.... 'cos otherwise you wouldn't put up with something like this. Decided to finish the service on the Husky today - the two remaining items were changing the spark plug and setting the valve clearances. Things start off badly as the newly aquired Motocross bike stand is exactly what it says on the tin and clearly not supermoto-compatible as it's about 4 inches above the bottom frame rails. Arse. Anybody need a Moto-X workshop stand, cheaply? So off comes the tank - ah, this looks easy, just undo these two bolts, take the cover off and Bob's yer uncle. Only that you have to take a few venting hoses off to get enough space to not quite get the socket and the ratchet in. Hey ho... Bolts undone, cover doesn't want to move. After using Ye Olde Englishe disassembly method[1] it moves. Nicely glued to the engine with bathroom silicone... Whatever. Feeler gauge blade bent to 90 degrees so I can get it in, fives minutes later the clearances are what I would consider reasonable. Nice. Now for the exhaust valves. Time to go looking for the cover. Scratch head. Scratch head again. Oh well, that's easy. Just undo these two bolts here <wrench wrench wrench> and the radiator will surely swing out of the way enough to get at the cover. Except it doesn't, and the overflow reservoir is sitting right on top of the cover as well. Cue some swearing while the cooling system is drained. Take off radiator, take off bottle, not quite get the socket and ratchet in between frame and cover for the top bolt, undo the bottom bolt with a normal spanner because I can't get at it any other way. Great. Valves adjusted for more noise - well, they were a bit tight - lots of silicone removed, two new gaskets cut and put back on with some Hylomar. Phew. Now were the fuck did peanut brain put the new spark plug? Well, peanut brain can't remember so he has to re-gap the old one and put it back in. Oops. Put the tank back on, persuade the fuel lines to go back on, and finally, the job is done as I tighten the last bit of plastic back. Hold on, wassat? There are two bolts left over? Uh-oh, someone's forgotten to bolt the radiator back to the frame. Ahem. Oh well, only a temporary setback... After refilling the cooling system, it indeed fires up (phew) and still runs. Plus, it makes even more of a racket now that the valve clearances are a bit closer to what they should be... Oh well, I wasn't planning to do much with this Sunday afternoon anyway. Which is a good thing, seeing that most of it was taken up by the Husky... [1] 'it it wiv a 'ammer.
