June 4th 2014 it arrived in New York, got cleared through Customs and in Late June it arrived in Philadelphia. I thought I was home clear but the week it arrived I started getting chest pains and while the bike sat in the warehouse, I laid in hospital. I have great neighbors and so while I was being operated on he took a trailer down and picked the bike up. I was told by the doctor after having five stents that I had been close to having a 'life threatening heart attack' Now of course, I have my FZR in my garage but being on anti coagulation meds, blood thinners blah blah blah can't risk riding it and anyway, the paperwork had disappeared in the blackhole called New Jersey DMV. As I recovered I worked on the bike. First thing, new fluids all round and new filters. Sent the back wheel away for refinishing and fitted new bearings and seals, fix any rips in the seat and find any parts to replace the non-originals. airbrushed several scrapes, removed crap paint from nuts and bolts all while recovering and pissing my wife off (you need to rest, here, have a whisky). The carbs were the worst, the toobs looked like they were original, the needles badly worn and they were so gunged up it took four strip downs until she finally ran on all four.
Yesterday I finally got her registered and today I decided to risk it and take her out for a ride. God it was awesome, at first she ran a little rough, but slowly, the years fell away and she flew, took her around the backroads and then onto the freeway and opened the throttle. It was as I remembered, so smooth, stable, the incredible bike I had loved was right there again, 26 years after first riding one. I'll be off the heart Meds in July, there's a vintage bike meet I plan on attending but right now, all is well with the universe.
