My VFR is basically done now. I fitted a stock exhaust and a new exhaust gasket today. The carb seals kit arrived today so tomorrow I’m going to strip the carbs that came with the bike, try out my fancy new ultrasonic cleaner, then rebuild with a the new seals, set the carbs to factory spec, then swap the carbs over.
That should be that for my carbs, and basically the bike. I will be taking the fairing off to try and patch and mend it. But that’s just aesthetic. I already have all the kit I need for that.
The Harley. The big news there is I’ve decided I just don’t like it. I like the look and I love the sound, but it just feels lumpy and crude to ride. There is an adjustment problem with the gear selector (easy fix) which I’ll have to sort, then I think I’m going to sell it. I’m going to take a massive loss, but there is no point in keeping it if I’m not going to use it. I feel bad about the amount of money I’ve poured into it, but I thought I’d be keeping it and loving it. I think I’ll probably get what I paid for the bike. So all the work I did on it, the parts I replaced or upgraded, too much to list, will all be loss. What else can I do, though? I have a bike that does everything. I don’t need a bike that does nothing.
And the big news… that job I applied for weeks ago, at Home Bargains. The advert said day shift but when I went to the assessment they said they only had 00.00 -04.00hrs starts, or nights. I said no, and went home again. I applied again when the job got re-advertised. I rang the assessor back when he called me and asled what he meant by ‘day shift’ he said 05.00 onwards. A smidge earlier than the 06.00 onwards I do now, but a lot nearer, (so less commute time) so I’d put up with it.
I went for the assessment today. Again. I got there and the same guy I’d talked to on the ‘phone said “No. We’ve only got night shifts.” I said he’d said 05.00 onwards, he replied that he’s meant 5pm. No good. I was about to leave. Again. He was struggling getting on to his PC so he went to see the manager to see if there were any day shifts going. The manager came in and said there was an 08.00 -12.00 start available! I did the assessment drive (really easy) and two reverses (into really big bays) which I passed.
I got the job!
I start on the 14th. When he was putting everything in writing he put the start window at 09.00 -12.00. Absolutely perfect! I’ve given the agency two weeks notice then I’m having 10 days off before I start. He was at pains to emphasise that the job is physical graft, but judging by the assessment, the driving is going to be really, really easy. Sainsbury’s assessment was a nightmare. So tough. Because they need very skilled drivers to get in to the awful drops. If the logic holds true, this should be a doddle.
4 on, 4 off, £40.5k, should be taking home about £610 per week. That’s OK. I’ll be able to count on a steady wage now. There’s tons of overtime if I want more money, but again, he said, particularly in my first weeks, it’s a physically demanding job and I won’t want to do any more than my 4. I’ll be doing about 19 miles less commute a day. I can easily pushbike in if the bike is off the road. If I get a locker and they’ve got a shower, I could even run in.
Assuming nothing goes wrong I am going in for a 2 day’s death-by-powerpoint induction on the 14th, then 4 shifts with a driver to show me the ropes. Then I’m on my own. I’ll be doing cages deliveries using the tail-lift, slow and (apparently) hard work. He said to expect to take 3 hours tipping and loading at the stores. See how it goes, but a steady job, on my doorstep, that isn’t going to drive me insane with the stress… it got to be better.
It’s all coming together!