A little catching up required perhaps. The bike is not a million miles away from an MoT. It was purchased originally to run in MZ race bike engine parts. It's got about 13000 miles on it and apart from being a delightful hand painted silver, it's all original. It's always been a first time starter and runs much as you'd expect...'a ring, ding, ding, ding' etc etc. So far work has been limited to bleeding the two stroke pump and lines, cleaning out and resetting the carburettor and bemoaning the fact that the front brake sticks on. The intention is to service the bike properly, change the fork and gearbox oil, strip and service the brakes, check the chain and sprockets, blow up the tyres, sort the electrics (remake some of the dodgier connections), fit some luggage, MoT it and ride into the distance! I'll have to deal with the DVLA at some point soon as it hasn't got a log book and was 'put away' long before SORN and then find a thick elastic band or two for when the gearchange return spiring inevitably gets out and walks!
Why go? The wholly unoriginal answer is 'why not' but suffice to say at this point that I need and want to. This story, as well as the bike and ride story, will doubtless be recounted over time. It'll be part of the process so be prepared for the occasional self indulgent ramblings of a middle aged bloke. It certainly won't be 'Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance' and there won't be much of the Hunter S Thompson about it. More 'You're a sad arse you are!'.