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Say Hello to Elsie!

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2005 10:47 am
by Henriettaah
Well she's here! :biggrin:

Collected the bike at 9.30am today, and have had a really nice day pottering around - gave it a clean, sat on her, manoevered it around a little, felt proud as passing neighbours enthused about LC and asked "Who's is it?" :biggrin:

I'm very fortunate in that my neighbours straight across have two big bikes - a GSXR600 and a monster bike which is 1100 I think, unknown make. I've been lent a good chain, which has been put around a drainpipe in the garage (not a gutter drainpipe, a major one which goes underground). Tonight I bought an Oxford Titan disc lock, and an Oxford 'Hardcore' chain and padlock.

At first I had doubts over whether I'd be able to fit the bike and car into the garage as I'd first hoped; however, after a 'Krypton-Factor' type challenge and a bit of rearranging and trying different ways with the bike, I got them both in at teatime. :) Inches to spare mind you!

Apparently once she gets set up and the bits and pieces done she'll be a nice little bike. :)

Oh and the delivery bloke drove off with the single-seat conversion and the number plate in the back of the van, but he's bringing them back on Monday :laughing:

So here is a pic of the new family member - fantastic :jump:

Image

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2005 10:59 am
by DustyJacket
Cool!

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2005 11:16 am
by m50
:kicking: sweet bike dude congratulations :kewl:

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2005 11:33 am
by Joe Mc
Cool little bike! :righton:

Re: Say Hello to Elsie!

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2005 12:01 pm
by dr_bar
Great lookin' bike! I hope she will be as good to you as your already proving to be good to her.
Henriettaah wrote:Tonight I bought an Oxford Titan disc lock, and an Oxford 'Hardcore' chain and padlock.
One of the most common errors when using a disc lock, is forgetting to remove it before riding. One way to prevent this is to have a bright coloured leash from the lock to the handlebars as a reminder. Kinda like dummy proofing the lock... :roll:

Looks like this...

Image

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2005 5:06 pm
by KarateChick
Congrats Hen,

That's one nice looking bike!

Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2005 3:23 am
by rnr262
That is a great looking bike!

Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2005 3:27 am
by Henriettaah
Thanks folks :D

I want to get some micro indicators and some smallish chrome mirrors - put the single seat on - little number plate on the back - sadly I'll have to marr Elsie's look with 'L' plates for a while :cry:

Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2005 10:43 am
by Henriettaah
So I bought some polish today - did a little polishing - and started her up! :D

Didn't do it right at first, and then went out to get some fuel, leaving the fuel switch on and the one at the handlebars 'on' - came back and it was leaking :o

Tried again and just had to give a little on the throttle to get it to fire up. It was hard work getting my leg up there to kick start it! My dodgy hips might be making a reappearance! :laughing: I also tried to put it into first and move off a few feet, but I stalled it :) My first attempt at getting to know the clutch so no worries. I'll be happy when the kids go back to school as from tomorrow, then I can quietly potter around with Elsie getting to know her, doing a bit of bonding, without an audience of a few youngsters asking "what are you doing?" and "are you going to take it out?" etc! I was suprised I felt brave enough to try and start her up today. It'll be good to try and do a bit of stopping and starting without any self conciousness!

So now I have a few litres of petrol sat in a can in the garage :| should I just put it into the bike, or wang it in the car if its not really 'needed'? - Its just normal unleaded stuff which the car takes - this is what the bike drinks, isn't it :blushing:

Also, as it is a two stroke engine which uses autolube, has an oil sump like the car which takes car oil, and also an oil thing under the seat, which takes a special oil - can anyone explain this system to me simply..? Should I start a new thread on this? Is it the autolube under the seat, where you put special oil in and then the bike mixes it before it goes in the engine..?

Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2005 3:18 pm
by Ninja Geoff
YEah, the system will mix the oil for you. Just when you fill up the gas tank, don't forget about the oil tank under the seat :laughing:

Some (2 strokes) bikes, and other things, you'll have to mix it yourself.