With no rain and even a little sun forecast, a quick Saturday evening ring around resulted in a plan to go on a ride. The chosen destination was the Green Welly at Chatteris in Cambridgeshireshire.
Sunday morning and we met at Matts where six bikes gathered together. The last to arrive was Martyn who has bought a used 350 Royal Enfield from a classic bike shop in Rushden. The machine was sold to Martyn with an mot and fully serviced. He was having a bit of trouble starting it, but he thought it was lack of technique that was causing it.
We set off following a country lanes route that avoided busy Peterbrough but was to take in Ramsey the busiest place we would pass through on the way to Chatteris.
All went well until we got to somewhere out in the countryside not far from Alconbury I think, where the Royal Enfield started smoking badly. We had seen this before when following John on his Enfield in France a few years earlier. The smoke was caused by oil being forced out of the breather pipe and into the Air filter. From here it gathers in the toolbox before dripping onto the hot exhaust, resulting in a cloud of smoke that would put an Ariel Leader to shame.
Matt led the investigation and it was found that the Enfield was overfilled with oil, not just a little bit of oil, but by a huge amount, it practically came up to the mouth of the filler hole. This had to be drained off by the roadside. Whilst doing this it was discovered the toolbox and the exhaust where loose and in urgent need of attention. So much for a full service.
With the bike fixed and now starting better than ever, we went onto our planned destination, the Green Welly cafe. At the cafe we all crowded around one table and mostly had bacon sandwiches, chips and mugs of tea.
After our repast we stood and watched as Martyn managed to start his RE first time again not requiring our well meaning advice. With all the engines running we set off again taking an alternative route towards home through Huntingdon. At a road junction, before reaching the point where we go our separate ways, Matt went through a series of hand gestures and arm waving indicating that all were welcome for tea at his place. Matt believing the message had got through then headed for home whilst the rest went their separate ways having not understood his invitation. We hadn't taken any notice of Matts communications either but had remembered he had invited everybody back to his house before we set off this morning, so we followed him home.
This error of our club mates wasn't a problem as it just left more bread pudding and tea for us.
See website gallery 2 for photos.
Sunday morning and we met at Matts where six bikes gathered together. The last to arrive was Martyn who has bought a used 350 Royal Enfield from a classic bike shop in Rushden. The machine was sold to Martyn with an mot and fully serviced. He was having a bit of trouble starting it, but he thought it was lack of technique that was causing it.
We set off following a country lanes route that avoided busy Peterbrough but was to take in Ramsey the busiest place we would pass through on the way to Chatteris.
All went well until we got to somewhere out in the countryside not far from Alconbury I think, where the Royal Enfield started smoking badly. We had seen this before when following John on his Enfield in France a few years earlier. The smoke was caused by oil being forced out of the breather pipe and into the Air filter. From here it gathers in the toolbox before dripping onto the hot exhaust, resulting in a cloud of smoke that would put an Ariel Leader to shame.
Matt led the investigation and it was found that the Enfield was overfilled with oil, not just a little bit of oil, but by a huge amount, it practically came up to the mouth of the filler hole. This had to be drained off by the roadside. Whilst doing this it was discovered the toolbox and the exhaust where loose and in urgent need of attention. So much for a full service.
With the bike fixed and now starting better than ever, we went onto our planned destination, the Green Welly cafe. At the cafe we all crowded around one table and mostly had bacon sandwiches, chips and mugs of tea.
After our repast we stood and watched as Martyn managed to start his RE first time again not requiring our well meaning advice. With all the engines running we set off again taking an alternative route towards home through Huntingdon. At a road junction, before reaching the point where we go our separate ways, Matt went through a series of hand gestures and arm waving indicating that all were welcome for tea at his place. Matt believing the message had got through then headed for home whilst the rest went their separate ways having not understood his invitation. We hadn't taken any notice of Matts communications either but had remembered he had invited everybody back to his house before we set off this morning, so we followed him home.
This error of our club mates wasn't a problem as it just left more bread pudding and tea for us.
See website gallery 2 for photos.
