kdx made me take a long walk this weekend
Posted: 11:21 pm Jun 06 2011
I was out riding at a place called croom in florida (near tampa) this weekend with a few friends. My bike started acting as if it was getting low on fuel so I switched to reserve and rode for a few more min. One friend stopped to get a drink (the other two kept going), so I told him I was going back to fill up my tank. Started the kdx and took off back toward the car and the engine began to cut out... then nothing. No bad noises and there is still the same amount of compression. Checked the tank and it was almost half full and fuel dripped out the carb when I leaned over to the left.
Luckily i had my water pack and compass so I started pushing the bike back. Soon I quit pushing and parked the bike and walked for about an hour and a half before finding someone. This is a park with marked trails and rangers, etc. Too bad all of the trails are nearly as bad as walking on soft beach sand. No way can you get far pushing a bike through that crap. I had called my buddies on their cell, but I guess they weren't wondering why I was gone for 15, 30, 60, 90 minutes. If someone I was riding with was gone for 30 minutes I'd make a call to them since we all have our phones on with coverage in the park.
About 2 min after I finally come across two other riders the park ranger comes up in his 4x4, then one of my friends finally calls me back to see where I am. All of this in a span of just a few minutes. I hop in the 4x4 and we drive back to put the bike in the truck. If I didn't have 2L of water I would have been in trouble. It was about 90 something degrees at 2p that day. I suppose I could have called the park ranger on my cell and saved the walk altogether, but I didn't want to make it so easy on myself.
I unloaded the bike from the trailer today and tried to start it up again. No luck, so I'll have to pull the plug to see if I get spark. Maybe the plug just quit on me - wishful thinking. I didn't have any tools, plugs, etc. with me on the trail. Guess it is time to get a small kit together for the next time I need it.
Luckily i had my water pack and compass so I started pushing the bike back. Soon I quit pushing and parked the bike and walked for about an hour and a half before finding someone. This is a park with marked trails and rangers, etc. Too bad all of the trails are nearly as bad as walking on soft beach sand. No way can you get far pushing a bike through that crap. I had called my buddies on their cell, but I guess they weren't wondering why I was gone for 15, 30, 60, 90 minutes. If someone I was riding with was gone for 30 minutes I'd make a call to them since we all have our phones on with coverage in the park.
About 2 min after I finally come across two other riders the park ranger comes up in his 4x4, then one of my friends finally calls me back to see where I am. All of this in a span of just a few minutes. I hop in the 4x4 and we drive back to put the bike in the truck. If I didn't have 2L of water I would have been in trouble. It was about 90 something degrees at 2p that day. I suppose I could have called the park ranger on my cell and saved the walk altogether, but I didn't want to make it so easy on myself.
I unloaded the bike from the trailer today and tried to start it up again. No luck, so I'll have to pull the plug to see if I get spark. Maybe the plug just quit on me - wishful thinking. I didn't have any tools, plugs, etc. with me on the trail. Guess it is time to get a small kit together for the next time I need it.