Misadventures of a Shadow VT500 - Scarlet's 'little' owie

Broken hearted.......I don't think epoxy will fix this.

Scarlet has an owie.  Tuesday night was a gorgeous night for a ride and I decided to go to watch supermoto out at Western Speedway, but then got distracted by the thought of doing a nice twisty road.  On the way out I was happily zooming down the highway into the wind and the right side cover came off and bounced down the highway.  Two dudes in a pick-up honked at me and pulled up really close and it made me a little nervous so I didn't pay too much attention.  I wish I had, they were trying to tell me that the side cover had come off.  I finished my long beautiful ride and when I was putting the bike away noticed the side cover was missing, much to my shock and horror.  I went into the house to tell Motorcycle Man and he said, "How could you not notice it fly off?" Very valid question, but I don't know about the rest of you, but when I am riding I am not looking down at my thigh, my eyes are on the road generally.  Then his next question was, "Where did it come off?" Another valid question and I looked like a stunned deer in headlights when he asked me this and my response was, "I dunno."  So then he asked me where I had been rambling and I told him, "Oh about 83 kilometers of rambling."  I seriously don't do little rambles, ask the Ride To Eat Scooter Crew, I could ride forever it seems without needing to stop.

Off I go to retrace my steps, problem is during my little sortie I kind of got lost on some of the back roads out in Langford.  So how do you find where you got lost too?  I have no sense of direction and definitely need to start using GPS.  Honestly if you asked me what direction I was traveling I would probably say 'somewhere'.  Off I go down the highway scanning the road which is hard when you are supposed to be doing 90k down a very busy 3 lane highway.  I spotted some red bits on the side of the road pulled over and to my disappointment it turned out to be bits of an old broom.  I did the entire loop out to Langford then back up to McKenzie out through Victoria University, down Beach Drive, by the waterfront, through downtown and then to home.   83kms give or take.  When I made it home I was feeling sad and dejected, I have to say it has been a bit of hard go with Scarlet and her little foibles.  I did find a pair of sunglasses on the beach where I stopped and put an ad on Found Victoria to help return them to their owner.  Wednesday night I went and searched the highway again and nothing, zilch, zippo, no side cover.

Tonight I went to look at a mesh jacket that was advertised on Used Victoria and was riding down the Island Highway with Motorcycle Man and guess what we found?! The side cover, smashed to smithereens, but back in my possession.  I wasn't really expecting to find it or find it whole in any event.

Tuesday night after I got home from my misadventure I did an ebay search and found a used side cover and purchased it. I think I am going to add some velcro tabs to it to make sure this doesn't happen again.  I need to go out and have a little heart to heart with Scarlet and let her know that losing her bits is not acceptable.

I haven't abandoned my bloggio

Just letting you know I haven't abandoned my blog, it has just been a tad hectic lately!  New post coming soon about the adventures of Mistress Scooterpie.

Moto repair update

WE HAVE IGNITION Houston!! The CDI arrived from the Czech Republc on my birthday - WOW! What a present. Motorcycle Man picked up the parcel and then meticulously spent the afternoon putting Scarlet back together. Kiwi Deb and her good friend Brian came by for a visit. While they were visiting we were ready to see if Scarlet's CDI was going to work. I held my breath when Motorcycle Man twisted the throttle and hit the switch - she purred to life! I was back in business, it was the longest 6 weeks I have ever endured.

All is good in my moto world! We went 2up for a test rip and there was a terrible squealing sound 30 seconds into the ride, it turned out the wheel well came loose and was rubbing against the tire. We fixed that and off we went.

IT WAS GLORIOUS!!! We went out for dinner to Fisherman's wharf & then back home and I went for a solo ride. She is running better than when I first got her, clutching is better, she purrs and sounds better and acceleration - OH MY GOSH! She was so much more pep. Motorcycle man is going to sync her carbs and thinks she will be even better. I am such a happy moto mama right now!

PS - I had the best birthday breaky chocolate cake French toast - yup you read it right, CHOCOLATE CAKE FRENCH TOAST!

The Return trip home - blog challenge

 The return journey home varies for me a bit, it all depends on what I feel like at the end of the day, sometimes I take the down & dirty straight home route or if I really want to decompress from a stressful day at the office and the weather is nice I usually take the scenic beach drive along the Dallas Road waterfront and back through downtown Victoria past the Legislature & Government street home. Today was a scenic tootle route, the weather was off, but it was a nice ride just the same today. Blogger was giving me nothing but grief when I tried to post the return trip pics.

                                            Leaving the scooter lair at the end of the day.

Daily Commute Challenge - the beginning

The beginning of the commute - a very well packed garage, scooter, 2 motorcycles and a vintage beetle.

I love blog challenges and when I saw this one I just had to do it!  Martha issued the daily commute challenge on her blog Living Among Tourists.  My commute is not extraordinary or even epic, its a down and dirty 15 minute rip to work in the morning through the crazy traffic of BC's capital city Victoria.  By commute standards this is a piece of cake because most of my fellow bloggers have heavy traffic and longer distances to do than I.  So when I get grumpy because someone upsets my scooter/bike sensibilities I have to remember that.  My commute takes me through the heart of downtown Victoria up to the relatively sedate municipality of Oak Bay - this is where all the blue hairs live who are the sidewalk commandos in their electric scooters.  You see one of the babies coming you best get out of the way because rules don't seem to apply to these sidewalk mayhem makers.

The destination - the bike lock-up at work, which I share with 2 or 3 bikes and a lot of building junk.
It's Vixen or Scarlet's daytime nest, I have to admit it is easier manoeuvring Vixen around in there than Scarlet.

I am having trouble with blogger today so the return journey is going to be Part 2

ITS ON ITS WAY!!!!

My bike may be back on the road within the next few days!  Keep your fingers crossed!  The CDI unit we ordered from Ignitech in Czech Republic has been sent.  Currently it is in Prague.  This motoing diva needs to have a ride fix.  I have been riding wee Vixen and feeling the love again, but it is definitely not the same as it was a year ago.  But then again I have to say it has been a treat parking her in the bike-lock up because there are no 6 point turn manoeuvres needing to be done to get the bike parked.  So keep your fingers crossed, say a prayer for luck for me that all is well after we get the unit.

Tracking Delivery Progress of CDI unit:

UPDATE THURSDAY, JUNE 14TH - IT IS IN RICHMOND!!!!!! 

UPDATE WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13th it is in Cincinnati - Getting closer!

Now @ 3:41pm:  It is in Leipzig Germany - woo hoo
1)  As of early this afternoon it was in Prague

Moto Funk

I am in a complete moto funk.  I have been without my beautiful bike Scarlet for a month.  We have narrowed the problem down, but are having trouble sourcing the part.  Vixen was insured yesterday and I have to say I am not in the least little bit excited about riding a 50cc scooter.  NOT AT ALL.  I remember how I felt last year about her, but things have changed so much since then.  Today when I rode her to work I felt uncomfortable, the scooter feels too small and there is not the stability of the bike or the acceleration.  In fact I actually feel vulnerable riding her.  It is funny how things change in a year.