Future commute

Last Saturday was too beautiful not to spend it driving. I wanted to finally get some pictures of my chalet - that is to say, the chalet that will soon be mine. I advertised my plans in the UB forum, and Damian said he'd like to come along. It's nice that I'm not the only one who'll the autobahn for an hour in order to ride the curves.
The tour lasted a good four hours in a warm wind, dry roads, and a Scorpion front tire that after 6000 km is slowly but surely losing its profile. It was a pretty comfortable ride.
On the Schwägalp I could take my pictures. Contrary to my expectations, there was no snow up there. Well, almost none.
Afterwards we mounted our machines, which had been able to take a short rest on my parking lot

and headed back down into the valley. We parted ways in Wil, and on the way home I discovered the Hülftegg and some new roads in the Töss valley. Unfortunately, both were wet, but it didn't rain.

Upon arrival back in Adliswil the Beastie got a well-earned and long overdue bath.

Like an animal

For three days, until yesterday morning, I ignored the Beast. I didn't forget it, of course; i just left it in the garage. It doesn't like that at all.
Rainy weather, wet roads, and study vacation are all to blame for the fact that I haven't driven even 100 km this week. Yesterday, however, the Bonnie was due at the mechanic's for a tire change and a couple small repairs (or so I thought, but more on that farther down) and so in order to get to the last hours of the repetition class for the basics course in real estate management, I got out the Beast.
It always starts just fine, but I was adjusting my helmet strap when the engine burbled lethargically and then died. I started it again, and the same thing would have happened if I hadn't grabbed the gas. I had to keep it between 2500 and 3000 rpm for several minutes to properly wake it up; the exhaust was smoking like the Hagenholz trash burning facility.
On the drive to Baar, the Beast was fussy, as if it had to learn to roll all over again. The ventilator only whirred on in Baar; not five minutes after starting like it usually does. Pete's sakes, it was in the garage for three days, not three months!
Machine indeed. It's an animal that needs daily exercise.

About the Bonnie: I asked Herr Dutli put on the winter tires, replace the stabilizers up front and see if he could figure out what the occasional screeching noise came from up front.
Stabilizers - no problem. Tire change - he said the wheels are in bad shape because of their age and they had to scrub off the rust so the tires would hold properly. Screeching noise - the front brakes are through.
Gulp. I asked what this session would cost and he apologetically guessed between twelve and fourteen hundred franks.
And here I was hoping this stop at the mechanics would cost less than last time's episode with the drive belt.
Oh well, can't be helped. It'd be a pity to let the Bonnie go to wrack and ruin as it is a very faithful car, and I really don't want to buy a pickup now. I would like for my savings account to stay full past the end of the year, see.

Bunch of ones

In 11 weeks.
I'm sure that's some sort of record, but now the winter is settling in. The Beast can look forward to more downtime in the next few months.

Checkup of the Gilera XR2

We were ordered to be at the DOT building at 7 a.m. sharp for the Gilera's state inspection. Yesterday I'd filled it up and taken it across the Buchenegg and Albis to make sure it ran all right. The clutch is spongy, and the power only comes around 7000 rpm, but as a daily workhorse it does a good job. It's not finicky with starting either, and if the battery is too weak it can be kickstarted.
The expert was a very friendly guy. Unfortunately we'd overlooked the faint wrinkles and tears in the front tire; weaknesses that develop when a bike stands too long. Also, it turns out the back tire was too wide for the rim. We should have oiled the chain, too. But otherwise, it was in good shape.
The expert gave us the data sheet; within 14 work days we need to bring the Gilera back with new tires and a serviced chain, and then all is well.
Florian's going to go to PSS this evening to schedule the tire change; I'll look around for a new chain but I don't think we'll find one. Then we'll take it in for the final inspection, advertise it and get rid of it. That'll free up room for the Daytona 955i, which is arriving at midday today.

Silver lining

I figured I'd sleep on it and try to overcome my shock. I slept badly but I was able to put plenty of thought into the new situation in the world of motorcycles.
As a matter of fact, it shouldn't matter to me whether the company of Buell exists or not. I've got two XBs; spare parts will continue to be produced and delivered; there are plenty of aftermarket parts. But the knowledge that one's favorite company wasn't profitable is bitter, as if one had bet on the wrong horse. Which is ridiculous because the bikes are just as awesome now as on Wednesday.
If Harley would at least sell the brand! But no, it'll be let die and filed away. End of that.
The only thing left to do is look for the positive aspects of this development. And there are enough of those.
Buell existed sind 1983; XBs have only been built for about six years. So there are few Buells and even fewer XBs. That means the value of mine can only appreciate.
That also means I shouldn't just fix up Silver to toss around as a stunt-practice bike. (Now that I've ordered and paid for crash bars, handguards, carbon frame protectors and such.) Silver will be fixed up nicely; I've got an idea for a polished frame, chrome parts, aluminum covers and an elegant white design - angelic, in contrast to the black, lightinged Beast. But dang, that'll cost another small fortune. In the end I can insure my license plate for thirty grand.
The Sprint 900 would be a usable practice machine. It got the same power as my 9er and is only slightly heavier. Remove the cowling and it'd be comparable.
I'll talk to Florian about it, considering you can sell the old Sprints for anything between four and ten thousand now. We'll have to see on Monday how much fixing it needs.
The Gilera would be the other option. Selim and Löchen both got wheelies out of it. But for stoppies and burnouts, forget it. The clutch and brakes on that thing are pathetic.
Anyway, nothing's changing in my treatment of the Beast. It'll get out every day, rain or shine, on and offroad. But Silver has from one second to the next gone from fixer-upper to a prestige project.
The timing is lousy. I'm on the brink of going into a quarter-million debt...

...and bad news

I just found out Harley's discontinuing the Buell line. Fabio from my mechanic's confirmed this.
I feel sick.

Free Triumph

Luck struck again.
The boss of our facility management firm finally called me back about the motorcycle they fetched from Uster years ago.
"It's a Triumph Bandit 900er, pretty new. I'd be glad to get rid of it."
But of course! No matter that he turned the thing into a Trizuki. It's actually a Sprint 900. I don't know the year; I'm going to go look at it on Monday evening with Löchen. The cable harness is cut through and the steering clumn lock is broken, but both those things are fixable.
On Friday in a week the Cilera's going in for an inspection, and then I'll put out some online ads so we can sell the thing and make room in the garage. There's seven motorcycles overnighting in a space meant for one car.
On the aside: Silver's still in the basement. This evening I hope to get the oil filled in and the gearshift lever remounted. I'm still looking for a used but intact fork. There's nothing unsuspicious on E-Bay and a site in Germany only has a black one.
As soon as we got that, Silver's ready for the road.
We're making progress!