Living the Dream Solo Around the World Trip

[McSack]

...

While cooking I pulled out my two beers which I bought on the way at a filling station. While drinking my beer and looking at my bike there next to the tent I thought maybe I must turn the bike around so it face towards the track. Then the next morning I can just load and pull out strait as it has got a small uphill. So I got on the bike turned it around and revers it back next to the tent and then it happened. If you don’t hold the side stand in position then it retracts. And there the bike falls and guess what. The clutch lever broke right off. Right through the hole. ( see Photo)

Now when I traveled to the Equator in Africa in 2010 with my son on two bikes we broke a clutch cable at one of the remotest places next to Lake Tanganyika at a place called Carima. It was 100 km from the nearest town. Now when something like that happens then I go and sleep. Sometimes a plan comes through a dream. So here I did the same. I had my food and two beers and went to bed. Tomorrow I will have a plan. I am way of the tar road in the forest in a very thinly populated country and a long way from the nearest town.

Now it has become very quiet on this tread lately. So before I tell you what plan I made I want to hear from you guys what you would have done if you were in my situation.     

Neewat Schalk. We have to see that photo of your bike taking a rest next to the lake before we can make such an assessment  ot:

...are you sure it was only 2 beers ?

 

[schalk vd merwe]

My friends at their home

 

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On the road again

 

[schalk vd merwe]

My wild camping spot.

 

[schalk vd merwe]

And finally the broken clutch lever.

 

[schalk vd merwe]

...

While cooking I pulled out my two beers which I bought on the way at a filling station. While drinking my beer and looking at my bike there next to the tent I thought maybe I must turn the bike around so it face towards the track. Then the next morning I can just load and pull out strait as it has got a small uphill. So I got on the bike turned it around and revers it back next to the tent and then it happened. If you don’t hold the side stand in position then it retracts. And there the bike falls and guess what. The clutch lever broke right off. Right through the hole. ( see Photo)

Now when I traveled to the Equator in Africa in 2010 with my son on two bikes we broke a clutch cable at one of the remotest places next to Lake Tanganyika at a place called Carima. It was 100 km from the nearest town. Now when something like that happens then I go and sleep. Sometimes a plan comes through a dream. So here I did the same. I had my food and two beers and went to bed. Tomorrow I will have a plan. I am way of the tar road in the forest in a very thinly populated country and a long way from the nearest town.

Now it has become very quiet on this tread lately. So before I tell you what plan I made I want to hear from you guys what you would have done if you were in my situation.     

Neewat Schalk. We have to see that photo of your bike taking a rest next to the lake before we can make such an assessment  ot:

...are you sure it was only 2 beers ?

Ja Mr MacSack I suppose I you know me better. Does a little place there close to Ladismith ring a bell.

 

[schalk vd merwe]

So after 347 people read this tread since Friday and not one is prepared to say how they would have made a plan to ride the bike out of the forest.

 

[Takashi]

So after 347 people read this tread since Friday and not one is prepared to say how they would have made a plan to ride the bike out of the forest.

Use vicegrip to pull clutch cable to release.
Start bike and move onto loose dirt, rev bike and release vice grip spinning the rear and pulling away.
Ride without clutch and don't stop...

 

[chopperpilot]

It depends were it breaks, but I fixed an XR 650 L's broken clutch lever in the Kaokoland recently, using cable ties only. :thumleft:

Have done it before on an XR 400.

They have to be strategetically placed of course. :thumleft:

I'm sure Schalk will have a surprise solution for us!

 

[Karel84]

Start in neutral on a downhill. Roll it and click into 2nd. Ride clutchless to the shop and buy a new one

Sent from my SNE-LX2 using Tapatalk

 

[Ri]

Beautiful spot you were camping at. Could have happened in worse places, I guess

 

[schalk vd merwe]

Continue

Hi guys no I did it differently. The next morning I got up and started to work on the clutch lever.  I put the two pieces together and taped it up with duct tape. When I wanted to fit it into the bracket it was too wide. I then took the file on my Leatherman and filed it thinner until I could fit it into the slot. I then made a hole through for the bolt.

I then packed up and loaded the bike. Then it was time to test the quality of the repair. The bike now was facing a slight uphill. As I pulled the clutch lever in and put the bike in gear and it started to roll forward immediately. Even with the clutch pulled in. At least I could pull off. Changing gears went ok. Getting to the tar road I turned right and off I went, what a relief. Every little town I went through I looked for a bike shop but nobody had anything close to help me. 

Then I got to a very small town. I was having a coffee outside a shop at some tables. Next to me was an old couple sitting having an Ice cream.  We started chatting and I told the old guy about my clutch problem. He said he I must follow him home as he has got a lot of bike spares at home. So off we go for about two kilometers before turning into a forest and eventually arrived at their home. He had a workshop made out of timber with a lot of old Harleys and bike spares. He had some clutch and brake levers but nothing close. He wanted to try and modify one but I said not to worry as I will get someone to weld it up in the next couple of towns. Someone on the Horizons Unlimited forum already gave me a name of a small workshop in a town ahead of me where I could have the aluminum lever welded.

We then went to sit on their stoep and the auntie broad us some coffee and cookies. Nice people these Swedish folk. After coffee I was on the road again. Close to sunset I started to look for a camp site on the GPS and found quite a nice one with a wooden bench and table. I set up camp and made some spaghetti and cheese for dinner.

The next day I was on the road again and when traveling through a town in the Osterund area I tried to locate the workshop which address I had. I was going in circles but could not find this place. Then I enquired at a workshop nearby. The owner was working there by himself. He said that address is around the corner but he knows the owner is not there. He wanted to know what my problem was. I said to him I need someone that can weld my aluminum clutch lever. He then said he can do it but not know, maybe the next day. I then said to him please I am desperate as the duct tape is stretching and I am struggling to put it into first gear. Ok he said, take it off. He did a marvelous job and would not take any money. I then gave him one of my books and told him to come and visit me in South Africa.

After fitting the clutch lever back I was on the way again, the clutch working perfect again. Fortunately as nowhere did I see a BMW dealer again. At a filling station a Dutch guy saw my Dutch number plate and he started to chat to me. They were in a nice camper and said they are going to wild camp 15 Kilometers from there next to a lake. They invited me along which I did not hesitate to accept.  They had an app on their phone with all the wild camping spots in Sweden on.
After 15 km we turned off the tar road onto a dirt road and at a lake this beautiful spot. I pitch my tent and just had enough time when it started to rain. The couple then invited me for dinner in their camper and what a nice evening it was.

Throughout the night I could hear how the rain was falling on my tent. The next morning I washed myself in the lake. The auntie then again invited me for breakfast. While having breakfast they showed me all the must see places in Sweden and Norway on the map.

 

[schalk vd merwe]

The place that I was looking for to weld my clutch lever.

 

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Preparing dinner

 

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The guy who weld my clutch lever

 

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Close to my next camp place.

 

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Beautiful lakes.

 

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Bridge over calm waters

 

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Directions

 

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I stayed on the E 45 throughout Sweden