Words a Riding Girl Never Wants to Hear

With T minus 5 days and counting, we begin our motorcycle tune-up in preparation for the big trip to the Rocky Mountains. We have already done our shopping for each bike. The air and gas filters, new oil, spark plugs are laid and ready for the task at hand. The weather cooperates with a fine breeze and lots of sunshine to work by.


Andy starts on Jade first. Jade has a few quirks we have to consider each time we work on her. True to form, we are not long into the project when Andy discovers Jade’s last tapped hole is once again in trouble. Having spent many years in a machine shop, Andy knows how to fix these things, and right. To do it right however, requires taking off the crankcase cover. Unfortunately, removing the crankcase cover will mean needing to replace a gasket. (Part #23 in the link)



Replacing a gasket sounds easy enough, unless you are doing your work on a Sunday when most bike dealers are closed. I start calling. The afternoon is spent tracking down motorcycle shops that are open. Those that are open don’t have the part in stock. Andy proceeds with the work of repairing the hole. He has the kit, and the work goes well. The screw sits nice and tight. All we need to put Jade back together is the gasket.



I’m trying not to panic with so few days until departure. I take a deep breath and hope I have success on Monday tracking down a gasket. Then the phone rings and its Lee. I tell him my dilemma. He’s had this problem before on a VStar he once owned. The words he has for me are not encouraging. If the part has to be ordered I may not be able to get it this week he says to me. I do not like this conversation at all.



Andy on the other hand is only speaking to the positive. “You could be on the trip and have a serious oil leak. Wouldn’t you rather take care of this at home and enjoy your vacation?” Sure. Of course I prefer not to be miles from home with motorcycle trouble. “Besides,” he says, “we can always go to ‘plan B’.” “What’s plan B?” I ask. “You can ride on the back with me!” It is incredulous to me that an eight dollar part might keep me from my own bike. But gee wiz, “ride on the back with me” are just not words a riding girl wants to hear.