Motorcycle Whispering

OK so the first day didn't go so well.

I decided to take a step back and start over.

First I went out and got some basic tools.
Screw drivers, sockets, wrenches.
Finding decent tools took an entire day.
Walmart hasn't made it to England yet.
That's either a good thing or bad, depends on if your looking for something.
If you need paper your go to the stationary store. Need aspirin go to the drug store.
Need blank cds go to the electronic store. Each thing is in it's own separate store.
shopping takes all day. I see people walking around all the time dragging suitcases.
Now I know why, that's their shopping for the day.

I spent 5 hours washing and cleaning the bike.
Why did it take 5 hours?
Because I tried to scrub down every single part and check for lose bolts and nuts.
I found 5 lose nuts, mostly non important stuff like the kick stand, seat, brakes etc. Just kidding.
I also spent some time looking up how to start and run the bike.

Starting the bike is a ritual in itself.
Put Bike Neutral
Put bike on center stand
Fuel On
Choke on
Ignition OFF
Press Carburettor tickler 3 times
Hold in Compression release lever
Turn over kick start 10 times
Let go of Compression release lever
Ignition ON
Move kick start till it stops
(Amp meter will move to the left
Push on the compression release lever and
move the kick starter until
the amp meter moves back to the middle)
release the compression release lever
Kick start the Engine

Needless to say stalling in traffic can become a bit of a pain.

But after a 5 hour bath the bike seems to have decided that it likes me and starts up on the first try.

I take it for a nice simple drive around the neighbour hood.
I learn that I need to be in neutral before I stop the bike.
Getting to neutral while it's stopped is somewhat difficult.
Since it was late and I was tired I went back home.
Not a spectacular day but a good starting place.