Zen and the art of going from one motorcycle mechanic to the other

Blog 34

I've had the carb off three times now. Cleaned it. Checked the jets. Balanced the float. Adjusted the air/fuel ratio. Idling and low speed she's good. Wide open throttle and she dies from fuel starvation. So next it's checking both the petrol cocks and possibly cleaning the tank out. It's been one thing after another. Did I tell you my headlight fell whilst riding? The thing with most mechanics here is that they will get you as far as the next mechanic. Most mechanics over here are a guy with a flat head screwdriver and a worn out adjustable spanner and a shade tree above them but fxxk me they're cheap. I had a problem kick starting the little shit. My electrics failed soon after I bought it so now when I ride at night when my revs drop so does the intensity of the flickering candle of a headlight. Anyway, I pulled in under the next shady tree and lo and behold out popped a mechanic. He spent the next thirty minutes checking the sparkplug, then stripping down the bike and changing a coil for the kick start . He put it all back together with no bolts left over and she started first kick. She's been great that way ever since. So for his time and effort, a new sparkplug and a new coil he charged me the outrageous price of five dollars. Turns out this guy knew his stuff. A diamond. Even the less savvy mechanics over here will go out of their way to help you and the vast majority won't rip you off.. Sometimes they fxxk your bike worse but it's all with good intention. I learn't to fly a hang glider by watching youtube so I thought that I can easily maintain a simple motorbike by doing the same. That's how I learned how to strip the carb down and adjust it and It's really simple. I'm considering doing a total rebuild. It's all there on youtube. Step by step instructions. And if worse comes to worse, you can get buses to most places you want to go. I've had quite a few breakdowns with leaking this and broken that but regardless of the frustration of popping along at 30km, stalling occasionally and no lights in the dark, I will give it to her, she's so far got me there. That's why I haven't set her on fire.

Speechless.