Sally had been off the road until two weeks ago, when the head finally went back on and all was set for a run up the A9 to Inversnecky. All went well until the road works on the bridge over the Spey, just south of Newtonmore. Pulled up at the lights, only to disappear into a cloud of white petrol vapour!
Kick sidestand down, turn off engine and bale out, whilst heading for the barrier. Removed helmet and glasses (age!) to view the last contents of the fuel lines emptying themselves over the hot cases and then the silencer box beneath.
Waited until the vapours had receded then approached and removed the tank bag, with all personal wealth/ID contained therein. Returned to the old tart and turned the fuel tap to 'prime', only to disappear again in the vapours, turn off the fuel!
Diagnosis, crap in the float bowl/float needle seat and not the wherewithal, time or inclination to do a carbie strip aside the A9.
Contacted work in Inversneck, explained predicament and arranged for pick-up from Newtonmore (hoping to dump bike there, somewhere!), then return by train, pick-up bike, call Britannia Rescue and get carted back home. Hadn't pushed for more than 100yds onto the bridge, when a swish '10 plate VW Transporter in metallic charcoal grey, with highly polished alloys pulls up. Hazards 'on', lights 'on' and a tootle of the horn! Out jumps a youf from the environs of Glasgae fair city, immaculate in the black Shetland wool jumper, black tie, white shirt, black trousers and black shoes with 'BLING'!
"Do use wanna lift pal? I'm gonna Inverness, if its any use?"
"Err, you alright with that, the bike has had a petrol leak?"
"Nae bother Pal"
"OK, then"
"Gi us a minute whilst I stack the stretchers up in the back and sort out mi straps, I'm going to the morgue at Riagmore Hospital to pick-up a couple of bodies, to go back down to Johnstone"
So it came to pass that Sally and I were chauffeured to Inverness by a self employed, repatriation undertaker in a morgue van! All at a sedate 50 - 55mph!
When I indicated that my destination was on the retail park "across the way" as we came down into Inversnecky. " Nae bother" and I was delivered to the door, 1 hour late, in the riding gear and then extracted the bike from the back of the van afore assisting with re-loading the stretchers and straps. My thanks to the man from Johnstone.
After the meeting, the phone call was made and a very good man from Alness delivered me at speeds not often seen in a 1.5 tonner 'fish-tail', safe to Perth.
Again Sally was put on the 'stocks', dismantled, lo and behold a small lump of shite was removed from the float needle seat. Upon re-installation a line filter was put in between the vacuum tap and the carbie to catch any more extraneous lumps of shite from being injested.
Hopefully, this should provide a salutary warning to all of us who haven't a line filter in place. A £2-00 filter has got to be better than potentially 'toasted nuts' and a cremated motorcycle!
Ciao, Bill.
