The Dirtbag Challenge (DBC) 2013 officially started on Friday, September 13th. The bike I built last year is dead. The bike ran when I took it to San Francisco and then with the help of Turk, Risa, and Poll Brown, another 13 hours of work later and she ran better and was much safer.
The bike made it to Alice's Restaurant, the destination of the ride but once we got there I noticed some sketchy shit, to say the least. The battery bracket had come lose and was flopping around next to the chain. After using several zip-ties, on a temporary basis to get back to SF, I realized she wasn't going to be driving anywhere.
She would start but wouldn't stay running. It seemed like the jet was clogged which would make sense after all the debris I found in the tank later. A bunch of blue flaky shit specifically. I was in such a hurry to build the bike I forgot to install an inline fuel filter. Oh well. Three Blue Moons and the purchase of an Alice's Restaurant sweatshirt and three hours later, a chase truck come to my rescue. We picked up one more bike we found on the side of the road on the way back. By the time we made it back to San Francisco the party was winding down. I had missed it. Friends had waited for hours for me to show up and they were still there...my best sister-out-law, Michele and one of my favorite people, Steely Jan. Troopers, both of 'em.
I sat on my bike, still proud of the work I had done to get there. I tried, with my fingers crossed, one more time to kick it over. OF COURSE!! it started. Steely and I rode it around a bit and had a blast.
The next morning I put the bike back on the trailer and cried a little as I left San Francisco, headed back to San Diego. As always, just like Tony Bennett, I did truly leave my heart in San Francisco. I love that city more than any words could ever explain.
Once I got back from the DBC, next thing you know, it was time for Mods v Rockers in January. I got the bike running one more time and it made it from my house to the Waring Road exit (almost) on the 8 freeway, about 5 miles. It hasn't been touched since.
With the help of my BFF, Kindra, we pulled the motor out of the frame last weekend.
So last night I pulled the spark plugs out and it doesn't look good. Here's a picture of both of the plugs, side by side.
I am down to 25 days and don't know what the heck to do. In the meantime, I have been searching for another bike perhaps or another motor.
More to come.
