Crappy Hire bikes with a happy ending
Posted: Wed May 05, 2010 3:22 pm
Went to perth to see my old man for his birthday. It's been a while since he's ridden a bike but he has been riding for 40+ years. So i thought, i cant handle not riding a bike for a couple of weeks and it would be good to get the old boy back on two wheels, so i hired a couple of bikes....
Zongshen (ive never heard of them either), unmaintained, shit fell off, full throttle everywhere.
First day we picked them up the chain on the sportsbike was flapping around and the cruiser chain was so tight i thought it was going to snap. We told the guy you need to adjust them but he didnt know how so we told him what to do.........Bad sign.
Riding home the right peg fell off the sportsbike taking the rear brake with it. jesus christ.
No worries, stole a nut from an old bicycle out the back, break out the tap and die set re thread the peg and nut, saw off a bit of copper pipe for a bush and bang it back on.
Back in action we went for a ride, about 20 minutes in to it we were going along the highway where the speed limit was 90km/h, i look down and im doing 0 km/h. Speedo cable has snapped and is flapping round waiting to get tangled in the front wheel. god damn it.
No worries, stop in at bunnings and buy 1 solitary cable tie for 3 bucks.
Back on the road, rattling away so far so good. Old man pulls up next to me on the freeway pointing at his headlight. What headlight? the globe is as about as bright as a pot smoking retard . fucks sake.
So that's night riding out.
After general repairs the next 2.5 days were great. The bikes were pieces of shit with a max speed of 100km/h but we went all round perth metro, swan valley winery, freo and even managed to call in at the airport and catch up with brother who had a connecting flight. yee ha. All along i can see the interest and memories of riding coming back to the old man.
Here are some photos:
So with the interest growing in the old boy, on the last day we started visiting bike shops....
THEN, the words come out his mouth. I WANT A BIKE.
(what a birthday present)
HONDA 750 Shadow -
Its a fucking beast, im not in to cruisers but its got some nuts and rides smooooooth. The old boys loving it and got a massive smile on his face.
It's just a shame he has to work during the day and i have to "warm it up for 8 hours" heh heh.
The goods:
we did look at kwakas but there were only the big vulcans.
Zongshen (ive never heard of them either), unmaintained, shit fell off, full throttle everywhere.
First day we picked them up the chain on the sportsbike was flapping around and the cruiser chain was so tight i thought it was going to snap. We told the guy you need to adjust them but he didnt know how so we told him what to do.........Bad sign.
Riding home the right peg fell off the sportsbike taking the rear brake with it. jesus christ.
No worries, stole a nut from an old bicycle out the back, break out the tap and die set re thread the peg and nut, saw off a bit of copper pipe for a bush and bang it back on.
Back in action we went for a ride, about 20 minutes in to it we were going along the highway where the speed limit was 90km/h, i look down and im doing 0 km/h. Speedo cable has snapped and is flapping round waiting to get tangled in the front wheel. god damn it.
No worries, stop in at bunnings and buy 1 solitary cable tie for 3 bucks.
Back on the road, rattling away so far so good. Old man pulls up next to me on the freeway pointing at his headlight. What headlight? the globe is as about as bright as a pot smoking retard . fucks sake.
So that's night riding out.
After general repairs the next 2.5 days were great. The bikes were pieces of shit with a max speed of 100km/h but we went all round perth metro, swan valley winery, freo and even managed to call in at the airport and catch up with brother who had a connecting flight. yee ha. All along i can see the interest and memories of riding coming back to the old man.
Here are some photos:
So with the interest growing in the old boy, on the last day we started visiting bike shops....
THEN, the words come out his mouth. I WANT A BIKE.
(what a birthday present)
HONDA 750 Shadow -
Its a fucking beast, im not in to cruisers but its got some nuts and rides smooooooth. The old boys loving it and got a massive smile on his face.
It's just a shame he has to work during the day and i have to "warm it up for 8 hours" heh heh.
The goods:
we did look at kwakas but there were only the big vulcans.
looks pretty good too - for a cruiser.
.