I am freaking lazy blogger!

^^^^ and that is why if not yet dead, blogs are dying!

Not much to report, I have been building up more bike parts, so I will soon get cracking on the various bike projects.

I had a great couple or weeks or so with the kids/grandkid during my hol's. The first week I rode there (Surgeres 17700 )  and back on the sporty. I took a different route this time going the shortest but, longest way. What a ride! passing through some of the most beautiful areas of France the Aveyron, Lot, Dordogne, and the prettiest parts of the Charente.

I promise that if I can get my ar$e into gear I will post some pic's of  bike progress soon!

Ciao

It's been a long time.

Well spring arrived, cold and wet! Not much news on the bike front. I love the springtime but as a gardener it is a busy, stressful time. The garden I work at is beautiful, but too big for a lone gardener. I really could do with a full time assistant to get the best out of the garden. That's not gonna happen!

I have been slowly collecting the parts for the CB 650. It won't be long 'till I have everything for the rebuild.

A slight problem with the Suzy 125 ER, I took her out for a really hard blast along the tracks in the forest  behind the Chateau and exploded the fork seals. For a 125cc that bike shifts,  GrinScale 7!

I had a superb bike ride today. It is already too hot for riding in the afternoon but, today was slightly overcast with a beautiful soft breeze. I set off with nowhere in mind to go, this is the best thing about solo riding, I ended up in the hills above the town of Lodeve.

When you get up into what they call the "Arriere pays" or back country you can follow a myriad of small roads to hidden hillside villages. Best of all you will be unlucky if you have to share the road with more than a couple of other vehicles.

The roads wind through the 'Garigues' or southern scrub/woodland which is made up of evergreen oaks, olive trees interspersed with rosmarys, thymes, spanish brooms and much, much more. Then when you are least expecting, it all opens up to stunning views. I love this part of world (not so much Montpellier) !!!!!!

Stress.......................Relief!

At last since re-clothing the Sporty I had a weekend with a glimpse of sunshine, time to go for ride. First thing to do steal back my leather from my son, grrrrr! Dig out my riding boots, helmet and gloves, nearly ready. Fuel up, choke on, ignition on and chocs away. Then disaster.... A strong smell of fuel. Cut the engine and look for the misery. 

The fuel was not leaking, but flooding from the carb, damn, damn, damn ( I may have used stronger language!). An hour later the carb is back on the bike after a few squirts of carb cleaner a gentle blow through from the compressor and I am on my way.

All I can say after that is, the good people of Gignac must have thought a nutter had been let loose, they probably weren't wrong, as I rode past with the biggest, stupidest grin on my face.

Honda 550/650?

While I was on the train to Paris last week, the new project was being delivered to the shed. Having been told by the last owner it was a '77 CB 650 four, I was a little confused as Honda would not build the 650's until late the following year! The Honda 900 Bol d'or fuel tank that had been fitted didn't help either.
As it turns out from the frame numbers it is a CB650 and probably '79. She needs a fair amount of tidying and feteling but on the plus side she does start. This project won't get underway until the Autumn, but the price was too good to resist. What to do with her, I don't know. I was thinking of bulding a Café Racer, but I think I will just get her back to what she once was and enjoy throwing her round the twisty Cevennes roads, something that is almost impossible on a Harley with (legs way to far) forward controls.

Here she is, don't laugh.

Getting there........... Slowly

At last I got a wiggle on and re-clothed the Sporty, she has been naked since October. Still lots of work to do, as always. I don't think it will ever end! Next on the agenda: Change the handle bars to black 12" mini apes, remove the chrome saddle bag spacers and  chromed rear strut covers. Then that will be all work done until next winter (lower suspension front and back, 21" front wheel, replace the front mudgaurd with a fork brace and change the air breather cover and probably the seat ) A very BIG thank you to Julian at Garage Corbieres at Aniane for the paint

http://type-01.blogspot.fr/

Nuff said!

Day Tripping

What a day, I had been looking forward to going to the Bonhams classic and vintage auction since I first found about it before Christmas. I bought my train tickets straight away to get the cheapest fare.
Full of excitement I left Capion at 6.30 am to comfortably park, get to the station and have a coffee before boarding the train. The train was due to leave at 7.46 am. I made good time to the outskirts of Montpellier then................................................ TRAFFIC JAM!

