Big In Japan

Having just put the 500th mile on my moped, I thought I'd post a bit about my adventures over the past 4 months. Amazingly at 125 miles per months, I calculate I've spent about $20 total on gas all summer. What I saved in gas/insurance costs I've probably spent half keeping the bike on the road.

I've replaced the following items because they were worn, broken, or missing:

• Brake light switch (broken)
  
• Rear brake cable (worn)
  
• Throttle cable (worn)
  
• Front and read brake shoes (worn)
  
• Carburetor gasket (broken)
  
• Exhaust gasket (broken)
  
• Spark plug (nothing wrong)
  
• Seat bolt (missing)
  
• Engine nut (missing)
  
• Front fender bolts (missing)
  
• License plate bolt (missing)
  
• Fuel line (worn)

...yes, all those missing bolts were important...

I've fixed some things that didn't require parts:

• Starter switch (needed adjustment)
  
• Headlight switch (needed adjustment)
• Horn (needed to be plugged in)
• Leaky carburetor (different project than gasket)

Also, I've added both a license plate... plate, holder, thing. (Which I made myself.) And an after-market bicycle mirror.

Even after all that there are still project which will probably be passed to the next owner. The front fork springs are aging and aren't as springy as they could be. There's also a mystery short in the tail light which allows the brake light to work while prohibiting the tail light proper to work.

And, I'm still learning. Last week while cleaning out the engine I shredded the exhaust gasket (akin to the time I shredded the carburetor gasket.) While waiting for the replacement to come in the mail I read online that I could fashion one from a beer box. Sure it smelled like burning cardboard for a few day, but kept the bike running which is the important part.

Only a few weeks until I forward the bike to it's new owner, since I won't be needing while I'm away. Hopefully it will be as wonderful a learning experience for the next owner as it was for me.

In this next week I should be getting my Certificate of Eligibility which will allow me to go to the Japanese Consulate and get my Visa. Until then.

Jaa Mata Ne.

posted by Dockett @ 11:18 PM