Thank You Fahrzeughaus Stilgenbauer

Rode off to Metz. My PlanA was to checkout Metz then find a place somewhere to stay nearer Germany.
The bike started overheating as I pulled into the city. Good Friday in France. No chance of getting anyone to take a look for the next four days. It is Easter.
PlanB became: stay in Metz throughout Easter, then head off to Stilgenbauer and see if they can take a look. I did check the bike whilst in Metz, and it looked and sounded OK. No overheating. Could be another problem with the coolant? Or the thermostat?
Ah. What a young and naive chap I am.

After a nice Easter in Metz, headed out. Everything ran AOK, barring one little hint of overheating. But that is all it was. Just a hint.
Until some 30km from BMW Stilgenbauer.
Bike ran hot.
Stopped. Let it cool down.
Ran on.
Bike ran hot.
Called Stilgenbauer and gave them the symptons. We both were of the opinion that a dicky thermostat was the likely cause.
I said, I’d be there in an hour and a half.
Ah. What a young and naive chap I am.

End of day, the workshop is still going full speed ahead, and they found time to look at the bike.
Two problems: (1) Very little coolant (2) Water in the oil
Denver-Mike and his boss listened to my list of the work done on the bike.
Only thing left was a new engine, or new oil-cooler.
They had an oil-cooler. Installed. Topped up the fluids. Sent me on my way.
And only 5 hours later than expected, found my way to Knopf‘s and a bed for the night. Truth was, I was amazed the bike made it at all. Five hours to cover 30km is walking pace.
Water in the oil is never good.
But had time for a donner-teller, before a shower and happily into bed.

Next day, up and pottered around getting a few things done. At 1pm, saddled up, rode back to BMW. They checked the bike. A little bit of coolant needed to be added, but they expected that. I was good to go!
There were caveats.
Stilgenbauer still expect me to need a new engine. Quite when, is hard to say. But water in the oil is never good.
I have to follow a new process for checking coolant levels. But I can do that.

Took a day out in Kircheim-Heidelberg, to chill, and catch up.
Hawaii-Don and his wife were in.
Two crews from Kuwait.
Dave from Newfoundland.
As well as new (to me) travellers.

Added another day to my stay at Knopf’s, and took the bike on a run to see Nigel. About 100km to get there. Should be a good test for the fix.
Pity about the rain.
We had a good chat. Looks like there will be a reunion, in September, for us Applied Physics students. Hard to imagine how many years ago we started.
On the way back, picked up a couple of items for the bike, especially a hose clamp. The clamp prevents coolant spilling out of the expansion bottle when you open the radiator cap.

Could have stayed longer than the four days, at Knopf’s. Feels like home. Been here many a time. Lots of bikers and travellers passing through. Lots of stuff to help one out on the bike. A good kebab place around the corner. And Dufke gasthof, a little further, for outstanding, real, schnitzel. And it is asparagus season! Seems like only 3 years ago. hahahaha……
But time to go.
I have my new Green Card for the bike. The last coolant fix seems real, as I have ridden some 240km without incident.

Was thinking of heading to Spain. But seeing as France broke the bike (IMHO), I elected to stay away, and do a longer run in Germany, as another shakedown. So, I just headed out on the autobahn, and kept running. Pity about the rain. This time seriously heavy.
A gentleman from Kuwait (who had lived in Toronto) donated a waterproof inner-jacket, which was excellent. But rain works it’s way into all sorts of places. And by late afternoon, I really needed to stop. At my next fillup, looked at the map. Saw the name Gotha. Liked it. And booked a place for two nights.
My boots and my TomTom needed that time to dry out. TomTom screen was getting a “bloom”, making it unusable. Took a lot of effort and lateral thinking, to enter the B&B’s address. But then I was able to ride back onto the roads and into the rain.
Gotha turned out to be a nice place. Excellent Italian food and atmosphere,at the nearby Capri.
Gotha used to be a powerhouse city, so quite the palace. Really liked the four fountains designed as waterfalls going down the hill…….

Mind, the city looks ripe for a condo-developer. There are some old buildings shuttered up, just crying out to be tastefully converted.

NOTE: Germany shopping shuts down on Sundays and Holidays. Nice to be in a civilised country.

The B&B was really nice, and rain was forecast for Gotha, so stayed an extra day.
The rain is needed here. Germany is getting into drought conditions.
Canada on the other hand, is having floods. And the flooding is becoming more frequent 🙁

On Tuesday, in the sunshine, rode out of Gotha, and into Coburg. The original. Not the one in Ontario, where I had many a fun evening. Ah the joys of helping out the Scouts 🙂
Here is me, in front of Prince Albert’s statue…..

Tried to get to the palace on the hilltop. Three times. Thwarted each time, by bad signage, and hints of a long uphill walk. Instead, I had a nice salad and went to the European Modern Glass museum,. That was really nice. A couple of pieces I could have picked up and strapped to my motorcycle. They were that nice.
And hard to imagine that a perfect tea-pot was conceived in 1932……

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Didn’t find anywhere to stay in Coburg, so ran into a village, some 45km east. In the woods.
Nice place. Biker friendly. And the chef took pity on me. Kitchen is normally closed on Tuesday, but just for me 🙂 Sorry, no photos.
But here are photos from tonight’s supper.
Amuse bouche made from dripping……

Outstanding wild boar, goulash soup……

Nice schnitzel with asparagus…….

So tomorrow is another day.
Not made any plans.
My intuition tells me to stay away from France.
Still. Intuition can be wrong. Leicester did beat Arsenal 3-0. And to think, Arsenal could have signed Jamie Vardy 🙂