I had a series of problems with the Bonnie. My new chain and sprocket set arrived, then the new back tyre, so I whipped the wheels off and fitted it all at the same time. The front sprocket! It was like it was welded on. It was a big nut so I wasn’t too scared of applying force, but I had the breaker bar with an extension, about 5′ long in all, and it looked like my bar was bending and the nut was stubbornly intransient. I applied coats of penetrating oil and smacked it with an impact driver. Still nothing. I was at a bit of a loss. Then I remembered I bought a high torque electric impact impact wrench. It’s not that it applies so much more torque, it’s the fact that it applies it so many times per second. The nut came off. Yay!
Once I’d been reminded of what a great tool it was I went back to my rear brake caliper. The workshop manual says to loosen two allen bolts before you remove the caliper. I’d been applying as much force as I dared but I was scared of snapping the bolt. With the impact wrench I span them out in seconds. Truly great tool. Then I cleaned my brake pistons, then fully compressed them with a C clamp. I think they are properly fixed again now.
The mudguard was a bust. After waiting ages for it, it was the same length as the one on it, but had stupid long fitting arms. The mudguard would have been about 4 or 5 inches off the tyre. I’m trying for a refund. I’ve bought a stick-on fender extender. I’ll add that to the standard mudguard. Still not as long as I’d like but it seems to be as good as I’m getting.
I fitted the M bars. They are the business. I’m very happy with them.
Before and after.
I did an oil and filter change, and spent two days stressing over the engine remapping. I finally got it to install today. That’s it. The bike is done. Stick on the fender extender then it’s just putting petrol in it for the next year.
Happy days!
Other winning is, after stressing, thinking the Harley was a piece of crap that wouldn’t run, I took it out for another ride and it was fine. Odd. I don’t know if it really was running rough as rats the last time, or if I was just expecting it to feel like the Triumph, but it was fine. I’m having minor issues with the speedo cable, but I took it for a 12 mile ride, including a blip on the motorway, and the engine was fine. Now I’m thinking my priority for that bike is to change the handlebars. The riding position is so cramped with the bars pushing you back and the seat feeling really far forward. I’ve tried my position if I had lower, flatter, bars and that changes everything. I’ll look into what bars are a straight swap, so I don’t have to buy all new cables again, but that could be all I need for the Harley for now.
The other thing is work. I’ve finally done my first shift. It was stressful, obviously, and the driving is tricky, but the work at the stores is really easy. The main thing is the start times. The shift I did was 00.01 hours until 11.15.
That means your day off is spent waiting to go to work and trying to sleep. Which sucks.
And Wendy hates it. I’ve been at home for the last 6 weeks with her. Suddenly I’m in bed or at work.
I’m giving it a month to see if we find a routine, but I’m not loving it so far. The guy on the induction said the money is brilliant though. He said night is £52k, basic. That’s a lot of motorbikes. But it might mean zero life. Hmmm.
We’ll see.