Got some more jobs done.
The rain wasn’t due until about four o’clock (according to the weatherman) so, after a bit of internet
research – includin’ a few YouTube
“Yer-a-Tosser-ifya-can’t-even-do-this on yer own” videos,
at about 1030 this mornin’ I girded me loins and set abart t’bike wit’ ‘ammer-unna-pair o' pliers.
I‘d decided to kill two birds with a single stone (optimist!) by fittin’ the AIR blankin’ plate thingys an’
puttin’ the Graves “go faster” spouts on at the same time:
who’s a clever boy, then? Well –
not me! When I bought the bike I was told it had been serviced and MOT’d. I checked the MOT
– which was fine – but I didn’t check that someone else’s definition of a service was the same as
my definition of a service, just because the oil looked nice and clean in the view glass when I picked the
bike up. You’ll see later why I’m mentioning this now.
Anyway – Got me “Ivans” – Got the fairings off and got the radiator out.
First thing to catch my eye was the oil filter, which looked a bit older than I’d anticipated…
When I looked into the "engine compartment" everything was strange, vague and a bit fuzzy
– and then the research/video stuff kicked in as I started to recognise what I was looking at.
I must say, it’s not a job that I enjoyed because I didn’t have a miniature ratchet and allen
key adaptor, so I had to faff around for what seemed like
a-ages, barely managing a half-turn
at a time to remove four, “fookin’-tight-
all-the-way-out” foot-long screws that some sadistic
bastid at Yamaha had inserted especially for me!
Eventually I managed them all a bit more easily by prising off all the hoses (
yea, yea
– we
all have to learn
sometime! Next, I fitted the red johnny to to the air box’s dick
(oh, how I laughed!) before fitting the new plates “made by Ivan”.
I think I stood over the now-deceased air “Octopus” for a few seconds, snarling and wishing it a merry trip to hell…
…before I set about what was, by comparison, a nice little job – fitting these little beauties...
“Easy-peasy level “– (which equates to “could be tricky” for Mr Hamfisted here) – but I
su-ure did like the look of ‘em when they were on!
That little bit of pleasure helped to dispel the great disappointment I felt when I looked at the air filter.
Actually, I was so annoyed that I forgot to take a picture of the cruddy side because I’d seen
this! Seven years it’s been in there – and it’s my own fault – I should have checked…
…Plugs out and cleaned…
Dear-oh-dear-oh-dear…
By three o’clock the wind was beginning to blow and the sky was threatening a more than slightly damp
surprise if I didn’t get a move on. Radiator back in and air filter cleaned off as best I could (BMC filter
should be here mid-next week), I opted to start the bike so I could check hoses an’ tings was OK.
Pressed the starter – the bike started – ran normally for a few seconds – then decided it was a twin, not a four.
I’d read somewhere that the ECU has to reset itself, or something, so I wasn’t worried. Switch off – switch on – Bob’s yer uncle!
Then I saw the water leak.
No worries – tightened a loose clip on an unfamiliar hose
- leak's gone and the bike's soundin' great.
Then it pissed down
- so I’ll have to finish fitting the fairings tomorrow.
Not bothered, though, 'cos I've 'ad a fookin’
great time workin' an' learnin' 'bout me bike today, me, I ‘ave.