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September 23, 2005
Underblog Rides Again
So I decided to take the Maicoletta out today. Wasn't sure that it was going to start, given that it had been several weeks since I took it up the block to fill the gas can for the weed-whacker. Anyway, as I was about to go under I-40, the chrome muffler cap came off. I circled back, parked the Letta and retrieved the cap. But how to put it back on? The two nuts that held it on were gone. I popped into the liquor store / gas station at the corner and bought an Ocean-Spray Ruby Red. I looked up Albuquerque Bolt and Fastener in a phone book by the door. It was right up 2nd. While drinking the Ruby Red, I went to the side of the building opposite where I had pulled the scooter up. Luck: It was in rare Albuquerque shade and another bike was there, a CBRR600 in silver, its license plate mounted invisibly behind the rear wheel.
Dude comes out and between calls on his cell phone asks how loud my bike is without the cap. "Pretty loud." I wedge the cap between my toe and the rear brake pedal, start up the bike and head to the fastener shop. I am the only customer. Two young men staff the counter. Sounding authoritative, I order two six millimeter nuts. "You want nylocks?" "No Nylocks—exhaust!" called out a voice from the office. Plain nuts are fine. "That'll be 80 cents." I go outside and find that the nuts are too small. Nuts. I go back in and order sevens and eights. "Eights? Those come in a bunch of thread sizes. You want me to come outside and take a look?" "You bet!" Outside he specs 8mm, 1.25 thread pitch. "You see his bike outside?" "Yeah, saw it through the window. It is sweet. Who makes it?" "Made by Maico in Germany. It's a '57." I notice the wall at the shop has framed pics of racing motorcycles. "Tell you what. I'll bring you a picture to put up there." "All right. Thanks!"
Unfortunately, I lack the deep socket necessary to get the cap bolted on, and so I limp the Letta home. Once there, a quick tweak of the cap and the proper wrench and all was well. For good measure, I tightened the mirror too.
I take a picture of the Letta, print it, and place it in a frame I brought with us from Minnesota. I rode down to AB&F. The place is now packed. One old man turns around and says "I'll come back later." I chat with the old man behind me in line. He talks about the Dodge Challenger he used to have. Now he is restoring a 1968 Ford Bronco. Once I get to the front of the line, I hand the framed photo of the Letta off to them. "Thanks!"
I headed off to the errand where I going in the first place. And everything went very nicely.
Posted by Underblog at September 23, 2005 9:30 PM
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Comments
Was that the frame you tried to sell in St Paul with the picture of me inside? If so, did you just put the motorcycle picture on top of me?
Posted by: GB at September 26, 2005 1:46 PM
You're spreading the Good Word of cool scooters, Chief. Rock on!
Posted by: RT at September 26, 2005 11:28 PM