So on April 3, 2010 I was forced to take in my black beauty, my Daytona 675, in for repairs. Apparently in a botched aftermarket modification, I had accidentally pressed a mounting bolt into the throttle body, causing her to run abnormally. “Sure no problem,” says the Triumph service department at my local dealer, “we’ll order up a new throttle positioning sensor and hopefully that will cure the ailment” (quotes not verbatim). Usually it takes about a week and a couple days to get parts in from a distribution plant down in Georgia. Not an issue in the world, a week will be over in flash and then it is back to exploring Southern California. Right?

WRONG!!!

The sensor had to be ordered straight from Triumph HQ at their Hinckley plant in Leicestershire UK. And order requests for parts from HQ could take longer simply due to distance and backloged orders. Hey that’s fine, time apart from my black beauty could be good.

The Godfather had told me that extended separations seem a bit rewarding. After having a bike in the shop for long periods of time, it is almost like getting a new motorcycle. Like a reunion with a long lost friend.

Well as mentioned before, my separation was April 3. I am no going on week #3, and Sven is starting to lose his patience. So what’s the hold up?!? A call to the service department at my Triumph dealer reveals no further information, “We don’t have a clue on where it is. It could be in Customs.” Geeze thanks…

Shortly after that conversation, this SOB shows up on my television screen…

Eyjafjallajokull (actual name, not a subsitute for an explitive)

Iceland has managed to royally screw over someone from sunny California. All air travel has grinded to a virtual standstill in Europe, how convenient!

There is one huge dilemma I have come across. In about a week and a half, I will have a six days off straight (gotta love shift change). I had planned on venturing up the Pacific Coast Highway for a few days. That fantasy ride might not happen as scheduled…

Keep the paint up and the rubber down. Ride safe.      -Sven