Riding over oranges ...

Camel, Sahara, Kanguro, Coguaro
jimmigrant
Posts: 18
Joined: 02 Feb 2016 12:47
Location: Lancaster England

Re: Riding over oranges ...

Post by jimmigrant »

There's an SKF bearing and transmission dealer an hour away, just north of Granada, so thanks for the tip EVguru, I'll try my luck there.

jimmigrant.
jimmigrant
Posts: 18
Joined: 02 Feb 2016 12:47
Location: Lancaster England

Re: Riding over oranges ...

Post by jimmigrant »

After a meticulous search of an industrial estate the size of Wales, I managed to find a cam belt of the right size, though lacking somewhat in width. Since I only need it to hold out for a few days pottering around the local tracks, I decided to give it a go.
With fresh oil and petrol the bike came to life easily, once I'd realised it likes choke on the front pot. Neil's bike rarely wants choke. I took it for a couple of rides up the track, and despite the plugs having unwanted resistors, and the carbs not being totally in agreement, it seems to do everything it should do, and nothing it shouldn't. Not bad since I'm fairly sure that it has hardly moved for the past 15 years.
This morning I switched the ignition on, and despite the fact that the battery is mostly dry, the neutral light came on, and it fired up first time.
I'm sure there will be many like myself on this site, who have been messing with motorcycles for 50 plus years, and still find them a whimsical entity.
There are bikes which are so goddamned fancy they won't start until a procedure which makes the Japanese Tea Ceremony look rudely abrupt has been duly and reverently observed, and then the first fly on the tarmac is sufficient to render them sullen and mute.
Then there are those which will burst into rude enthusiasm at the least prod, and still get you home when one of the pots has fallen off and the fairies have made off with the petrol.
Well - that little glow from the neutral light told me that here was a machine with a bit of soul -- perhaps even quite a lot.

jimmigrant.
jimmigrant
Posts: 18
Joined: 02 Feb 2016 12:47
Location: Lancaster England

Re: Riding over oranges ...

Post by jimmigrant »

So -- it's nearly time to start meandering northwards, back to the frozen wastes, and we are just entering a period of nasty weather forecast for our route. Maybe the Bilbao ferry will once again refuse to set sail, in which case we head for Calais.
Neil came round yesterday afternoon and we gave the Morini it's first outing. "Shake-down" would not be inappropriate, since the tracks are rocky in the extreme, and the fork oil is too thick - adding weight to my suspicion that the bike has been in an urban situation in Barcelona. On the tarmac the suspension is perfect, but I was having to hang on to the bars much too firmly on the rough to let the bike find it's own way - something I suspect it would be good at. I've been coming here for years, but the tarmac has been mostly the limit of my known world until today, when we explored the valley's lesser highways, from the quaint rock-strewn tracks to the YOU CANNOT POSSIBLY BE SERIOUS - all of which the Morini took in it's stride.
I'd thought the battery was dry at first glance, but a second look and a good clean revealed fluid, - some charging seems to have occurred and we now have lights.

I'm used to the Dales and the Lakes, but the scenery here blows me away. There is also a timeless feel to the place once the main road becomes distant.
Returning mostly on tarmac the bike felt very solid on the corners, though the rear tyre is brittle with age, and gave way in a fairly undramatic fashion when pushed.
The engine sounds and feels great, with much more go than I was expecting from a 350, so I'm really looking forward to coming back in 8 weeks time for a bit more Vitamin "M"

jimmigrant.
jimmigrant
Posts: 18
Joined: 02 Feb 2016 12:47
Location: Lancaster England

Re: Riding over oranges ...

Post by jimmigrant »

At last it's time to leave the snow and rain behind and fly south again. Time to haul the Kanguro out of my friend's shed and begin the process of getting to know it. Time to explore the mountain tracks of Andalusia as well, and look for a good spot to grow old(er).
I'm fairly sure the bike has been standing for many years, and so one thing I'd really like to find out, is if the big ends are getting enough oil, or if the oil ways are bunged up with hardened gunge. Can anyone tell me how I might check that oil is getting around as it should, and whether I should use any kind of flushing solvent.
I checked the filter gauze and it was clean, the odometer says 21,000km, and it's had an hours riding with a new thin multigrade in.
Thanks,
jimmigrant.
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