The day Minty went on the road finally came!
Driving license in the pocket, insurance certificate obtained, I was now allowed to actually go on the road, not just the little path, across the street form my dad.
This is the tale of my first test drive. It was funny, exhilarating, stressing, mind bogging, frustrating, exciting… some would say ridiculous! I beg to differ!
In truth, I want to cherish such memory as one day, I will ride my Indian like this never happened. I will ride it without thinking of the initial struggles and fear. Most likely, I will ride it with the required confidence and understanding of her behavior. Well I hope so at least!
So these 2 days, of test driving Minty on the road, will soon become a distant memory but I want to remember!
I got my driving licence a month ago!
Well, I don’t recall if I mentioned this before but I never really rode a motorcycle before! Scooters and ‘mobilette‘ yes. Something as big as an Indian Scout, never! Well apart from the little test drive I did 2 years ago before the renovation and 2 months ago when we finished the renovation. But I never really rode anything this big, not on the road, not of any sort of meaningful distance, until I took the lessons for the driving license.
So yeah! I got my driving license specifically to drive Minty! But Minty isn’t anything like the motorcycle I drove for the driving license. You knew that already. Clutch, gears, brakes and kicker… these are very different!
Anyway, I have all I legally need now, to drive! Everything but experience!
The first 100 meters!
Minty started well, really well, like she knew the day had come. My dad was almost surprised! I knew she would start well. You know what? Cold start are actually easy!
We let her warm up a bit and I went to put my gear on.
We turned it around and Minty was now facing the exit and all the possibilities of the open road! I hopped on it, equally stressed out and excited! Once again, the engine started super easily and idled perfectly.
Clutch pedal engaged, gas off, 1st gear on. OK, I can do this… and… no, I can’t actually!! I stalled of course! OK, ok so not enough gas I suppose. My dad was already at the end of the driveway, thinking I would just take off easily on my very first try. He came back to help me restart the engine. It wouldn’t. What is going on? Hum…
Well, at the time, we had not found an easy way to start it, when the engine was hot. So very soon, every time I stalled, it became a nightmare! Gas overflowing, me overheating with my gear on, dad being annoyed and complaining!
Ok, the engine eventually started again, I put my helmet back on and… miracle… Minty rolled forward and there the 2 of us were crossing the road and heading toward the small path across the street. A little two fast maybe! it felt bumpy!
The path I took is actually a small road for about 100 meters and then becomes a dirt path after that.
Minty probably wasn’t the happiest to be there again. This was the road she had taken the first time she got out, 2 months ago. And on the dirt path, I scratched her front mudguard, when making a U turn. This time, my intention was to make a U turn before the dirt path, but she didn’t understand that. In addition, I got confused when the neighbor popped out of his house and… Minty stalled!
By then, it was impossible to start the engine again, despite trying and I pushed Minty back at home!
It didn’t go so well, I’ll admit. But I was still happy!! My dad couldn’t understand this, considering what looked to him, like a terrible performance. And it was indeed! But to me, I had managed to start and cross the street and that was amazing!
The next 400 meters: Getting adventurous!
I needed to cool off after pushing Minty and it gave her time to cool off a bit too. Nether-the-less I couldn’t get rid of my stupid grin!
Eventually, Minty started again. Not sure how and not without a few spit and back fire! Yes, I know you are probably thinking my carburetor float isn’t set properly. It is! The problem is me! Not her! You’ll see…
So this time, considering I had realized I wouldn’t manage a U turn where I thought I could, (I should because I had before but anyway…) I decided to get on the actual road!
Start… stall! Start again… stall again! My dad was going back and forth from the end of the driveway to where I was trying to get things going. Every time, he was by the road, he would wave his arms, to confirm there was no car in sight,and to confirm the way was clear for me to go. Every time I would stall!
“Do you not put gas?” he asked, slightly annoyed at my failure! “Obviously, dad, I am trying!” “Obviously, I am miserably failing.”
And then the miracle happened! I did put maybe slightly more gas than required but did not stall, instead I managed to pass the front gates and there I was on the street, heading toward town!
It was glorious, it was perfect!
Well, at one point, I tried the rear brake, just to see and confirmed once more, that it pretty much did nothing!
I had planned to drive to our friends house, the one who had helped us with the kicker the day before and use his huge drive way to make my U turn.
