[fess]

I'm a new rider w/about 1500miles of my own on my '09 Wee. Today I took a second run at a very rough dirt road "short cut" on my way home from work. Ran it once before and it was great fun. It was also fun today, but will cost me a little time and money to repair the minor damage from my first lay down (is it still called hydroplaning when it's thick mud and you're going slow?).

Most of the damage was sustained by my left turn indicator. But the instrument cluster is dead. My headlights work. Three turn signals and hazards work. Highbeam indicator in the cluster works, but neutral indicator does not. The gauges, and LCD don't work (of course, the stupid clock still does).

I think I can rule out a fuse, since turn signals and instrument cluster are on the same circuit (per owner manual). Before I tear into this, anyone care to point me in the right direction? I can't imagine it's a harness/wiring problem - it was a soft landing in thick mud. Feels to me like it's got to be in the cluster itself. Thoughts?

There was no other damage to speak of (apart from the peg tracks on my chin and a few bruises). I ran 60 miles home on the BRP and it was a great ride, no problems.

 

[FieroDude]

It may be a long shot, but you might check the big harness tucked up inside the left fairing. It is a known cause of issues like this after a lay down, even if it doesn't come completely apart.

 

[bwringer]

It may be a long shot, but you might check the big harness tucked up inside the left fairing. It is a known cause of issues like this after a lay down, even if it doesn't come completely apart.

My first thought as well -- one of the connectors in there is not sealed from the elements.

And, of course, the wires can be damaged in any number of ways.


Peg tracks on your chin?

 

[fess]

foot peg + chin bone =peg tracks.

Protective gear made this a minor scrape that's uglier than it is painful.

 

[Dino M]

Foot peg meets chin? How fast were you going when the lay down occurred? This may help others diagnose the problem. Was the mud a mud puddle?

 

[braincellgenocide]

I'd reach up and under the dash and make sure that connector is secured. On my first strom ('08) it was loose from dealer/factory assembly. After that the connector that goes up under the left fairing is my second place to look.

 

[fess]

not fast enough (< 10mph). It was mud, not a puddle.

I'm stil trying to figure out what I did wrong, but I think the I slipped the clutch to try to push through a squishy front end as I realized the mud was like butter. The rear broke and slipped right. I tried to save it with feet down and power off and down I went on my left side. Best I can tell is that my right leg raked across the peg somewhere in the transition from vertical to horizontal. Not serious, but not fun either.

I hope to enlist a friend with some off-road experience to coach me through this type of riding in the future.

 

[Stromin'Nroman]

I'm stil trying to figure out what I did wrong, but I think the I slipped the clutch to try to push through a squishy front end as I realized the mud was like butter. The rear broke and slipped right.

This is surprising, these bikes usually ride themselves through mud, deep sand and large pools of raw sewage. I would take it in for warranty service to fix this "riding in mud" problem.

I'm somewhat familiar with Asheville, what road was this?

 

[fess]

Cane Creek Road in Cullowhee.

Yes, I agree there must be some factory defect. I'll have the dealer look into it when they make the warranty repair to the turn signal. Those are covered, aren't they? Also, how long will it take to get my dry cleaning reimbursed? My Olympia jacket has mud all down the left side.

.kmz file for Google Earth attached. Just change the extension to open in GE.

 

[Moedad]

Best I can tell is that my right leg raked across the peg somewhere in the transition from vertical to horizontal.

So, SHIN bone--not CHIN bone.

 

[bmrchk]

So, SHIN bone--not CHIN bone.

Now it's all starting to come together.... I was thinking contortionist biker maybe???

 

[Stromin'Nroman]

Cane Creek Road in Cullowhee.

I've been there, seen some giant deer called "elk".

 

[fess]

umm, yeah Shin, not Chin. I wish it was a typo, but I did it twice. Must be something in my subconchins.

-fess

 

[Stromin'Nroman]

umm, yeah Shin, not Chin. I wish it was a typo, but I did it twice. Must be something in my subconchins.

-fess

Why weren't you wearing the boots that we (of a certain age) are used to seeing you in. They would've offered some protection to your chi.........shi....schins........or cankles, whatever the case nay be.