A week on the VFR – just can’t face messing about with the Atlas. Frankly pissed off with messing about with old bikes and it’s nice to be able to swing a leg over something and just go. Having said that I had to put fresh oil in and change the front tyre. The tyre change almost ended in tears when I thought I’d lost a front wheel spacer – luckily Mrs A came on the scene and suggested I was trying to put the wheel in back to front…
Talked to the crankman about the Jota crank – bad news. One of the journals has had its oil hole butchered making it useless. The crank man is going to see if he has a spare – fingers crossed hey. The only good to come out of it is that I never tried to run the crank. It was pressed up incorrectly and now seems to have had a bad journal. It I’d tried running it then I’d have it in bits by now…
The crank man can get the powder coating off the front wheel I have – pity nice coating but too grey. He also has a good rear wheel I can have so now I should have the option of original thick webs or a pair of wire SFC 1000 hoops.
In despair at not riding my Atlas decided to wobble the 45 miles over to the Banbury ILOC meet. As is often the case you don’t take a camera and end up kicking yourself. There was Alex and his NSU 250 single, Andy and his green Mirage, John and his Chott, Richard with a freshly restored CB72 (mini Laverda…) a 120 Formula Jota (one of only 4 made apparently) and Paul on his 3CL. Probably one of the most eclectic gatherings and there I am with no camera!
Best news was that the secondhand Atlas mainshaft arrived in the post. Some slight damage where a sloppy sprocket has been used in the past but the locking plate slot looks fine. Nice to know I have this on the shelf for when the engine has to come apart.
Bent screwdrivers, big hammers and old Laverdas 