HansO just contacted me for a chat after his recent retirement and impending caravan safari with Ann. He wants to come North with me in his flash '21 Ford Ranger on my first run with another light trailer for me while I tow my other dual axle tipper trailer I have. Ann has done the far North and Central Australia before and has no wish to tour it again. HansO wants to get Ayers Rock and the Top End off his bucket list before his safari begins.
At least with neither of us riding this time the 2017 Mistress's departure and my R3T's similar fate last Oct are off the cards but I have my 229cc pushrod single
Liddle Tiddler registered and I've done 100 mile already flogging it in the hills and mountains round here this week. Lots of 15, 20, 25, 35, 45 mph corners and hills.
Amazing for its lack of power but it leaps up hills at 50mph in 3rd with my 300lb aboard and just holds 60mph in 5th sitting upright without a significant grade or headwind.
It was actually in amazing condition when I finally gave it a clean, stripped the carb, fitted a RamAir 62mm pod to the stock 28mm Mikuni knockoff and it roars! Swapped seats and fitted a rack today I had lying around.
I bought a couple more at auction earlier this year for just Au$400 each, all 2015/2016 models, one had 1654 km from new and the other just 3245. The cleanest one I have was $850 at a different auction, has 6500 km and I kept in stock black but added a tank l strap (guitar straps) I spotted a few years ago with that or similar usage in mind to match my red stripe Rocket.
So with just 1/10th of the Rocket cc it is a real Rocket Minime.
I had a few parts I got in a bundle auction for the Aussie MUTT m/cles when it went broke in 2019. I found all the body, tank, fenders, panels, fitted straight up with a little fiddling and the 3" longer and much heavier rear shocks, seats, H4 halogen headlights all bolted on. The H4s were a good upgrade from 12v globes! Quickly discovered my sidestands were a few inches too short so got a box spanner to sleeve the cut through original. Now upgraded with a $1 bit of pipe from the dump shop so I have put Dad's box spanner back on the wall.
So after tracking down the correct fuel pumps and fuel sensors to blank off tanks and convert to gravity carb use. It looks like I will have three of these fire breathers to match my three Triumphs.
I have to re-do the lower fender wires on this one. Just set up for sizing.
I found an wooden carved coolamon bowl in my collections that matches the paintwork and might make a cool themed flyscreen. Yes I am crazy!
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