After we'd been shopping I took her out into the countryside - but it was cold, so-oooo cold! My hands soon began to freeze and the petrol tank felt like ice. In fact there were soon two Little Willie's on the road, at least it felt like it - or it would have done if I could have felt anything! I stopped for a warm-up and took this picture (left), and as I was doing so a car came past, slowed, and the driver gave me a wave of approval. Or did he mean 'get that thing off the road'? Anyhow, it was a lovely ride even though it was cold. Roll on springtime!
It was really quite frosty first thing this morning. I bunged a load of bed-clothes in the washing machine, then pegged them out on the line, where they quickly began to go rigid! As it was such a lovely bright morning I decided to go shopping on my Bantam and unlocked the workshop to get out Little Willie. Switched on the petrol, gave her a quick tickle, and a kick later she fired up! Pop-pop-popper-pop!
After we'd been shopping I took her out into the countryside - but it was cold, so-oooo cold! My hands soon began to freeze and the petrol tank felt like ice. In fact there were soon two Little Willie's on the road, at least it felt like it - or it would have done if I could have felt anything! I stopped for a warm-up and took this picture (left), and as I was doing so a car came past, slowed, and the driver gave me a wave of approval. Or did he mean 'get that thing off the road'? Anyhow, it was a lovely ride even though it was cold. Roll on springtime!
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This afternoon got out nice again with a bit of sunshine, so, out came Little Willie again for a jaunt into town. Actually I had a good excuse to go into town again (not that I need any!) as I needed to drop off some documents to my solicitor who is looking after my affairs (if only!), and Little Willie bombed down into town (more like pop-popped!) with me hanging on for dear life. Then I decided I needed a couple of pints of milk (or whatever the metric equivalent is), so we zoomed up to Waitrose (well, pop-popped again, which was just as well as there was a police car hidden from view trying to catch speeding motorists. Mind you, they just gave me a wave. Did they mean go a bit faster, perhaps?). At Waitrose - I'm please to report - Little Willie got some admiring glances! Then we went to the Post Office and ... on the way back... it RAINED! Little Willie didn't like getting wet, so I dried her off and put her back in the workshop
This was the first nice day - well, I say 'nice' but it was still gray and gloomy - so I thought I'd get Little Willie out and go for a run! The roads were a bit wet and greasy in places so we took it easy at first. Little Willie headed into town and stopped outside Chris Clarke Motorcycles, so I parked her up and went and had a look. There are some HUGE bikes there, I can tell you, and they made Little Willie look.... well... little parked near to them. Next we went into town, through the Market Place (Little Willie was quite disappointed as no-one took any notice of her!) and then along Middleton Street, turning left at the War Memorial to go down (or is it up?) Vicar Street. No sign of the Vicar though, he was probably writing his sermon for Sunday,or maybe getting his lunch ready! Which reminds me I must get some rolls out of the freezer for lunch. I wonder if he does the same? Perhaps he breaks his before dipping them in his soup. I've got vegetable soup today, from Waitrose. But I digress. So I parked Little Willie outside the Abbey Church as you can see,before setting off again. But, where to next? Finally, we set off again along Church Street, passing The Green Dragon - Wymondham's oldest hostelry - then went back along Middleton Street, Town Green and Back Lane. Then we stopped outside our new library - well, it's a few years old now, but still looks quite new - anyway, it's newer than our old one which was built during the Middle Ages, probably before most people could read. But they could be illuminated by the pictures, couldn't they? Now, we're home again and Little Willie is tucked up for the rest of the day. Sorry, guys, I know I've let you down badly, but Little Willie's not been too well. As you all know I like to get out with her for a ride come rain or shine (but let's be sensible here, not when the roads are icy or greasy!), but, following an overnight frost (quite a sharp one), I went into the workshop to run the D7 for a few minutes to keep the battery topped up. Little Willie started first kick, after giving her the usual 'tickle', and, after a couple of minutes I opened the strangler and went to tweak the throttle. The cable came off in my hand! Even if the weather had been better, Little Willie had decided to go nowhere!
I could have sent away for a new cable (£9 with postage) but I went to my local cycle shop and bought a new outer and inner cable then de-soldered the nipples from the old cable and soldered them on to the new. Success! It now works fine, The cost? £2.99. Can't be bad! Now it's very wet, and tomorrow gusty winds are forecast. Never mind, you'll soon see my Little Willie again! Take care, together! Little Willie and Big Hank Well, as I promised, Little Willie took me down into town again this afternoon and parked herself in the Market Place next to her Colonial Cousin, Big Hank. I left the two of them 'at it' whilst I went to the Norwich & Peterborough to pay them some money. (Goodness knows what they do with it all, it's every month the same!) When I got back to the parking area a crowd had formed (as usual) and were looking at... Little Willie! "I used to have one," was the remark by one guy, "I should have kept it." Starting Little Willie, I replied: "I did think about riding home on this one," pointing to the Harley. Whereupon Little Willie coughed, spluttered, and stopped. "Only joking," I said, as she started and began to pop, pop-pop, pop, quite happily again. Then, waving back at the crowd, we set off down Market Street, on the way passing the shop where Big Hank's owner works. He was outside with his mate enjoying a *fag break (*cigarette). As we passed I called out: "We posed next to your bike... and took a picture!" "That'll cost ya!" he laughed, "I'll want the usual modelling fee... and don't forget I need to sign the release form!" . Little Willie at the Medics This morning I needed to go to see the Doc - nothing serious, just something known as 'Kick-start Knee', you know a bit like 'Housemaid's Knee' but different! Anyhow, I went down to the Medical Centre with my Little Willie (it was cold!!!) and parked outside Boots. Then we went into town and parked close to my friend's Harley in the Market Place. Oh, I didn't think, I should have taken a picture, shouldn't I? A good excuse to good back this afternoon, I guess...! Went for another ride this morning on my Bantam, but it was so-ooo cold,and a bit windy in places. Could hardly feel my hands when I got back home. Looks like the last run Little Willie will have for a few days, as the weather forecast for tomorrow is heavy rain and gales - but, what can we expect? It is only January, after all. As long as I can get in my workshop tomorrow I'll sort through my stock of Bantam parts and
I managed to get out for a New Year Day's run on my Bantam, Little Willie, although we got caught up in a Fun Run with hundreds of joggers and runners everywhere! Still, it stayed dry and was quite mild for the first of January, so I've got to make the most of it. People lining the Market Place and streets didn't know where to look first: the runners or my BSA Bantam. I think they got quite a surprise to see us two there! Little Willie is tucked up now, nice and cosy for the night! |
Boy AlbieI've been the proud owner of a 1965 BSA Bantam D7 since 1991, affectionately known as Little Willie (Wilhelmina) and love to take her out for a ride so that others can see her. Archives
May 2016
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