Salvage This...

Once Lizzy and I agreed that fuel was a good thing, I needed to turn my attention to what I really need to be road legal. Knowing my speed would be nice. Neither the speedometer or the odometer ever worked for me. I also needed mirrors, blinking lights, new tires and and inspection but that is getting ahead of myself. One thing at a time. Gabe and I took the speedo unit off and tried to find where the problem was.
Jacking the bike up, and spinning the wheel let me look in and see that the tang that rotates with the wheel, was indeed rotating - so the portion on the wheel looked fine. Then I tried to rotate the cable, and it went freely. Too freely...
The cable was broken partway up! See the broken chunk I pulled out. So sad. Not only that but the speedo was shot too (could tell with the drill). So this was the perfect opportunity to go to my first motorcycle salvage yard!

Someone recommended Coopers Salvage in Franklin NH
http://www.mcsalvage.com/coopers.htm

I have to give Gabriel serious props for driving the hour and change there and back while yours truly was reading Chloe Neil's Chicagoland Vampire serious (most fabulous read by the way. I heart Ethan!) And he let me spend money that should go into the house on the bike. What an angel. I will always heart Gabriel the most!

Coopers had crates of speedos! Crates! I got to pick one with a trip meter! FYI a speedo should read ~20mph when you spin it with a typical hand drill at top speed in reverse.

They also hooked me up with a new speedo cable and two (mismatched mirrors) and a new 6V relay to get my lights to blink (not just turn on).

Coopers was an experience. When was the last time you were in a room with this many carburetors?

Dang didly!

There is the new (old) guy installed with the new cable. I snugged those mirrors on and hooked up my new relay and I was ready to hit the road. (Yeah I know I need an inspection ... working on it! Really, I will try after I get new tires!) I went out on real roads for the first time on a 17 mile joy ride! And oh the joy!

The black leather and the sweet bike - kick ass!