a trip of a lifetime

So I’m back. I’m still alive and both me and the bike are in 1 peice.

It was strange being on a motor powered bicycle and I must say the seated riding position isn’t the most comfortable but it might just be me needing to get used to the position. I’ve got plenty of time to do that.

My journey to Tesco was a short one. My moped doesn’t have indicators so I wanted the first journey to be small. My house to Tesco is a loop so I knew the lack of indicators wouldn’t be a problem. I had planned on using hand signals but needing my right hand for the throttle meant I could only really indicate left… I’ll also need to work on that!

I parked up at Tesco and chuckled to myself on my ‘not quite a bicycle/not quite a motorbike’ ride. I put it in the bike rack but hadn’t remembered to bring my bike lock – schoolboy error. I hoped that the nice people of Wokingham weren’t on the look out for a classic ’83 Honda Camino and luckily they weren’t.

Honda Camino's first test ride to Tesco

Supplies purchased I went back outside to mount my trusty steed. As I tried to start it, it was like the chain was slipping. This wasn’t a good sign. I took the plastic covering off the chain-side and it looked like the chain was too loose. What had actually happened is that bottom bolts holding on the rear tyre had come loose, allow the wheel to move forward. Not a good thing to happen. I tried to use my fingers to tighten the nuts but strangely that didn’t work and I was left stranded in Tesco.

What I had done was forgotten that I had a mo-PED… so I packed my helmet in the lock-box and tried to pedal home. The slipping chain meant that I couldn’t go quickly and the moped is hard to manouver at slow speeds. This meant I had a push the bike home. 😦 BOOOOO!

So I sat on the bike and started pushing it home. Going down the pedestrian ramp at Tesco I managed to get enough momentum to jump-start the bike! FREEEDOM! Knowing I had a loose rear wheel meant I kept the speeds low on the journey back and I made it home safely.

My first test ride was was both a success and a failure. But really I’m chalking it up to a success.

Things that went well.

1. I didn’t die
2. The bike can handle my weight
3. It can accellerate to 25mph no problem (I wimped out before I hit 30!)
4. The top-box can hold my helmet (Phnarrr Phnaar)
5. When its going, its quite enjoyable to ride

Things that didn’t go so well

1. Rear bolts need checking
2. The fenders work themselves loose which makes an awful racket
3. I think the top speed will be around 30mph
4. Its quite uncomfortable
5. No indicators

I’ll be checking the bike over again before I take it out. I will need to work out what I can do to keep the rear wheel bolts on. They are probably supposed to be torqued to a correct setting, not just me leaning on the spanner saying, “That’ll do.”