Hmm, I'll have to add some pictures later. But for now, let me say a few words about this latest project of mine. I mentioned in the last post that I bought a 1967 Honda Trail 90. Trail 90 is how they are known here in the US. In Australia the little motorcycle is called a "Postie." The mail service in Australia uses them for delivery. It's a 90cc trail bike. It has an automatic clutch and 8 forward speeds. There are 2 gear ranges. A high-range for pavement, and a low-range for more challenging off-road terrain. The bike must be idling in neutral in order to switch from high-range to low-range and back again. I remember these bikes from my teenage years. And I don't know what attracts me to this bike. Maybe it's the thought of bouncing around on jeep trails in Arizona. Or mounting the bike on the back of the old Chevy pickup and taking them out camping. One attraction is the ease of maintenance. I've been putting in a few hours each day bringing it back to life. And it's just an easy bike to work on. I've cleaned it up nicely. And I'm currently rebuilding the speedometer. Most of the parts are restorable, except for the speedometer needle. It's broken and needs replacement. I'll have to fashion something in the shop. The buzz is that they are being hoarded by collectors. But I'll manage. It runs great now. And as with most old bikes I've worked on, the more you ride them, the healthier they become. So that's the latest project. And I have a long line of projects waiting. If I can get this one done and put away, I'll have to tackle a clutch repair on the BMW. And then there's the Ducati valve train. And the big Honda service after that. And that's only the list of moto projects. Owning a home has it's own set of maintenance and repair projects. Many of those got put on hold over the summer. But I think I'll get to them all...eventually. Tonight I'm going to bed early. The Christmas lights are on outside. And the little live tree is decorated. Really, it's a happy end to the day. And I'm grateful for all of the days I get. (Postie pictures to follow.)
My blog chronicles some adventuring following my December 2008 retirement from public service. The journal starts with some thoughts and experiences during the first few months of retirement, then follows into my first road trip around the U.S. Included now are notes, pictures and videos from yearly road trips into 2015. At this writing, I'm preparing to leave Silver City, NM for a trip north up the West Coast.
No comments:
Post a Comment