Ponderisms

Tonight's thoughts are not build related. I simply felt the need to sit down and prattle. Often I have said that gear is always cheaper than hospital bills. Sadly this was proven to be true today. A close associates mother suffered a no gear accident today. She suffered head trauma and a broken arm upon initial report.

I am a strong proponent of wearing safety gear while riding. Reduce the possibility of injury is objective of wearing purpose built gear. I am not going to comment on how people operate (drive, ride) their vehicles. Not going off on that tirade tonight. People drive enclosed vehicles, cages from here on out, with an exoskeleton all around them to provide protection from bodily harm. Riding a motorcycle there is just you and the machine. No barrier to the elements. Those who almost get it drive convertibles. Bodily harm while riding is guaranteed happen if a motorcycle is halted abruptly in an accidental fashion. As one who rides for the union of man and machine, safety gear is essential for my confidence in the saddle. I have crashed and bruised. You ain't a biker unless you limp. Point is, I love motorcycling enough to get back up and ride again. A helmet has saved me from any kind of head trauma on two different occasions, my Phoenix jacket saved my back from a crippling injury. Regardless of temperature, I wear a padded jacket, helmet, and gloves every time I turn the key and straddle a bike.

What blows my mind are the varied mentalities against taking proper precautions. Know this inherent truth about operating any motor vehicle: Machines of greater mass and power than the operator are deadly if mishandled. Operator Error is the root cause of all accidents. Mechanical failures caused by lack of maintenance is still operator error. Rare is the occurrence of a genuine defect in the vehicle which caused the accident. Manufacturer recall campaigns generally negate the possibility. In short, vehicles don't fuck up, people do.

Four wheels to move the body, two wheels move the soul. I wish to minimise the damage to my body in the event of an accident. Another phrase I am known to say: There are those who have crashed, there are those who will crash, and those who have, may go down again. Not a pleasant thought, but it is true. Crashing sucks but walking away in disgust is better than being carried away in an ambulance. I do not ride in fear. I am not fearless. I do understand my vehicle and the risks of operating it. I accept the fact that I could perish every time I ride. Miyamoto Musashi described the way of the warrior and the "resolute acceptance of death." He stated the death is inevitable and could occur at any moment, regardless of present activity. Knowing this, the sage lives each moment to its fullest and embraces all that life offers. Much of what we do requires special or specific equipment. Preparation of food is an example relevant to everyone unless you're a freak who eats only leaves off live plants. One needs proper equipment to prepare and consume food. One can ride a bike with only the clothes on their back, but it is kind of like cooking bare handed over a campfire. All the stock in your kitchen is worth a few thousand dollars. Why do people find it so hard to throw down a few hundred dollars on equipment which could prevent severe injury or death.

DeRustifed Destiny

Friday the 8th of Febuary, the day which preceeded today, marked long awaited progress in the build. The daily phone call from my son became atypical when he informed me a package had arrived. BOING! The remainder of the workday passed quickly and soon the aquisition was in my hands.
I have been searching for a crankshaft pinion tool. I was willing to settle for someone who owned the right one. Persistance pays off as I won the bid on ebay. For less than fifty bucks I scored the right tool for the job. Going prices I have seen during the wait ranged from 60-100 and the local availibility was none.
Once home last night I came in the house and greeted the family. There on out I was all over the package like a hungry dog. I have a rhetorical question: What is it with ebay sellers who ship their products filthy as hell? I have been satisfied with the all items I aquired because they filled the need. A few of my purchases have shown up dirty as hell, the most recent included. Only fitting that an old iron tool from foggy old England should arrive coated in rust. Safe to venture into the thought this puller sat untouched in a musty wooden toolbox for years. I spent five miniutes and a dozen paper towels cleaning it before adjourning to the garage. Rag in hand and 6-in-1 spray on the threads, I spun the driver end to end and wiped the newly released grime from it. I was gross, no two ways about it. Damp rust which caked off like nasty brown mud. Befitting to the way I found the engine, hideous chud.
Clean and Lubed the black iron puller began to warm in my hands. Molecules awakened as their purpose realized once again. I locked the connecting rods and installed the puller on the crankshaft pinion. Experience has taught me not to bull rush into press fit pieces; I loaded and unloaded the puller a few times before getting the drive that pulled the gear from the end of the crankshaft. Success was mine. I set the tools down and went in the house to be with my family.