Been busy....and working on the 'bike!

Unusual I know but I have been busy AND I have done some work on the bike! I think I mentioned that the throttle cable broke on the RE, so a couple of weeks ago on a Sunday I decided to take the tank off (recommended by Pete's manual) and had to take the seat off, then I was cleaning around the bottom of the bike and I took the footrests off and the brake arm!

Having drained the petrol tank, I then took off the front wheel....because it was clonking. Spent a while cleaning it (there is a line of rust around the rim). Also took off the front mudguard. And cleaned it!

Decided to replace the handlebars, the original ones were some odd hi-rise things, so I bought "proper" low rise handlebars for an Indian import Bullet, new hand grips and a kit of new rubbers (to replace the one rubber holding the speedo cable to the front mudguard).

A week later and the bit's had arrived, so on Sunday I thought I would spend a couple of hours fitting them. No! The original (Magura) hand grips etc would not fit in the handlebars, even though they are the same 22mm. I had to file out with all sorts of things the centre of the bits! Took ages! Finally got it all together, and tried to start it.

It started first kick, then died. A few kicks later it started again, then died. And again! I checked the plug and cleaned it, checked the fuel, tried again. Then the decompressor lever broke! So I gave up...

Next day (Monday) tried to get a new decompressor lever, but Hitchcocks say it's no longer available. Can't get it from Ashwin in India, either. Nut's! Monday night the bike started OK (there was not enough fuel to run it on main, but it ran on reserve). Have to push the decompressor manually, which is ok when it is not too hot! Went out to Tidworth and got petrol.

Been thinkimg what to do, don't want to fit a chrome lever, would prefer to find a second hand Magura lever from Ebay. Might botch it with a pushbike lever for now.

Last Saturday was Valentines Day and Julies birthday, Kim and Steve came from Stevenage with their son Ben and, after lunch, we went to Salisbury. When we came back we went to the Amesbury Archer, which was packed! Remember to book next time (if there is a next time, because service was rubbish and the food cold!). had a great day...

There, now you are up-to-date (more or less!)....