A BMW friend of a six-cylinder motorcyclist recently counted down two grand for a major overhaul, including fresh brake pads and new tires. His dealer charges € 100 per hour without VAT. Another BMW enthusiast, Gerhard, has closed his four-cylinder history. He missed the boxer feeling and found his four-cylinder to be maintenance-unfriendly and not winter-resistant. (Amazed reaction from BMW Motorrad NL: “But you drive it through the winter?!”) He has started driving a real BMW again: an RT100. In his immaculate workspace, he again does all maintenance and repairs himself.
I recently adopted that Chang Jiang 750cc OHV
That puts me at the bottom of the food chain. I have an ugly, fake child of a BMW and a Chinese takeout. The thing was outside under a tarp and it was pathetic. For pathetic motorcycles I have the same thing women often have with small shelter dogs. I want to save them and don't think about race, health or pedigree.
Compared to a few other long-running projects, rebuilding my Chinese takeout seemed like an easy job. So that job comes first. So to make 'Lebensraum' some things have been put on hold in another shed. You do effective tinkering systematically in a spacious, tidy environment. I usually get it wrong at point one. Neighbor Gerhard and Theo Terwel view my actions with mild sadness. Their workplaces therefore look tidier and cleaner than a regional hospital in one of those African countries where development funds are spent on expanding the wealth of the local rulers.
I am sincerely jealous of Gerhard and Theo
In my approach I recently stored the bearing needles of the Chinese cardan in a plastic bag with a hole in it. Murpy's law says that you can find almost all needles. Fortunately, a closer look revealed that the cardan clock was completely worn out and Russian. A replacement from Richard Busweiler's stock of used stuff is already on my grocery bill.
The Chiang has now been 'cataloged' and turned out to be a friendly combination of 'complete' and a mixed bag. Neighbor Gert regularly comes to study the progress. Moto Guzzi sprinter Teun Beezel was surprised. Several other friendly passers-by ensure that the action proceeds at a pleasant Italian pace. There is a lot of talking and little work. Very relaxed.
Extra hands and moral support
Comrade Ernie is in principle standby and approachable for extra hands for lifting work and as a therapeutic discussion partner. The counter shows about 13.000 km. The block could just confirm that. The box switches. Lifting the block and box out of the frame – we just couldn't manage to do it separately – was a chore with four hands, two scissor jacks and some blocks of wood. There was no clutch between the block and the box. But it was in the supplied cardboard box. They looked like they were a million years old. The holes were worn from neatly round to desperately oval. Even friend and Russian Counselor Richard Busweiler had never seen anything like it.
Had a German 'Letter'
Apparently the Chang's lighting was once modified to make it TüV acceptable. There are limits to what I find visually acceptable. A trip to Arnhem was therefore planned to score an MZ rear light at Loods 8 of Kiat Que. Also pointless and not very structural: the Chinese lop-eared steering wheel has been replaced by a better-looking warrior.
In order to get back on the right track, the 'new' clutch plates are now going in first. It should also be checked whether the Chinese clutch is now one with one or two sets of plates. And which of the four different clutch pressure pins is the right one. Then the bin can be put back in for the time being and Ernie can be called for phase two. Because then the block and the baker have to go back to their loft.
But as Richard puts it: It's still a 'mess'.
Of course I could have bought the MV 600 currently on sale in France. The machine is an exclusive masterpiece and the asking price is 1.000.000 euros. On the other hand: I'm tinkering with an old motorcycle with a good chance that it will soon be able to go to the RDW. And will he ever be worth a million?
To be continued
In the distant past I had a garage company. One day I have a Peugeot on the bridge, and for the well-being of this 'Peu' I need a special tool. Fortunately, I have a colleague specialized in Peugeot, mostly classics. My colleague's workshop used to be a pig slaughterhouse and was transformed into an excellent workshop by installing a bridge. My colleague also had a problem with cleaning up: if a car accidentally had to be on the bridge, two cubic meters of parts and tools had to be removed from the road plates…..after a phone call I could borrow the special tool from him . Once he arrived, he couldn't find the thing so quickly. So I amused myself for a while in his well-stocked outdoor area. After fifteen minutes he came out and shouted enthusiastically: “Hey Jan, I've found it! No wonder I couldn't find it: it just hung on the tool board!” Great colleague, always pleasant and from 10 o'clock you could also drink a glass of wine……
order is when one knows where not to look…..
With me there are always motorcycles, cars and E-scooters, there is little to tidy up, but I can find everything with connected eyes and think that this makes you much more inventive with improvisation! Just keep going.
Resuscitating old written-off critters is a bit like volunteering; it feels good, but it won't cost you a cent.
For example, I recently adopted a Salira and am trying to get the old Walloon to dance and crackle again;
https://www.motor-forum.nl/threads/salira-z201-195-dinges.460990/#post-30418350
A former superior of mine once told me in a pedantic manner that I should clean up my desk after all. My co-worker present, however, turned to him and said in an understanding and historically pedantic way that 'order was only reserved for the laity'. I agreed with him on the spot :-))
My boss turned and left my office with a look of, "Those two are lost."
I don't think I've ever laughed so hard! Although I can appreciate the more tidy work now.
Looks a bit like my workspace.
But when I clean up, I can't find anything.
I'd say the bigger the mess, the bigger the genius it takes to rule it. In other words, in my eyes it looks hopeful for Dolf's mind.
Thanks for these encouraging words! But I continue to envy clean, systematic workers
I am in a phase where in the current situation I also lose things. But if you just stay calm everything will be fine