[Jehu]

...and other strange behavior. Greetings from Middle Georgia. 2013 F6B, 146,000 miles. Bought new, I’ve ridden this bike in every State/Providence except for Labrador and Newfoundland. And above the Arctic Circle on 3 occasions. All reliably.

I park in the garage in front of my truck, on the center stand and in first gear. Last week, after it sat for a week, I did the usual mount it, roll off the center stand, duck walk it backwards, dismount to push it forward all the way out of the garage, then start it.

The strangeness started when duck walking backwards. It was in first, bike off, clutch pulled in and rolling backwards I had two spots where I had to push hard to get through. It felt like I was pushing through a flat spot on a tire, or a rotor momentarily hanging. The flat spot occurred twice in backing up about 10 feet. I’ll call this problem #1.

I dismounted, still in 1st and engine still off, I pushed forward for a couple of feet and all felt normal until an abrupt stop. So abrupt that I dropped the bike. At the time my thought was, dang it felt like someone stuck a steel rod in my transmission gears. That’s problem #2.

I proceeded outside the garage planning to take a spin around the yard now before getting on the road. It’s still in first gear, I start it, let all the way off the clutch and within about 3 feet the bike locked up and hit the ground faster than I could react. Big problem #3.

Now my confidence is shaken. I decide I need to try riding again in the field behind my house. Gingerly I rode in 1st and 2ed. Perfect, no problem at all. I immediately went to my Honda dealership. They ride it around the parking lot. It’s perfect.

I just returned from a week out of town and yesterday tried to recreate the problem by doing exactly what I did above when getting the bike out of the garage. None of the issues repeated themselves. I rode it around the yard and in the field. It’s perfect.

The bike is under Honda warranty until April. Honda would be proud of my preventive maintenance including annual brake and clutch flushes. The brake pads are Honda. The rear drive fluid is the correct spec and amount. Main oil is the correct spec with a Honda filter.

I would appreciate your ideas on what I should do next!

 

[DaveO430]

I would carefully inspect the brake rotors. Do you have mud daubers there?

 

[Bryanlj]

Got to ask, do you mean the engine locked up and stopped or a wheel locked up but engine ran?

 

[Jehu]

I would carefully inspect the brake rotors. Do you have mud daubers there?

I‘ll do that and yes, we have the Mud daubers. Thanks

 

[Jehu]

Got to ask, do you mean the engine locked up and stopped or a wheel locked up but engine ran?

Thanks for asking. The engine was not running when it hit the ground. Something locked up for the bike to suddenly stop. Brakes, engine, final drive? I’ll start with a good visual inspection of the brakes and will circle back.

 

[redwing52]

I think Dave might be on to something. I bet the nest was jamming between the rotor and caliper. It just makes sense.

 

[DaveO430]

I‘ll do that and yes, we have the Mud daubers. Thanks

The evil critters get into everything around here. Any open hole, hoses or whatever. Cleaned several pounds of them out of a heater box of an old vehicle.

 

[Jehu]

I removed the brake pads in front and cleaned w brake cleaner. I found traces of the Dalton Highway but no dirt daubers 😁 I’ll move to the rear pads in a few days and will let you know what I find. View attachment 324488
View attachment 324488

 

[Bryanlj]

You said you started it in first and rode about 3 feet did the engine stop and throw you off or did you come off then the engine stop

 

[Jehu]

You said you started it in first and rode about 3 feet did the engine stop and throw you off or did you come off then the engine stop

The engine stopped first. I’ll add that I got my leg out of the way, planted my foot and I did not hit the ground, only my bike.

 

[Pure Texas]

The strangeness started when duck walking backwards. It was in first, bike off,

seems like it was the engine stalling causing the fall and not anything in the running gear,I have mine in NEUTRAL while pushing if,maybe you inadvertently let off the clutch while walking it backwards just enough for the engine to stop your pushing it

 

[AZgl1800]

I always put my bike in Neutral when moving it by hand.
It is just way to easy to lighten up on the clutch lever and Whamo, down you go.

 

[DaveO430]

I always put my bike in Neutral when moving it by hand.
It is just way to easy to lighten up on the clutch lever and Whamo, down you go.

Plus the extra friction of the transmission that's not there when in neutral.

 

[SMEDEN(=the blacksmith)]

IF your driveshaft from engine to rear differential havent been serviced recently , i think it would be a good time now .

 

[Jehu]

IF your driveshaft from engine to rear differential havent been serviced recently , i think it would be a good time now .

Good thought, thank you. The driveshaft was removed for the first and only time on 8/1/17 at 83,521 miles. I had the dealer “service it” at the same time the rear drive was removed and resealed. The rear drive was leaking slightly at that time but it never got low on fluid. The splines were greased on both ends of the drive shaft. I don’t believe the universal joints have grease zerks.

 

[Jehu]

I removed the rear pads today and have to report that the mud daubers have been wrongly accused. It was a good idea so thanks for it.

 

[Jehu]

I next serviced the rear drive. It was last changed on 8/9/20 at 145,554 miles. Unlike the mud daubers, I learned I was guilty. I simply didn’t put the proper amount of GL5 in last change. (The rear drive is not leaking.)

I first went for a ride to warm the oil, drained it and measured 80 ML. That’s not estimating what might have been in the bottom of the pan, maybe that was 5ML or less? Let’s call it 80. I believe 121 ML should have drained out. So if I’m right on that, I was 1/3 low on rear drive oil. (Red Line 75W90)

oil. So how long has it been low on oil? (That sounds terrible “low on oil” and I’m red faced to report it) 1,185 miles. Did it hurt anything or cause my 3 problems listed above? I don’t know, I’m guessing probably not. There was almost no fuzz on the drain plug magnet and the oil did not look unlike the previous 9 changes (not including flushes which occurred 11 times.). So total time the rear drive has been changed is 20. 21 as of today

After the initial drain I laid the bike all the way over on its side in case a chunk of something needed to roll out. Nothing did so I fished around with a clean piece of aircraft wire. Nothing. That little bit of oil that drained while laying down was not considered for the measurement.

We know low oil didn’t help. Did it hurt? Is the rear drive is sensitive to low oil? Your thoughts?

 

[Pure Texas]

It would have to near out to do any damage,it’s not like a car and lube the drive axel bearings ,,as long as the ring gear is in the oil it will oil the parts that need oil.

 

[DaveO430]

It would have to near out to do any damage,it’s not like a car and lube the drive axel bearings ,,as long as the ring gear is in the oil it will oil the parts that need oil.

I agree, that would not hurt it.