Project CRK Café Racer Triumph 1200 part 8 Crossed wires

Just when he thought that it would be plain sailing with the CRK 1200 Roadster project, Nutters hit the rocks!

- John Nutting

It’s always a pivotal moment in a rebuild when everything has been fitted to the bike and it’s almost ready to go.

Because the CRK 1200 Roadster I’d been building over the past year or so was non-standard, finding insurance proved to be more long-winded than you’d think. I was waiting for two companies to get back to me.

In the meantime I booked James at JB Motorcycles to carry out the MoT on the bike. The tank, mudguard and side-panels – beautifully painted in a shiny metallic red by Steve Coker – were fitted along with the seat.

For the tank badges I selected the same metallic items used on the latest Triumph Rocket 3 triples costing £30 a pop, but worth it for the authentic look. But I needed to position them correctly because I wasn’t confident enough to get them right visually. Gerry, who last year helped man-handle the four-cylinder lump in and out of the frame with his engine crane, is a sign-writer by trade and his trained eye was what it needed. Just as well: once the adhesive metallic lettering is pressed on, it stays on.

Methodically, Gerry did what he does best, and the CRK 1200 had an identity. The VIN plate had already been riveted to the sub-frame. So I made a few final checks. Fuel was reaching the carbs. The oil was topped up. There was a spark at the plugs. The trigger was correctly set. And the engine readily turned over at the press of the button. But it wouldn’t run, apart from a few pops and bangs from the exhaust pipes.