31 March 2008

Yesterday, we went to the Wistanstow classic show. Jon wanted to ride the New Hudson there so we decided he would drive the Transit van as far as Church Stretton, then unload the New Hudson and ride it along some of the back roads as far as Wistanstow. I was to ride the Tribsa all the way. It was a lovely sunny day when we set off. I was in front and knew where I was going so didn't haven't to worry about anyone else - I could just concentrate on me, the bike and road. This worked really well and gave me the first ride on wet roads, since I fell off on diesel in Belgium a year and a half ago, where I didn't have at least a moment of sheer paranoia that I was going to fall off dramatically and painfully on a slippery corner. I felt as if I had turned a corner and thoroughly enjoyed the ride to Church Stretton. It was a good thing my buff neck tube was covering most of my face as I was smiling a ridiculously smug grin and, at times, even gave in to the impulse to shout "I love you, little bike" while patting its tank affectionately.

The show was, as usual, very interesting and, for a change, the weather was very warm. We had a look around the show and the bikes in the car park. I had to tell BH never to park the New Hudson next to the Tribsa ever again, as it steals baby Tribsa's thunder.....New Hudson was constantly surrounded by nostalgic old blokes. Having said that, baby Tribsa had its/his admirers as one bloke kept dragging his friends away from the delicious array of tea and cakes inside so that they could appreciate the neat way the 3ta engine had been fitted into the Starfire chassis.

I followed BH back to Church Stretton, him on the New Hudson and me on Angus the Tribsa surrounded by a huge cloud of blue smoke! Some of the tighter, rougher roads were more like hard work on the Tribsa than they were for Jon on the autocycle. I could feel the two stroke haze filthying my face. It started hailing while in the Church Stretton car park and Jon offered to load the Tribsa into the van. "Oh no", I said, "This isn't a fair weather bike!"

It had obviously rained a lot over Wenlock Edge while we were enjoying the sunshine in Wistanstow, as there were huge puddles everywhere, somtimes meeting over the middle of the road. We did cross one ford during the day, which was fun, but I wasn't really ready for the depth of some of the puddles and got caught out a couple of times !

Still, most of the trip back was sunny and pleasant and when it started to hail I couldn't help but sing "Raindrops keep falling on my head"

Monday 24 March 2008

Red Marley Hill Climb!

Myles rang late yesterday evening to say that he wouldn't be able to make it as the B40 is still in many bits. We offered the loan of one of our bikes but unfortunately his insurance doesn't cover him for other people's motorcycles so that was a bit of a non-starter.

Far from being the sunny day that had been forecast it was grey and cold this morning but being tough and brave we decided to set off anyway. As it turned out, the ride there wasn't too bad weather-wise. The Tribsa was running nicely and ticked over happily as I pulled my gloves on before we set off. We stopped a little way down the road to meet up with some friends, only one of whom was hardy enough to turn up! Again, the bike seemed fine. After that, it cut out as soon as I stopped at the next couple of junctions. I didn't worry too much and just concentrated on keeping the revs up whenever we had to slow down and we arrived at our destination without any further problem, apart from Jon noticing that I no longer had functioning lights (apart from the brake light). Jon also remarked that my back wheel looked very twitchy and I replied that I wished he hadn't told me as, knowing my tyres were due for a change, I had been a little lacking in confidence on the wet roads when we set off in the morning but after deciding that the tyres were actually doing their job quite adequately, I had arrived at Red Marley feeling a lot less concerned.

Like last year, a few bikes were dropped in the carpark (a fairly steep field) and, like last year, I was very relieved not to have been one of them!

As usual, we thoroughly enjoyed watching the hill climb although the crowds seemed smaller than in previous years, probably because of the dubious weather. For the last couple of years, the event has taken place in gorgeous sunshine but this year we had a mixture of rain, sleet, snow and sunshine, with some hail thrown in for good measure after we got home later in the evening. At least one stall had cleverly brought along umbrellas to sell and I thought it wise to invest in one. I was pleasantly surprised when Tim Britton (of CBG) came over to say hello and to rib me a bit for not taking part - as it is a year since he took my photo with the Bantam at the Stafford Show, I didn't expect to be recognised. He was taking part on the CBG Triumph and I managed to catch him on film on my new digi camcorder which, although it has some niggley problems, certainly produces good quality film considering it cost less than £60. I was looking out for a couple of people from the Classic Bike forum. I've never met either of them before so it is no surprise that, without any definite arrangements, I didn't find either of them. I did spot the Tribsa belonging to Lucky Rich, from the forum, who was taking part in the hill climb.

