Isle of Man Vision

[artbone]

I visited my Vision on the Isle of Man and, once again, was unable to ride. Last year I lost the key so I removed the switch and brought it back to Mexico and had keys made. This year I installed the switch and found that the batt was dead so bought a new batt and tried again to crank the bike. I finally got it started by jumping it off a car batt and rode it to where we were renting a place, thinking that with it warmed up and fresh gas it would start.

No such luck. I had to jump it again and rode it about 10 miles and brought it back and tried to start it again. The started stopped working at all. The solenoid would click but the started wouldn't turn at all. Pulled the started and it was full of oil. When I got it cleaned up noticed the neg brush was worn all the way down and just barely touching the armature. I filed out the little bracket so it would make contact better and put it back in. Still wouldn't crank on the batt, then stopped working again.

So that's it. It rained every day so wouldn't have been much fun to ride anyway. Since I really don't have any place to work on the bike when I'm over there and no tools except what I bring with me, I think I'm going to give up and have it shipped back home and, if I ever go back over just rent a bike in London and ride to Liverpool and take the ferry. But I don't know if I'm ever going back. Art

[funkamongus]

  bummer.. Sorry you couldnt enjoy it more!!!
 I watched the race recently. (on TV). first time watcher.. WOW,, those guys are hard core!!
As for renting,, it turns out,, renting bikes isnt as bad as you might think. My friend Dan rented a harley for 105 a day U.S. TOTAL. Taxes, insurance, everything. He rented a heritage soft tail, thinking he might like to buy one. Didnt like it,, right leg too close to the cylinder head.
Im admiring your stable. Some nice stuff!!!

[don_vanecek]

Visions just don't like to sit around. Everyonce and awhile I sit around and think how neat it would be to have other bikes but I drop back to reality, the Vision would revolt and not run when I needed it to. Heck, since I took no trips this year I doubt I will even put 2000 miles on, it would be a waste of money. You know alittle 150cc or so dirt only bike however would be fun to ride around the place however.

[artbone]

Well, actually the whole trip wasn't so bad. We did rent a BMW GS1200 in Madrid and rode around for 10 days and that was a blast. The Pyrenees are really beautiful.

And, I know exactly what's wrong with the Vision. A $35 starter rebuild kit would have it running in an hour or so but where do you get such a thing on the Isle of Man and I didn't have the tools to install it anyway. The bike has been over there for 15 years and the last 2 years are the only time I haven't been able to ride it.

Oh well, I want to go to the MotoGP in Indy next year which is the same weekend.
Art

[Glyn]

Bet it's the carb. Whip it off and put a decent carb on it.

[artbone]

Well, no, it's not the carbs. It's the starter. As I said, I took it apart and didn't have anything to fix it with so cleaned it up and put it back together.

On another subject, I got a quote for shipping the bike from the IOM to my house in MX. I was surprised that it was only about 1500 Pounds which is less than $2500. I think that's not bad for door to door service. It's a lot for a 82 Vision but the bike has a lot of sentimental value to me. I courted my wife on it. It was the first bike she ever rode.

Art