Saturday, December 25, 2010

Day 213 (Wednesday December 15, 2010): Bogota to Villa de Leyva

I start the day early because if I have learned anything this trip it is to expect things to take twice as long as expected. On my way out of town I find out that my signal lights no longer work. Which means one of three things: wiring, fuse, and/or (flasher) trouble. After replacing the fuse to no avail I remove the ferrings to get at the flasher. After replacing the flasher with a wire for testing purposes I determine that it is the flasher. Obviously the Kawasaki dealer doesn't have another in stock but after a little bit of discussion with the mechanics they recall pulling the internals of a flasher meant for another bike and placing it in the housing meant for the Kawasaki Versys. This solution works perfectly and I am back on the road after a short two and a half hour delay!

Hitting the open road outside of Bogota, the hassles of the past three months melt away. This is why I did not end my trip after my bike burned. This is why I fought away all the emotions that wanted me to stop. Dry, winding roads, with the sun above me, and an engine between my legs. I am sure people could see my grin through my full face. After three months of being in limbo I can hardly believe that I am finally on the road again with a motorcycle!

The handling characteristics of the Michellin Pilot Power 2CTs are very predictable and the Kawasaki Versys is lively and responsive. With the current setup gravel and cobblestone are also manageable on the bike. I still do not want to do long distances on either surface.

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