Jon had a chat with Austin Vince (of Mondo Enduro) about the Mountain Madness event he organises with his wife Lois Pryce (Lois on the Loose) in Spain. We've both had an interest in the event but, having talked to Austin, Jon thinks we should aim to do it next year. We had thought the road event would suit us best but Austin recommended the off-road event so we are considering Jon taking my Morini Kanguro and perhaps looking out for a Yamaha Serow for me - we'll have to see how that works out. Full details of the event are on http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/HUMM/

After watching most of the hill climb we decided it would be sensible to set off a little earlier than usual, allowing enough time that I wouldn't need to use my lights. It was a little more effort than usual to start the Tribsa but as it had been rained, sleeted and snowed on, again, I wasn't too worried. The lights were also working again. Then, at the first junction at which we needed to stop, it died completely and refused to start and the lights weren't working. The ammeter was hardly moving and we found there was no spark, either at the plug or the points. Jon swore at it and told me he was never going anywhere with me on that bike ever again. He and our friend Derek then bump started it with the idea that I should ride it as far as possible without stopping before we called Carole Nash recovery.

After bump starting it, Jon realised that the brake switch was draining the battery as the revs dropped whenever he touched the brake. This made sense in view of the problems I had experienced on our journey in the morning. He disconnected the brake switch and rode behind me all the way home, to act as my brake light. By the time we were halfway home, I decided I couldn't ride without lights any more, as it was starting to get dark, and switched them on. It was probably another 20 miles to home and when we got back and pulled up outside the house, the bike ticked over perfectly. I turned the ignition off, then back on again and it started with the first gentle kick - so the battery had been recharging while I rode home. Jon has withdrawn his threat never to go out with it and me ever again and will hopefully never again refer to it as a piece of S**t! Just need to work out why the brake light is draining the battery now!

Sunday 23 March 2008

Myles rang today to say his bike was in bits and could we bring back the clutch puller he leant BH some time back. Slight panic ensued as a search of the conservatory began, neither of us having any idea where said item was. As it turned out, it was in a very sensible & safe place so we were able to return it to Myles. He is hoping to have the B40 back together to ride to Red Marley tomorrow but it is now 8.30pm and we have still not received the expected phone call announcing his success. Still, the night is young.......

We changed the gear box oil in the Tribsa today because the old stuff was horribly emulsified. I then dragged the bike into the back garden to see if it would start. After a few kicks to free the clutch (really needs attention soon, I think) I was giving a half-hearted kick, thinking I was still priming it but BH switched the ignition on and baby Tribsa roared into life without any effort at all and ticked over happily too. The new clutch lever, a multi-adjustable pretty thing from Trail & Trial UK (or is it Trial & Trail UK??) via ebay, has vastly improved the feel of the clutch.

It was by now trying to snow so I pushed the Tribsa back inside to dab a bit of black paint on the new bracket BH made for the "new" from the autojumble £5 front mudguard and a bit of red paint on the damaged part of the tank. The front mudguard now also has the bird mascot I bought at Newark autojumble last January.

The forecast for tomorrow is sunshine but with a frosty start so we are looking forward to Red Marley hill climb but quite pleased we decided not to camp there tonight :-)

Thursday 20 March 2008

Last night, we enjoyed the Sausage and Mash night with the local NACC (National Autocycle and Cyclemotor Club) and will soon be the proud possessors of another Raleigh Runabout. OK, so this looks as if I am acquiring another bike before I've even finished congratulating myself on reducing the stable by selling the Bantam. I can justify this, to myself at least, because the new addition is free of charge and it is intended to be used as spares rather than as yet another project. The theory is that this will make it easier for me to get no 2 Runabout up & running & road-legal so that I can sell it. It can also be stored in bits so it shouldn't take up much room.

Yesterday, I took delivery of a new (inexpensive) digital camcorder with which I hope to get some film of Red Marley hill climb on Monday. I'd also like to work out a way of mounting it on the bike (or myself) so that I can film while riding, particularly on club runs.

Tuesday 18 March 2008

Sold the Bantam today. Can't say it made me happy.

However, the Tribsa problem seems to have been a couple of duff plugs as BH has tried some more new plugs and it seems to run fine. To cheer me up after the departure of the Bantam, he started up the Tribsa, saying "but this is what you're left with....". And it sounded and looked gorgeous and it is probably my favourite bike ever so he is, of course, right!!

There now seems to be a lot of space in the workshop/conservatory........

