Journey from the past

[peterbaron]

CHAPTER 2, Romania - Poland, 1820 kms

https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Varna,+Bu...FQAw%3D%3D

Day 1
Varna, BG - Oradea, RO near Hungarian border, 840 kms

https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Varna,+Bu...FQAw%3D%3D

We were supposed to leave Varna/BG at 3:30 - 4:00 a.m., but again Jack, who disappeared during the night until I found him sleeping with a girl in the room upstairs.
I just couldn't let him stay and I waited in their room for another 15 minutes until he finally said goodbye to his one-night stand.

All packed, we took off as soon as the sun started rising.
I remember, it was around 10 am, when suddenly the bike died. I checked a few electrics and I noticed that the battery had no acid due to a "melted" hole in it (overcharging).
We got stuck about 1500 kms away from home in a foreign country with very limited cash (no credit cards or cells at that time).
I got the bike bump started but every time I turned on any loads like the stop light or horn, the bike died again. Not thinking much and with no clue from where this idea came, I joined 2 or 3 battery cells by a wire that we had with us as one of "spare parts".

When mastering a bike's electrical circuit, I took the voltage regulator to an auto electrical shop for a pre-adjustment and the old and experienced electrician told me to bring my bike back for a final-live set up to prevent the battery from overcharging.
At that time, I did not think much about his wise advice as we were already late for our 4K kms long distance round trip through few European countries.

After this makeshift but effective repair, the motorcycle performed flawlessly.
I had to remove the fuse from the stop light circuit, no horns, no lights, no any electrical loads, because all the voltage had to go to power the ignition.

We were aproaching the Hungarian border.
I don't remember how many times, once or twice, we slept in a field in haystacks, and whether it was in Romania or Hungary or in both countries?
We had to stop riding early in the afternoon due to no lights and get up as early as possible to cover as many kilometers as possible.
Hungry, thirsty, dirty and stinky as we left our haystacks home.

Day 2
Oradea, RO - Hungary - Giraltovce, Czechislovakia, 350 kms

https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Oradea,+R...FQAw%3D%3D

We already left Hungary and we were now riding through then-named Czechoslovakia, and through the mountains again, this time the Tatra Mountains and steeper than the Carpathians. Full of more or less safe turns with poor roadside protection and cliffs.
I just told Jack not to take any picturs, otherwise we would come home in pieces or in coffins...
After a long run, the battery became a bit stronger, and I was able to use parking lights only. It was geting darker and darker and I couldn't see the road.
In a small mountain valley, we passed through Giraltovce, a small Czechoslovak village.
We stopped at the first household we saw and asked for accommodation, even in a barn on a haystack.
A young couple with two children welcomed us very warmly and provided us with their best room.
They treated us to sapper and breakfast. They gave us a packed lunch for our journey.
They didn't want to take any money, absolutely nothing.
We asked if there was something for the children, and then an older girl asked for postcards from Poland because she collects them.

When we came back home, Jack and I send each girl several postcards independently.

Day 3
Giraltovce, Czechoslovakia - Katowice, PL, 280 kms

https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Giraltovc...FQAw%3D%3D

As soon as we crossed the Czechoslovak-Polish border, we got a flat rear tire.
No central stand.
There were some kids around and playing soccer, so we asked them to bring some bricks and piece of board to put the motorcycle on.
As we were talking to these kids, we noticed that they were jabbering among themselves a mixture of Polish and German, which was their Silesian language.
I replaced the rear punctured tube to fix the flat.
The kids brought soap and water and we could wash our dirty hands.
As a reward, we put some kids on a motorcycle.

From this point it was close to my aunt and uncle who lived in Katowice.
Without any notice, we suddenly showed up at their home, hungry and tired.
After the meal, we talked about our travel adventures until midnight.
Then sleep, breakfast and departure - the last jamp of 400 kms with only one mechanical incident!!

Day 4
Katowice - Poznan - home, sweet home, 390 kms

https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Katowice,...FQAw%3D%3D

We were almost home, only 400 km left, so we set off around 8:00 in the morning
A straight path forward.
About 120 kms from home the carb separated again due to the soft rubber adapter, but I had plenty of it in spare. The repair only took half an hour, so we continued riding until we got home.
Jack and I used to live in adjacent apartment buildings.

I parked the bike in my garage and did not want to ride or see it for about two weeks.
After that time I fixed the rubber adapter issue permanently plus some other small imperfections. Never bothered fixing the crankcase crack near the front sprocket. The side racks were dismanteled and ended up in scrap.
It clocked many, many more kiloimeters without any problems at all.

In the upcoming winter, I repainted the entire bike, made some other small impovements and mods, but the motorcycle never had a racing engine because I already had other plans.... with a car...

In chapter 3: how the bike was built and its last generation2 look before selling...


and departure to Vienna, Austria, then to Canada......