Warning---rear brake calipher FELL OFF!!

[john grinsel]

I seldom take my bikes to shop....for good reason....you usually have to do work over to get it right!

My 2019 XTown 300I----left in shop....belt cover stuck on rear axle ( figured warranty, maybe) since bike was there (35 miles from home) had them mount new rear tire/change drive belt.  Bike worked fine on ride home.

TODAY: went for ride, left freeway noticed NO REAR BRAKE!!  Stopped found Calipher rear had fallen off!!, Tied Calipher off and up----home about 15 miles away, riding carefully!

My fault for not checking all fasteners when I got home, even though I had paid them to do it!  And this is good bike shop I went to.... Fix, see if I have some bolts that will work, Tues. go to shop, order 2 of the correct bolts.   I have had shop failures in US and Germany.  Never in Japan or Korea.   Maybe next bike will buy from dealer in my neighborhood.---that sure means there will never be another Vespa in my future or Kymco?

[Neil955i]

That’s a scary story John, but glad you’re OK and able to recount the tale.

As you rightly say, always a good idea to check fasteners- especially on vital components like calipers!


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[MJR]

Glad you are ok but that sucks. I do not trust anyone to work on my stuff this from working as a mechanic seeing what my coworkers had done in addition to seeing work done on family/friends vehicles. It a sad thing.

[Snorvey]

I've heard of multiple dealer failures - the most expensive (at the time) was a V4 800cc Honda put in for its first service. Dealer handed the keys back afterwards punter headed of down the road only for the motor to go pop.

They had drained the engine oil, popped the drain bolt back in, but forgot to put new oil in. And the dealer still argued the issue.

[CROSSBOLT]

Sea stories are from sailors that relate to that sailor's experiences. Some are true. Hangar stories are from pilot's experiences and some of them are true, too. Especially the hangar story related to the Annual Inspection. What is the most dangerous time to fly an airplane? Right after the Annual Inspection! That is the time that a pilot needs to do his very best pre-flight inspection. Every tiny to major thing that can be seen without using any tools beyond what is required for a normal preflight. My particular book of stories ranged from inspection access covers adrift or missing to low elctrolyte in the battery. You find one screw-up you look for more.

Same should be true for anything that goes into a shop. The main question is: Is it as good or better as it was before the shop had it? Especially these days. The owner/operator is the final word but the o/o must do his inspection BEFORE he leaves the shop area! 'Cause once he leaves he has bought to own every mistake that shop made.

[randyo]

here's my rear brake caliper story, I was on vacation at Deal's Gap on my SV650 with a group of friends, the night before, I swapped out a dirt tire for a street tire (mounted on wheels)  The next day, about 90 miles from our rental house, I was not keeping up with the group, and rode right past them when they pulled unto a restaurant for lunch

One of the guys started to chase me down, after about 5 miles, I caught a glimpse in my mirror, and hit the brakes, I thought I threw the chain, it was a loud crunching noise after I came to a stop (this all happened leaned over mid corner @ 65mph±)

apparently, the night before, I fergot the cotter pin in the bolt between the trailing arm, and the caliper. when I hit the rear brake, disconnected from the trailing arm, it began to rotate with the wheel, first, it stretched the brakeline to the point it snapped, then it continued to rotate till it slammed into the swingarm, with such force, the caliper mount broke

Sending the caliper flying outward, till it hit the wheel, with enough force, to put a 6" gash in the wheel,  and my buddy wanted me to plug it with chewing gum

Luckily there was one person in the group that didn't go on the ride, he was there in 2 hrs, to rescue me, got my bike back to repair shop, just as he was closing, he has it welded up, and my other wheel on, with tires swapped. The wheel was repairable, so after vacation, I had that done   

[scooterfan]

I've heard of multiple dealer failures - the most expensive (at the time) was a V4 800cc Honda put in for its first service. Dealer handed the keys back afterwards punter headed of down the road only for the motor to go pop.

They had drained the engine oil, popped the drain bolt back in, but forgot to put new oil in. And the dealer still argued the issue.

This might sound a bit weird but I am actually kind of glad these kind of things happen in other countries as well.
When I once mentioned that I don’t trust mechanics in our country on this forum I was bashed for not trusting mechanics in my own country lol

[Neil955i]

Oh I think idiocy on the part of technicians knows no borders!


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[Snorvey]

you know, it would be handy if they had some sort of checklist to work off. 

[Iahawk]

Fix, see if I have some bolts that will work, Tues. go to shop, order 2 of the correct bolts.

John, please tell me that you aren't going to have to buy the replacement bolts yourself? Surely the shop will take responsibility for their mistake?

[john grinsel]

Will visit shop on Tues morning.  Proper fix is replace calipher (threads are a bit screwed up, looks like to me bolt driven in with air gun--no feeling) proper bolts.   I am sure they have insurance for things like this.  Brakes pretty important things!

[Neil955i]

Good luck John.  I hope they see you right!

[MJR]

John it's actually spelled caliper

[john grinsel]

I worry more about braking than spelling---I do speak 3  languages, too.

[Neil955i]

I worry more about braking than spelling---I do speak 3  languages, too.

As a monolingual Brit (I don’t count my schoolboy French), I’m jealous!


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