Staff blog: Garage blues

As you’ll all, no doubt, have noticed, winter has arrived. And as you’ll all equally no doubt know, winter is a time for garages.

Though I’m planning to run the Tiger Sport through as much of this year’s cold and slime as possible, there’s no getting away from the fact that, for a fair proportion of this winter the Triumph will be living – or, more accurately, sheltering away from the worst of the elements – in, my new garage.

And there’s the rub: My new garage is only ‘new’ in terms of moving house in the summer. In most other respects, it’s crap.

Oh don’t get me wrong, I love it dearly and was one of the reasons we moved in the first place: it’s an oversize double with power and light, side door and big window; it’s a place of fun and wonder for my kids (note the Scalextrix, sledges and more), home for much loved pets and houses no end of West cherished junk, ranging from bikes (Yam 350LC, Ducati 750 Paso and my old dad’s 1924 Sirrah, all mentioned on these pages before), around seven push irons, a rack full of leathers and helmets, camping gear and more.

There’s even the necessary ‘man cave’ ingredients of tool chests, power tools and a gazillion old pasta sauce jars full of nuts, bolts, screws and washers – all of which, I’m ashamed to admit, I still haven’t sorted fully since the move.

That’s the good news. The bad is that, despite my bodged efforts, the roof still leaks, the door is draughty and has already fallen off its runners once, its surrounded by a rubble and weed–strewn wasteland and is at the end of long, gravel drive that, with the ever-dampening weather, is developing the consistency of rice pudding. Starting to make riding down there interesting, that, not that I’m in a bit complaining…

So, how’s all this affect the Tiger? Not much, I hope. I’m already thankful of its off-road delusions (wide bars, crash bars) and this year’s improved headlights when careering down in the dark; its finish is proving robust enough so far at warding off the damp and grot. And as a reward am planning to give it a winter weatherproofing of WD a fresh chainlube and more. Sorting out the wasteland will have to wait ‘til the spring…

 

 

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