Nellie

It Always Ends In Tears!

I started up Nellie on Saturday and decided that Sunday we would go for a spin to the beach.

Just the two of us, me and Nellie.

We got our buckets and spades and put them in a bag with a bottle of water and some cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off. Nothing but the best for Nellie and me.

So after a bit of a spit shine she was ready to go.

I decided that discretion being the better part of valor we would go round the block before setting off to the beach.

No problems, she was running like a top.

So off to the beach we headed. As we made the turn from Springdale to Slater I went to make the upshift and felt that there was something terribly wrong.

No shifter lever could be found!

Knowing that I had shifted up into 2nd as we came down Springdale, I figured that's where it had to be.

We turned around in 2nd gear and headed back to to look for the missing part.

The wayward part was soon spotted in the middle of the street.

I turned off Nellie and was walking to the part as a car was approaching. I waited with bated breath! Now as any of you who have driven on Springdale know, it is wider that most freeways in Europe.

However, this numb-skull managed to hit the lever!

I retrieved the two pieces and walked back to Nellie.

Having turned off the motor with 2nd gear selected there was no way to restart.

Unlike most modern bikes you cannot kickstart with the clutch pulled in.

So with the broken end of the lever I got her back into neutral and fired her up.

With the clutch in, I got first gear by hand with the broken end.

Then with the broken lever in my pocket, we limped home in 1st gear.

All was well and Madame helped push Nellie back up into the yard.

No problem I thought, I'll just go to Draganfly and order a new part.

When the error message "Part Not Found" was returned my heart sank.

Now I have to wait until Tuesday for a response from Draganfly.

Because as you know those Europeans have another day off on Monday.

Happy Easter, Ill keep you posted on the progress.

Ciao Bella, from Norm & Nellie