There’s nothing like an imminent road trip for getting around to routine maintenance. In preparation for this little 3-day ride, I’ve been catching up on a bunch of little things I should’ve done weeks ago:
- Tighten the right-hand mirror. It’s been loose, and it’s a bit of a nuisance to open it up to tighten, so I’ve been putting up with readjusting it every few days. Not any more.
- WD-40 the center stand. It’s been sticking a little when I take the bike off it. Not any more.
- Stitch up the left glove. One of the new pair of gloves I bought recently has a seam that’s coming loose. Easier to sew it up than to return them.
- Stitch up the crotch of my shorts. For some reason the seam on my best-fitting pair of shorts ripped open late last summer. Not that people would be likely to notice it there, but it’s the kind of thing that will only get worse if you don’t fix it. I now have.
I’ve put up with all of these (except the shorts) for far more miles on the scooter than I’m going to be going in the next few days. None of them would be any more of a problem on the road than they have been while commuting. But… the psychology of going on a trip gives them a tiny bit more urgency, and a deadline. And now they are done.