The Story of "616"

I was up early. Very early. The sparrows hadn't thought of farting yet.

A 5:45 flight from Melbourne to Sydney Airport;
A 'Skytrain' (which never leaves the ground!) to Central Station;
A beautiful train trip via Country Link to Lithgow (which follows Bells Line of Road, or vice versa);
A not-so-beautiful bus trip via Country Link to arrive at Bathurst Station.

I'm there 3 hours before the rendezvous time (3 PM).

A quick trip to the local bike shop for chain lube (not allowed in aircraft carry-on);
A drop by Target for a backpack and warm woolly socks (it was freezing up there);
A bite to eat at the local "greasy";
Head off to the Tourist Information Centre for the 'meeting'.

I'm there an Hour and a Half early....

A coffee, and a nice chat with the lovely ladies in the info centre - justifying why I'm hanging around inside rather than freezing to death in the icy southerly outside.

"The Seller" arrives at 3:30.

"Gidday Mate - sorry I'm a a bit late, work had overtime on".

My only concern is to make a quick assessment of the condition of my homeward bound transport. It is much "rougher" than my photo assessment. I politely shake his hand and remind him of my name.

"How'd you git here?"
"Plane, train and large automobile, ahh, bus".
"You're funny! How ya gitting back?"
"Riding this..."
"Strewth Mate, last time I rode it she wouldn't go over 80 k's" (kilometres per hour)
"Really? But you said on eBay..."
"I didn't want to put you off..."
"Well just as well I have the rest of the weekend to ride home then."

We unloaded "616" from his ute.

Someone had done a partial resto on her. The frame had a nice red powder coat finish. The basic running gear seemed OK if not original Tenere. Evidence of a slide down the road in her distant past. Chain & Sprockets passable. Tyres will do for the trip. It's Do-able. I've ridden worse (not owned by me though). 

"Does she start?"
"Had 'er running this morning", he climbed aboard and kicked her over. She settled into a healthy sounding, choke-assisted idle.
"She don't have many rattles - haven't touched her engine since I got 'er"
He was right, the engine sounded basically normal (for any single-cylinder bike with nearly 60,000 km on it).

The Seller claimed that he'd bought her as a project 18 months ago, but hadn't had time to do anything much. Probably what I'll be doing in 18 months. He had no recollection who he bought her off and her history. "I dunt worry about dat stuff usually", was all he offered.

Dreading what I was about to do, I summoned the courage. "OK, here's the cash - can I have a receipt and the rego papers signed?" 616 had one months registration remaining - perfect - she only needed to get me legally home.

"Tell me more about the performance... does she just run out of breath at 80 or what?"
"Mate, she just cuts out dead, but comes back ta life when you roll da throttle orf".
Great! I thought. Can't be unrepairable then, how bad can it be?

He stuffed the wad of fifties into his pocket, handed me the paperwork and drove off.

Truth is, I was too excited to take any photos. Now I know it would have been nice to have. To document where my illness really started.

I'm mechanically savvy around bikes this vintage, the 'expert' my mates come to for advice. I now know I had a lot to learn about these bikes. The XT600 motor has a fairly unique set of problems. The described problem being one of them. Often the problem persists until it is passed to a subsequent "sucker"....

There are about a dozen very different causes for the lack of performance toward the top end. I knew none of them intimately.

I got my gear sorted, and went to start the bike. I noticed copious amounts of fuel draining from the carb overflow hose. I stood the bike upright - the flow reduced but didn't cease. It would nicely lube the rear tyre if it continued. No need to worry, it will probably stop down the road anyway. Later, I would have bigger issues to deal with.

616 started first kick. Idle was poor with the choke off. The clutch action heavy. I rode her slowly through to the other side of town. Topped us both off with fuel (Premium and MARS Bars, as needed), and headed out of town.

No signs of significant problems. Up to 70 everything seemed normal.

Then the speed de-restriction sign. A slight uphill grade, roll throttle on, BAAAWWWWWWWWWW. Nothing - a negative effect on forward progress. Roll throttle off slowly. BAARRRRRRRR. She lives! Roll throttle on - BAAAWWWWWWWW. Thank God (& state roads departments) for passing lanes. Even a semi passed me...

