1--My bike's apparent FD big bearing failure is making a rumbling noise on right turns and the wheel moves left/right with a low volume thunk about by about .050". It should not move at all !!! The rumbling is likely the gear teeth being pushed into tighter mesh than good bearings would allow. Only recently is the noise getting louder. That's not good for the gears surface hardened layer. This alone could take too long for me to fix to make the Ozark-2 Fall Bash, but there's more. My FD repair to be fully documented in a future post.
2--I'm recovering from a medium ankle sprain (still able to walk in mild pain without ever any need for crutches) on the same old ankle sprained severly when I was 26. About August 12th I had a walking speed lowside turning right into a gas station. The road out front is under construction awaiting it's second asphalt layer. I was distracted by collision courses with entering and leaving cars and did not notice the big 2"+ jump up to the cement apron. Naturally, I must have taken too shallow of an angular turn-in approach and the front wheel was kicked sideways out from under me. The bike went down on the right side scratching on the new cement apron the valve cover, City Lid, flyscreen, clutch Lever and broke the signal lite housing & lens. Pic 1, Pic 2, Pic 3
The ankle joint was over-ranged to a sprain in the walking speed lowside, but I was still able pick the bike up myself and walk on it with considerable pain and limited movement.
Now at least the valve cover is FIXED . Not wanting to spend big money for a cosmetically damaged valve cover replacement, I filed it down with a fine file until the scratches were gone. Almost 1/4th of the thickness was filed away in a nice long unperceptable arc. Sanded it smooth then painted both covers with 500 degree black engine enamel that I already had. The signal lens is hot glued back on until the replacement lens+housing comes in with the FD bearing & seal order to Chicago BMW. The scratched FlyScreen will be re-painted (someday), along with the now silver triangular signal stalk covers. I was quoted $140, then $100 after I protested, for painting ONLY the 3 little parts "carried in" at the first place I tried and it was just too steep.
3--I got a blood clot just above that same ankle a few weeks prior to spraining it. Most definitely brought on by the 2k+ miles of driving/riding to/on/from the PA bash this Spring. May have been caused by a wood projectile strike injury to my ankle from splitting firewood. I mistakenly thought it was from a brown recluse spider bite and put off the doctor visit. That was not smart . . . . I guess it's a guy thing. Doctor said, after lengthy discussion of how & why, considering my relatively healthy lifestyle, said "sometimes it just happens". Right now I'm wearing black pressure support hose on the whole right leg to keep the swelling down until the clot damage is dissolved by blood thinners. It looks normal color everywhere now after the swelling went all the way down. Too much sitting at this computer and our new 46" LCD (tax rebate) TV by an old man is not good!
What's next? Jury duty?
I swear I can feel it coming. I pity the criminals I'll face if/when I do. 
On the bright side, if you haven't heard it before
I have an amazing wife !! 
I would need at least 3 highly paid professional women to replace her. 
She is such a bright spot in my life that I cooked supper yesterday when she came home from her part time job tired and drained. I chose Potato pancakes (A.K.A. Potato Latkis) from scratch, right out of the Joy of Cooking hardcover book. They're traditionally a Yiddish/Polish ethnic food that takes 5x longer to make them with a hand grater and cook the 2 potato batter than to eat them. It was really good. She's happy, I'm happy. Even after all those big 3 troubles..
But good luck on getting your FD and bearing from ChiBMW. Mine has been on order for 3 months. I really must call them.
The big bearing showed no play with the gear oil still on it, but got loose and had movement after shots of carb clean took the oil away. 
THAT means the bearing is worn out. Ball bearings should have ZERO freeplay.
(for inspection)