Sunday 16 March 2008

We are planning to go to Red Marley Hill Climb on Easter Monday. It's one of my favourite events of the year, watching madmen (& women) race up an impossibly steep hill on classic bikes. So that I can lend my Morini to friend Fred, if his bike is not sorted by then, we decided to try and have the baby Tribsa sorted before then. BH started it last week and it kept running on one cylinder. With that in mind, we went round to Myles' house to borrow his 3Ta manual and arrived in time to assist with the fitting of a subframe to the B40, for the purpose of towing the trailer he has built. After a couple of attempts it fitted nicely and looked very in keeping with the rest of the bike, having been painted in military green paint. I offered to chuck some dirt at it so it would blend in even better but I think my suggestion was frowned upon. BH has just telephoned Myles and he is out test riding the bike and trailer.

Back home, we tried to fit the new points and condensor that I bought a couple of months back but the points appeared to have been damaged in the post so they were rejected and we just replaced the condensor and carefully sanded and re-gapped the points. Attempts to start the bike were not successful and two new spark plugs later we were no nearer success and there was no spark. We changed back to the old condensor and tried again. Now there was a somewhat "weedy" spark. So we tried the "lucky" spark plug, which is not the correct one for the bike and, hooray, the bike started and ran happily (and loudly) on both cylinders. Next step is to buy some more plugs so I have spares and hopefully we'll find that we were just unlucky and the two new ones we tried today were just duff ones. Then, BH will be taking the Tribsa to Fred's to have the timing checked.

Longer term plan is to have electronic ignition, which the sale proceeds of my Bantam will help with. Slowly, it is all coming together!

Saturday 15 March 2008

Well, I haven't done anything constructive to any of the bike collection this week but progress has been made in that I seem to have someone very interested in buying the Bantam B175 - which will mean a bit more space in the workshop/conservatory. My better half (BH) has been off work for a while and he has been able to rearrrange the workshop so that the bikes residing there are more accessible and a work bench has been moved in from the shed.

It's wet and miserable today so even less has been done, although friend Myles came round on his B40 to show off the bar-end indicators he has fitted & soon the trailer he has been building should be on the road - and that will be the B40 in full touring mode!

As it is a wet & miserable day and I'm feeling lazy, I have been browsing some favourite websites and remembered a couple I had missed previously so I will add them to the list now. The first is Odgie's website. Years before BH & I met, Odgie was writing for BSH and AWOL magazines and inspiring us both to take hacksaws and welders etc to our old Jap Fours, leading to many happy hours cutting things up and modifying them to suit. Check out his website and make sure you look at the Speedster Project in his photo albums - it really is beautiful! Another favourite site is dedicated to the Kawasaki W650 and, as well as lots of W650 pictures and information, there is a very good list of biker friendly accomodation and meeting places.

The Radian has had a reprieve in that I have decided to keep it. It needs a bit of work but it was always a good bike. BH bought it for me a a gift a few years ago and we have fitted some slab yokes that an old friend made for a GPZ550 I had about 15 years ago. I've also got some nice risers and a lovely little brass brake splitter to be fitted, made by the same friend (thanks, Doob!). I've been to Belgium, France, Holland and Luxembourg on the Radian and it was always fun to ride and reliable - it would be a shame to part with it. I've got a picture on the kitchen wall of how I want the it to look (flat tracker style) - that picture has been there for about 4 years now so even if it takes me another year to get finished, it will be worth the wait.

I've just been reprimanded for missing off one important link - the W650 Riders Yahoo Group - an excellent source of W650 help and advice, and since W650s don't go wrong very often, a lot of jolly banter between lots of lovely W650 owners around the world.

Saturday 8 March 2008

Why a blog? Well, apart from the possibility that someone else might be interested in some of what I have to say, I have this idea that if I set myself some targets and tell people about them, it gives me more incentive to get things done!

I have come to a conclusion that I may have too many bikes. Or, at least, too many bikes for the space I have. So the plan is to get one of the Raleigh Runabouts finished and sold, get the BSA Bantam B175 finished and sold and the same with the Yamaha Radian. No 2 Runabout needs some work to get it running and I need to reclaim the registration number. I have the original logbook and a couple of tax discs so this should be possible. The Bantam is pretty nearly there but lack of time and my falling in love with the Starfire 3Ta have meant that it has been shamefully neglected. The Radian shouldn't take too much work either. I get too attached to my bikes so I want them all to go to good homes. So those are the targets I am setting myself for this year - not to mention getting around to doing some much needed decorating and DIY to the house and making the garden presentable. This includes making room for a new shed to house the bicycle collection, which currently resides in the kitchen......