A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words

Drum roll, please...

*Choirs of angels break out in song*

A bike that works!!!

Nothing about getting this bike has been easy.  I said as much to Greg, the seller, on one of our many phone calls and he said he'd been thinking the same thing.  We were both wondering if it was a sign not to go through with it.  Even since we ironed out our sticking points, getting it home, inspected, titled with plates has been a challenge! 

The ride was great.  Three hours of PA roads to a shop in Bel Air where I had called ahead to arrange my appointment for inspection.  Computer is down, therefore they cannot, will not do an inspection.  We'd passed a HD place near the dam that could have taken us, but they said it would be a bit of a wait.  Now I was regretting that.  The Bel Air shop is less than a mile from the MVA, but now there's no point in stopping there. Stop for food and make a bunch of phone calls.  No one is available or close enough.  So, fine, head home and deal with it tomorrow.

but, wait.

There's another shop near my place.  I called Bryan and he said he could fit me in.  We hustled there and waited an hour or so only for Bryan to call me over and tell me it failed due to muffler bearings.

"Oooh, Stop it, Bryan.  It did not!"  Bryan thought it was cute.  And, ok, maybe it was a little cute, but only because he and I have a history of multiple bikes with multiple problems and because there's no such thing as muffler bearings and it didn't fail.  So, 6pm go home for the day and figure things out.

(Wednesday) Before work go to a notary.  My notary is kind and efficient and I comment that I hadn't seen a rubber stamp for a notary seal before like the PA notary had done.  She took my form back and made noises I didn't like.  She tried to look the notary up for me, but no luck.  I email Greg and give him a heads up that I might need another form, but I'm going to the MVA anyway to see what they say.

So, lunchtime today go to MVA. I hold C28.  They are on C17.  I fill out my forms and get everything in order.  I even stand in the looong information line again to talk with the info woman about a section I misunderstood.  Luckily, I don't need the claim number for the Kawi that the plate is coming off of.  Shew!  Go back and sit down.  Watch the clock.

Tick Tick Tick...

30 minutes later: "C18."  No book, no music, tv, friend for company... no lunch, either.  My apple is hot from the saddle bags, so I don't eat it.  I wait.  For another 30 minutes.  No more C's called.  Time to go.  I can't be late for a 1pm meeting.  I do take time to fill out a customer satisfaction survey on the way out though...

"More staff during peak times, please."

As I'm filling it out the computer voice calls "C19"... 

Greg replies to my email that he called the notary and PA hasn't required the embosser for 3 years, but that they can do that if I need it.  Good.  I should be fine.  So, I'm going to run back over there on the way home.  Hopefully, 15 minutes before close it won't be so busy and all my forms are filled out and I can get in and out in time to eat before my night gig.  If not, there's a place walkable from work that will do it for a mere $45 fee, plus whatever the MVA wants from me.

Me and Teej

 Arrive at the MVA at 415.  They close at 4:30, but there are plenty of us still around.  No problem with the paperwork, get a new tag because Mitch told me the old one was too ugly to keep for the new bike, write out a check (how many zeros in a million?), run like the devil before someone finds a reason to stop me.  Woot!  The bike is officially mine.   Sorry if I don't answer the phone for a while, I'll probably be out...

Thank you , Greg,  for taking care of my bike for me till I found it. ;)  I can't wait to see photos of you on the Tiger with a big grin.