MOT failiure - blessing in disguise?!

Hi everyone!

Firstly, "hello", as I think this is one of my first threads... I thought I may share my tale of misfortune (sadly self-inflicted) which turned out for the best! FWIW, I live in Tewkesbury....

It starts when my '04 650s needed it's first MOT. Due to a low-sider back in September, I've been running a footrest hanger designed without the 'nodules' for holding the bottom part of the rear-brake housing (where the spring and pedal attach) due to the mong at the breakers yard I purchased it from sending the wrong model. This has meant that zip ties have been providing the anchorage and spring tension, which is less than ideal (in the eyes of the MOT!) I was planning on altering the tension so the light came on earlier (currently you have to almost stamp on the bugger to activate the brake light), but I ran out of time. Needless to say it failed, and due to the (now) expired tax I wasn't allowed to take it from the garage and fix things myself!

A couple of days passed, and then the floods came! Left for work on Friday morning, made it home Saturday morning (after spending the night on the M5!) only to find I couldn't get into Tewkes at all!! Escaped with the wife to my folks in Cheltenham and holed up, watching the water get higher and higher on the TV.

It was then I saw the car park in which I normally park the bike (and car); or lack thereof! All I could see was a lake of water, which we were reliably informed was running about 5ft deep! All my 'crossness' about the bike failing was lifted, and I suddenly realised that had it not been for the MOT failing, my beloved SV would most likely have visited the bike heaven in the sky!

So.... I suppose good things can come from bad... Although my cage is a little worse for wear now, and the lounge carpet a bit soggy but the BIKE IS SAFE AND DRY in the garages workshop!!

Anyway I leave you now, to resume my lurking.

Cheers,

Al.

Originally Posted by Al_Sweetman

I live in Tewkesbury....

Near Goucester or is there another Tewkesbury with a similar name?

I only ask as my parents have a house there

Originally Posted by ASM-Forever

Near Goucester or is there another Tewkesbury with a similar name?

I only ask as my parents have a house there

As far as I know it's the only one, and yup it's near Gloucester!

With any luck all water will drain into the sunken railway line

Well it's not often you thank the MOT man for that fail certificate! I'm in Oxford mate, and also enjoying the "elevated" river levels, although my house is still dry at the mo. did get woken up at 2 last night by warthog, asking if he could come over to my place as the fire brigade had just told him he had to evacuate his house!

If it was a choice between the bike or the furniture, I know which one would win!

[TEC]

Lucky escape so to speak but I have a question

Originally Posted by Al_Sweetman

.... and due to the (now) expired tax I wasn't allowed to take it from the garage and fix things myself!

Said who Can understand if you decided to leave it there and let them do the work (correct move in this case ), but there was no reason you couldn't have taken the bike away to fix it yourself

Originally Posted by ASM-Forever

Near Goucester or is there another Tewkesbury with a similar name?

I only ask as my parents have a house there

Or Chucksbury as thr locals call it. My Mrs Family is from Evesham and call Tewksbury that and even worse pronounce their own town wrong, they pronounce it EveRsham!! WTF! where did the extra R comr form?? LOL

Originally Posted by neio79

Or Chucksbury as thr locals call it. My Mrs Family is from Evesham and call Tewksbury that and even worse pronounce their own town wrong, they pronounce it EveRsham!! WTF! where did the extra R comr form?? LOL

Ha ha isn't it more like choucksbre? Gotta love the Glawster accent... Tsk tsk didn't you know that "Eves" is pronounced "evers". These non-country folk !

Originally Posted by TEC

Lucky escape so to speak but I have a question



Said who Can understand if you decided to leave it there and let them do the work (correct move in this case ), but there was no reason you couldn't have taken the bike away to fix it yourself

I was under the impression (as was the garage) that due to it's failure (and lack therefore of tax etc.) I couldn't ride it away. *However* my old LBS let me do just this, but I put it down to the fact I'd been using them since I was 16...

Is it therefore the case that they can indeed let you ride it away, despite it failing?

Cheers,

Al.

Ha ha, I did get the impression that I was pronouncing it not as a local when I lived there.

Still very strange to add letters to a name.