The exhaust valve in the rear head needed to be cleaned up. So what do I do, I wait until the night before the big Dice party in Oakland to pull the motor and fix it. Why you ask? Because those really cool finned valve covers with that bitchin patina won't allow the rear head to clear the fire ring, believe me I've tried.
I was hungover all day Friday after a night of imbibing around the campfire. Finally around 4pm I got the ambition to start and by 10 my wife was busting my balls about how she wouldn't be able to go or we would end up pushing ti somewhere because I was tearing it down the night before. The woman has no faith sometimes. By the time midnight rolled around I had the engine back in the frame. A little rest and a 10 hour day at work I was back at it by 5:30. With the party starting at 8pm and friends arriving from Sac at 6:30 I had no time to waste getting all the little bits buttoned back up. I had her running by 6:15 and was taking the ol' 64 off the lift as the guys pulled up the driveway.
We cracked some beers sat around for half an hour joking and telling lies. My folks and a good friend from town here showed up and we split for Oakland. About half way there as the sun was going down my dad gave me the check your headlight sign, that was a big no go. The switch was on, no light. I looked down at my left boot and saw my gen wires hanging loose. Damn it! I forgot to hook up my generator. We pulled of the freeway and I carefully hooked them up while I left the bike running. Still no light, "fuck it lets go" I said "I'll figure it out later." We rolled into Oakland in the dark, me sans lights but hell we made it right, time to party!!
I gave it a couple of hours to cool off and let my mind loosen up a bit. Suddenly it occurred to me I had taken a picture of the wires on the old gen the night before. I finished off drink an went out to see what kind of dumb-ass I was. Yup, picture in hand I had reversed the wires. A quick flip-flop and one kick she came to life with full electrical power. What a relief now I could go home whenever I wanted, no escorts or waiting for the sun.
With the good news My wife and I made the decision to stay a little longer, so my folks took off somewhere after midnight. We closed down the joint and headed back to the hotel all of our friends were staying at. We hung out there for a while and decided to roll out with the Sonoma Co. boys. Four of us leaving Jack London square at 3am looking for an on-ramp on noisy ass choppers, real good idea right? We went a couple of blocks past O.P.D. in the middle of some kind cop business, lite's all glowing red and blue. Finally found our on ramp and headed for home. The wife and I split off for our neck of the woods and they for theirs. Mann it's peaceful riding down the freeways at 3:30 in the morning, cool wind and almost the only one on the fwy.
One last exit and we are cruising down our street no problems lights work, made it out of Oakland in the wee hours in the morning without getting shot or hassled by the man, We had a nice run down the fwy, but wouldn't you know it I run out of gas two blocks before the house. Had to push the bitch home after all.
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