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uberthumper · # 3 23-07-13, 19:40

I'm in Derby, and have been for a few weeks.

Short story - got as far as Mississippi on the TAT, about a week and a half into the trip. Got stuck in some mud. In the process of extracting it derailed the chain which got wrapped round the front sprocket. Engine still spinning at a reasonable speed got stopped dead as the chain jammed. Something in the gearbox broke. Bit of a freak event, although I'm expecting a big "I told you you should have fitted a chain guide" from a certain Irish gentleman.

Decided the process of strip motor - order parts in UK - get parts shipped to US - rebuild motor was far too much time to be sat in MS, so put the bike in a U-Haul truck, drove it back to NJ and threw it at the shipping agent.

Got on a train out to Seattle, hired a car for a month and did about 4300 miles down to the Overland Expo in Flagstaff, AZ and then back up the West Coast. Spent a few days each in Seattle and Portland, then flew back. Was out there eight and a half weeks rather than twelve in the end, partly due to car hire blowing the budget, partly just because I was ready to come home.

In my defence, the last thing I wrote on here was "I doubt I'll be able to post on here much, if you're desperately interested see www.dashmoto.net".

Engine is out of the bike, but I've not opened it up yet. Priority is getting the original motor back in so I can race it at the Carlisle ISDE Centennial Rally in August.