July 2026

 

July 2026

 

First Sunday of the month again is the Wey Valley Advanced Motorcyclist meeting “Observed Sunday.”  It is also a social gathering for a bacon or sausage or  sandwich  and  tea or coffee and a reason for getting out to see your mates on a Sunday morning. This time I arrived on the Buell and great to be out on it again and feeling strong enough to ride it. I met a guy and his wife in the car park while I was photographing the bikes complaining that he had given up riding out of fear from his wife of  him getting hurt. His confidence was ebbing at a youthful age of sixty. My response was to get out there and enjoy while you can. I ride a big bike and I’m Seven-four. What is your problem? I had  no answer for his wife’s fear. Not foundless but not rational. If he has enough skill to survive this long then why should he not continue to do so?

A surprise meeting a few days later was an extraordinary meeting to elect a new chairman for the club. Unfortunately his domestic environment meant he could no longer be chair and had to resign. Shame, he was doing a great job. There were two candidates for the post, both equally capable but it was personality and visibility that won the day. Another ride out on the Buell in glorious evening weather.

I have been working on the van suspension and that will be covered in its own posting.  Another ride on the Buell to the LE club night at the Land of Liberty. Peace and  Plenty for another social evening and discussing riding techniques with Antony. Not long after that evening I took the Buell to Snobs for a bit of fuel remapping as the pick-up was a bit slow. It was better but will need more fettling.

Having had the fuse box problem with the Burton I ordered a replacement on line then spent half a day crawling upside down under the dash board to get to the wiring. The fuse box was slightly damaged from the heat. I felt it was prudent to have replaced  it.

Now in between there was some DIY to bedone. Replacementof the lights in the downstairs toilet with repair to the ceiling. That took days filling the broken plaster on each light fitting. Restoring the roundness and size to take the new lights. A coat of paint before fitting the lights to finish the job. I checked the extension  roof for breaks in the leaded drain channel which had joints in the lead that had leaks over last winter. Now it was dry it was a good time to check it. That meant climbing on the extension roof.  It was only a single storey so manageable with a step ladder. Another coat of bitumastic pain over the joint to make it more weatherproof. In a visit by the grandkids the finger lock on the French doors was damaged  in the hot weather. The finger lock lever got bent when the opened door was closed by the wind. To close the door the lever had to be straightened and it broke in the process.  Easy to order on line and fit the replacement.