The poor VStrom has sat, neglected of late, due to the completion of my custom Triumph project and also the wish to put some miles on my GS, but today was breakfast day and the Exford Bridge Tea Rooms was a'calling.
I have been here before and the breakfast was great, I know the route, so off we went.
W-s-M to Bridgwater by M5, then through the town, and over to Enmore, from there to Bishops Lydeard and then onto the real fun roads.
However, for the first time ever with my trusty steed, I was 'making good progress' uphill, having just crossed a cross roads when I heard a tap... then another, from somewhere below and possibly to my left.... difficult to say when one is partly deaf and wearing earplugs, but a glance down revealed the issue... the gear change lever was about to depart the shaft it sits on.
Up and over the hill in 5th, with a little clutch slipping as I had slowed to look down. Soon enough I found a gateway and took a proper look.
The circlip and washer on the outside of the gearchange lever were gone! No idea how, but there we are, so out came the cable ties and a solution of sorts was cobbled together (see pic below). I would have clipped the unneeded part off but... another discovery, no knife / side cutters... note to self; buy a Leatherman.
The Heath Robinson solution lasted the rest of the way to Exford... and for the return journey.
I was the only customer and the breakfast was excellent. Herb sausages, nice tasy bacom and mushrooms cooked in butter with just a twist of seasoning, mmmmmmmm.
The return home was via Dulverton, a really delightful little Devon village, then Bampton, Wiveliscombe and to Taunton where I confess I picked up the M5 in an effort to reduce the number of gear changes required to get home.
Once home a 10.5mm (ish) circlip was found, along with a suitable sized washer and all was quickly fixed.
150 miles of fun, sun, breakfast and empty twisties.
