A Little Background
June 2004--Took and Passed MSF course
I have never ridden a motorcycle in my life. I decided once and for all that I was going to learn. Then I decided that I loved it as much as I thought I would, and decided to actively look for a motorcycle.
July 2004--Found and Bought a Bike
I placed an ad to buy a late 70-80's model Japanese cruiser style bike. I received numerous replies by email and several offers. I looked at 2 bikes. The first was a GREAT bike. It was a Kawasaki CN450 (I believe) and was in great condition. The guy wanted $1300 for it though. I was ready to buy it after about a month of trying to convince myself that it would work out. But in the end, I thought paying the rent and my bills was more important, and I gave up on that one.
The next offer was almost too good to be true. A guy was selling a 1980 Suzuki GN400X for $450. He said it just needed a new battery as it had been sitting for two years without running. He said when he ran it last it worked well. The only catch was that it was a kick start. He said that it was a pretty hard kick start. I figured.. being a decent sized chic with more leg muscle than anything else, that I would have no problem. So I looked at it, loved it. And about two weeks later I took the Metro to the Bus to his house and bought it.
I should have known something would go wrong when I got there and it didn't start after I brought the brand new 6 volt battery (it only takes a 6 volt battery...geez) The guy took off the carburetor and began cleaning it and muttering "Got me!" each time he replaced it and it wouldn't start. Then it began freeflow leaking gas from the carburetor. He finally figured out the problem, the floaters inside the carb were stuck. He cleaned them and viola! No more leak. Shortly after, he jump started it and adjusted the screws and such until it sounded right to him. Over top of the running bike, he and I exchanged money for title and repair manual, and I was off. (I had arrived at 845am and finally rode away at about 12noon.)
I stalled out about 10 blocks from his house. And spent about an hour trying to kick start the bike to no avail. I'd had no food, no water... nothing that morning. I had been too nervous and couldn't eat, plus he was a bad host (kidding I should have asked for something to drink), and never offered me anything. I even attempted to jump start it, but could not. I finally resigned myself to the fact that I would have to leave it there and walk to the nearest gas station or pay phone and call for a ride. I figured I'd have to pay for a tow truck too.
A good samaritan came by and offered his cell phone and leg muscles, but he was a little too timid and didn't seem to want to hurt the bike so he couldn't start it either. I called the guy that I bought it from but he wasn't picking up. I left no message. I figured he'd been happy to finally get rid of me and the bike. So I began walking. (mind you I'm in the middle of suburban hell..nothing but large townhouse complexes, churches and schools...no gas stations or free standing payphones to be had)
I think it must have been 90+ degrees F, and I had been wearing a motorcycle jacket for part of the walk. After about 15 minutes, I was ready to faint. My lips were sticking to my teeth, I was no longer sweating, and I was carrying a backpack, my jacket and helmet. I just kept telling myself that if I made it over the hill, I'd see a gas station. Cars were passing by me and seemed to all be going up the hill.
Then suddenly, during a time when I was contemplating sitting down for a little while...to....rest...and...regain...my ....strrenngggthh.. The guy drove by, and stopped. He said he saw the bike parked and thought maybe I had stalled so he was driving around looking for me. He explained that he had been in the shower when I had called. So when he called the number back, the good samaritan had answered and told him that I was on the side of the road. He gave me a ride to the bike, kickstarted it with no problem. Teased me a little about my not being able to ...thanks... and then followed me in his car to the gas station. I was very low on fuel and wouldn't be able to get home on it. That station's pumps were out, so he followed me to the next station, and I filled it up. He kickstarted it again for me... and again with ease.. I chugged two bottles of Gatorade while he rode it around a bit in the station adjusting things. And I was FINALLY on my way!!
I rode it from Germantown MD to my apt in NW DC. Thought I was going to fly off of it on I-270. I topped out at about 65 MPH. The wind didn't affect the bike so much as it affected me.
That same day..
In my haste to get off the bike after getting it home, I left the ignition switch on and took the key out. Killed the battery. I left for a 6 hr stint at work, and returned home to find that gas was leaking from a small area of the 3 gallon fuel tank. Not just dripping, but flowing...down the street into a nearby storm drain. (great now I've just polluted the environment!) I found the source. It was coming from a series of pinholes and a few larger holes with rust around them in the bottom of the tank nearest the left side of the seat. So now I have a dead battery and a leaky fuel tank.
