Biking on the Learning Curve

Ed has a new motorcycle.  He's on a learning curve of how to maintain it properly.  Not that he doesn't know how to maintain motorcycles, just a learning curve on this particular one.

So when we went for a sort of second maiden voyage on it a couple weeks ago, he wanted to be sure he had enough oil in it.  He checked...seemed too low...bought oil...added it...still seemed low...bought more...added it...(repeat as desired).

Okay, off we go to Chuckanut Drive up north.  It had been years since we'd been up there.  It is a gorgeous day.  We take a picnic lunch and start our trip.

The oil light comes on.  We stop at a little country road pull off and have a coffee break and check out the bike.  Almost immediately another biker stops and asks whether we need any help.  "No, we are fine, thanks."  "Well, if you need anything, I have all the tools.  I've even got an air compressor."  (!!!Who carries an air compressor on a motorcycle??  Evidently this guy does.)  "Thanks anyway."  He zooms off, biker chick in tow.  (I am not technically a biker chick because I do not wear leather "leathers.")

I look down at my own non-leather pants - they are covered with oil.  So is my true leather boot.  I look at Ed's pants.  Oil all up the back.  ????  We check out the bike.  Ed is sure he has blown a gasket.  Not good.

But the oil light is out now, and it stays out.  ?????

We keep going.  Have a nice picnic.  Head home - no oil light, but plenty of oil, in the bike and all over us.

We make it home safely, but covered with oil.  Can non-leather leathers be washed in the washing machine?  Will they start on fire?  Do oil and water mix?  We shall see, because these clothes are soaked.  I head for the laundry room.

Ed decides to read the bike manual.  (As the Bible says, there is a time for everything under the sun.)  Hmmm...listen to this...when checking the oil level, be sure the bike is propped in an upright position.  You will need to put a block under the kickstand in order to level the oil in the bike and get a correct reading.  Hmmm...

Last weekend friends of ours told me they considered me a brave risk taker  (or did they mean foolish?), because each time I get on the bike, something unusual happens (the ride before included a blown out rear tire on the freeway!).

Fortunately, no one got hurt (this is the tag line to almost all our stories, it seems).  And fortunately, Ed had some sort of magic amazing oil filter on the bike with made it so the gaskets did not blow, which saved a TON of money and even more heartache.  And fortunately oil and water DID mix, and our non-leathers came clean, ready for the next saga...I mean, ride.