Kawasaki to the rescue!!!!

I thought finding decent material for this post would be tricky what with entering a world where people actually pay attention to the laws of the land, drive on the side of the road they are supposed to, and even stop at traffic lights. How dull I thought, where is the fun in that, but in fact things are turning out very well indeed.

After a few days in Salta, North Argentina I decided my hunt for this illusive ´amazing´ steak I had been promised was not going to happen. Dissipointment met me at every resaurant. It got so bad someone even tried to palm a badly fried egg on a burger off as a steak to me. Pah! However the weather was good and I met some cool people. The bike however was still ailing and things were only getting worse.

The day I left Salta I tried to start the bike but was met with nothing but a small click from the starter. Now my battery had decided to give up. Normally not a problem you may say as I would use the kickstart... I do not have a kickstart, this meant I had a problem. So my friend jump starts the bike for me and off I go, but I was fored to keep going without stopping the engine as the bike was far to heavy to push by myself. This sounds OK but when you have to stop for fuel and for road blocks it is far from easy.

Finally it was too dark to carry on so I was forced to stop in a nasty little town in the desert after about 400 miles. That day I used almost 1 litre of oil. Rather a lot really when the engine only holds 2.5 litres! Too top this off I had no money, very little petrol and I couldnt start the bike on my own, certainly not what I needed.

The next day after getting a nice man on a scooter to push the bike for me I was off. So I carried on riding almost out of fuel,(which of course was a rouge guess as my speedo is now bust) finally arriving at a small town where Murphys law once more, they had run out of fuel. I soon realised the reason why there was no fuel was due to an angry mob of locals who were blockading the road into town with flaming tyres and branches, typically of course the road I wanted to use to get out of town. So to add to the fuel tankers not getting though nor was I. I tried to sweet talk them but several hairy shouldered Argi yobs threatened me with broom sticks so I retreated. I then asked the police to move them but they couldnt care less and only stood there smoking cheap cigrettes whilst sweating on each other.

So there I was with barely any fuel, unable to turn the engine off as I couldnt start it again and a road full of simpletons kitted out in dirty wife beaters whilst burning tyres. Plan 2 had to be put into action. So off I tore as fast as I could over the dust through the thinly placed bushes 10 metres off the road. Before the resident 'leader' and his minions knew what was going on I had ridden round their blockade, back on the road and off to feedom. As I rode off all I could here were the angry whistles and shouting. I answered with a merry toot on the horn and preyed my petrol wouldnt run out now.

After reaching another town where I got fuel and managed to resurect the battery for a full day of starting I was back on the road. Finally after many more hours of tedious roads and a poor attempt by a policeman for a bribe (clearly he wasnt prepared for a man so well versed in not paying) I got to Mendoza. I found the hostel that some friends I had met booked me into and it was time to relax.

The few days in Mendoza was spent in a very productive way. I was either contacting people at Kawasaki in Santiago to try and prepaire them for the slob of a man that would appear (me incase you hadnt guessed by the pics) or I was blind drunk on free wine. (I emphasise FREE of course) Being English and being broke free wine was a blessing, the hangover the next day was not. (The long forgotten curse of cheap wine Im afraid).

I also tried my hand at a spot of wine tasting with my friends, two of which have an unhealthy love for Manchester United FC I might add. So me, Sharyon (alright Shaz! ha ha) and the boys headed off on the worst bicycles in the world to sample some treats of the grape variety. It started in disaster with 1 puncture and then the first vinyard was shut dam it! After a team talk and more dam cycling we managed to drink ourselves into a good mood. I can assure you the spit bucket for the wine was not used once!

So off I head to Santiago and Chile to meet with Kawasaki and to see if they can help my now seriously ailing bike. I arrived at the border to firstly be called an illegal repeatedly for not stamping out of Chile the last time, but after I explained that it would be a good idea to put an immigration office on their other borders and not 150 miles from them, they decided maybe I wasnt an evil person. Finally I got through.

