Tanto's New Redhead

[tanto]

In short, .

Thanks to encouragement from 400greybikers'.

The long story:

At last, my own NC30. Happy doesn't describe it. Picked her up yesterday. Plus a stand and the original set of NC30 fairings, lights, et cetera.

So, yesterday evening my sexy new woman (she needs a name, not just NC30) and I set off from Khorat in south-east Thailand for home in Chiang Mai, north Thailand. About 1000km. Soon it was dark, and there was a small problem. Her eyes, her lights, are not so bright. And it was dark, very dark, deep in the Thai countryside. Once on the main road the surface was choppy and tram-lined, a major trucking route, and a little dodgey.

So, I spent the night at Phon, on Route 2, north of Khorat. A very quiet, little country town. The air smelt of flowers. Alas, I couldn't find a hotel, so I asked at 7/11. A kind lady told me to follow her scooter, and she led me to a new hotel on the edge of town. It was perfect, with a strong shower and soft bed, and less than ten dollars.

So, exhausted I checked in & fell asleep. My hands were still fizzing from the new girl's bars. Better hold on with the legs.

So, this morning, early, while it was cool, I set off for Chiang Mai. The sun, a blood-orange ball on the horizon. The air fresh. The red lady throbbing powerfully between my legs. We zoomed across the countryside. Not too fast because, unlike a flesh and blood woman, the broad had forgotten her mirrors! Take another look at the photo. It's true, I thought I had checked everything. Everything, except the mirrors. All bikes have mirrors, don't they? Not this one. She's a little dangerous.

So, I drove carefully. Early morning held few cars, but quite a lot of lorries. We raced past. The road was bumpy. I stopped a few times to check the big bag strapped to the back of the bike, full of Christmas presents from the UK, dropped off in BKK by my dad. And, to re-fuel. And, to find bright green coolant dripping from underneath the bike. This could be serious. The staff at the garage pointed at the green puddle and laughed. I shrugged and laughed. Time to find a mechanic.

So, I bought a litre of water. Hope to God the coolant isn't leaking too fast, and set off. The lady has no fuel gauge. She has an engine temperature gauge. Don't you love racing women? The temperature gauge hovered just above 75C. No plomplem. And we made it to Khon Kaen.

So, there was a fellow "big bike" rider in the traffic. I asked him, where is the Honda store? He pointed across the road. There it is! It was still early morning, and the staff had just arrived for work. The boys gathered around my red babe. Was it the colour? Was it because she's a Honda? Perhaps it was the roar of her engine. It sounds as good as it looks. :-)

So, a very friendly Honda lad, who spoke some English (rare in this part of Thailand), told me to follow his bike, and we went to another store to find a new front tyre and fix the coolant leak. My lady's tyre was too skinny to reach Chiang Mai. Mr Helpful Honda went to search for a new tyre in town while a mechanic worked on the bike. When he returned he said there were no tyres that size in Khon Kaen.

So, the Khon Kaen Big Bike Riders Club mechanic could only make the coolant leak worse. Then he made the electric system worse. Now we have no mirrors and no indicators. Why? He liked to take things apart, very slowly. So slowly he forgot how to put them back together. I remembered why I like to work on my bike myself.

So, a very friendly lady in the cafe next door offered me breakfast. A whole spicy chicken, and spicy papaya salad. Actually, that's not quite true. At first, she offered me her daughter, "Only eighteen, very good." I preferred the spicy chicken. The spice was just right. I sat down and stayed there two or three hours while Captain Slow the Mechanic dismantled my bike and then tried to remember how to re-assemble it.

So, after a while I decided that whatever Captain Slow could or couldn't do, it didn't matter. With no fresh front tyre my sexy redhead wasn't going to make it to Chiang Mai. I forgot to mention, yesterday my new Thai friends in Khorat spent the afternoon trying to find a tyre. No tyres that size in Khorat. Then we looked for a pickup truck to take my girl and me to Chiang Mai. None of those, either. That's why I'm sitting in Khon Kaen, half-dazed, having breakfast.

So, I discussed what to do with a woman who works in the cafe. She said she would take me to the Post Office, where you can post everything. Including motorbikes.

So, I followed her Honda Dream into town, direct to the Post Office. She stayed and helped with all the paperwork. The Post Office man told me to drain the tank. I gave the woman all the fuel from the tank. It was nearly full. Should be enough, I hope, to take her to work on her 125cc for the next fortnight. The man at the Post Office said they shut in twenty minutes. It's another Thai national holiday.

