In a previous blog we looked at the A's of the ABC's of motorcycle travel that hve formed the title of this trip.

This blog looks at a negative B that being the dreaded breakdown while not hundred's of km's fom home but thousands infact over 17000kms away.

The comments on my blogs are always carefully reaad and enjoyed as I know people appreciate the somewhat considerable time taken to assemble the photographs, compress them and save them ready for insertion into the blogs.

It also means "burning the candle at both ends"as often the actual blogs are written late at nights after the riding has finished and dinner eaten.

I noted that my regular contributer Laura had placed the following comment äll three of you seems to be doing fine and all seems to be holding up well"so the next morning we left and headed to Rota which was to be a four day base to visit the MotoGP at Jerez circuit.

We found a nice typical roadside Spanish restaurant,Las Crumbres, and enjoyed our coffee with milka.

I eagerly redressed and hopped on the bike and thumbed the starter button. No response.

Ok check again was the kill button off No

Fuel was ok.

Turn off and watch it complete a cycle , watch the start cycle means on turning the key on the needles on both the taco & speedo complete a cycle and reset at zero. This is accompanied by a set of four coloured lights that go to green for neutral and red for iginition.

Nothing absolutely nothing.

Ok remain calm unpack some of the gear move the bike out of the sunshine into shade.

Check all fuses as earlier I had at different times had two blow. One appears to have no purpose.

The other meant again I had working indicators and a tail light.

No fuses blown.

So more unpacking and the seat was off to look at the starter relay.

Rememeber this was breakdown number 4 and an earlier problem at Athens was traced to a faulty main battery relay fuse.

After a lot of fiddling as space is extremely limited the whole starter relay was removed and its main 30amp fuse exposed.

Fuse ok.

So now it was serious planning time. The International Driving Permit was located and the two numbers for roadside assistance in Spain were located.

Both were rang and after a lot of translation both decided they had no contract with my Australian breakdown service.

Well Plan B was implemented. I phoned the Australian NRMA Roadside Assistance number. They informed me they could not send service vehicles to Spain. I assurred them that was not what I required but did they have numbers for the service that being a memebr of the International body for roadside assistance used. I also told them the two numbers on the IDP did not offer assistance.

They put me on hold until Cameron came back with two more numbers in Spain.

I rang the first number and the Spanish operator informed me "no English speakers"and promptly hung up. So three down with no assistance.

I rang the final number and after some explanations and waiting I got an English speaking man who assured me his people would assist.

Armed with that knowledge Greg & Kerrie left to meet at the appointed time with the owners of our Rota accommodation.

With ongoing assistance from the waitress at the restaurant it was eventually established that yes as I had tried to convey I was 20kms North of Cordoba at Las Crumbres, restaurant , 300m north of exit 38,not 20kms South of Cordoba in Las Cumbres county.

It was a relatively short time before a modern breakdown van appeared and a "mechanic" started to pull out fuses until I said no!

A tow truck turned up and he agreed it was a tow job. I had already spoken to the breakdown agent and supplied him with a list of motorcycle shops in Cordoba. He checked and had rang back to say not only had he located a shop willing to work on the problem, it had been a prior Triumph dealership and the chief mechanic not only spoke English he was infact an Englishman who now lived in Cordoba and was willing to hold off the usual siesta time break until my bike arrived.

I offered to help load my bike but was told ït's our responsibility and if damaged we pay". Thats fine but of little comfort when left with a damaged bike over 17000kms away from it's home.

Only two straps were used at the rear of the bike but all I could do was take a seat in the van and watch as they bounced along the 20kms to Cordoba. Once in the city they got lost! So close but sofar.

After numerous phone calls between the van and tow truck plus my ever present by phone Spanish breakdown agent saw us eventually arrive at the repair shop. The parking was non existent so the tow truck just parked in a lane of traffic and they set about unloading.

The bike was parked in the workshop and I was directed to return soome 3 hours later 5.30pm after siestatime.

I was able to change out of my riding gear get directions and head off to view the city of Cordoba. The town provided a diversion with it's variety of architecture a couple of malls and the opportunity to have a lunch of cajan chicken wings at the American Diner and gather a new data card for the phone.

Upon arriving back at the shop the staff were sitting outside waiting for the Boss to open up.

Not long after I heard the bike going.

However it was started on a jump start battery as mine was flat less then 1V. They thought solved. I said No I had ridden over 100kms that day before stopping so a flat battery was not the real cause.

An old battery, No I said it's less then 6 weeks old.

Well during the intervening time my phone had relayed messages to Greg & Kerrie, located a Canadian friend Tom who I knew was well maybe in the general area of Spain.(He was actually some 500kms away but we agreed as to remain in contact as he would indeed be passing Cordoba the next day.)

As time passed no real long term solution had occured. As 9pm approached a new battery finally was placed in the bike and the starter thumbed. The resulting sound of my triple mufflers filled not one breathe of air.

The mechanic agreed with me call it quits for that day and tell me where I could find accommodation. His boss told him about a Pension (accommodation) House nearby so he offered to take me there.

Fortunately he also upon locating the place came into reception. What fully booked stumped again.

We drove for a while and say no accommodation so decided to head back towards the bike repair shop to check out the hotel opposite. Yes they had accommodation the price . As we walked out I told the mechanic they wanted about $300 for a single room for one night.

I asked if I could use his phone to do a Hotels.com.au search in minutes I located another Pension House offering their last room for $40. I got him to check and he assured me it was only 0.4kms away so I booked it and got confirmation back. So we set off.

Finding the area was quick and easy however to actually locate the Pension House required navigating narrow lanes so narrow we had to fold the mirrors on the vehicle in to get around cornors. There was no opportunity to back out so we ventured forward for what seemed an eternity we actually found Trindad Pension House in darkness with no parking out front.

Locating the car a short distance away we approached and I began pounding the door and pushing the door bell for ages. We could hear someone inside so kept pounding away and pressing the bell. The door did openrevealing an old Spanish man who seemed less then impressed with us.

Ken the mechanic spoke to him, No he didnt have a booking for me. He wanted to go back to bed,well sorry I was inside and needed a bed. Finally he asked how much I said 23Euro well his eyes gained a sparkle and it was agreed I was a guest.

Sign language and I was in aroom with a set of keys. he was telling me at 10am next morning he would collect my money and check me out. I had arranged to meet Ken no later then 9am so that could be a problem for tomorrow.

A very late dinner of a Spanish omlette and cream caramel later at a nearby restaurant and i was finally in bed around midnight.

Next morning unable to get anyone to answer the doorbell or at reception I had no option but to pound on the door marked Privato No sailda. Sign language and no eye contact, no speak Spanish, No speak English between both parties and with money in hand that gleam returned and I was away and met up with Ken who decided rather then tackle those narrow laneways I was to meet him on the ring road. I waited No Ken then he walked up, Sorry for late arrivial I am not allowed as a non resident to drive the ring road so we walked out and then drove back to the shop.

I went for breakfast and returned to find the bike assembled out on the footpath.

I asked about the ancilliary leads. No they had not been replaced so it was unpack,take seat off reconnect my onboard charger and ancillary power outlet, pay the bill (very reasonable) kit up and head for Rota now over 24hours behind schedule. A quick run on the Autovia and by 2.40pm I was at our accommodation having only missed MotoGP free practise.

Hopefully the replacement of the Lithium battery with a convential lead acid sealed battery has solved my breakdowns issues so we can move onto the C of this motorcycle trip.