I was greeted in Santiago with loads of sunshine and lots of crazy drivers. I found the Kawasaki dealership and well the rest is, for me at least, quite frankly amazing. The people at the dealership have been incredible. I can seriously not emphesise this enough. On arrival I was greeted straight away, they took my bike in and began work without even an explination. After taking the engine to pieces Carlos the mechanic found that I have actaually broken the piston (see pic) For me, although it maybe should not have happened in the first place, (but with the fuel in Peru I am not suprised) I think it pays hugh testement to the KLR as I have ridden around 2500 miles since I first noticed the issue and the bike just kept on going.

After talking to Carlos the bike needs a new piston, the cylinder machined. On top of this I shall be replacing the tyres, the battery and hopefully the speedo drive as well. Here comes the really amazing part....

Kawasaki are doing all the work under the USA warrenty, and I assure you they are by no way obliged to do so!!! The rules of warrenty for the bike state that it is covered in the USA only (place of purchase) so for them to help me out they way they have is incredible and has quite franky enabled me to carry on my trip as I by no means have had the money to pay for the repairs. LEGENDS!!!!! (I must stess this is NOT THE NORM but I assume very kind Crimbo generosity by Kawasaki.... later examination of the piston discovered the damage to be bad fuel causing piston knock.... advise to others... dont go to Peru as they have shit fuel, * not a realistic option I know* or dont work the engine too hard if you hear it pinging)

So the weather in Santiago is very nice indeed, I currenty have a bike that has been rebuilt and this leaves me a whole 10 days to get to Cape Horn,(not actually that easy!) If I dont get there in 10 days it will be a really fun old Crimbo in a tent in Patagonia by myself. I really cant wait! I plan to leave here on Saturday if all goes well, but of course there is no rest for the skint biker as I am now on a misson to try and get me and the bike back to at least the right side of the world, with the ideal being Europe, for as cheap as possible.

The only way to achieve this cheap price and I can assure it is not really that cheap is to take a cargo boat back with my bike. Its therefore looking more and more likely that I shall be on the high seas via Africa for 24 days in order to get home! Does the ridiculousness of this story every end you may ask. Well who knows, as I often ask myself the same question.

After this passed week and the help that Kawasaki are currently giving me I cannot offer enough thanks. I really would have been stuck without them. Also with regards to me trying to get home on the cheap, if there are any wealthy eccentric types reading this (English landowners you normally fit this descripton) And you really dont know how to spend your large piles of money. PLEASE whatever you do dont bequeeth it all to your pet cat or for that matter your faithful labrador, thats just dumb. Instead you may want to help me to get home without having to scrub the decks of a cargo vessel for almost 4 weeks. Feeling tempted? well you should be, swill down another pink gin and get on paypal. You will be assured a free bottle of Bombay Saphire if you do.

Again please let me stress the help I have recieve from Kawasaki, you may all think I am on their pay roll, but no you are wrong, I wish I was. I really mean this, Kawasaki, especially the Santiago branch you saved me! A special thanks to Rodrego Nuno, Eduardo and Carlos. You were all great and a credit to your company! Many Thanks!

This is me signing out once again. Next post somewhere between here and the bottom of the continent.

Comments

[Simon Rolston]

Yo Si - love the read. You must be stoked alright! Check that piston out! Good ol Kawasaki and you made across the border too. Sharyn is going to hate you! Travel safe for the rest of the trip.

[Dan Perry]

Sounds great, almost there! I just hope you take the Carretera Austral or at least Ruta 40 on your way. Santiago - Cape Horn (or Ushuaia/Puerto Williams) in 10 days is ambitious, but it can be done.

- Dan

[Al]

Hey Mendick! Epic. Will be thinking of you as I swill copious free and delicious champagne over christmas. Just hope that you can find work scrubbing decks otherwise you will be set for a busy pant dropping schedule on the voyage home.

Love Al