Just in case she was feeling left out.

[thrang]

Although I have been working on my A7 SS, I've not wanted to neglect the Bimbo, whose been a cracking little trooper all winter.

Since it was such a smashing day I decided to take her to work this morning and noticed that the rear break light switch had given up the ghost. I'm sure we have all argued with this awkwardly sited switch and introduced any passers by to an interesting range of colourful language while trying to get the screw driver to shift the retaining screw through the access hole.

My method is to get the bike off the ground and drop the wheel so I get good access. Since I had to drop the wheel this gave me the excuse to avoid the paint work, and instead enjoy the lovely weather working on the bike outside the shed in sunshine, giving the Bimbo a little TLC in the form of a full service.

The only problem with that is I'm in full view of anyone walking past, which means chatty tourists and most of the older males wanted to tell me all about the bikes they had when they were 'but a lad.' This need to chatter from the passers by proved my warning sign and made what would usually be a three hour task take five but the sun was out and I was not in a hurry.

All told its been a smashing day, riding in a morning and fettling in the afternoon!

[montmil]

Well secured to the tie down points but I'm still skittish about those small lifts. Just me, I suppose.

Work safe, Tony. Route 66 is calling.

[Lucky_Lou]

Work safe, Tony. Route 66 is calling.

Watched Henry Cole doing "the worlds greatest motorcycle rides" the other day not a good advert for the Mother road his attempt to visit Historical town of "Oatman" (Olive bless her) was laughable lovely twisty roads which a R65 would have had for breakfast... his Victory Chop could not make the bends.... Stupid is....
Lou

[thrang]

The only time I really missed my Beemers last year Lou was on the Oatman road because I got really annoyed about the racket the running boards made scraping the road every time I cornered vigorously, the 65 or the 1200 would have eaten that road up like me with a bacon butty!

I would not jack her up on the lift unless she was well tied down Monte, not doing so is asking for a disaster..... We're heading over to Chicago on the 7th July, and Mrs Tony is now counting the days down. Me I'm happily banging round in my shed shouting obscenities at my A7...

[georgesgiralt]

Hello Tony;
Would you please be so kind to show us how and where you lift the R65 with your lift ?
I would like to buy such contraption but I wonder if my oil pan will survive supporting the bike.
Also how do you tie her up ? Is she stable for working or are you needing to be cautious ?
Many thanks in advance for your help.

[thrang]

Hey George.  I've never had a problems with sitting the bike on the sump so long as its resting squarely.  I secure her with straps through the frame bellow where the side panels sit, and the lift has brackets on its base to hook the ratchet strapping to. I've also run the straps over the seat rails in the past but have found the side panel area does the job.

The bike will sit quite stably on the jack with out any strapping but I always anchor it either side and I've never had a fears of her falling off once I have her secured. I find a bungie strap round the front wheel to something heavy holds the bars steady (A gas bottle from the shed heater).

I've not got a photo of where I jack the bike, but when I get a bright day I'll jack her up and take a couple of photos. I'd take one in the shed, but I'm pushed for space. Just now there is barely room to swing a cat just with a bike lifted because the A7 is in the work area minus its timing case.

[nhmaf]

I've used a similar lift as Tony's on my bike as well to rebuild the front forks, and some other major maintenance tasks.   I didn't use it when replacing the gearbox and R&R the clutch carrier assembly though.

I'm going to break down and get a proper roll on/off lift for the garage this summer, after I do some cleaning out in there and find a way to ditch a bunch of the missus' castoffs which she has decided to use the garage as a burial ground for...... why do wives always seem to do that?!?

[wilcom]

why do wives always seem to do that?!?

It's a DNA thingie, they all seem to have it to one degree or another.

Mine has our/her three car garage full of cherished items. If it was left up to me I would bring in a dumpster and get ready to epoxy the floor.

[Ed Miller]

Now I want a bacon butty.

I've only ever heard of them before on the show Last of the Summer Wine and they sound good.  They're probably not legal in Oregon.

[thrang]

Eh up Ed! I'm going to teach you poor colonials a bit of culture in the form of how to make a proper bacon butty.

1. Take four slices of bacon go for Canadian bacon, not the stuff you think of as bacon, which is good on a breakfast burrito but not what you want for a butty.
2. Fry the bacon (none of this wussy grilling lark, a bacon butty is not meant to be healthy) in some lard until its cooked soft.
3. Get a couple of slices of white bread and lash on a good load of butter on one side of each slice.
4.Once the bacon is cooked so its soft put on the buttered side of one slice of bread.
5. Splosh on a dollop of HP sauce on to the bacon, has to be HP for the real thing but ketchup is an acceptable if wussy alternative.
6. Stick the other slice of bread butter side down on top of the bacon to create the butty.
6. Get a pint mug of well stewed hot white tea (Tetley, PG Tips or Typhoo), and add sugar to taste.
7. Enjoy!
Follow the above and you have a traditional British Transport Cafe Bacon Butty and a brew!

[Tony Smith]

Follow the above and you have a traditional British Transport Cafe Bacon Butty and a brew!

When I was at university in the 70s I shared a house with (amongst others) a gentleman of the English persuasion.

He introduced me to the cholesterol and calorie nightmare that is a "chip-butty".

Take a large handful of under-cooked, limp and greasy English potato chips, two thick slices of home made crusty bread with around 1/8" of full salt butter on them. Press down firmly so that that it will fit in your mouth and eat whilst grease and melted butter runs down your cheeks.


Dog help me, a chip-butty is still a (very) occasional guilty pleasure.