Last time out, I’d screwed a few expensive parts into the motor, but I’d carefully not shown you any shots of the full bike—I like to keep those until the end. So, between then and now, I’d fitted some handlebars, a set of alloy trials bars I picked up at Garstang autojumble for three quid and then tweaked in the vice with a long bit of scaffold tube until they were more of a scrambles shape. The white grips were a 50p bargain many years ago.
I’d also finished off the alloy panelling, fitted the seat, but, best of all, fitted that cutesy little tank. That was a buy a few years ago at Stafford jumble when I saw it sat on a stal, with a mere £20 written in felt tip on it. Looking from the left it had a gorgeous peanut shape, so I did the classic ‘pointy-elbows-old-lady-jumblesale’ technique to work my way towards it, picked it up, only to find the right-hand side had all been cut away. Mmm, probably an old grass track tank, modified for rocker-box clearance to suit a JAP motor. “Cheap innit?” the guy said. “Not with half of it missing,” I countered, “I’ll give you fifteen quid for it.” He was looking doubtful. “C’mon dude, only an idiot like me would buy it cut away to buggery like that.”
Fifteen smackers changed hands and it was mine. I kept it on the Shelf Of Potential, expecting one day to bash some steel up to replace the missing section. Anyway, I tried it on the bike. Looked a treat, apart from the fact that it wouldn’t sit right down ‘cause of the coils. I took the coils off—perfect. But now where would I fit the coils? Funny how life provides all the solutions you ever need, eh?
This story is from the Issue 253 edition of 100% Biker.
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This story is from the Issue 253 edition of 100% Biker.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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