I have to own up to a serious dose of the Grinch this year. As it's progressed, it seems to have gotten tougher by the week. I'm still crawling my way from under the Mexican Beer Virus... again, the Festival of Greed has met me coming the other way. A bit like running into someone coming out of the dunny, when prairie doggin'.
I guess the good thing about this time of year is that we can give the previous one the bird and resolve to have a better crack at the upcoming annum.
One unforeseen consequence of the Pandemic Putin' everything on back order, is that I've been forced to order more than I want with no idea when it will turn up. As Murphy throws his bit into the mix, things get scary when shirtloads of gear turns up all at once and 30 days later the suppliers want paying for it. It's compounded by the fact that the whole motorcycle industry is contracting in an atmosphere of debt and uncertainty. It's a serious worry.
Poor Marcus has had a knee op and he's not enjoying the recovery phase. My series of yarns having a sneak peek at his helmet collection is going to have to sit on the back burner until he's back on deck. Get well mate.
Bike travel allows us to experience many new things, food being one of the great joys. Travel and food require a few basic smarts. Picking up a dodgy load of tucker can bring a trip to a yawning (technicolour) halt.
I nearly grabbed the wrong pork bun... As I said... basic smarts, but they need to be engaged.
I don't know what it's like out your way but MAAATE, slowing down to the roadworks speed limit is a frightening thing around my way!
I'm always worried some dipstick in a white van will slam up my tail light when I ease back to the posted limit at roadworks. Especially when they roar past me like I'm standing still.
In the right circumstances, I get it... speed limits are only a guide for those who don't want to pay an enjoyment surcharge. I'm not prepared to lose precious points in roadworks! When I get nabbed for having too much fun I want it to count!
Duck's Guts
Fifty years after its release (or close enough for the purpose of this yarn), I've completed a remodelling of Mario my '74 750 Sport into what I've christened the 750 GTS. Those who know their old Dukes will know that there was a 750 GT and 750 Sport released. This is my effort to give it a makeover from bits in the shed while it waits to get a new set of Sport clothes later next year.
The old bones no longer fold up well enough to assume the Sport position for more than a few minutes. I must look a remarkable sight, waving a cramped leg in the breeze while my head bobbles about screaming in agony... Sheesh!
The original Sport dual seat is an inch or more higher than the single seat and a pair of Tingate 'swan' clip-ons open up my 'stance' on the bike.
Last month I talked about having to get it through roadworthy due to the policy of Vic-rudes not sending overdue notices for historic rego. 30-odd years ago I rewired the bike with my own modernised harness design and incorporated more modern (reliable) switch gear off a later model Pantah. As there was an indicator switch sitting like dog's danglies on the left switch block but no indicators to do blinking duties, I thought it best to fit some. This entailed making a new 'dash' and wiring in matching telltale lights. A joyous task in the privacy of my shed.
Photo: Matt Oliver
However, Mario fought me all the way. I'm sure it was saying, "I'm a 1974 bike, never had blinkers. And never fkn will...OK!"
I bought neat little LEDs from Jaycar that matched the look of the era and set to work. Temporary wiring had the system working a treat, I fitted the dash, neatened it all up with heat shrink and classic cloth insulation tape. Imagine my joy when one of the LEDs failed, back to the drawing board, luckily I bought three... just in case. Long story short, this happened 4 TIMES with delays and trips back and forth to replace the dodgy ones. A small diode in the earth wire must have been soldered in a power failure and failed one after the other when the reassembly was complete. The pile of used heat-shrink, cut-off connectors and insulation tape on the floor... blue air in the shed was all I had to show.
A couple of weeks later another type to come from the UK and the whole plot finally came together. All that was left was to get it inspected, fill in forms and pay fees. Woohoo.
One smart RRs mate suggested at least Christmas would remind me to pay rego.
Helinox Unload
One of the product ranges that just keeps turning up out of the blue is Helinox gear. No returns, no heads up, it just lobs.
So, I'm in a position of having to offer the excess at a discount to survive the next few months.
To that end we're offering another 10% off our discounted prices which are around 12.5% off recommended.
Use the code - gohelinox22 to snap one or two up here.