So I drove Minty on the road for a glorious 200 meters! That’s 0.1 miles in case you are wondering!
The moment, I was about to arrive to his place, a car showed up in front of me, and I got a bit confused between the advance, the brake, the gas and the clutch. I wobbled a bit but managed to turn left and… stalled in his driveway!
My confusion made Minty stall and I let it. It had run perfectly well all 200m down hill and I was overjoyed!
Technical assistance to the rescue!
I must make an aparté, to explain that my dad and I had planned for him to follow me on his bike! Yeah, I know how ridiculous that sounds but it was actually fun! And he took his role of technical assistance very diligently!
So anyway…
My dad soon arrived on his bike! Our friends were already out in their drive way, as they had heard me coming, of course! The engine sound is like nothing else and they heard me in the distance.
I was smiling ear to ear and they were just as happy to see me. The only one not so happy was my dad! He kept on thinking there was something wrong with the engine.
Once again, it took a while before we managed to restart the engine. Gas overflowing at times. Me boiling with my gear, my dad boiling from inside!
I stalled once more before I finally managed to drive toward the end of the driveway, to make my U turn. There, I realized that there was a huge staircase leading to the basement of the house and slightly freaked out while trying to turn around. Don’t look at the staircase, don’t go there… you can do this, there is plenty of space! I managed!! And there I was waving goodbye to our friends before getting back on the road. I didn’t stop to say goodbye because I knew I would probably stall again!
Going back up the hill started well, but soon the engine started popping and firing and I had absolutely no speed. It was not going well to say the least! People had gathered outside and were looking at my struggles. They were trying to encourage me, like it would make any differences!
I knew I wouldn’t managed to restart, if I stopped, so I kept going painfully. My dad was already catching up with me on his bike! Yes, up hill! This tells you how slowly I was going. I eventually gave up, as the hill was becoming slightly flatter. And I finished my little trip by pushing Minty on the side walk.
Once back home, I was still overjoyed! My dad kept bitching!
I am so incompetent!!
After drinking plenty of water and catching my breath, I explained to him that it wasn’t Minty’s fault. It was entirely my incompetency as a driver that created such problems. He wasn’t entirely convinced at first. I had to insist on how incompetent I was and how confused I got at certain points, for him to realize I was probably right. He relaxed a bit. Thanks dad!
Nothing mattered! I was seriously happy! It was by no mean an extraordinary trip, to say the least, but I rode Minty on a real road, for the first time and it was time to celebrate!!
But first, my dad didn’t fail to remind me that when he bought Minty in Paris and at the time, he drove it back to his place (something like 200 miles) without any difficulties! Thanks dad, is this supposed to make me feel better?? Well I don’t care!
And that was it for this first day. 500 meters or so “driven” and 120 meters or so, pushing Minty!
When pushing Minty I came to realize that even parts of the neighborhood I thought were flat, weren’t actually entirely flat. 210kg of pretty metal on wheels is no piece of cake to push!
I recalled once more my mechanic talking of the ‘little’ 500CC that is the Indian Scout. I always thought there is nothing little about it and that day confirmed it!!
The next glorious kilometer!! OMG
The next day came and after as a couple more adjustments were made, it was time to drive it again.
As soon as the engine started, even before I was dressed, neighbors had popped their head out by the windows. This alone put a bit of pressure on me, more than I care to admit.
Once dressed, Minty started well and I only stalled once or twice before the end of the driveway! The third time was a charm! I was almost at the end of the driveway when my dad, who was waving at me to come out, suddenly changed his signal as a car was approaching. Damn, ok let’s stop and not stall… Arrgghhh! Actually it was one of our neighbors and he stopped before our driveway so I could have gone… Ok, but I had managed to stop! And not stall! That was close to a miracle but was still not thanks to the rear brake.
The next miracle happened as I managed to come out of the driveway without stalling again. I headed left this time as I wasn’t gonna go back to our friends’ place to make my U turn. Not everyday.
As I passed by, neighbors on that part of the road had come out and were waving at me. It was again going down hill and everything was well. By then I had understood that I needed to put the advance! yeah, silly, but I had not done that the day before, hence the popping, back firing and struggle.
By 1/3 of the hill, I realized I needed to put the second gear. OMG!! This was something I had not planned to try to do, not yet, not before the year end!! But I did. I’m not entirely sure how I managed but it wasn’t difficult at all!
