The European Chronicles 2026.13 - Le Dolomiti, Un Problema & A Hiatus

Tom Petty Isn't Always Right

"Most things I worry about never happen anyway." - Tom Petty, Crawling Back To You, 1994.

Focus on "most."

I'm riding around La Thuile, the small roads and Iseran, thinking in the quiet of my helmet, "You know, up and down all these passes, negotiating all these incredibly tight hairpins, is hard on the clutch.  You feather it constantly, there's hard acceleration up steep hills, it gets a workout.  The brakes too, and I've already replaced those, front and rear, way sooner than ever in the US.  Maybe after 7 years of doing this, the last few 2-up which adds to the strain, I should replace the clutch this coming winter, you know, just to be safe."

Wrong.  I needed to replace it this PAST winter.  Did I "think" the problem into existence while riding around in France?  

My last rooftop breakfast at Riva del Garda...sigh...

I've got a multi-pass route planned to the Dolomites, including Passo Manghen which is narrow, steep and tight...squared.  Reminded me a lot of Gavia, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

Shortly after rolling out of the garage, I notice that Mia's clutch is starting to slip, hard throttle when passing gets you higher revs, but not the related acceleration.  Nothing I can do other than "be gentle," avoid stops/starts, uphills and handfuls of throttle.  Makes "pass riding" a bit of a chore, because it is all stop/start, uphills and handfuls of throttle.

No photo stops...and that nice quiet helmet time is used to plot out some possible solutions.

Relive 'Le Dolomiti'

The lead photo is on Passo Manghen, by another pass photographer, as is this one on the way out of the hairpin:

There are LOTS of places where 2 cars side by side are a tight or impossible fit.  You can see it in the photo above; 2 cars would barely sneak by.  Lots of stopping and "figuring it out" by the car drivers.  Motos can get by, but not when things are blocked.  Also, tough to pass with a slipping clutch, but now I'm whining...  😂

Nothing quite like the Dolomites.

Gas station view.  Seriously.

I'm once again headed to Bemelmans Post in Collalbo, my "feels like home" hotel for riding the Dolomites.  The climb up:

Settle in, dinner, a nice view...and research BMW Motorrad dealers in the area.

I discover there are 2 dealers in the area, one in Bolzano, the other in Brixen, about 40 minutes away in different directions.  I craft an email to both, in English and Italian using Google Translate and plan on calling in the morning.

Which turned out to be kinda funny.  Before I call, I've got multiple windows open on the MacBook, with different phrases translated into Italian so I'm "ready" to explain the problem.  Dial the first number, it just rings.  Try again, same thing.

Try the other dealer, get a menu, press what I think is the correct number for Motorrad service, it just rings.  Try again, same thing.

Maybe I'm doing something wrong, both businesses are supposed to be open.  Head down to the front desk to enlist a little "local customs and language help."  She calls the first number, same thing, just rings.  She calls the second dealer, punches in the Motorrad service number (I guessed right), it just rings.  

Ok, I need coffee, and a new strategy, so off to breakfast.

Try again after breakfast, the Brixen shop answers.  They can't help me but suggest calling the Bolzano dealer, they will message them.  Turns out these dealers are related.  I call Bolzano, same problem, it just rings.

I decide I'm just going to ride to the Bolzano shop and see if "in person" helps.  I'm in the garage getting ready to go, get an email from the Bolzano shop requesting the VIN to see if they can help.  Send it to them and say I'm coming by...

Very nice service rep, the parts are in Italy, they can do the work tomorrow!  About as good as it gets, right?

There's a wrinkle that proves to be the plan's undoing.  Mia has an aftermarket Magura hydraulic clutch; the previous owner had it installed to make the lever pull easier.  I explain that to the service rep, send her the manual via email, along with an installation video.  She forwards those to the technician.  

Show up the next day for the work to be done, and it is, finished about 11:30, I'm amazed.  Not cheap, 830 euro, but still, next day service in another country?  Worth it.

Except it doesn't work.  I ride away, the shifting is very difficult and the clutch is still slipping.  Return to the shop about 11:55.  They close from 12 to 2.  

And, of course, they believe that the problem is the Magura kit, which has worked flawlessly all this time.  I'm also now told that the clutch originally in Mia was "not stock" and had fewer plates installed.  All news to me, and can't really understand why that would be.  I'm looking for a "functioning motorcycle" whatever that will take; they will see what they can do after lunch.

Walk to a restaurant to eat, hydrate (it's HOT) and kill the time.

Unloading as I walk back...

A couple hours later, I'm told "he's made some modifications" and Mia's ready.  Ride off, better but not perfect shifting, at least the clutch is no longer slipping.  I can live with this.

No, I can't.

The next morning, I take a close look at the "modifications" which I see consist of a zip tie to hold some parts together.  I mean, ok, it works, but I'm not trusting this to take the abuse of riding passes.  You are shifting up and down constantly, first through third, all day long.  Yeah, no, I'd like reliable controls while I'm riding hairpins on the edge of a cliff.  I'm not the "adventure starts when things go wrong" guy.  I'm the "preventative maintenance" guy.

I really can't believe this was their "professional" solution, but whatever, nothing I can do about it now.  The lesson:  keep your bike stock, that's what dealers understand.

Now what?

I'm cutting my time on the bike short, and will drop Mia off at the dealer in Germany where she's been serviced these last 7 years.  What I will likely do is have "everything put back to stock" so that she's fully functional and dealer serviceable in the future.  That will likely entail replacing the clutch pack again; I have the original cable and lever that Krisanne will be flying in, assuming they let her through security.  😂

Right now, Mia is in the Bemelmans garage, no riding until I head back to Germany on the autobahn.  I'll be wandering Bolzano and the Renon plateau until next Thursday.  Ride to Germany then, and drop the bike off Friday morning so I can have a conversation with the service manager about the problem and what I need done.  Hang at Stefans (put all the gear into storage) until Monday when I meet Krisanne in Frankfurt.  Pick up a car the next day and head to Austria.

Gonna take a little break on the Chronicles.  😎

Ciao!

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