A car for Kosen-Rufu.

Last Wednesday I had a big case of sansho shima, or devilish functions. First of all, it was a very wet and rainy day and because of the weather my motorbike ceased to function (moist in the electrical system). This happened at only 1 mile of the gardening company I work for. So I called that I had a problem with my bike together with my location. My foreman came with a small trailer and so I went to the company. There I left it to let the engine dry.
There I was in my van, waiting till it would become dry again. No luck. After 1 hour the boss called us back to the company. Only to sent my foreman and me back to cut some branches of a tree. after returning to the company I was allowed to go home again. This was a very difficult drive back with 2 near engine stalls due to moist.
So when I finally got home i decided that I definably needed a car that was both cheap and reliable. The day before I spotted already a car that looked in my eyes nice. It was a Peugeot 205 Diesel , build in 1989 for only € 350.00. So I wrote the owners cellphone number down and I decided to call him. No such luck. His phone was switched off and he never retured my call or voice mail. How rude! About sansho shima. When I told this on thursday to my parents, my father said that a diesel engine was maybe not the wised choice for me because of the hight road tax on it. When I reached home , after visiting my dentist and my father returned with my front tire who needed a refurbish, my father called to inform if € 400.00 was within my budget. When I told him that it was, he told me that he might found a car for me. A Skoda Favorit build in 1990 or 1991 with only 60,000 km on the clock. It belonged to a elderly man who bought a new car. He already called for it and would check it the next day. So when came on Friday, he told me that this car was in a better shape than his own Skoda Favorit! Lol. So, he gave me the number of the man who wanted to sell this car and I called right away. I asked him if it was ok for him that this Monday I came to collect the car and to put it on my name (registration) and pay him. He agreed. Also I called my insurance agent to make sure my car is insured on Monday, otherwise it's illegal to drive it in the Netherlands. My parents even called my uncle who helps me a bit with financial matters. He said that it was inportant that i could reach my job so i was allowed tobuy this car. Downfall is that I have to going to sell my bike :-((
So it's a bit of a difficult weekend for me. I drove this bike, a Yamaha XJ700 Maxim water cooled, for 10 years. So it's only natural that I feel a bit sad. It has survived 3 different relationships, a financial crisis for the last 5 yrs. Brought me to a lot of jobs, meetings. Seen a lot of different weather types and with this bike I met my current girlfriend. You could say that it served me very well those last 10 yrs. If i may put it a bit different, it was my companion for the last 10 years. I can only hope and pray that this car will serve me equal as good as that my bike did. It's a bit double, this feeling I have now. On the one hand I feel sad, on the other hand I'm happy to have found a car that is reliable. And that I can use for Kosen-Rufu activities as well. Still I will the kind of freedom that I had with my bike. Passing traffic jams, feel the weather, winds, smell the countryside. At the same time I'm happy that from Tuesday onwards I don't have to jump into a motor suit anymore. This don't mean that I never ride a bike again. Thank the Buddhist gods for the rent-a-bike stores. This also implies that I will keep my suit and helmets. Purely for in case I have the urge to feel truly free and have the need to ride a bike when the weather is good for a weekend or longer period. Once a biker, always a biker. At least it gives me an opportunity to ride different types of bikes. Like maybe a Harley-Davidson, a Kawasaki Vulcan, a Yamaha Wild star or something like that. So when the urge get to much or I can't resist the feeling to ride a bike, I can always rent one.

Yamaha XJ700 Maxim, licenceplate MS-77-TG
"My friend, thanks for being there for all these years. Where we traveled for so many miles, seen so many roads, met so many different and nice people. Thanks to you I've met my current girlfriend. Too bad that you won't see the day that I will merry her or see the day that she will return to the Netherlands.
With pain in my heart I say farewell to you. Looking forward to the day that I have to hand over your keys makes me feel sad. I know that I will miss your power, your smell, the vibrations and sounds that you produced when I started you and revved you up.
For 10 years I took care of you. Fed you gasoline, kept you in shape by putting new brake pads and tires on your wheels. Gave you an 'new' exaustsystem or pipes, gave you a few times new spark plugs and clutch cable. Gave you new oil and filters. Let you service by a mechanic so you could make more miles. Even after a crash or two I nourished you back to life. Making sure that you brought me where ever I needed to go. That I could enjoy your company.
Thanks my friend, for never let me down all this time. I bought you when you only clocked 4000 miles. In those 10 years you've clocked some 51,000 miles together with me. Becoming a 'Kosen-Rufu' bike 6 years ago. With a heavy heart i have to retire you, my dear Maxim. I huts me to let you go. To have to sell you after all this time. How much I wanted to see that you turned 25 years in 3 years, while in MY possession. Too bad, too sad that this probably won't be the case. Too bad, too sad that your next owner will have that privilege. Who knows, somehow, I'll be able to buy you back in the near future.
In the mean time , the only thing I can do is making sure you come into the hands of someone who cares and love you as much as I did and still do. Someone who takes good care of you and will nourish you with the same love as i did. Lucky for you. I know such a person. He will take very good care of you and hopefully will not sell you to someone elsebut me after restoring you to your original state.
Well we will see.
So long, goodbye and farewell for now. May I be able to buy you back.
In the meantime, May the (Buddha)force be with you."

André