2nd February 2017 (cont)
Craig – known as Burg - arrives, as promised, 30 minutes later and we battle our way through Auckland’s traffic in the company van. Burg is about my age and has worked as a mechanic since his apprenticeship. He’s now the race mechanic for a couple of bike racers – including Brian at the Bike Vault. Brian races classic twin cam Kawasakis – which require delicate hands to keep them competitive (the valve timing is absolutely critical, as you will bend a valve just turning it over by hand after a rebuild).
After half an hour or so, we arrive at…
…the Bike Vault.
This is a great facility – providing secure storage and workshop facilities for a variety of bikes.
Some units are used by racing teams, others by riders just wanting to store their bikes (and bike gear) in a climate controlled and safe environment.
I like both Brian and Burg immediately. Very down to earth with a ‘can-do’ attitude. Regrettably, I am about to put this to the test – but first, a picture of Brian (left), Burg and Bert (Munroe - who really runs the outfit)…
The bike looks pristine – as it should after £150 worth of cleaning
I need to reconnect the battery, so go to the pouch where I left the spare key .
It isn’t there...
Over the course of the next hour I unpack every bag on the bike – it has simply disappeared.
The snag is, I can’t reconnect the battery without lifting the tank, can’t lift the tank without removing the seats and can’t remove the seats without a key.
Brian just says ‘No drama’ and Burg drives me to the hotel and back to collect my keys (and yes, in case you were wondering, I WAS kicking myself all they way there and back for not bringing them with me).
By the time we’re back it is clear we are not going to be able to get the bike tested today. I reconnect the battery (seemingly unaffected by being unused for four months) and pack the bike for travel (fitting the top box and generally getting it ship-shape).
The plan now is for Burg to give me a ride home (he lives not far from my hotel), then pick me up again in the morning. He or Brian will then lead me over to the testing station and I will wait with the bike whilst it is tested. This is likely to take most of the day, so I need to book another night in the Ibis.
Burg gives me a ride home, discussing the price of housing in Auckland (it’s high and still rocketing up) - how this makes house ownership for youngsters almost impossible. Kids are living with their parents even after they get married, because the only way they’re ever going to get a house is to inherit it. It’s a depressingly familiar tale and one the UK is going to find itself adopting before long…
I book another night at the hotel, grab myself some more water from the Countdown across the road and write up some of my journal. By about 2000 I am feeling so tired I have a shower and go to bed. I sleep poorly – my body clock is still shot to hell and it’ll take a while to settle down.
A frustrating day in may ways – but hey – at least I’m not at work…