Motorcycle Sport & Leisure  |  674 - June 2019
Every now and again I almost forget what a plonker I am. Luckily I work with bikes, which gives the universe plenty of opportunities to put me right pretty swiftly. Last time this happened was just a couple of days ago.
As usual, it involved bikes, so I thought I’d share the story with you. I have two motorcycles: a Yamaha Fazer 1000 for Tarmac and a Suzuki DR350 for falling over in mud. They’re neither new and flashy, nor old and characterful. They are somewhere in the grey area in between – the biking equivalent of a pair of chinos and a cagoule; not something you brag about, but do the job.
Anyway, a mate wanted to borrow the Fazer, so I thought I’d better give it a quick test ride as it had beenstanding for a few months. It didn’t start. Just a battery issue, I figured, because it didn’t sound like it was really trying to turn the engine properly. So, I plugged it into a trickle charger (I know, should have done that when I left the bike in the garage all those months ago, but life got in the way). I decided to give it a day or two, then try again — it would be fine, no worries. In the meantime, I decided to check whether the DR started. I didn’t have plans to ride either of them anywhere, but it would be nice to have at least one bike in the garage that was actually working.
The DR sounded much better when I pressed the start button; there was certainly nothing wrong with the battery. But it didn’t start either. Pulling the choke out didn’t help (it rarely seems to make a difference on this bike). Nor did leaving it for a bit, pacing up and down the drive and cursing. After a few attempts I admitted defeat. It was not to be. Stupid bike!
read more
read less
As a subscriber you'll receive the following benefits:
• A discount off the RRP of your magazine
• Your magazine delivered to your device each month
• You'll never miss an issue
• You’re protected from price rises that may happen later in the year
You'll receive 12 issues during a 1 year Motorcycle Sport & Leisure magazine subscription.
Note: Digital editions do not include the covermount items or supplements you would find with printed copies.
Articles in this issue
Below is a selection of articles in Motorcycle Sport & Leisure 674 - June 2019.