Royal Enfield Bullet and Harley MT350 out on the green lanes

Harley Davidson MT350.

 A drizzly, misty day at the end of September and a day of greelaning planned. Ian turned up on his newly purchased Harley MT350. Very immaculate for an army bike and with all the weight adding extras! This was the first time the Bullet had seen action since coming back from Ireland. The MT350 started on the button.

The plan was to ride up to Salisbury on green lanes and then hit Salisbury plain. As often happens things don't always go to plan...



MT350 and Bullet trials.

We took the lane from Tarrant Hinton to Chettle, then the plan was to go over to Tollard Royal and join the Dorset ridgeway. This is where it started to unravel. We took a lane, quite probably the right one, there were several turnings and soon it became very evidently the wrong one. No problem, take this drove here and we'll certainly be back on the right track. Not so. Intuitively taken turnings took us in circles and to places where possibly we would not have been welcome on bikes and we ended up one hour later quite back in Tarrant Hinton.

No problem, take the road to Tollard Royal. Up on to the ridgeway. Great. Hmmm... now it is lunchtime and there is nothing around. Again no problem, get back on to the road and find a shop. Several miles later no shop and the Bullet throttle jams open.

Lucky I'd wired an ignition cut-out. On examination the cable was terminally frayed. A prepared ride would have had a second cable taped on as a spare. Of course I did not. No choice but to set the idle on the carb to fast and ride it on the cutout. At least no call to the RAC..

The unexpected is part of the joy of the hobby. But in this case, sorry Ian to putting the kibosh on the day's ride!