A frustrating first full week with a busted thumb! The hand did swell up but I was back at work on Tuesday and by Friday was able to tie up my shoe laces. Friday also saw the arrival of the Welsh Rally regs but alas not this year if I am to have any chance of the LCF rally on the 10th June.
With Mrs A’s help I’ve started the road back with the Atlas. The broken plastic rack is off as are the sidepanels and tank. Aside from the broken indicators and screen that I knew about the new thing to emerge is that one of the bolts holding the radiator trim in place is spining in its tank helicoil. I’ve put on releasing fluid and will try some ‘freezing’ fluid during the week to see if I can get it turning. If not then I’ll just cut off the head, glue the helicoil and hopefully be able to pull it out with mole-grips. There’s no hurry so this will be a last resort.
The picture introducing the post is from the Bristol Auto-Italia event. This is at the end of the day so it seems quiet. The event wasn’t so big this year, only a handful of Laverda’s on the ILOC stand and all other marque’s with the exception of Ducati were poorly represented. Most of the interesting stuff is now presumably consigned to the garage – well if you ride ’em you run the risk of falling off hey!
Of the Italian bikes this was what caught my eye – couple of tiddlers, the casting quality and detail on the Parilia was really notable. The Stark, Aprilia is a rare beast – would’ve liked to see how it looked with the panniers installed…no doubt they clashed with the design principle but nice to see one not just being kept in a museum. Guzzi Quota’s are rare beasts and of course have the same front brake as the Atlas and the modern Morini with its two headlamp arrangement got me thinking about a modification for the Atlas…
Aside from the Italian stuff these two caught my eye:
Thruxton exhausts complete the 60’s racer look – bought back memories 🙂 The forks are just so thin!
What a great combination of old and new – frame colour a bit ‘bling’ but respect…looks like a 200 mm Yamaha headlamp up front.
Nick 🙂
Bent screwdrivers, big hammers and old Laverdas 