Subject: Re: tank and fenders (paint)
Author: Zerhackermann .
Date: May 16, 2001, 7:23 PM
Post ID: 1706752864
AAAAIIIIIEEEEE!!!
Begone foul loop tempters! hie thee hence with your vile voluptuous
temptations of reliability!
Don't do it.
Let me tell you what. 13 years ago I saw an Eldorado. I lost it. Up to that
point I wanted a Norton. Bad. But I had a Honda. Then that Eldo hooked me
deep. I kept looking but averytime I found one, I never had the 1200 bux or
so to buy a really nice one. Then a couple years later my honda was wrecked.
I had help doing it. Her insurance co paid for the bike, leathers and
helmet. I replaced the leather and helmet immediately and then went hunting
for an Eldo with money burning a hole in my pocket.
They all hid from me.
I could not find one anywhere for sale. I eventually bought a BMW /5 about
150 miles from my home. It was reliable enough for me to depend on it and
mechanically simple enough for me to learn how to work on it. The very day I
ride into town on the bike, I see an ad in the paper for an Eldorado.
Restored. new paint. $1200.
So I kept riding the Beemer. I still have it. I love the bike. But I have
always wanted the eldo. about 7 years ago I found a t-3 floorboard model
resting in a bike junkyard. 800 bux and I dragged it home. Using a
combination of car parts and bmw parts I got it working and still have that.
but it wasn't an eldorado.
But by now the eldos were becoming popular and the local prices were
becoming pretty crazy. It seemed like I'd never have my old Guzzi.
Then about 2 years ago, with a baby on the way. a buddy offers me two
munched ambos. I still didn't have all the money. I dropped half on him and
over the course of the next year I paid off the other half. but the one car
garage in the rental was pretty damned full and my family was requiring a
lot of funds. It was touch and go. I almost had to start selling stuff off.
Then I got a break and a better job. we bought a house way out in the sticks
with a separate shop/garage. Now I could finally spread out and build a
proper bike lift and really work on something....like maybe...the
ambassador?
SO for the last 8 months, I have been slowly working on the Ambo. All the
work I have had to do myself. There was no spare dough for painters, new
cycliders, nothing. I bought new mufflers. that and new tires is the biggest
single chunk of cash in the bike. So it has been 50 bucks here 30 bucks
there. and a lot of hours.
but now. I only need that one phone call from the shop saying my tires have
arrived. just one little phone call.
one call and after 13 years of lust I will have a running loopframe moto
guzzi.
you wanted whining?? there you got it. don't lose the loop. make
arrangements to rent the beemer if you have to. don't lose the loop. you'll
be trying to find another one as soon as it is gone.
| From: Robert Hawkes <haw-@frontiernet.net> Reply-To: Loopfram-@topica.com To: Loopfram-@topica.com Subject: Re: tank and fenders (paint) Date: Wed, 16 May 2001 21:39:01 -0400 --- Sponsor's Message -------------------------------------- Who Are the Top Dogs? Find out about the best newsletters and discussions! http://click.topica.com/caaaa4qb1dfltb2c9oVa/TopDogs ------------------------------------------------------------ Ian, I am just writing this to you for now as I believe you are most likely to put up with my sniveling and whining without telling me to" just fix the damned bike and ride it will you!". I anticapate, anyday now, that someone on the list is going to ream me out for being a kook and dragging everyone down with my story of woe! I will go to Sport Cycle tomorrow and try to pry another starter out of those guys. I do want to get this bike going as a matter of some sort of pride and perseverence etc. I have, however, a confession to make; again. I was minding my own business at work the other day and I get a phone call from my psychologist friend. He outright proposes that we trade bikes; my Guzzi for his 1992 BMW R100. I was set back on my heels a bit. He owns a 1996 BMW also. He goes on to explain that he thinks it would be a good trade for both of us as I would get a reliable bike and he would get a "cool bike". He continued that he would get something to tinker with and I would get a bike that I could actually ride. Keep in mind that my friends around here hear much more whining and sniveling than you or any other list looper ever heard. They get to see a grown man cry, wail and knash his teeth etc!! It's all so immature and childish! So this friend of mine knows all the ailments of the Ambo., he's been on rides with me when the bike quits in the middle of nowhere and six riders, all on BMWs, have to stop and help poor, pathetic Bob! He wants my bike because he already has a reliable bike. So, anyway, I went to his house tonight to get a good look at his BMW. I have seen it before but never really looked at it. I also took it for a ride in the city and highway. Brought it back to his house and we sat around and talked about it's virtues and looked under the seat, looked at the saddle bags etc. I thought to myself, 'this really makes sense, I could have a reliable bike, that starts all the time and would probably not poop out on me in the middle of nowhere. That was that and my friend and I said good evening and that we would each think about this deal. I got home and thought about his bike. I know I would ride more if I owned his BMW, there is nothing wrong with it, nothing at all. It has good pick up and OK handling. There was also something else. His bike had no 'fun' to it at all. Even though there was nothing wrong with it it was not perfect. There is no fun factor. His bike is too competent. I am pretty sure I will not bite on this deal but I was tempted. I'm glad I was tempted. I am developing a finer sense of what biking is for me. It is not necessarily about getting from point A to point B without breaking down. It is not even about getting from point A to point B without breaking down and having fun at the same time. There is something more about it or something more subtle about it. I am starting to ramble a bit here so I'll cut off for now. I will keep working on the Ambo. I think I will get it going. I may not always have the Ambo. like you and some of the other guys but I don't think I'll be trading it for a "competent" bike. I guess I'll just think this over a bit more. Thanks for reading this Ian. Best, Bob ----- Original Message ----- From: Ian Adkins To: Loopfram-@topica.com Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2001 11:19 PM Subject: Re: tank and fenders (paint) ==================== Do you have a BIG lawn? Mow it fast with the only Zero Turn- ing Radius Mower you can Ride or Walk-Behind. Commercial-quality. 10% Savings and FREE SHIPPING now in effect. 30 Day Trial. http://click.topica.com/caaab3ib1dfltb1FlG8b/CHP ==================== Bob, I guess we aint riding to the Western NY Rally together then? :-) Just kidding....I'll throw some dirt on the bike before hwe hook up :-) Regards...Ian -----Original Message----- From: Robert Hawkes <haw-@frontiernet.net> To: Loopfram-@topica.com <Loopfram-@topica.com> Date: May 15, 2001 8:23 PM Subject: Re: tank and fenders (paint) Guzzi John, I like the "been around awhile" look on a bike. I have less respect for a bike that looks showroom condition. Sort of like going to a hardware store; would you rather talk to a fresh faced high school kid that works there or the grey haired old guy that's been around? Get it? Best, Bob Hawkes ==================== Searching for "a clean, well-organized place" for email? My Topica was designed with people like you in mind. Stop by and see what you think at http://click.topica.com/caaabBzb1dfltb1FlG8g/register ==================== |
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