I arrived down hill and stalled while trying to stop! Yeah, yeah, I’m a pro at stalling!
My technical support meaning as you read above, my dad on his bike, came to help me restart. But he accidentally pulled the wire from the battery entirely. So there we were, by the side of the road, reattaching the battery cable the best we could!
Once done, I restarted the engine like a pro! My mechanic had explained that you have to open the gas more when the engine is hot, as it requires more fresh air. That worked really well! No gas overflowing, no issue!
Minty and I were back on the main road easily, heading back up the hill. This time was just glorious! Second gear came easily, I waved here and there to our neighbors! I thought I was flying!
I even managed to put back the first gear before reaching the drive way and stopped it with the switch in front of the garage doors!! Yeah! No stalling!!
Once stripped off my gear, I waited for my dad who was quick to arrive. I was so proud! So happy, nothing could stop me from smiling! I’m not quite sure that climbing Mount Everest would have made me prouder!
It may sound absolutely ridiculous. It may sound overstated. But I swear that after almost 2 years of work, this short ride, wasn’t just an achievement, it was like a miracle!
My dad fixed the battery cable, we waited a bit for Minty and I to cool off. My dad had come to realized that indeed Minty seemed pretty fine, but the driver was indeed in need of major improvements!
Thank you dad, I told you so yesterday but thanks for agreeing!
Second kilometer and a little more!
Once I had cooled off, I hopped on Minty again and did the same short trip again. There was no stalling in the driveway!!
On my way down, I tested the direction a bit and laughed at my butt wiggling with the saddle, thanks to the springs. That’s going to require some getting used to, I thought. At one point, I looked at the speedometer and noticed I was going at the incredible speed of 15 miles per hour! Amazing!!
The goal of this ‘trip’ was to manage a U turn without stalling! I know, I know, what an incredible goal!!
But no, it didn’t happen… There are very few cars on this road, but one arrived the minute I was about to turn. I had to go straight instead and since the road had narrowed down significantly, I gave up on the U turn and I stopped instead. I did not stall! Got off instead and push Minty around.
A cyclist stopped and started asking me about Minty. how old is it? What is is?
“Man, I’m boiling under my gear, pushing 200 kg of metal that feels like 2000 in the middle of the road. I don’t really feel like chitchatting!”
That’s what I thought. But I did politely reply to him instead.
My dad was once more there but I had not stalled so I wave at him while heading back up the hill! There was no stopping me and indeed I forgot to slow down, to stop at his place!
So instead, I continued to the next intersection and took a right.
Damn, this road goes up and then down, and there comes a new intersection and I have to turn left now, like now… Rear brake still doing nothing, ok use the front brake before the turn… aaaaahhh it all went to fast! I managed but got so confused that Minty started popping and back firing again. I tried to increase the advance but another intersection was coming and a car, and then the road was going back up again. It got messy!!
I ended up managing to stop a little ahead of the intersection with the main road, in relief!
Another cyclist was there, with 10 more people who had heard me. “It’s a really old bike?” Yes it is. “Oh it’s older than me” “Yes it is“! But can’t you see I can’t restart and gas is leaking?!
There was too much going on at once and I gave up and pushed Minty back home!
It didn’t matter to me. A few people seemed dissapointed and I said “sorry!” for I wasn’t able to give them the show they had waited for.
I wasn’t sorry. I was still overjoyed!
2 years of renovation
Depending on when I start counting, it took us almost 2 years to renovate my dad’s Indian Scout, Minty. Not full time obviously, as I only go spend extended week-ends, every 3 weeks or so.
Most importantly, remember that I started this renovation with 0 mechanical knowledge, I had never seen a piston, had no idea how an engine worked and could barely screw or unscrew something without going the wrong way (#leftyIssue!) I broke countless of nails. There were times I came back home so sore from sanding parts, that I couldn’t hold a glass of water. I had to buy stuff I didn’t know how to use like a caliper, a torque wrench, a multimeter… I won’t even start on the painting difficulties!
It got depressing last year, at this time of the year, when we had no clue how we were going to handle the valve guides replacement. It got even more depressing when we realized the front fork was bended! The kick issue was frustrating too.
So all of these difficulties made riding Minty so so very sweet. No matter how short my rides were, no matter how ridiculously lousy I was as a driver! It was magical to me, the best experience ever!!
Next year will be different of course…
