Just got my bike, The Angie B back from Mike (mikeyboy) at Overland and Classic after a few mid life upgrades and some decent fettling.
She was occasionally blowing a little bit of blue smoke on start up so at 111,111 miles I had a choice to make. The choice was get a new WC or a late TC and retire her from my big trips or spend some money and get her sorted properly. As we have shared some brilliant times together it seemed faintly ridiculous to retire her and replace her with a newer model when I've made her into my bike. She's had a tough old life and needed so serious loving so the following was done:
Mike checked everything else out whist he has there and found nothing else really needing doing which is a testament to the robustness of the GS. Some may think this is a lot of work but bear in mind she isn't a garage queen and has been hammered up and down the Dalton Highway in Alaska 5 times which takes it's toll. She has also got to do a USA Coast to Coast in June, South America in January, Alaska in July and a steady Moab and USA Canyon tour next year so it's good to know she's holding up well.
The bike is back to near perfect and runs smoothly and quietly. With the PC111 she really is a pleasure to have back and going as well as any other GS I've ever ridden.
Oh, I have another reason for not changing her which is more important. She is called "The Angie B" after my sister who sadly died of cancer 3 years ago. Before she died, we were just talking about stuff and I mentioned I may stop doing the trips because they are really hard work ands the last Alaska trip I had done was a really tough one for lots of reasons one of which was I was away for 6 weeks knowing she was very ill. I'd kind of lost my mojo for them. She just looked at me and said that the trips were part of me and I was really good at taking people to places they may never of dreamed of going and if I ever stopped doing them, she would come back and haunt me. She never lied to me in life so I really believe that she would. Funnily enough, my mojo came back and I guess she's with me on the trips.
Anyway, Mike does an absolutely brilliant job and his attention to detail and getting things right is spot on. Anyone considering have any work done on their GS, you wouldn't get anyone better to do the work than Mikeyboy and no, he didn't pay me to say that.
She was occasionally blowing a little bit of blue smoke on start up so at 111,111 miles I had a choice to make. The choice was get a new WC or a late TC and retire her from my big trips or spend some money and get her sorted properly. As we have shared some brilliant times together it seemed faintly ridiculous to retire her and replace her with a newer model when I've made her into my bike. She's had a tough old life and needed so serious loving so the following was done:
- Replacement rear subframe which I twisted in 2010 so it was about time. Sourced a second hand one from Sherlocks and had it powder coated.
- Powder coated the heads, front cover, centre and bash plates.
- Mike took the heads off and replaced valve and exhaust guides and piston rings. The bores were absolutely perfect so no other issues. There was a little wear in the guides so I replaced the lot whilst I was there which makes sense. Not a cheap job, but well worth the effort.
- Gearbox oil seal
- Rear Ohlins serviced and rebuilt
- Zumo 660 fitted
- Cigarette style and USB charging points fitted.
Mike checked everything else out whist he has there and found nothing else really needing doing which is a testament to the robustness of the GS. Some may think this is a lot of work but bear in mind she isn't a garage queen and has been hammered up and down the Dalton Highway in Alaska 5 times which takes it's toll. She has also got to do a USA Coast to Coast in June, South America in January, Alaska in July and a steady Moab and USA Canyon tour next year so it's good to know she's holding up well.
The bike is back to near perfect and runs smoothly and quietly. With the PC111 she really is a pleasure to have back and going as well as any other GS I've ever ridden.
Oh, I have another reason for not changing her which is more important. She is called "The Angie B" after my sister who sadly died of cancer 3 years ago. Before she died, we were just talking about stuff and I mentioned I may stop doing the trips because they are really hard work ands the last Alaska trip I had done was a really tough one for lots of reasons one of which was I was away for 6 weeks knowing she was very ill. I'd kind of lost my mojo for them. She just looked at me and said that the trips were part of me and I was really good at taking people to places they may never of dreamed of going and if I ever stopped doing them, she would come back and haunt me. She never lied to me in life so I really believe that she would. Funnily enough, my mojo came back and I guess she's with me on the trips.
Anyway, Mike does an absolutely brilliant job and his attention to detail and getting things right is spot on. Anyone considering have any work done on their GS, you wouldn't get anyone better to do the work than Mikeyboy and no, he didn't pay me to say that.
You really did pick a good one. Hope she goes for a very long time. I did pass through your neck of the woods Friday and thought I should have given you a heads up I'm passing through but then again it was a working day so thought you'll probably be driving anyway. But its good to see you keeping the old girl. Here's to many more miles 
All you need to do now is fettle that camera so it takes pics that are sharp.
