| Author | Message | ||
     Cgent |
This has got to be the most unusual chain of events possible. 5:00 PM Saturday I was leaving work ... our retail store in Winchester, Indiana ... to go home. I park the little Blast! in the shade of the entryway next door ... we own the building and the office next door is currently unoccupied. Jacket ... helmet ... gloves ... mount the bike ... turn key ... hit start button ... NOTHING ... check kill switch ... check kickstand ... check clutch ... flick key and all buttons many times ... NOTHING.  Dismount and look underneath (for what I don't know) ... THERE IS A !@#$%^& SQUIRREL nestled up on the engine on the left side !!! He's jammed in just behind and below the fuel cut off lever !!! I figure immediately that the little bugger has chewed off some wires !!! I grabbed my Leatherman Tool pliars and grabbed him by the a$$ and pulled him out ... he took off down the street about 200 MPH and disappeared. I looked up into the spot he was occupying and saw three wires he had chewed through. DANG !!! !@#$%^&  I saw right away that I'd have to remove the tank to repair the wires ... not fun !!! I rolled the little bike indoors ... it was hot outside ... and had Dixie (wife) run me home for some tools. Came back ... removed the saddle, tank cover, tank (always a challenge) and pulled out the chewed wires (they run from the main harness under the frame backbone to a module on the left) ... also found a blown fuse. Soldered in pieces of wire and double shrink wrapped them. Was reassembling the tank and had difficulty (as usual) getting it back underneath the pegs on the front. Pushed and pushed ... it popped into place but I had inadvertently opened the fuel cut off valve in the process. About a cup full of fuel poured out and ran down onto the muffler (which I had painted with high-temp paint) and puddled on the CARPET ... I had some old towels under the bike to catch the thimble full of fuel I knew I loose removing the fuel line but this ran over everything and really messed up about a square foot of carpet. The bike is fine ... the carpet looks terrible ... the office smells like gas ... and I'm loading my .22 for squirrels ... way too many of those varmints around here !!!!  | ||
| Gearheaderiko |
Damn tree rats! Wasn't all bad, you've got a great story to tell  I've had rats eat wiring, seats, saddlebags, but squirrels never! Must be a shortage of nuts in Indiana (or is there.....)! | ||
| Reepicheep |
Sorry that happened, but what a great story! If I was in charge, I would sneak it into the factory repair manual: Step 1) Look for Squirrels. Step 2) Extricate with HD Squirrel Removal Tool (part number 11234-007). If that tool is not available, needle nose pliers and heavy work gloves can be used. And I'd put a picture of a Jack Russell Terrier in the parts catalog under that part number. | ||
| Titusand |
That's a hell of a story! | ||
| Indybuell |
Squirrel season is open in Indiana!! | ||
| Cgent |
According to the owners manual ... "Removal of a lodged in squirrel with any tool other than the Harley Davidson authorized tool ... available at your local Harley Davidson dealer for $845.00 ... Squirrel Removal Tool (part number 11234-007) ... may result in severe injury or death."  | ||
| Titusand |
HAR HAR! |
