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Dirt, Dust & the death of a KTM
"Dirt, Dust & the death of a KTM"
Yeah like I said yesterday, Pounce, Eddie and I jumped the fence and joined a PAR ride organised by Jason Old ( one of the guys I did the Holland track with in November) My day started with a jump start- a "go back to bed omen" I failed to heed. The meeting point was Mundaring Dome café 8:00, I had plenty of time so figured the 690 would be charged up nicely by the time I got there- wrong! I pulled up on a hill just outta town to check the button, no workie. No worries run start on said hill- 40knott easterlie had other ideas. Out with the jump pack for the first of many times. I fuelled up in Mundaring- luckily the wind ment the servo guy couldn't hear my bike running- sweet! I met Pounce and the rest of the PAR boys at the Dome, and after a quick brief off we went. As usual a real mix of bikes and tyres from a exc 300 thru to a 1290 duke adventure on road tyres about 20 bikes in total. Jason led us onto the powerline track and thru various single trail in the direction of York. Nice trails, plenty of dust but no drama, enough sand and thick pea gravel to make me glad I wasn't on a 1290. Pounce even got a few corners! About 10:30 a 1050 ktm had a lay down in a rut a damaged ignition from crash damage and refused to fire up, I shot up to the front to let Jason know and we returned to the ktm to make a recovery plan. The sweep Chris lived close by to the ktm pilots house in Rockingham, and got his son ( 17yrs old never towed a trailer!) to bring a trailer to Flynn Rd- all we had to do was get him there. An hour or so later, busted tow strap, and a crash later the 200kg bike was in a recoverable spot. I was the tow bike and down to a tee shirt, sweating balls by this stage. Chris Pounce and I jumped up to Flynn Rd, or rather, they did I came to a grinding halt, due to my jacket wrapped round my tyre and chain- shoulda stayed in bed! Anyway jacket out, seat off, jump engine and I was on my way again- I was getting pretty quick at jump start procedure by this stage. Pounce and I left Chris waiting for his son and the trailer, they only had to sneak into the bush about 1km to grab the ktm, and rider Dave. Pounce and I legged it to York on the tar to meet the crew at the pub for lunch, more dramas there. Jason had a rear with a flat spot on the bottom. So beers and food were ordered and a tube change was preformed out the front of the pub with the DRZ propped up on a pub chair- only in the country! So beers, food, fuel and the flat sorted we were on our way, Pounce bailed from York but Eddie and I pushed on. About 20km down the tar a beam of light shone down on a sign reading "Perth" and that was as far as Eddie and I got- my original plan was to stay at GF house near Canningvale but due to forgetting the keys and not wanting to lay on her driveway till 6pm when she finished work, home was calling. I got back to mine about 3:30pm about 350km done, door to door, and about a thousand jump starts, definitely a day to remember. Would I do it again- FUCK NO!!! Will I remember the day forever and have a chuckle- probably! Thanks Jason and the rest of the Par boys, Thanks Pounce for the help with the 1050, Thanks Chris the sweep, Hooters          |
