Editor’s Note: As a reminder – reader Jim R is going to be participating in an upcoming Moto Giro in May. He volunteered to share the experience of preparing for the ride and I took him up on it because I knew a lot of you would love to learn more about what a MotoGiro is and what’s required to get ready for one. Missed Part 1? Read it here.
Running the MotoGiro
Part 2 – The Disappointment Begins…
So, let’s catch up…I’ve been sick and Steve and Mark finished up their respective bikes. Steve’s Ducati had some pulled spark plug threads and needed to be fixed at the machine shop. After machining and installing the reworked head, all seems fine. It is a fiddly little Italian bike and as such, has some idiosyncrasies. This bike is a Giro veteran and does well for this event. Steve restored this bike from a basket case, and it is a beauty which draws tons of attention.
Unfortunately, my initial Giro ride, a 1966 Meguro 250 SG, had some issues. It runs great but tends to jump out of gear, and has transmission issues it seems. Steve was kind enough to really delve into the bike, but it appears to be a major issue. I happen to own a parts bike, but the remaining time frame and unknown factors make the bike unusable…for now.
Thankfully, those that know me (or read Bike-urious) know I’ve got a nice collection of F1s, and my Giro bike from the past has come out of the back of the garage to be a substitute. I also am lucky enough to have another running F1 that is being prepped as a back up bike…talk about being prepared!
Tank prep time – I removed the rust, checked and cleaned the balance tube, and installed a new modern petcock.
I’ve been meaning to add a rack, and I have the ultra-rare Kawasaki option which reflected a cost increase of $1.50 in 1966. That’s money well spent!
Thanks to Mark, our team T-shirts and hats have been procured. [Editor’s Note: As you may remember from Part 1, the name Team RVA comes from “Richmond, Virginia”]
We generally end work sessions with a fine cigar. It might not be wife or girlfriend approved, but it’s a shop treat! Mark (team photographer) is on the left, and Steve (team mechanic) is on the right.
Steve takes a moment to see if his Italian mistress will fire to life…
Well, Giro prep is well under way, and shakedown rides are looming…stay tuned. For more Giro news, go to the Facebook page. Thanks for reading and being patient!