Well, I decided I was going to buy a KTM 990 adventure and started looking through the ad's and even went as far as bidding on a few in Ebay.
Then I saw one in London (not far from my UK base) and gave the guy a call.
The fella, who for the purpose of this exercise I'll call Bob, turner out to be a Kiwi.
Anyway I ask all the usual questions which seemed ok, then I asked does it have full KTM service history?
Bob replied "well, I got all the dealer services till the warranty expired, I'm an aircraft engineer I did it myself after that..." before hesitating and humbly adding "...I Like to think I do a better job".
Ya gotta like New Zealanders...I Believed him.
He also said he was into enduro's and had taken it off road, and added he'd priced it competitively...which He had.
I told him I'd think on it and call him the nest day.
I thought about it that night and decided the bike had everything I was looking for and his location made it easy to pick up. It was destiny. Time to do the deal.
Now, I gotta say, I'm shit at haggling for something I really want, pretty much I've decided I'm gonna have it so as Bob had honestly priced it to sell I called him the next day and said I'll have it and would give him the full asking price. How's that for shit haggling!
The only problem being I was working 7 days a week and had committed myself to the company for another month, so I told Bob I'd pay for it and would pick it up in 4 weeks. Such was my excitement I did mean to say I'll give you half now and half on pick up but I completely forgot, and just said send me your details and I'll transfer the money.
So I called my mate's wife who handles my finances in the UK and told her to transfer the money which she did.
Then she sent me an email.."Is this bloke a mate of yours?"
"no, never met the fella"
"do you have the paperwork or any proof of ownership"
"no not yet, he's going to mail it to me"
"are you MENTAL!!!!"
"probably...."
So everyone is telling me I'm nuts and just sending the full amount of cash to a complete stranger is not the way things are done, especially when you're not picking it up for 4 weeks!
I told Bob this and he was quite offended. Rightly so.
It my defense, Bob's defense and my mates defense I will say I didn't tell them Bob was a Kiwi.
It says something about British society and NZ's society when I didn't hesitate to pay up to Bob but would of thought twice before doing it to one of my countrymen.
Anyway the weeks drag on and I finally fly back to Britain to go get my bike.
Having decided this was going to be my mode of transport all year round I had also decided to buy all new gear as being warm and dry is always good.
I've always bought gear on a budget previously, and never all at the same time, but was now reaping the benefits of being old free and single...
So on the Saturday I bought new boots, helmet, gloves and a 2 piece riding suit, which, for reasons best known to my mate, he made me put on on a sweltering day and ride his daughters bike with...
So come the Tuesday (23rd of August) we arranged to go get the bike, I'd been helping my mate all day in his building firm and afterwork we went to get the bike. Now my mate is a great fella, known him since I was 12, and I can't fault the guy.
Except for one thing that is.
Roadrage!
Now I mistakenly thought the bike was near Gatwick airport but in reality it was closer to central London so we had 30 or 40 mins further to drive through Londons congestion. We had the GPS set so we knew where we going but I'd told my mate we were going somewhere where we weren't so we were both stressing a bit but when some fella cut my mate off that was it.
Now it wasn't my mates fault he was even there, it was mine he was doing me a favor, so as him and this fella are cutting each other up giving the appropriate hand signals and the like I made the decision if this fella pulls over I'm going to have to do him as it's not my mates fault he's even here, it's mine, plus he's a family man he doesn't need the agro from his Mrs.. Plus he's been charged with road rage before AND his name and address is neatly painted on the side of his van!
So me mate and this fella are playing silly bugger's and I'm sat there praying for this dude "Don't pull over mate..please don't pull over!"
Which, thank god, he didn't!
So stressing out like good 'uns we get to Bobs and there she is..Katie in all her magnificence!
Bob comes out, it's almost dark at this time, and we greet and I put the key in the bike as I wanted to hear her.
But having never owned a fuel injected bike before I didn't know you had to wait for the fuel injection to prime so I just turner her on and thumbed the starter, as you do, and Rob's like "Eeeer...Phil...you Don't do it like that". So that was it, I was too stressed and wanted to get home. This bike, which I'd paid for but never seen, I just gave it a cursory look over, started it up (incorrectly) rev'd it a few times and that was it!
I had planned on riding her back to my mates but 1 central Londons a nightmare to drive through (we actually went through parts of London I can only liken to Detroit!) 2 The bike wasn't taxed, 3 All new gear, gotta be awkward till it's broken in, 4 on an unfamiliar bike. So we decided to put the bike in the van, which we proceeded to do...with All the grace of Laurel and Hardy!
Anyways, talking to Bob was good. I asked him "can you still lift the front wheel with the milder G2 throttle cam?" "oh yes" he replied grinning like a naughty boy! I asked about the Akropovic's he had on her, "sounds great" grinning again, he'd put a new back tyre on, which again with the proper enthusiasm only a true bike fan can muster he said (Grinning) "looks good yeah?" He's a proper fella Bob and a proper motorcycle enthusiast. I like him. Top bloke.
So we get home and leave the bike in the van to sort in the morning.
The next day, without stress, hassle, roadrage, let or hindrance I finally get to take Katie for a spin proper..(Pics Worthing beach)
Happy days!
Next. Part 2: Britian to Holland.
