Clipping from an e-mail I just sent. I’m mildly miffed, but these things happen, and I had a good ride getting to Wales.

I did 150 miles on the A44 en-route to Rhyader on my DR-Z400S at the weekend. I broke down. As darkness fell. In the wet fog. On a mountainside.

Not wanting to get caught on a Welsh mountain road on a foggy night, I hobbled back to the nearest service station and called it quits, making an AA call out from Crossgates, with an eventual relay to home.

The local AA agent arrived with the words:

“That’s the funniest looking Suzuki Vitara I’ve ever seen”

…which I think summarises nicely the communications problem I’d had with Suzuki Assist / the AA. 😎

Anyway: diagnostics…

The fuel line was clear and free flowing (so presumably the filter was OK) and we did not reckon that icing was likely with the carbs so close to the cylinder especially after a few hours riding.

We checked the kickstart cut-out which was fine.

He drained the carbs which maybe looked a bit watery, but it was pitch dark by then. Even after considerable drainage the problem was replicable – rev high in neutral, and stutter-stutter-stutter-burp, revs drop.

I wonder if that last load of fuel I bought was dodgy or diluted or similar – bought from a small station on the A417 near Ledbury?

I could drain the tank and refill with known-good stuff to test, but before getting too stuck in thought I ought to seek the collective wisdom of the group.