So, the Post Office charged three thousand baht (GBP60) to take the bike to Chiang Mai. Amazed, I looked at a cost matrix for taking different size bikes between a multitude of towns and cities in Thailand. There was another matrix for Plasma TV's. What about elephants? I hope there is a matrix that covers posting your elephant.

So, no choice. I paid, and a tuk-tuk took me to the bus station. Booked the next bus, 8pm to Chiang Mai, "only twelve hours". It's a long way.

And that's my story so far. A very kind lady at the bus station has stored my things behind her desk, and I'm in a shopping centre with six hours to burn. Did you wonder how my story became so long? Thank God for strong coffee and internet cafes.

The people of east Thailand are friendly, and very helpful by nature. The "somtam" is delicious. The countryside is beautiful. There remains one question. What name can I give my red-head? I feel, as she comes from Isaan, she should have a buffalo name. Let me talk to some Thai friends before deciding.

[mattUKNC]

A great read for a Friday morning.

I hope she arrives in one piece and you get the leak and tyre sorted soon.

What about 'Rose' as a name?

[The Novice]

Its got to be Fergie.
Has a few issues but you know she is a great ride - ha ha.
Hope the bike turns up in one piece, you find the tyre and sort the leak. The bike looks mint.

[RockerTed]

lovely story for reading with my morning capucino?..hope you get sorted!!..ted

[tanto]

It turned out that the coolant leak was simply due to a loose top on the coolant reservoir. I suspect the cooling system needs an overhaul.

I was told the fairings are off a CBR1000 '94/'95. Not sure if that's true, but the fit seems good.

Like the bike, the original fairings are also in the post. They'll make a good project for next year.

Has a few issues but you know she is a great ride - ha ha.

Reminds me of a old girlfriend...

[tanto]

[karl BKK]

Very nice mate, your persistence paid off :)
Nice looking bike and looks clean under her fairing's too, if you dare ride down to BKK let me know

[karl BKK]

Update please mate, want to know you returned up north safely :)

[tanto]

Picked up the bike from Chiang Mai's main Post Office yesterday morning. Started fine, thank God, and rode across town to "G3" (98/2 Taiwang Road, on the RHD side, facing east, 50m from the bridge, tel 053-233600). They fitted a new 525 chain and sprockets while I waited. Cost 4,000 baht (about GBP80). For anyone visiting Chiang Mai on a bike, the boss at G3 speaks good English.

Then I went off to search for mirrors - couldn't find any - so drill-adapted scooter mirrors will have to do for the Thai "MOT". Added to "To Do" list.

Had my first experience of sitting at traffic lights for five minutes at 32C+. Just one junction, and I was already thinking about filtering left, to turn left, anything, just to keep moving. "Cooked in the bag" came to mind. BKK Karl, how do you manage riding around Bangkok without irreparable damage to the family jewels? Have you told your girly?

Other items; the indicators don't flash, but after some wet'n'dry love for the bulbs, at least they light now. Time to take a look at the relay, else it'll be an after-market relay + LED kit from town. And a couple of IN0004 diodes for the instrument bulb.

Before tucking my new babe up for the night, I noticed the clutch cable has become frayed around the lever/cable area. "New inner, c.900mm" added to the "To List" together with "Find a new chain adjuster, & rear brake pads". Headstock bearings are already on their way from Blighty.

The joys of NC30 ownership. I'm very happy.

[karl BKK]

[quote="tanto"]BKK Karl, how do you manage riding around Bangkok without irreparable damage to the family jewels? Have you told your girly? [/quote]


I live on the outskirts of BKK Tanto, about 5 mins from the Airport, there are actually a coupl of half decent roads around here and the traffic isn't too bad either :)
As for damage to the family jewels........... I don't intend to have a child just yet, just i'll let my NC30 pound them on a daily basis
My bike will have a re-con'd rear shock fitted tonight, and she's going to have a new chain and sprockets while i'm there too.
I'm seriously considering selling her, as there is nothing left to repair on the bike now, every thing has been over hauled......... So the question is, sell it while it's in tip top condition or use it for a few more months?
I really fancy a CBR954RR but i know i will miss this little flickable bike

P.S. Glad you made it back ok, i was seriously worried about your lack of contact on the forum, as having a new bike i would have thought you'd be on her every day/hour/min :D
My gf was worried too, as i was checking the foum every evening to see if you had posted :D