3/06 – Getting it Right – Mon 27 – Fri 31 Jan 2025

Today I took the engine out again – getting quite good at it – and took off the top. The timing of the cam chain was off by one tooth. This could well cause the issues I noted. Question now is whether I have done any additional damage.

The cost of shipping a new head from the US is unexpectedly high – US $1000! – so if I can avoid this, it would be good.

A check of the head revealed evidence of valves hitting pistons, but had this bent the valve stems? A check using petrol in the combustion chambers suggested not, so I decided not to go for the new head option, but rather to just reassemble the head with the correct cam chain setting and see what transpired. I ordered a new gasket from Counties Honda, and then, impatient to get started, decided to use the gasket I had rejected previously instead; this saved me a day!

Everything went back together quickly, then another 24 hour wait and finally, as soon as Darryll was available, he and I replaced the engine in the frame, in our now well practiced manner. I started it up and it sounded a hundred times better. 

The remainder of the day was spent fitting bit and then it was time for a trial run.

On the road it was a bit sluggish and seemed to be missing under load. I checked and adjusted the timing and the next run was a great improvement.

Everything seemed to be all right, so, rather than the end, this was just the beginning! 😁

Sat 01 Feb 0225

I was now ready to roll, but a few admin things had to be done, like my laundry – thank you Helenna – and our last supper together. On returning from the petrol station, petrol was running out to the carburetor overflow tubes, or at least one of them. Luckily it was No 4 carb, one of the outside ones. I fixed this quickly, mainly because I couldn’t see anything wrong. 

One last excellent braii, prepared by Darryll and aided by Helenne,  was followed by some final packing and I was, finally, ready for the off.

It took almost three weeks to get to this point, and I don’t think I would have managed had it not been for the kindness, generosity and hospitality of Helenna and Darryll. I’m sure I’ve thanked you before but thank you again!

Sunday 02 Feb 2025

The day started early – 0530 – in order to watch Ireland defeat England in the opening match of the Six Nations. Then a bit of breakfast and by 0900 I was ready to go. Before I set off, Helenna had one last surprise for me – a pack of Eat Sum More shortbread biscuits, which anyone who has visited or has any link to South Africa will recognize as a quintessential SA treat.

The day was a bit cloudy, but the forecast promised a fine, hot day and I set off with some trepidation. Would the bike perform? Would it leak? Would I perform?

After clearing Pukekohe and a bit of highway, the road became a wide single carriageway, with frequent passing lanes. I made good progress to Thames, a nondescript little town and the start point for the Coromandel Peninsula. From here things became more interesting. The skinny road to Coromandel itself wound along the coast, and when I say along, I mean it was about 2 feet from the beach, and not much further from the water. The coast was heavily indented by coves and some of the bends were 90º sudden turns. By skinny, I mean that in places it was barely wide enough for two cars to pass; in some places it was single track only. Progress was consequently slow.

After stopping for a photo shoot, the bike started to miss on one cylinder! 😞 

Happily, after I accelerated hard to overtake a campervan, this cleared and I made it to Coromandel town where I took a coffee break. Then it was over the hills towards Hahei, today’s destination.

What a road! Curvy , smooth, mostly fast and nearly empty. If all the roads are going to be like this, I may never leave! All too soon I was in Whitianga – pronounced Fitianga. Here I ran out of fuel!! I don’t know if it was the misfire, of I was going faster than usual, but I ran out at 186 km, where I would normally expect 250+ before needing reserve. Luckily there were numerous fuel stations in Whitianga, but shortly after this the misfire started again, to such an extent that I had to pull over.

A plug check revealed a wet No 4 plug; clearly No 4 carb was playing up again. Draining the bowl and wiping off the plug sorted it out, and I resolved to turn off the fuel as I approached my stopping places. This seemed to work and I got to my campsite with no further problems.

Having set up my first campsite, I decided, while wandering through town 🤣, the village rather, on the spur of the moment to book a dive for the following day.

I booked a table at a restaurant I had noticed on the way in. The Church Bistro was rated 4.7 on Google, and it deserved it; the setting was superb and the lamb I had as a main course was exquisite. The crême caramel I had for dessert was a disappointment though, a bit too heavy and solid for my taste.