I'm Back

Well its been a while but as with everything ....stuff...life...living sometimes gets in the way. Im not complaining ...thats just the way it is.

The good news is the bike is back up and running. What an experience that was... not being much of a bike mechanic it was a big, interesting and very fulfilling learning curve for me and Im very happy that I went through it.

I got my new stainless valves in, new timing chain from the UK and other bits and bobs and in general it all went smoothly. Apart from the 3 goes I had at getting the cylinder head on bewteen the frame and the carbys. What a pain in the arse that is...Ill post up the procedure I used to get in, but it all worked out in the end.
What doesnt help though is when you get it all lined up and ready to torque down and you look over to the bench to see that you have left the 2 locating pins out that are essential for lining everything up correctly..........the treasurer who eventually had to come out to help was not impressed I can tell you.

Oh and we have a new member of the family...........Zara........she fits the shed nicely. Similar colour to Tappet but totaly different dog...shes bigger for a start. We adopted her from an older lady who couldnt look after her anymore.....

Its all on track again for the "900 Journey"

It is with a broken heart I write this installment. My dog has gone to the big kennel in the sky.
I knew she was crook but didnt expect her to go downhill so quick. What has this got to do with motorbikes you may ask? Well who did you think I used to consult when things weren't going to plan when working on the bike?
Not much is happening in my shed at the moment I find it hard to go in there and do anything because she is missing from the spot where she would normally sit while I worked away.

I used to forget she was in there and at the end of the day shut the door and lock her in there. I'd only realise my mistake when it was time to feed her and I couldn't find her and she wouldn't come when I called.

We had her for 11 great years. Everybody knew..... where we went so did she, and all of our friends knew it and expected it. We used to get an earbashing when we left her home. "Wheres Tappet" they used to say, "what did you go and leave her home for".

The "treasurer" is heart broken.........

She grew up with the kids, looked after us and she will be missed.


There will never be another dog like her.
 
R.I.P.   "Tappet"

Some People

Crook again..........no me this time...physically.
Some dirty dog from work has given me their flu and now Im getting around like a bear with a sore head. And all of 2 days before we head off on a boys only weekend. So Im doing everything possible to try and shake it so Im fit enough to enjoy some time with my boy and also trying not to spread it around at the same time.

More news on the bike front. I tried to contact the guy who is organising my cylinder head rebuild yesterday and came up against some disturbing responses.

Without going into to great a detail, I think customer service is a thing of the past. I actually flirted with the idea of telling the owner about some of the responses I got, as he is on holidays in the U.S.
Im sure he would be interested in whats happening with his business while he is away.

All I wanted was 5 minutes of their time to tell them the "Treasurer" was on her way and that they needed to organise the stem seals as agreed upon by the owner before he left for his hols. It turns out this was to much for them to handle.

So off went the "Treasurer" with some explicit instructions from myself and it was eventually sorted. Some people just need to be told.

So ....is it "Wabbit Season" or "Duck Season".........I digress.

Things are looking up

Good news I have just had confirmation from the "Treasurer" while I'm at work that the stainless beauties have arrived on the doorstep and yes there is....count them.... 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8  lovely little valves just waiting to go into their new home.

My mechanic has been instructed to go ahead and order new stem seals and the valves will be on his doorstep Thursday to get a make over and fitting done so they perform at their best.

The "treasurer" has volunteered to take the valves to the mechanics and get the ball rolling while Im still working.

No work will get done to "Bessy" this week as I have promised to take my boy camping, under instructions from the "treasurer", he seems to be turning into a "mummies" boy so something has to be done.

So some time away catching yabbies, shooting rabbits, camping and doing boy stuff is in order. NO women allowed.

Standstill..........

Nothing much is happening on the bike front at the moment. As usual the dreaded "working for a living" has gotten in the way again.
Still no news on my valves.

On a even more sadder note, a fellow "Geeper" owner, Noel, has for whatever reason decided he no longer can hang onto his large collection of 900's and has listed them on "Ebay".
Amongst various cries of "dont do it Noel" from the GPz fraternity, I feel as though something drastic has happened in his life to make him want to part with what we all know he is passionate about. Life goes on however and I hope whatever is happening in his life, he comes away from it for the better.

Rob...my mate who is riding with me across that big stretch of bitumen rang me today for an update chat.
He currently is sourcing some material for the radiator on his bike and getting a local metalworker to modify his rack on the back of his bike to carry the gear he is taking.We generally chatted about tyres, the weather when we are going across, flat tyres, sore butts and sheepskin seat covers, distances travelled and more sore butts. But both come to the conclusion that its all worth it.
Once I get my bike running again the plan is to meet up and do a 2 or 3 night stopover somewhere to test all the gear out prior to departing on the long ride across.

The planning continues............