Picked it up today. Slightly rough area of Ramsgate, slightly rough seller. First surprise - no chainguard or chaincase. The pix were angled so they didn't show this. No chainguard is a nicking offence, and htf did it get a brand new MoT? Brake light doesn't work either. Not to worry, because the engine's sweet enough, and the engine and chassis numbers tally with the logbook, although the name and address on the V5 are not the seller and his address. "It's just been fully serviced..." quoth he. Actually, there is a new chain and sprocket set on it, but tthe adjustment is all to hell. The oil is like treacle and the tyre pressures close to atmospheric. So the grand sum of £205 changes hands and I ride it the 80 miles back to the Chateau. t hums along happily at 55mph, with the odd burst up to 60, but it's fractionally too slow for motorways: artics do overtake it, albeit the manoeuvre takes about five minutes to complete. Holding it at 60 allows you to turn the tables, but again, it takes an age to get past them. But then it's a commuter 125, innit? The garage yields an old chainguard that once adorned a CD250 I broke for parts. Three inches hacksawed off the leading end, and the rear mounting hole ovalled out 3mm with a file, and it bolts straight on, looking as if it were made for it. It would be nice to have the fully enclosed chaincase, and I'll keep an eye out on Fleabay. Oil changed, fork oil changed, new bulb in the tail light, chain lubed and adjusted properly. I'll check the tappets next weekend. Blimey. A fully working taxed and MoT'd learner bike for a couple of hundred quid. Jamie is chuffed to bits and counting off the days until he hits 17.
