This should be a fun topic for the seasoned and creative brothers and sisters on here: What different improvised repairs have you done to get home after a breakdown? I've grown up hearing a story or two from my Dad, uncle, etc. Love to hear yours!

Changed a clutch cable on a 1980 Wide Glide once. On a beautiful Sunday morning my friend and I were riding in up-state NY. His cable snapped but my friend carried a spare, in fact he carried spare everything I think. I even think he had a shovel head in his bag. Thirty minutes later we were back enjoying the ride.

out riding one Sunday wih some friends and my throttle cable broke at the handlebar. We tied a boxed end wrench to the cable covered it with duct tape and I just pulled on the wrench to give it gas. Road that way the rest of the day. Thank God for duct tape and friends.....

THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT! Great story! Sheer genius is always found in a moment of need. I saw a picture of my Dad's old 305 Dream after he laid it down in Arizona. I've never seen such a collection of 2x4's, tape, and baling wire, but he was able to ride it home to PA, and it was a serious accident.

ran over a bloody rabbit one time while riding an africa twin, he got caught up in my chain and snapped it. with the aid of a leatherman and a wee bit of twisted barb wire I managed to nurse it all of 60 miles home.

I had been ridding south on Illinois 52, 2 lane state road running good but just ahead of a storm that you could see snow white (sorry about the referance) rain with black sky and background and lots of lighting. Main fuel tank on the Moto Guzzi 850 Eldorado went dry.. Reached for reserve fuel valve and the handle was gone. Had to unpack to toolkit, pulled 6" Vise-grips pliers switch valve and repack and get baqck on the road. Got wet but stayed ahead of the storm heavy stuff.. Stopped in Normal IL. Holiday Inn warm and dry for the night..The storm flooded road underpasses to 14 feet deep. Had time under the balcony to make the threaded handle from small bolt which is still there.

I ride Suzukis.............. what do you mean, "Break-down" ????????????

When I was a teenager I borrowed my dad's bike one day while he was at work and the clutch cable broke so I borrowed a pair of vice grips from a friends house, clamped them on the clutch arm and used that as a foot clutch to get home from downtown Chicago. Dad always asked where the marks came from.

Ben

Had a Honda 750/4 in my earlier dumber years. Did a top end rebuild and went for a ride. Passing a semi trailer going down hill I noticed he was getting faster. I pulled over and found the wouldn't run. got it home pulled it down and found the timing chain link had fallen out. Probable cause I forgot to put the clip on. 4 hours later on the road again.

Throttle cable. Thanks to piece of clothes line nearby I was able to piece it together. Was a bit difficult to pull on the cable and do everything else. Limped it home though.

Tied a broken shifter heim joint together with a hairband.

lost the rear axle nut one fine sunday morning, found this out when the bike suddenly squatted to one side. chain adjusters held it all in place for the most part, so i rode the 15-20 miles back home with my left foot stretched back holding the bolt in. very entertaining!

Lost the shift lever on my old ironhead sporty...Made a suicide shifter out of a stick taped to a pair of vise grips and got the old bastard home.

bunch of resilient feckers aren't we! it is all about the ride!

Well one day myself and my sidekick Harleyman was out and about on our old, old bike and we pulled up to a stop sign and engine died. Just poof!! well he gets off the bike, whips out a couple of wires out of the handlebars, and works his magic.. hits the ignition and vroom.. I can't tell you much more than that! It was actually amazing!! oh yeah, and he used one of those handy dandy MacGyver thingies!!! :)

Very technical Debrajo my sweet.............where can i pick up one of those MacGyver thingies hunni?

Has anyone actually seen McGyver recently? Maybe Richard is McGyver.

He very well could be he's a handy bloke to have around thats for sure...

I will have to send you a handy dandy MacGyver thingies Boof..! I think you are right Lucky, he could be a reincarnation!