18 March 2015

Embarrassed of Kent!

That is how I must have described myself in an email to a guy called Steve at a bike repair and restoration company.

And it is true. Very true. I spent a lot of my time accumulating the parts I needed to get the the Kettle back on the road, and to my utter dismay and corresponding embarrassment the bike wouldn't start! Wouldn't even kick over even with a new battery.

So I went to a professional. In fact, Googled several professionals. Four in all.

Starting with the nearest first and working outwards in a radius from home. Nearest and furthest have yet to reply. Third furthest came back to say they were too busy to undertake the job this year.

Second furthest, Steve. Came back. Promptly. The next step when I get a Saturday when I can actually have some time is to ride up there on Döra and have a chat.

Sometimes you get those black moments when you can't see a way out of a predicament, and giving up actually seems the easiest way out.

Get rid of Döra. Get something smaller and cheaper. And use any proceeds to get The Kettle fixed.

Okay, I don't have the budget to get it back to Kettle Club standards. But a runner with a good engine is a start.

I've already missed one goal. That of riding to the Wasserbüffel Treffen or the T&GT Club Nederland Rally in 2013. Yes. 2 0 1 3!!!

I'm already too late for the 2015 round of rallies but getting running. Keeping her running. Perhaps 2016 wouldn't be out of the question?



2 comments:

Trobairitz said...

Hey at least the bike is back together.

We have a 1976 KZ900 we sold to a young friend (and it was running at the time) he got married and was starting a family so we agreed to buy it back. He brought it back in parts. This was almost 2 years ago and the frame is still outside under cover than the engine on a table in the garage.

So don't feel too bad.

InvictaMoto said...

The GT (never had a name!) is mostly in one piece but the engine is beyond my capabilities with a garage with no power or light and no decent tools.

I used to take a Honda Cub 90 to pieces regularly to see how it worked and to keep it running but that was 40 years ago!