Rewards of a Nervous Breakdown

One of the rewards of having a nervous breakdown (if you're a motorcycle) is that you get your wiring rejuvenated and sometimes, if you're lucky, a few extra goodies get thrown in. In the Balita's case, she got a new speedometer dial. The old one broke when its cable got stuck on the clamp of old support of the rectifier, which tugged the main pin loose and broke the mechanism. Emilio had another one on hand and stuck it in. It looks pretty sharp, although I can't say what year it's from. Maybe one of you clever people know and can comment at the bottom of the page.

The old clock at 30,000 km

The old clock at 42000km

Presto! Chango!

A new speedometer, marking only 13,591.8 km. 

Since it's not been to the vehicle inspection test yet, there's no problem. I'll just have to add 30,000 km to the maintenance schedule from now on. 

Big Sister Comes Home

La Balita Roja is  a jealous beast.
For Twelfthnight I gave myself a present: I bought a fourth-hand touring motorcycle. A 1986 BMW K75C. With its original black plastic side cases and a 45-liter top case and support. Heated grips. Windscreen. ABS on front and back wheels.
She's been kindly called La Perla Pirata, which I liked. Also, Precioussss, aka Smeagol/Gollum's reference to the Ring. And the Bavarian Wardrobe, rather more unkindly but nonetheless true.
I saw it on the net, from a guy in Barcelona. Luckily my bro Javier Honrubia lives out there and went to see it, bought it for me, had a good look at it and spruced it up and then rode it all the way back to Madrid for me. Above and beyond the call of duty. Javier owned a K75RT for many years and can take one apart with his bare hands and put it back together with only a toothpick and some dental floss.
Here's the fateful Reunion Day:

On route to Madrid

I see the Perla Pirata arrive!

Flexit delivering the goods.

My new precioussssss

Running fine, the ITV vehicle inspection test passed through 2015.
Now it's time for us to get to know each other. She's a big fat sluggish thing in the city, but on the highway she glides along effortlessly. This is going to be fun to travel on and cover some miles.

But I get more smiles per gallon on la Balita, I have to admit.

The Balita Roja gets a new nervous system

The Balita kept losing its charge, the battery wouldn't recharge even on the go. Emilio Mazarías took it into his care and found the current being generated was too low (12.4 to 13.8 max) so it was using up battery even while running. He proceded to rip out lots of unnecessary wires, put in new better quality wires, and moved the rectifier in from its old place at the front of the bike to a space beside the battery, and reconfigured it all. It's now producing 13.8 at low idle, and boosting the reeves a bit shots that up to a more than decent 14.4, so we hope that has been solved. La Balita is running better than ever, but is still out on parole. I'm going to use it hard, to see if the new setup holds up robustly.

Emilio Mazarías doing neurosurgery on the Balita Roja

Rectifier gone!

Here it is, beside the battery!

New disco colored fuel tube

New curved windscreen

La Balita Roja in top shape!