Looks like I'm going to be building a motor for my K4. A little back story:
Took the day off work yesterday, was to be a great day to ride the Texas Hill Country. Rolled the K4 out of the garage, did the usual checks, aired the tires up, oil level was fine, tightened a loose turn signal on the R rear.
I had charged the battery the night before in preparation and the bike started right up and sounded fine, just as always since I've owned it 5+ years....
So I gear up and take off, heading west around 10:30am with Llano TX as my lunch destination, about 70 miles of scenic twisty roads in the Hill Country.
I'm on Ranch Road 1431 traveling around 65 [speed limit 55] and am approaching a car in front traveling slower. There are only a few safe places to pass on this road and one is coming up, the Cow Creek Road bridge.
So I down shift into 3rd and accelerate full throttle, pass the car and am doing no more than 90 and all of a sudden I hear a knocking sound and the oil light comes on...WTF?!! I've done this a thousand times with this bike, it always ran great, not a single issue since I've owned it.
There is a narrow shoulder on the road at this area so I pull over to a safe place asap, the motor is still running but sounds horrible, a puff of smoke leaves the motor area when I shut it down. Park the bike and look over the motor, could not believe it, there is a frickin hole in the case!!
I call my riding buddy [who should have been with me] he's at least an hour away but is busy on a work project. He suggests calling another buddy, but I didnt want to wait, so I get stuck out my thumb to get a ride the 7 miles I have just traveled.
There are quite a few cars on this road, I was hopeful a friendly rancher would stop and help the stranded biker. It wasn't 5 minutes and a guy in a Mercedes AMG stopped to pick me up! Super friendly guy, said he had a Matchbox CB750 when he was a kid and it was his favorite.
The car was Awesome!!!!
steve meriggiHe drops me off at the intersection near my home, I didnt want him to go out of his way, I walk home get my truck and retrieve the K4. The motor started right up which makes it easy to load by myself.
steve meriggiGet the bike home and immediately start pulling parts off so I can get a better look at it. There is a HUGE frikken hole in my case!! EDIT: turns out the rod bolt nuts vibrated loose. WTF?!
I'll be pulling the motor in the next week or so, so this is how she sits now...
Not wanting the day to be a total loss, I jump on my trusty GPz550 for a spirited ride followed by a pitcher of stiff Margaritas!!!
I'm really not depressed or anything, I have a spare motor or two, so no biggie.
This was a great running, reliable 836 and I just want the same. I'm hoping to salvage and reuse the head, cam and pistons.
