Collecting the bike was a bit of an adventure from Swindon. I happily rode it back along the M4 and off onto the A404(M) and decided to test the bike a bit to see how it handles when all of a sudden it started spluttering and very quickly came to a stop, in roadworks! You can imagine the panic, the first time back on a bike of my own after a break and the thing grinds to a halt in the worst place imaginable.
A quick call to the AA confirmed that they couldn’t help me, as I had broken down in road works. Soon enough a Highways Agency trailer and Police escort arrived to rescue me from the side of the road, in doing so bringing the whole of the A404 to a standstill for 15 minutes. They swiftly carted me and the bike out of the roadworks and into a lay-by out of harm’s way.
The AA man eventually came out to take a look at the bike and try and discover why it had decided to suddenly stop on me. After half an hour of testing various things he clocked onto a small plastic tap marked ‘fuel reserve’. You can imagine the embarrassment; Police escort, Highways Agency transport, blocking the A404 for 15 minutes and a call out from the AA and the only thing wrong was a lack of fuel. Suffice to say I now know where the fuel reserve switch is!
This seems to be a pattern with me and the motorbikes I have owned, as I did the exact same thing when collecting both my Yamaha SR125 and Aprilia RS125 from the dealers, thankfully though, not in road works.
EDIT: From the team at White Dalton, next time you go for a ride make sure you have some fuel in the bike. This is the third time on three different bikes you have managed this. Good effort.
We are not sure which is worse, running out of fuel, telling all your colleagues you run out of fuel or telling us about your previous modelling career.
Have you learnt your lesson?
Image credit to Pashley Cycles, England’s longest established bicycle manufacturer, hand building British bicycles since 1926.
