This afternoon an impressive-looking box was delivered to my place.
It didn’t feel real heavy so I couldn’t quite figure out what it was. Then I remembered that I had been talking to the previous owner of Bexie and he said that they had the centrestand and he would send it to me. But that was just last Thursday, Australia Post are setting new records!
Now Guy couldn’t really remember why the stand had been taken off but he thought it might have been when they fitted the MOTAD exhaust system some years ago. He said I was welcome to have it and try and re-fit it if I could,
Didn’t take me long to open the box, undo the packaging and trundle it out to the garage and dummy it up to the bike. I’m no mechanic as you know but, from a cursory examination, it looks like it should fit. There are no bolts or springs included and fitting it means grovelling around on the floor, not my forte at all, so I suspect that it will be off to the shop and have it done professionally.
I’v always had a centrestand on all my bikes, though I do remember that the VTR1000 didn’t have one and I had to use a paddock stand but I reckon it’s more secure, it makes lubing the chain and checking tyre pressure easier and it means that the bike sits straight. I have always believed that it’s better to start the engine with the engine level and the oil in the sump not mostly sitting on one side. Call me pedantic, I know. Most modern sports bikes don’t have a centrestand and they get by but their lubrication system is way more sophisticated than Bexie’s 38 year old one. The other reason why I like a centrestand is that the bike takes up less space in the garage if it’s sitting up straight and, for me, that’s important.
I did another ride the other day, just up to the Pie Shop and back but it was bitterly cold at Robbo so I turned around and high-tailed it for home. Coming back home through the village, a photographer took my photo so I hope to show you some pics of the bike in motion very shortly.
Anyway, we sill soon see.