Bear With Me

It’s Saturday evening, being that motorcycle shops are closed tomorrow, and Monday as well, it’s just about that time for us to face a new problem. A new squeak has made itself known coming from my rear wheel. Being that the bearings on the rear have to be just as old as the ones that blew on the front wheel back in Colorado it starts to sink in that maybe, just maybe, I should have considered giving those a look over beforehand. 

At the next gas station I get the R90 on the center stand and ask Gomes to sit on the front wheel so that the rear rim can be suspended. Holding the rear tire I move it left to right to find what I feared, a slight amount of play exists. Considering the front rim lasted a few days before complete destruction I’m hoping to get a few more miles in to get to a place/point where I can service this before a new rim appears on my credit card statement. 

  
We settle in Gallup, NM where I frantically try to figure out how to send out a distress call through the same resource Brook had used for me back in San Fran. The site is a bit old and turns out I’ll be waiting on a confirmation from the administrator before I can reach the community. I give Brook a call and once again the man comes to the rescue, he sends another message out for me to see if anyone in the area might have a spare set of bearings. I know the chances are slim but we have to try. 

Back at the motel, with a fresh tube of grease and no missed calls, I begin to study the rear wheel. Turns out my rear axle nut was loose to the touch. That’s enough to have the rim shake so I tighten her up and it seems to solve my issue. I was surprised yet somehow not completely convinced. Regardless, if it doesn’t seem like the bearings are loose anymore I tell the guys tomorrow we’ll ride.

  
The following morning I get a phone call from Tim. He saw the message and offered me his rear wheel. Given that I think I solved my issue I thank him and refuse his offer. He does tell me he is in the Albuquerque area and that if I change my mind to let him know. We are heading in that direction today so we shall see.

A gas tank later we slide into a station in Albuquerque where my worst fears were waiting. Upon rechecking my rear rim it’s exponentially worse. I call Tim and ask if the offer is still on the table to which he replies with his address and an invitation to come on over. What a guy.

  I pull up into a driveway with a garage door open to reveal a Yamaha cruiser and stock R90/6. Tim has the cylinders off and is looking to hone them out which explains why his rear wheel is up for grabs as this bike isn’t going anywhere tomorrow. We get to work in removing my wheel and his for the swap. 

  
Our hammer isn’t big enough once again as when trying to get my axle off all the pieces that make up my bearing burst out like metal confetti except for the ring that rests on the axle which has friction welded itself on the axle. Oh joy. Luckily, both of Tim’s neighbors are mechanics and one of them comes over with a grinder that was used to cut down the ring to the axle. Took a bit but finally it frees up. 

  
Tim’s wheel has a practically new tire which he’s hesitant to hand over so I agree to pay him for the tire and to ship his wheel back to him at the end of the trip followed by paying for him to ship mine back to me. We shake on it and I throw him a few thank you’s. The BMW community has saved me once again as without them we wouldn’t be back on the road today. I look forward to one day being able to offer someone even half of the hospitality and help I’ve had on this journey but for now, we push on.

  

Tim is also an avid rider and blogger and he’s shared his point of view on our encounter over on his site, Ziariderblog. Go check that out when you have a chance!