Tales from the Road: MACH.19 - Saguaro Country, Day 20: Altered States

Saguaro Country, Day 20
Altered States
Friday 17

This morning we load out early, ready for another 550 mile day. When I turn the key a press the starter button, the battery can barely turn over the engine and it won't start. What a surprise!

I get a jump from the hotel manager and try to assess the situation. I know that we are less than a mile from Russellville Honda, one the largest and most reputable Honda dealers in the US. If there were a question about a bike's condition and you were a mile from there, who wouldn't take the option to have your issues looked at there?

So we ride over just as they open at 9:00 AM, and Alex sets up a service ticket right away. We unhook the trailer and wait. After an hour or so Famous Dave the Mechanic comes out and says that the good news is the battery and alternator are both 100% perfect. The bad news is the voltage regulator is flaky, with micro-dropouts periodically visible on his meter. The more bad news is they don't have one in stock and can't get one until Tuesday. He said almost certainly the failed battery caused the voltage regulator to malfunction.

After some discussion about options, we buy a new battery, battery tender, and jumper cables so at least I'd have an extra battery and could switch out batteries and keep one charged if the voltage regulator acts up again. Dave said the problem may never repeat itself, and it's safe to drive the bike. This exactly what my friend Skippy suggested wen he took the time to contact me when he saw a Facebook post that we're at Honda of Russellville.

Honda of Russellville is justifiable famous for their inventory and service. Today they took in an unscheduled bike right away - and didn't charge me for their work!

Thus fortified, we decide we can ride 400 miles today and strike out just before 1:00 PM for Nashville TN. We have an uneventful 400+ mile ride through the forests and flat lands of Arkansas, navigate rush hour traffic around Memphis, and finish a 90-mile run to Nashville with the setting sun ablaze in the mirrors, and a pale moon rising over Nashville at 8:00 PM.

Awesome.