200 Difficulty Starting in Morning Battery Stock Battery seemed fine but was not holding charge - replaced Battery with local Ural battery
2003-07-14 Shaun 27200 No light from headlamp Bulb Replaced Halogen Bulb - Cost 50 rubles ($1.30)
2003-07-13 Shaun 26930 Tire does not inflate Valve Stem Used new tube and replaced valve stem in Yakutsk
2003-07-13 Henning 15900

ERMAX Windscreen Broken

 ERMAX Windscreen Cursed the French again and realized the product is only good for paved road usage.  Will have a stock Dakar screen waiting in Mongolia. Until then...... liberal amounts of tape.
2003-07-13 Shaun 26930 Difficulty Steering Flat Tire Patched tube
2003-07-10 Matt 13400 Cold Hands Heated grips Not working - no fix yet
2003-07-07 Henning 15500  ERMAX Windscreen Cracked ERMAX Windscreen Cursed the French and applied liberal amounts of Superglue
2003-07-07 Henning 15500 Mirror fell off Mirror The fitting holding the mirror broke due to vibration.  Threw Mirror in Panniers and will fix when we get back to real roads.
2003-07-07 Shaun 26780 Curvature of the Earth Accident Damage to Handlebars, turn signals, windscreen, mirror, Jesse luggage bags, headlight.  Fixed most with a hammer.
2003-07-07 Henning 14500 Loose Chain Chain Tightened Chain
2003-07-02 Matt 13000 Loud pop and difficulty steering Punctured tire and tube Due to a piece of metal on road gouged both tire and tube, tube had to be patched and tire plugged at local mining shop
2003-06-20 Shaun 26000 Bottom out and crunch Rear bumper Bottoming out the rear suspension resulted in the rear bumper being caught up in the wheel and breaking off.  No fix.
2003-06-15 Matt 12500 Weld broken on front lower support (other side). Upper support cracked Happy-Trail pannier Reweld and redesign
2003-06-13 Matt, Henning, Shaun 12600 Routine and preventive maintenance   12k service (Matt and Henning) replace chains and sprockets, tires. Purchase spare brake pads, tubes, levers, filters, water pump rebuilt kit and chain/sprockets.
2003-06-12 Shaun 24000 weak starting after being used to charge the laptop.  Four days later wouldn't start after a days ride. Battery Add distilled water to battery
2003-06-11 Matt 12000 Engine died, all electronics gone, clock reset to zero. Battery Loose connection at negative terminal.  Tighten
2003-06-10 Henning 12000 Touratech Tanks Rubbing on oil reservoir and breathing hoses leaking. Touratech Tanks Cut down fins on oil reservoir and replaced hoses.
2003-06-09 Henning 12000 Touratech Seat Rubbing on wire harness...bad design Touratech Seat Cut hole in Seat to fix the issue
2003-06-08 Matt, Henning 11000 Chain keeps getting loose, even after tightening, eventually get a tinkling sound when chain shaken Chain replace chain, O-ring bushings worn out allowing the chain to stretch.  As long as its kept oiled and can be tightened you can continue to use it.  If it can not be tightened further, it does fall off sprocket.
2003-06-08 Shaun, Henning 10000 Foul odor emanating from body pits, rear throw in lake