[HotelCharliHill]

Hey, gang, a bad river break-up this year caused severe flooding to half of my small city's downtown. My condo apartment's parkade was half submerged covering my bike for 4 or so days until the ice-jam cleared and the water subsided and they pumped out the parkade....

Here she is in 2010 while touring North America from coast to coast and all around for 97 days (I can attach the blog if you want).

.. and here's my city's downtown (I'm on far top-right on the river... or IN the river :rotf...

... and here's my covered bike afterwards (nope, that's not a two-tone wall you're seeing... that's how high the silty, muddy water was on a white wall)

*NOTE* I did not have a battery in it at the time, don't know if that helps my situation

So I'm being told by one mechanic friend that water won't have gotten in the engine, not even through the exhaust, and all I have to do is open up the 'camshafts'(?) where the spark plugs are to ensure there's no water on top of the cams or that can create "hydro=lock" and destroy my engine when I start the bike. Then I should be able to start it....

A motorcyclist I know who works on his own harley's said I'll want to do that and also drain my engine, flush it too (do I need a pump, I don't know how to flush and engine, and this engine design is pretty unique and looks like a lot of nooks and crannies could retain oil or any water that may have gotten in); and he said to change out the coolant fluid too. He also said my electrical is probably done and I may need a new 'harness' for all the electrical bits.

What do you guys think? Mostly I just want to clean it up and change the fluids and make sure it starts and runs so that I can keep it from rusting and being completely ruined. I anticipate electrical issues as there's so much electrical on it. But that can come later if need be. I should add that silty water did get into many areas such as the speedometer, the front bulbs areas, and into the signal lights too possibly. I've washed it all down so that it's nice and clean to work on.

Anyway, I'm not really electronically inclined although I did learn how to change the coolant back in 2010 for a weekend race-school I attended, but I don't remember. If you could provide links to YouTube videos or tutorial threads here, that would be great. Sadly I don't have the cash to pay a shop thousands and thousands they would overcharge me (my nearest dealer is pretty heartless - they may not even be open right now during Covid anyway)...

 

[kbmwgt]

Mechanicals MAY be able to recover but the electronics.....I'd guess all your computers are inoperable...that's the expense. Insurance? Renters Insurance?

 

[beech]

Sorry for your problems and the rest of that community, nasty. As far as electrics, it is a crap shoot. I would remove the starter and alternator (under the fuel tank) wash them with distilled water then contact cleaner. Let dry for days. Most of the harness connectors are but many connections to end points are not. crack open all switch groups and spray some contact cleaner in there. I think you can try to clean things up but do it soon before rust sets in. There is water in your engine. It will creep in the exhaust and the intake air box through the valves that are open and into the engine. And there is water sitting on top of the valves waiting for them to open. I think you have to face it that your bike is probably gone. The only sure way to clean out the water from the engine is to remove the spark plugs and turn the engine over. Many things on a motorcycle are watertight by design (they operate in the rain). Things like the computers are sealed. One problem I see is all the bearings may have water in them. The seals may have held but be prepared.
Please keep us informed as to your progress and results. This will help many others.

 

[EvilTwin]

I wouldn't take much of what your mechanic friend said as gospel. That water was probably over the top of the bike for a while and water will seep in the tiniest cracks given enough time. Not only do you have to worry about the engine but also the transmission and the drive shaft. Brake calipers will probably lock up if not already there, water may have gotten inside the axles.

And then there is all the fancy electronics. Some may be sealed and may have survived, but what tends to doom any modern vehicle is all the connectors and the wiring harness gets wet and then long term corrosion starts. These bikes are more like modern cars than most and everything depends on electronics including fuel injection. So I doubt even if you were able to verify that there was no water in the engine that it would ever start. The water that flooded it looked plenty silty from everything on the walls of the garage, that silt is all over and inside that bike.

In theory, you could probably take the whole bike apart, clean everything up and preserve it and you would still need to replace the wiring harness and all the connectors. You are way beyond what the bike is worth and unless you are a really competent mechanic with a decent shop, this is not worth it. There is a reason they total cars that look fine after flooding, they are never the same, even if they can make them run.

 

[HotelCharliHill]

Cool, thanks for the info, guys. Well, insurance wouldn't cover it as "contents" (I'm the owner of my condo unit) because it's an 'automobile' parked in the parkade, and this was an "on land flood" or "act of God" or something...

I hate to take the time but I definitely don't have the money to replace the bike (economy in Canada is terrible anymore, especially after COVID, and our government wants to do away with our oil industry which is where I've worked most of my life). I'll see what happens and report back as I go