Last post I was saying I just had to throw the bike back together and it was all looking like a suspiciously good job.
Ha!
I made a total meal of it. I put the yokes on, the handlebars, clocks, fitted the forks, mudguard, brake calipers, went to fit the front wheel… No. You have to have the mudguard and calipers off to fit it. OK. Took them off, fitted the front wheel, put them back on. Steering a bit tight. Had a look and I’d routed some of my cables on the wrong side of the headstock. I tried just taking the bars off and lifting off the top yoke. Struggled for a while, then conceded defeat. Had to take everything off again, reroute the cables, then refit the yokes, bars, clocks, forks, wheel, brake calipers and front mudguard. I turned it on for a test and realised I had no headlight or indicators. Which is to say, they were there, just not working. *facepalm*
Looking good (all needs polishing and wiring in)
It’s like painting that one dirty door in the front room, though. The newly painted door makes the skirting board look dirty. Before you know it you’ve had to paint the whole house.
I prodded some wires and rattled a few connections but I was scared I’d knackered something fundamental. Electrics fill me with fear and confusion. I’ve been putting it off, but today I rolled the bike into the shed, just to get ready for looking at the electrics. While I was there I decided to make a start. I rigged up a bulb for a tester and set to. By a process of elimination and blind luck I worked out I still had power going in, so it must be the earth. The earth in the headlight bucket was solid, which confused me. Then as I was wriggling the headlight around I got the bulb to come on. A bit more trial and error and I realised that the headlight earth runs through the brackets that hold the headlight bucket to the yoke, to the frame. The same yoke I’d just spent ages spraying. I took the headlight bracket off and ground the paint down to bare metal where they connect. That was it! Headlight again! Some more messing and I worked out how to get my indicators working again. All the yay!
I’d had enough by then. I seem to be off tomorrow, so I’ll wire it up properly now I know what I’m doing. Also I’ll have to unwrap part of the loom and repair it. Like a proper moron I was careless with the angle grinder and nicked a bunch of wires! Incredible. One stupid mistake after another. To be honest, I’m so relieved to have figured out the electrical problem I can live with having to tape up some wires.
I’ve managed to get some running and a cycle done. I think the statins are doing me in though. After my long run last week, and after the cycle/ run this week my legs felt really crampy, and I couldn’t sleep for them aching and glowing. I’ve already abandoned the full-on heart-healthy diet to which Wendy adheres. I just can’t. I feel so low and weak. Now I’m trying to eat less fat and sugar, rather than none. I’ve paused the statins as well. I’ll do a long run tomorrow and see how my legs feel without them.
In other news, Wendy’s workmate has told her that my 3 years in the army entitles me to a lump sum pension. He said he did 3 years and got £8 grand! Apparently you have to claim for it, and they keep it damned quiet, hoping you don’t . I’ve sent a letter to the address given. Watch this space.
Wendy was saying I should blow it on a great bike for myself, to compensate for the hellish time I had.
I considered buying the brand new Chinese Sportster clone. 1200cc v-twin, exact same spec as the discontinued Sporty. Supposed to be going on sale at about £8k. But do I want another Sportster? Albeit a brand new one, that will probably be a lot better built and vastly more reliable? And, knowing me, I have to wonder what the resale value would be. I have had a hankering for the Triumph Tiger Sport 660 for a while. 80bhp, (20 more than the Bonnie), fairing, triple. But they are only a few years old so still a lot of cash.
Somehow I ended up rabbit-holing the Yamaha 900 Tracer. A triple, fairing, fantastic all-rounder MCN rated it 5 (out of 5) stars, and 114bhp!
Stylistically there’s not that much in it, but the Yamaha’s performance is fantastic. And it’s been around since 2015, so, if I get the army money, I can trade in the Bonnie, get a cheap one, and still have 4 grand left.