I'm sitting here, chuckling in disbelief.
I was working last night (remember, when most people got an extra hour in bed, night workers got an extra hour on their shift, chiz) and got a few hours' sleep this morning. This afternoon, I had promised Anna that I would get everything outside the house tidied away in preparation for the coming storm. I got the wooden garden furniture in the shed, lashed down various bins, tables and barbecues, and performed the 3D jigsaw of getting both 'proper' bikes into the garage. It was a very tight fit, and I had to tunnel out, but they are in there.
Which left the old XT. To remind anyone who is remotely interested, I got a newer version in January and took the XT off the road with the vague intention of restoring it, or perhaps rebuilding it as a 'special' after a thorough overhaul. January was the last time it went on the road. It was wrapped in a waterproof cover and left. Around April time, I took the covers off to check it was OK and tried to fire it up. It started first time. Back went the covers, after I had patted it and made soothing noises. Anna is a bit pertickuler about important lifestyle artefacts (she refers to them as 'junk'), so the XT went under a waterproof cover and was hidden behind the shed. Before I did this, I drained out as much fuel as I could and then ran the engine until it died. The idea is to leave the carbs empty of fuel so that it doesn't evaporate and clog everything up with varnish.
As the bike is parked under some trees, I went to move it to a safer place for tonight. The waterproof cover had ripped to shreds, although the bike underneath looked fine. Just for a laugh, I thought I would try to start it. I knew there was no fuel in there, and I was pretty certain that after six months of inactivity (and almost a year without any significant charging) the battery would be dead as a dead thing. It was new when I bought the bike in 2008,and 3-5 years is considered to be a reasonable life expectancy. With regular use.
Ignition on, fuel on, try to start it. The starter churned away but nothing happened. Then I remembered I had drained the fuel, so I switched it to reserve in the hope that a few drops might have been retained in the bottom of the tank.
Rur-rur-rur ... doff doff doff doff ...
I laughed out loud. I rode it round the garden and twice round the house. Everything worked perfectly.
I have put it somewhere safe, away from falling branches. It's no longer insured, and any serious damage would realistically make it not worth repairing. It has convinced me (I was wavering, I admit) that it deserves some lurve, when I get the time and funds.
It reminds me of that marvellous Top Gear stunt with the Toyota Hilux. The bike seems to be indestructable.
Happy days.
Good luck if you are in the path of this nasty weather. My advice: go to bed with a pint of Scotch and pull the covers over your head.
I love the XT. Those ones have a strong heart. It will serve you long, as long as you give it minimal TLC.
ReplyDeleteIt gives that additional reassurance that if fall-back-bike1 fails to start, you can still get to work.
ReplyDeleteSorned and uninsured, so strictly illegal. But if the XTR fails, and the Trident fails, and the Mundaneo fails, and Anna's car fails, then yes, in theory I can get to work. All safe systems have built-in redundancy, after all.
DeleteI almost wish I could ride a bike, then I might get in to work, instead of sitting here waiting for the overground rail to decide if they'll run anything... :(
ReplyDeleteYou can! Although whether high winds and heavy rain is a good time to start learning as another matter. But you are correct on the main issue - bikes make commuting colder and wetter, but more reliable. And fun, did I mention the fun?
DeleteI'll give you £50 for her!
ReplyDeleteAnother nought and we have a deal! Seriously, never. It would be like abandoning a puppy.
DeleteI desperately need a project...ideal bike for goat track bashing in Greece!
DeleteToo heavy, seriously. You want something like an old DT175 or, if you must have a 4-stroke, a Serow or XT250. The 600 is a lardy old girl for a trail bike. I wouldn't risk anything harder than a green lane with it (caveat ... at my age, etc etc).
DeleteKISS - I don't remember my old CZ175 ever failing to get me to a destination. I certainly had to get the tool kit out beside the road on more than one occasion, but always fixable. The throttle cable had a tendency to break inside the twist grip, but a "get you home" remedy was to pull out the inner (which looped round the oil pump in the LHD engine casing), and tie it round the frame tube behind the tank. Thanks to the combined gear & clutch lever it was possible to pull on the cable loop with my left hand, and whilst balancing the bike with my right leg, engage first and then carefully let the clutch out. Once underway gear changes were a cinch. I carried a complete spare cable after that...
ReplyDeleteThe Austin Maxi I travelled over 100,000 miles in, was unceremoniously dumped in an open sided field shelter when my first Panda 4x4 came along. 10 years later the farmer needed the space and it had to go. After putting some fresh fuel in the float bowl and connecting the Panda's battery directly to the starter motor with jump leads it fired up and ran fine - even on the old petrol still in the tank! I fully expected the brakes to be rusted solid, but after cutting some brambles away the old girl hauled herself into the sunshine and trundled happily around the paddock. I sold it to a guy who needed parts for another he was doing up, and I drove her for the last time up to the farm yard and onto his transporter.
You might find it hard to understand, but I often wish I'd had the money to keep it and have it totally restored.
I understand that completely. The Maxi was hardly glamorous, but when it shows Hilux levels of indestructability, it deserves more than just SORNing into oblivion. I hired one for a few days when my Dolomite threw a half-shaft, and I liked it. Roomier than the 1100, more wieldy than the 1800, and with way more style than the All-aggro.
ReplyDeleteMy Jawa failed me once, big time, but it also kept dropping bits off where you least expected them. I wouldn't have another at any price, but I quite fancy a CZ 125 or 175. All the sophistication of a knife and fork, but with an undeniable charm. Biking's 2CV.