We crested the first hill at 50 km/h. There was a consistent throttle opening where the engine would just die. I stopped & invested a few minutes checking the cable routing for anything touching the electrics when the throttle was actuated. I couldn't see much - that HUGE tank covered everything.

Back on the road I realised that 616 would do 100 on downhills (and still accelerating), so it wasn't electrical. The 'magic' throttle position was enough to get her running up to 100 on the flat (eventually). From this speed she could climb basic hills and hold speed. 4th gear helped too (keep the revs up). I learned to love passing lanes and dirt verges. The issue must lie in the complex dual throat carb set-up. I proved I could cope, but had to concentrate hard on throttle control.

I was trying to work out how far I could get before it got dark and uncomfortably colder. I checked the lighting. NOTHING. Not even the stoplight works. Well, actually, I eventually realised the Neutral Indicator Light worked. Why only this?

Some not so quick arithmetic hinted I'd get to Cootamundra about 30 minutes before sunset if I averaged 90 km/h. 616 & I were coming to an understanding - if I didn't expect more performance than a 125cc bike, then 616 would comply. The term "lazy bitch" never entered my mind!

We arrived in Cowra. The first set of traffic lights since Bathurst and the first time I'd actually needed to use the brakes. WOO-HOO. Stop!!! Please... STOP!!! Waving my arms in the wind stream did more than the front brake. The rear vibrated heinously. Just as well the engine braking was 616's strong point, and preferred mode. For some reason, idle speed was now 2500 rpm - which 'moderated' the engine braking effect. I think she was trying to kill me. Or punish me for making her do something.

Exiting Cowra, I had to stop and rest (recover). What was I doing? I could just leave her here and catch a bus to Albury, then Home. I could trailer her back next weekend. I decided that this is what "Adventure" biking was all about - finding a way through everything regardless of the obstacles thrown in your way. As long as 616 (who I was now thinking of calling "Christine" - check IMDB) was running we were going to move forward. I would just have to adjust my riding to suit her 'temperament'. Like, actually preparing to stop at green traffic lights....

Cootamundra is a fine little town. The Bradman Motor Inn is basic but clean & cheap. I parked 616 and went upstairs to unpack. I grabbed some tools to work on the electrics (it might be nice if the Stoplight worked). The side cover was cable tied on & had no other method of attachment (all the standard 'grommet posts' were broken). Mmm, no cable ties in the kit. Note to self: ALWAYS put cable ties and duct tape in the kit.

I gave up doing anything tonight. The sun had dipped below the horizon and the light was fading quickly.

Next morning was cold, damned COLD. Frost was stuck to the seat. Warm water &  towel from the room fixed that. 616 started second kick on choke. Nice. Idled smoothly. She was just trying to suck-up for yesterday, I thought. We headed out. My ankles and toes were freezing. I stopped to put the woolly socks OVER my runners / ankles / jeans. It helped subtly. The rising sun was coming over my left shoulder warming it - this was the only piece that WAS warm. "Last time I ride with jeans & runners", was all I could say to myself, repeatedly.

I fuelled in Wagga Wagga (for non-Aussies, this is pronounced "Wogga Wogga"). 10 litres - 250 km! This made the cruising range 750 km for the 30 liter tank! Amazing! It must be remembered though - I could NOT use more than about 1/3 throttle...

More COKE & MARS Bars for me, wasting 30 mins taking the wrong turn out of 'Wagga, and we were on our journey home.

A brief section of the Olympic Way to Culcairn then backroads through Walbundrie, Howlong (which WAS exactly what I was thinking), Corowa and on to Wangaratta. The only worthy way home was 200-odd km along the Hume Highway. 110 km/h! Trucks!

616 & I partnered several semi-trailers - me enduring the buffeting & foreign objects these dish out - while 616 enjoyed the lack of wind resistance sitting in their slipstream. She happily sat on 110. Until we needed to do it by ourselves.

The kays clicked over. I was confident 616 would get home now. It had been the second hardest ride I'd ever done. Spending 20 hours in pouring rain on an water-affected RD400 looping through late 1970's Western Victoria was worse.

Long road rides don't phase me, provided the equipment is doing what it should. 616 had shown me that I really did need to have FAITH in the reputation of this model as bullet-proof. It may not always do it perfectly, BUT it will get you where you want to go. What more can you expect from a 'ADVENTURE' bike?

I could feel the effects of Ténéritis taking hold.