The Completion

Now I have it all.

The only thing that was missing - the boots!

WOOOHOOOOOO!!!!

After the deep frustration last time, now I was better prepared when entering the garage again. I had got Le Manual (yes, it was in french...) and found both air filter and oil filter from there. Also I got a hot tip about the air filter. I'm starting to think that the man behind my whole motorbike hobby thing is irreplaceable. Thanks - again!!!

Also new filters are now ordered and oil is bought :) Sounds almost too good.

Then to the garage... First I checked that the oil filter is where the manual claimed it to be. Yep - there it was!



This time the plan included only detaching air filter. Last time it was totally lost. But now... air filter - come out, come out, where ever you are!!!

The hot tip and Le Manual both claimed that it would be under the gas tank! Wow, that I didn't think last time. Now I had also seen the picture, so it somehow makes it easier to look for it...

First obstacle in the way of releasing gas tank was the "thing" that locks up saddle. Of course, CRC was needed. That, by the way, seems to be very precious liquid!!! I can not survive without it. Already addicted to CRC!

But that was the easiest part. Then some trouble came on the way. Serious trouble. (Beer break and smoke break would have been more than convinient here). After couple... of phone calls I knew how to go forward. First the gasoline shut-off was shut off :) and next fuel tube was released, but the tank didn't fit to come out. The gasoline shut-off was seriously in the way... Damn!

Some more phone calls and quick peak to manual (and memories from cafe break conversation from work) helped and gasoline shut-off was history. Then the last obstacle, one more screw which attached the tank was in the way. Some more CRC and TADAAAAAA!!!! Tank was released!

Oh, it really felt like opening christmas present as a child. So eager, ripping off the wrappings. I ripped off the gas tank... and THERE IT WAS!!! THE AIR FILTER!!!! Sooo excellent! (Almost as good feeling as getting o... into orbit ;)

Happy again. But how much cursing and frustration in required! Maybe that's why it feels so good.

Gas tank... get ready to be taken off:



1st obstacle:


2nd obstacle... it took almost an hour to figure out how to overcome this. (Pitiful... it was so easy!)


3rd obstacle


Well well, what do we have here!?!


Hello air filter!


Oh what a beauty, so missed and wanted ;)

The Frustration...!!!!!

Now I understand why beer and garage go together. It is because of the garage frustration. Yes, I've experienced it now. And without beer! (Well... actually that's only good thing, because that horse piss would have doubled the misery. Read: I don't like beer.)

So... I had planned a very pleasant evening at the garage - just me and my bike. So what if it is Christmas??? Santa finds me from garage also! There were two things... or actually three things I had to do: open those damn screws, detach both side panels and the air filter. One side panel has a nasty crack on it - needs fixing. And the air filter needs cleaning.

This time I had CRC to make the screws do what they should - open. And so they did!!! Felt so good :) But then started the frustration... Air filter was not where I thought it would be! Hmh... Side panels were easy part, after getting the screws open. But the air filter... Of course manuals are not for reading... or are they???

Well... maybe they are. Somehow I had thougt that small black box under saddle would be the air filter. It was not. It should be right behind the carburetor, I was told. Good information, but where IS the carburetor??? I really don't have a clue what carburetor looks like. Really... the manual!!! I started missing it - a lot. And the frustration grows. (At this point it would be an excellent time for a beer break.)


To be short. After spending couple of hours trying to guess where the air filter is, getting soooo frustrated, I had to give up and swear that the manual really is worth reading.

The air filter was NOT here.



Too many moving and non-moving parts... The manual - I need you!


Fortunately the crack is now fixed :)

Diving deeper...

In Finland the motorbike driving season is so short. And the waiting season is so long. And for me, the driving season was even shorter, since I got the bike at the end of summer. Only about month of fun... :(

BUT there is more to motorbikes than only driving! I want to learn what is inside the bike also. So... garage ready, tools set and GO!!! My first evening spent in garage is now experienced and IT WAS FUN! Almost more enjoyable than driving...

Well... for the first maintenance work I picked something really easy... Changing the sparking plugs sounded just right and at the same time getting acquainted with the bike - what is located where. Next on the list is cleaning the air filter, then changing motor oils and oil filter, repairing a nasty crack on side panel (ok ok, my part in this is just releasing and attaching the side panel), oiling chains... and let's see what else. The main point here anyway is really to konw the bike and how it works.

Now I understand men more - the garage really can be a funny place to spend hours! Christmas at a garage??? Doesn't actually sound very bad...

This was the starting point - sparking plugs located!




And here they are... now one to pocket as an example and on to the way to Motonet!



These are the tools currently... Let's see how long it takes before they are doubled... tripled???

Getting ready...

Almost forgot the funny part of entering the motorbike world... Clothes!!! Oh yes - the best part. Since I am a woman, this comes naturally :)

So... What do motorbikers wear? LEATHER!!! That is something I've learned as a child: If you have a motorbike, you have leather clothing. Although quite many opinions seemed to be against leather and in favour of goretex clothing, it really didn't matter. For me - there is only leather.

Now... why on earth motorbikers want to wear mainly black clothing??? This is a puzzle still unsolved. It seemed almost impossible to find other colors besides black. I managed to find white and pink jackets. Latter one is a no-no. White would have been perfect! But I had to compromize... byääää!!! Since at that moment at that shope the jackets were too small. And for my impatient nature it is impossible to wait or go to several other shops.

So black it is. BLACK LEATHER. Sounds actually quite goooooood....



OOPS... Wrong picture :)





Boots are still to be bought. So the fun part is still to be continued...

The New Era

Re-born of Sanna's Life with all the different interests! :)

Since it felt not so interesting to write about trips to the world... Or shall I say, that one picture tells more than any words... and the pictures are available at Picasaweb http://picasaweb.google.com/smlehton ... or at my pc. I decided to tell something else... Dog stories are available at my www-pages http://www.jimmyjolly.net/. But I have no place where to share my interest and expedition to the world of motorbikes.

I'll start how ever did I enter to this world... Like always, behind everything, there is a man. And an Einfield. And India's rocky roads. After sitting behind (that gorgeous body) the motorcycle and jumping uncomfortably along those very rocky roads, I started thinking it just MUST be a whole lot more comfortable at driver's seat. So I signed up for lessons to get driver's license.

I have to admit, that I really was not at all impressed after 5 first driving lessons. I did not once get the feeling, that it would be nice to try how fast the bike can go. On the contrary, if I hadn't been too embarrassed, I would have driven even slower... But I remembered learning snowborading, that too felt extremely unpleasant for the first ... 10 times :) But then the world opened up and it was something really extraordinary. But, so much about getting drive's license... Just a remark, that I did stumble the bike once, like it should - when you are still at school. How could one otherwise know how it feels???

Then became bying the motorbike... Oh - what ever could be more dull??? Well, since I did not have a clue about bikes and still had to get one, some criterias was bound to make. They were: red, does not matter when it stumbles.

Behind my bike, there too, is a man :) (with the same gorgeous body.) So I got a hint of a bike suitable just for me. And now I am a proud owner of Yamaha XJ 600 Diversion, year 1992 (or was it 1994... can't remember)

Anyway, now the new era of my is ready to begin!

Viikonloppu-rentoutumista

Bangaloresta löytyi ihana Spa nimeltä Angsana Oasis Spa. Siellä tuli nautittua auringon lisäksi hoidoista ja rennosta olosta.