After what seemed twice as long as it was not moving I finally got moving again, it was now going to be tight to get the train. I drove like a c*nt getting tenser with every set of traffic lights. I finally got to the station parking, which could not be further from the station if it tried! Now it was time to run and run I did. I arrived at the platform red faced and breathless to see my train disappearing into the distance.

What to do now, my 37 euros ticket was non exchangeable, do I go home or get a ticket from the next train? I had been looking forward to going for so long and I still had the the return ticket I decided to get the next train. I did not enjoy the journey to Paris the 108 euros I had to pay for the ticket stuck in my throat, well that and the 2.50 euros coffee!

After all that the day could only get better, it did. Wow, most of my dream vehicles all in one place and what a place. The Grand Pallais built for the 1900 Paris fair is stunning Belle Epoque architecture. After a feast of multi-million $$$$$$$ machines such as grand prix winning Bugati, Le Mans Porsches  and Brough Superiors ( I'm not worthy!) and the entire collection of Garellis factory racers, god I love those small cc racers and so much more fun to watch 50cc-250cc Grand Prix. What happened to the small cc Grand Prix? it makes the Moto GP and WSB look pants!

Well that was my day, I didn't have time for the sights apart from the Champs Elysees which had even more  Chinese and Russians tourists than the last time I was there (10yrs ago) Oh and the train back was 15 minutes late!

Nothing is easy!

I had an unexpected weekend off work, Whoop Whoop! After a light pillow break on Saturday the work re-building the Sporty started. Then a big STOP. Bike electrics are NOT like they used to be in the good old days of Vespa & Lambretta, Oh no! you can't just cut a rejoin wires 'coz there is a freakin' load of circuit boards!   So Saturday was spent working out a wiring plan to re-install the rear light electrics under the saddle and Sunday cutting and soldering the wires (many times). oh well nearly there, lets hope it starts to warm up so I can spend some evenings re-building. I neeeeeeeeeeeed a ride out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Snow!

So I wake up all excited to start getting the Sporty back together, but no. My son Will came down with gastro enteritis during the night, very messy! So after a morning ringing his Lycée, his work emplacement and taking him to the Dr's It started snowing IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO SNOW IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE! Brrrrrrrrr too cold to be in the shed :(
Oh well another 5 days of work to go before I can start.

Whoop-dee-dooooooooooooooo!

At last I picked up my newly painted gas tanks and bodywork for the Sporty. (yes tanks plural, I have a long distance tank and the classic peanut, a cut down rear fender and the original. If I decide to sell in the future she can be returned to original) I have a grin 9 miles wide and a big hole in my wallet! Photo's on the way when she's all back together, hmmmm now where did I put all those nuts'n'bolts?

While on the subject of the the hole in my wallet. I have agreed on a price for Fabrice's Honda CB 650. She will be arriving late February. Work on the CB won't start until the autumn, too much ridin' to do before.

I ordered the parts to service the 125 Suzy two weeks ago and the still haven't arrived :((((((

Wills Aprilia 50 Classic has broken down again, this time the petcock has broken. After spending too much time trawling the web for a replacement it appears they haven't existed for a good 10 years. God I really do not like his moto  IT IS CURSED!

New Sled for the Shed

A new Moto added to the stable today. I picked up this little Suzy TS125 ER for my son William, He had high hopes for a new KTM Duke. Unfortunately my meager budget wouldn't stretch to that. I was expecting an outpouring of Teenage angst and disappointment. However after a 5 minute test ride around the vineyard he returned with a big grin. Phew! These little old twin shock enduro bikes may not have all the latest gadgets and gizmos but they more than make up for it in the fun factor.

The bike is in far from concourse condition, it needs a good service and tidy up, but William has time to do that    before he gets his 125 licence. I have to admit I am slightly envious as I had been looking for a 70's twin shock (185-350cc) farm bike for myself. I will make do for now having fun watching and helping Will rebuild and ride his little sled.