3/17 – Initial Repairs – 27-31 March 2025

I’ve been back in Pukekohe for just over a week now, and it has been one of ups and downs. I accomplished two things quickly, collecting my new specs and the removal of my cast. The x-ray is not a pretty sight, but the break appears to be healing. Now I can see properly again while trying to get my hand working as it should. Then things slowed down.

On Saturday we had a bit of a celebration; nothing to do with me. It was Darryll’s birthday, so we had a beer and some birthday cake.

Ordering parts is frustrating, and delivery is slow. Frustrating because little is available locally, and slow because delivery takes time. Some of the things I had ordered before going to Oz had arrived, but others were still outstanding.  The handlebars I had ordered from OZ arrived and were nowhere close to the right size. To illustrate this, the replacement handlebars had to come from UK and my new helmet had to come from Italy! Needless to say, postage was steep; one part from UK cost £45 and postage was £75!

Not all was bad though. I found a local workshop to clean up and paint my replacement steering stem at a very reasonable cost. I reassembled the damaged tacho, making it as good as new – well almost.

On Tuesday we delivered the bike to Tony at Wheel and Frame in Cambridge. The same day, he checked out the frame; trued the wheels and tightened the spokes; straightened the forks and steering stem; and straightened the steering stops. He called late afternoon to say the bike was ready for collection!

Making use of the slow week, I looked to see why the neutral light hadn’t been working. Old wires, so I ordered a new loom for the indicator lights.

We collected the bike on Thursday and when we got home, this turned into a doubly good day as the insurance company contacted me to say they had accepted my claim, and made an offer of settlement. This was when I realised that, when converting purchase prices from GB pounds to NZ $, I had used 1,2 as the exchange rate instead of 2,25! 😕 I had also forgotten to include some items – jeans and visor. I sent an email explaining this and now I wait another wee while.

On Friday It rained …. all day, and as the bike was outside, no work was done there. Instead I used the time to try and find a replacement windshield; once again this was an arduous ask. Finally, though, I succeeded. The same can be said regarding my search for a steering damper.

I had concluded, based on some evidence, that if I had had a damper when overtaking that truck, I might not have tumbled, so I decided to fit one. Finding one was another story.

So now I have the parts I need to get things moving again, except for handlebars and wiring loom. The latter is not essential, but the same clearly cannot be said of the former. It won’t take too long to get things back together, so I expect to have some spare time next week waiting on the final bits to come. 

I’m now looking for a replacement windshield, and trying to decide if I should invest in a steering damper, which, if I had had one, might have prevented my accident.

Meanwhile I continue to enjoy Helenna’s and Darryll’s hospitality, and, since my flight is booked for 1^st May,  plan ahead … just for a change.