High Quality Turkish Parts

So, I've had this slight problem with the bike; not a major issue but a noticable one; the bike was, when hot, struggling under load to hit more than 50mph. It'd get to about 60, but it took it's own sweet time about it.

So, a bit of a prod and we reveal the high quality turkish components issue:

What you can't really see is that inside that dent is a hole

Now, coils are filled with oil to insulate and I suspect also to cool. This one however, probably isn't. I can't imagine how that hole could have got there, except before it was fitted. So, you have to be impressed. Incidentally, if there're any MZ afficinados reading this, the photo's of the coil in place on Claire's frame, because I have a sieve like memory and this way I get to keep the wiring in place.

Whilst I was there I finally got around to attacking the brake / tail light with a Sharpie. You can see in this delightful montage that the Turkish made one has faded hideously; and one of the comments at the MOT was that it was 'letting through a small amount of white light' - which was MOT speak for 'that's really rather ropey'. So yes, 15 minutes with a Sharpie and it looks a bit more like an original MZ one.

Anyway, I should get on with... reading Trey's letter. No. I should get on with my Dissertation. Yes.

Damn this summer lazyness

I need to do the editing of my Chapter 3 - but the sun's out and although I'm not a sun creature (more a mountains, snow and rocks creature) I do just feel the urge to laze. Not made any better by the fact my hayfever's been completely evil today - and I'm still an itchy eyes / blocked and runny nose type person. At least the anti-histamines have made me feel human.

I shall have to work after I get back from my appointment, but the enthusiasm for riding into the centre of Brizzy in all my bike gear for an appointment where he'll tell me to get some blood taken, I'll get it taken, he'll make an appointment for me in a year's time, and la, that's it... well it's not great. But I must go.

I just spent a little while crafting a post on Gingerbeer - who we stewarded between (them and dykes on bikes) a few years ago begging, nay pleading for 2 stewards (for Guy). Hopefully they'll come through or we'll be the world's shortest float. Not that I mind, but people might think 'that's a bit odd' :-)

Anyway, Dr's Appt, then Dissertation, I promise.

Too clever for my own good

So, I've spent the day working on the bike, now how shall I put this, it looked like a fuel problem, smelt like a fuel problem, and felt like a fuel problem. But I'm forever blaming fuel, and it seemed to be more odd than that, what with there being a specific rev-related issue too.

So, I've:
- Changed the coil
- Checked and retorqued the head bolts (they were fine)
- Checked the banjo bolt on the oil pump ('cos oil is definately escaping from somewhere)
- Retightened the exhaust o-ring (just 'cos it needed doing)
- Changed the spark plug
- Drained the gearbox oil (which smells of petrol again, and has gone runny - there was also too much of it).

What did I not actually check, the petrol. When I finally did, I tipped the fuel out of the dirt trap and went 'no, it looks clean'; then I thought, hrm, and looked inside the trap; there at the bottom was a layer of crap. It was a fuel problem. A honking great one. Finally I took the base off the carb and there in the carb was half an ounce of finest wiltshire quarry. Arse, I thought.

Well, at least I knew what it was, so I cleaned it all out and put it all back together which, it turns out, is harder with the Bing carb. Having got it all nice and clean I took 'er out for a run - all seemed fine (I even did my civic duty and told the guys doing the roadworks that their sign at the beginning showed the wrong lane as being closed (to quote the guy there "Bloody Morons!... Cheers")) and then the problem came back, futher tests revealed that it was comprehensively back, so I got home and... it turns out the tank is full of this petrol that's full of shite. I need a fuel filter, which is a pig 'cos I'm meant to be visiting a friend tomorrow... and shan't be unless I can get a filter. Poot.Too clever for my own goodToo clever for my own goodToo clever for my own good