Motorcycles, MOTs and Wet Roads

[tinkicker]

That time of the year has come around again. MOT time for my to the last nut and bolt restored, at great expense VFR750.

The MOT is not the problem, it will pass with no advisories.

It is the UK weather and its unpredictability. In the past when I lived in West Yorkshire, it was possible to just turn up at short notice on a sunny day and get your bike MOTd while you waited.

Out here, not so many bike shops mean you have to book up to a week in advance. I have been lucky to press, since its 2019 restoration, the VFR has never encountered a wet road and I want that to continue. However, it is in the lap of the gods.
It makes for a bit of stress. Not for me, i am no stranger to seeking out and following single decker buses in order to keep warm in a snowstorm via the bus radiator fan in times past.

Silly fretting about a bit of water I know, and also know the sooner the VFR " wet road cherry" is broken, the better. When I restored it, I did put far more coats of paint and clearcoat on it than it would have had as standard, just for longevity.

The viffer is my toy for when I retire in six years, the ethos is money spent while working is money saved when retired and had the time to use it properly. I wanted to retire to a showroom fresh bike.

So why do we freak out on new bikes when we get caught out in an unexpected rainstorm?

I recall in the very early 2000s, I had a brand new Blackbird, bought around Xmas time. It never turned a wheel all winter. March came, the salt disappeared from the roads and one wet sunday morning, one of my mates arrived on his Blackbird.. " Get your kit on, we are going for a ride". " But its wet and my bike will get filthy" I bleated.
"Sooner it gets dirty the better, it will wash off and you will no longer be so precious about it".

He took me down filthy country lanes, we navigated through fords and I thought I was following the devil incarnate as my 2 mile old bike got filthier and filthier.
When I got home it had 250 miles on the clock and was filthy.

Yup, it did wash off and I was not so precious after that. My mate was very wise.

My Blackbird with probably 5000 miles on it and quite a few rain showers under its belt. It did not dissolve. So why is it shite to get a new or dry road only bike wet?

https://live.staticflickr.com/4111/5115231285_9e1c051251_b.jpg

[stinkwheel]

In this case, I think it's just you.

I'm trying to avoid getting salt on my VFR since I rebuilt it but I don't mind it getting wet, it gets wet when (or if in my case) you wash it too. So you're practically doing it a favour taking it out in the rain.

Also, it's a VFR750, it doesn't mind the rain. What they don't like is not being ridden. Then you have to go through the rigmarole of it only starting on one cylinder and resisting the temptation to touch the throttle until all 4 have kicked in.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Capt Sisko]

Why don't you hire a van or a trailer (with cover) to transport the bike to & from the MOT station?

[tinkicker]

[tinkicker]

[Evil Hans]

[Easy-X]

Lol... when I first bought a rain cover for my bike the wife went: "What do you need that for? It's not made of paper mâché!"
____________________
Royal Enfield Continental GT 535, Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[tinkicker]

MOT passed. Bike dry.

Shout out to SJ Biketech in Selby who listened to my bleatings last week; took a quick look at the bike and said I could take it in anytime this week whenever I got a good weather window and they would sort it.

Friendly bunch. I never knew they existed until last week.
____________________
Wading through the thick tapestry of life one day at a time.