- Sat Aug 03, 2013 12:28 am
#2497
Just a little crowing session really. Had a nasty cough so haven't ridden the Bitsa for a while. It's been about five months since I put the ally barrel on and stripped and cleaned out the crank case and found the source (sticking rocker) of the intermittent clatter. The piston (8:1) was looking basically ok but it was clear that there had been overheating and that the rings had failed. I put in a new set with the new barrel and kept the not very old piston. After 500 miles I changed the oil (straight 50 mineral ideal for northern New Zealand temperatures) and apart from an occasional peek at levels and a replacement clutch cable haven't done anything but ridden it since. So after about 3000 or 4000 miles I was feeling a bit nervous about having not looked at the oil. When a thing is going well I tend to get a bit complacent. So imagine my delight when kicking it in to life this morning and finally checking the oil I discover that I've used no more than a 1/4 pint if that and the oil is still clean as a whistle! Doesn't make me any less of a tit for not keeping an eye on it but pleasing none the less.
