SnowTigeress
Brolly Dolly
Joined: 23 May 2010
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 Posted: 11:54 - 01 Jun 2014  Post subject: |
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Working for a Living
When I started to do the Pup, I was unemployed, and looking for another job as a care worker, and not having much luck. But the idea had been the Pup would have to earn its keep as my every day, get to work transport.. when I got a job.
That job, eventually came along Christmas 2012, but, wasn't as I'd expected emptying the bed-pans at a care home; instead I was doing 'Care in the Home', and was given a round going round old folks houses. A Dozen calls a day, and I was supposed to have a car! But 'Own transport' was good enough, and the Pup counted!
I had to get 'business use' insurance though, when I renewed it in January 2013; but that cost me a whole extra £25 a year! And the Pups minuscule running costs have been fabulous!
I used him almost the whole year to do my rounds; and he's been the envy of many of my colleagues who struggle on minimum wage and pitiful travel expenses to support the car they need for the job.
I even used him in the Snow we got at the beginning of last year. AND I DIDN'T fall off. I got stuck... on the drive... to which there is a funny story..
I left Tef sat in his dressing gown as I went out to work about 6 in the morning. I got as far as the end of the drive, where the front wheel got cought in a dip where the pavement starts.
I put my feet down, but my boots had no grip in the snow; so I could just about stop us toppling, but I couldn't shove forwards or back, or even lift my foot to put the stand down.... so eventually I fumbled my phone out of my pocket and called Tef.
He panicked, thinking I had ridden off quarter of an hour earlier... until I told him to look out the window, and waved at him!
He came out, in his dressing gown and slippers, and helped me off the bike, and then got on it himself to show me I SHOULD have been able to ride out the hole. Cocky bastard did it too! But parked it on the road, pointing the opposite way to the way I wanted to go. So I told him to turn it round.
He did, he rode off down the street, and did a U turn, in the snow... except... JUST as he turned around... wind caught his dressing gown! Would he be charged with exposure, or merely suffer from it! BEST bit... neighbours were all just starting to come out to warm cars and clear drives! Poor Tef... but how we laughed!
Only 'incident' I had was three days later, when the snow had gone, APART from ONE lump on the drive, that had the bike step sideways beneath me... I DIDN'T drop it! BUT, it was mm from touching and I wrenched my wrist holding it up!
April 2013... it's second post resto MOT was due. and I decided to give it a little TLC, and try and sort out some of the scratches and skuffs done by the Twockers, and at the same time, POR15 treat the petrol tank.
This did not go wonderfully; and after working carefully around the custom Decals, as I couldn't get hold of corf to get another set of tank-stripes; the top layer of petrol proof lacquer 'crinkled'! It looks horrible. And I want to re-do the whole lot.
https://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x349/snowtigeress/the%20pup/DSC_4256_zps034d9317.jpg
https://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x349/snowtigeress/the%20pup/DSC_4255_zpsd71f3b5c.jpg
Changed the pap,pap horn for something with more beef.....Hmmm Tef had a spare Range-Rover so I stole the horns out of it
https://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x349/snowtigeress/the%20pup/DSC_4248_zps7940fbc8.jpg
First time I used it it made me jump.
Made Tef laugh.He went out on the Pup he had to go over a humpedback bridge he tooted before he went over,on the over side a woman in a red hatchback had stopped and sat nthere for ages after tef had passed waiting for something to big to come over behind him.
Changed the Fork gaiters as the old ones perished
https://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x349/snowtigeress/the%20pup/DSC_4250_zps175ff2f5.jpg
They looked like these
https://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x349/snowtigeress/the%20pup/DSC_4247_zps2bf04964.jpg
Got another Topbox,but decided to leave it standard
https://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x349/snowtigeress/the%20pup/DSC_4243_zpse6f47e6e.jpg
Used heat Proof silver on the exhaust headers as they kept rusting
https://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x349/snowtigeress/the%20pup/DSC_4252_zpsf1e4a518.jpg
However, Bill the MOT man was thrilled to see the Pup back, and again offered a clean bill of health and a new MOT cert without advisories.
I dont have many photo's now; the old ducks loved me turning up on the bike, but working less than sociable hours rather dented doing much other than 'work'. Though Tef and I did two-up to the Antelope Rally on it in August.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/t1.0-9/1186221_649811795043741_127642608_n.jpg
Where we met 'Guzzi Dave'... which is a lead into a WHOLE new story... Old Guzzi's Dont Die! / Strada Salvation, my 'current' project!
So there's not much more to tell, about 'The-Pup'. His work duty relaxed this year, when they put me on 'doubles', doing another round with another carer in a car.
So he has not had, or needed very much attention. About the only 'problems' have been the HID ballast box died, so I put a Halogen bulb back in, the after-market gear lever I bought, broke and had to be replaced, and... I had a flat tyre, when I had to go fetch Tef from dropping his car off for its MOT. Fixed the next day with a new inner tube from Wheel-House.
All told, all that work put in in 2010/11, then to make it as 'good as new' HAS seemed to have paid off. Three years, with a quarter century old bike, that has needed barely more than basic servicing, and given less trouble and fewer problems than many people experience with brand new bikes! And if that doesn't answer all the folk who thought I was mad spending as much on an old wreck as a new bike would have cost, I don't know what does.
He's looking a little more 'used' now, after three years; BUT? He's earned his keep doing my rounds with me; all year round, in all weathers, and lived outside in it, the whole while. He's not some spoiled geriatric garage trophy!
https://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x349/snowtigeress/the%20pup/DSC_4254_zpsa702019a.jpg
Where the L-Plate bracket went
https://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x349/snowtigeress/the%20pup/DSC_4246_zps9383719b.jpg
https://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x349/snowtigeress/the%20pup/DSC_42441_zps29466b07.jpg
https://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x349/snowtigeress/the%20pup/DSC_4251_zpsff40921d.jpg
But he passed his 4th MOT without advisories, ready for me to start the singles round again on Monday
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Real bikers build their own Renovated and Riding a 1986 Honda CB125TD-C called the Pup. Full Licence 13/09/2012, 1994 Moto Guzzi 750 Strada
Can-Do Girl that does spanners TOO!
TheSmiler: binning it is better than going around a roundabout the wrong way |
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KenBB
Derestricted Danger
Joined: 11 Aug 2014
Karma :  
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Posted: 21:54 - 18 Aug 2014  Post subject: |
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