Parts / Service / But a Triumph?

The past few days have been something of a trying time….I had ordered a raft of parts for the Triumph, but only one has fit correctly. The centre stand seems to be the main problem, with a plethora of advice from suppliers, manufacturers; none of which has helped and none of which, it seems, has been entirely accurate. I have had to send back several parts, and am currently awaiting a refund for them. Thank God for Billy in BMC for his expertise and, more importantly, patience with the whole process! The radiator grilles didn't quite fit either and he has had to custom make a bracket to ensure they do – the lower (oil) grille is still uncertain! The parts aren't cheap and for this reason I get frustrated with the process.

I now have a decision to make, do I persevere and order a part from the U.S (still uncertain whether it will fit), or do I leave it and order engine bars (that I am fairly certain will fit‽). Decisions decisions! With the apparent springing of Spring, it seems the sort of weather to be out on a bike. Hopefully soon the new Go Pro will be pressed into action, although even here, the handlebar mount is obstructed by the brake master cylinder, and I cannot find a suitable place to mount the camera! Ahhhhhhhh!! The fine weather has enabled a friend, Dee, to get out and about on his BMW, something he has openly stated he is relishing (the accompanying pictures he sent with his Cheshire-cat grin was proof enough!). I am hankering for a run….when leaving the bike in for her service the other day I had almost underestimated how good it would feel to be back on two wheels!

We are hoping for a run around the west coast of Ireland sometime in May – before another friend returns to filming duties. Before that though, I will (hopefully) revisit the Strangford Lough route[s] before then; although my success in getting Valhalla and the Fjord published has stalled with flattering comments and feedback, but no-one willing to actually publish the book. It might be that I have to examine self-publishing (making it available on Amazon etc), but this is an expensive process. In the interim, wish me luck with the parts debacle.