Suzi's First Outting of 2025

With the first Kettle Club local run to the bike meet at Rye due on Sunday, I needed to get the bike on the road.

To start the new year off I took a photo of the odometer.

Firstly,  I had to remove the old Motobatt and get it charged up. 

Secondly,  give her a wash and brush up to get rid of the accumulated filth from sutting in the garage over what seems a long wet winter.

Thirdly, pump up the tyres. Sitting in the garage the front tyre was down to 13psi and the rear 16.5psi.

With the battery on charge it was barely registering 1amp and it seems that it was too flat to recover. 

So I ordered a new one from Tayna for next day delivery. I would be out so in two days would have sufficed. It arrived on time.

So today. Once back from my volunteering job at greyhound rescue,  I had the new battery fitted.

With the petrol tank sounding a little empty I decided to get a can out of the garage and go to the petrol station and fill it.

With 5 litres of 97 octane E5 in the tank it was time to start then engine. Fingers crossed. 

Choke lever down. Ignition on. The neutral light very bright. Press the starter. It took four goes and she fired up. 

A bit lumpy at first. And it didn't tick over very well. I think the tick over is set a little low.

I decided to take her out for a run around and see how she went.

In the end I did a loop around through New Romney, and across the downs above the Marsh to home.

It is always a culture change to ride a 48yo two stroke when you compare it to a modern bike.

Not far but a first 31.9 miles.

A quick photo after I got back home.

The only worry is that there was very little smoke from the pipes on start-up.