great freedom
I enjoy great freedom in three areas of my life. One of those areas of freedom is my motorcycle. This is a motorcycle that spent 20 years rusting in a pig barn. It is not generally known that pig barn rust is the worst kind of rust. Not only that, the wiring was continually being nibbled on by local pig barn mice who suspected that there was something good inside those wires.
Someone gave the motorcycle to me. Yes, it was free. When you get something for free it is very liberating. I found that I could take things apart on this motorcycle and have no fear of ruining it. After all, it was free, and free gives me freedom. If I messed it up I wasn't out anything. There's a lesson to be learned there about owning things that are worth so much money that we're terrified to try anything with them. Be free, own junk; a statement that regrettably does not have universal application.
Well, now, after 6 years of tinkering around with this motorcycle, and after a lot of help from people who actually know something about motorcycles, it's a pretty nice motorcycle. Except a mechanic called "Grumpy", at Grumpy's Goldwing Service told me that my carburators on my 76 Goldwing GL1000 are junk compared to the 82 and 83 Goldwing 1100's. So I bought a set of 82 Goldwing carbs off ebay for $141. That's a good deal, by the way.
They are supposed to fit right on my motorcycle. So I took off my carburators and as I'm inspecting the 82 carburators I see a little tube that I can't identify. What the heck is that little tube? It's the one I'm pointing to with my thumb. I'm pointing at the gas line with pointer finger. The little tube by my thumb has me wondering.
Any ideas? I'm just about ready to put these carbs on and just see what happens, but if anybody out there has a guess about what that little tube is, I'd be interested in hearing it (reading it). The "little tube" is to my carburators what the "little horn" is to end times Biblical eschatology.
One final thought. Be free, own at least one piece of junk that you aren't afraid to mess up.
posted by TWH @ 12:44 PM
8 comments
8 Comments:
That is an interesting post. I have been wanting a motorcycle every since we lived in Streator, but my wife wouldn't budge. ("But everybody at church has one. I need to be like the people!") She still won't. I wish I had some mechanical instincts that would allow me to understand carbs, motors and whatever else makes a bike run. I don't even know what a carb does.
I like your advice about owning junk. I still drive the '99 Ford Ranger and it has nearly 200,000 miles. I love it because when it gets scratched or dinged, I just don't care. After all, it's just a truck!
Some musicians are obsessive about their instruments, i.e. guitar players who will absolutely not let anyone touch their gear. My Taylor guitar is far from a piece of junk, but it has some scratches and I don't mind of others play it. After all, it's something that could be replaced (albeit at a much higher price than when I bought it in 1997.)
The all-important question: how can a guy convince his wife to let him get a bike?
Serious answer:
That's a tough one Kent because it strikes at the heart of the need for security that every woman has. If something were to happen to you she wouldn't want to raise your children alone.
Silly answer:
Buy her something that costs about $5,000 and then she almost has to give in to you.
I will hold out for the silly answer.
mkhughes
I would guess vacuum
Just get the gas prices to go over $4 per gallon and then con it off on better gas milage.
"Wit" is right. It is a mechanical vacuum hose that is not present in the 76 model. What is my plan from this point? Plug it up with a screw and forget it.
In case you're wondering, I am not an internet mechanic scouring the web for obscure photos. I am one of Tyler's friends. I had to check this out after his "Best Of" post.
Wit-Thanks for stopping by. I thought I had remembered seeing your comments somewhere else before.
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