Broke down.........
I've had a couple of very pleasant runs on the Sunbeam this week to check all is OK for (hopefully) a new owner (hint: it's still available). All went well and without incident.
So I thought I'd exercise the Honda 400 Super Four I bought in the Autumn but hadn't yet ridden. At first. all was fine and I was really enjoying it - very smooth, ample power for me but one or two ergonomic things to sort out - when it expired about 8 miles from home. I thought it might have run out of petrol but no - plenty left in the tank. It would restart after being left for a while with the petrol tap on but would expire with a cough shortly afterwards.
Of course, with the Sunbeam I have enough tools to completely strip it by the roadside but foolishly omitted to take any on the Honda. So managed to get the bike into a layby*. Of course when I got my phone out to call the rescue people its battery was flat.....
Fortunately I was just over the road from the Rose & Crown whose staff kindly let me use their phone,look up the breakdown service on their computer, charged my mobile up, and gave me a nice cup of coffee FoC.
All that remained was to wait an hour and a half to be rescued (despite the driver only being called out 40 minutes after I rang) before being brought home in a nice cosy van.
I haven't yet checked the breakdown cause but suspect either the tank breather or blocked petrol tap filter. We'll see.
*Many thanks to the unknown rider of a lovely Amaranth red Triumph pre-unit who drew up beside me and blocked off traffic while I pushed to the layby off the busy A435. If you read this, I must buy you a pint sometime!
