Author Topic: The pop rivet gods were angry and would not be denied  (Read 1776 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Chasfield

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,583
  • Karma: 0
on: December 13, 2009, 02:45:31 pm
I was fixing up my back light and number plate assembly (again).

So far I have added two brackets to stop it spinning around and two more to stop the turn signals flapping. Now the top weld has broken so I was adding more brackets to stop the top half of it flapping around. I'm telling you, there is an awful lot of metal in there now.

Anyway, I was using 4mm pop rivets and all along the way I kept saying to my self "there is just no way I am going to finish up with a discarded pop rivet, or pop rivet mandrel, in my nice new tyre, no siree!"  So I counted six of the little blighters out, used six and put six mandrels straight into the dust bin. Then I swept up carefully around my bike just to be sure.

Then I went out for a ride. Guess what, 40 minutes into the ride, and thankfully half a mile from home, I get a fairly fast puncture. Inevitably, there was  a pop rivet sticking out of the back tyre.

 :o

Mrs Chasfield, uncharitably I must say, thinks that I have been a silly old fool and dropped one while I was working in the yard. But the one that caused the puncture was an aged looking 5mm rivet, with a sharply pointed mandrel. I only have shiny 4mm ones with blunt cut mandrels. Also, that tyre went down fast, so I don't think I was shipping a pop rivet when I rode out of my back yard.

My explanation is that visualising a pop rivet related puncture had doomed me to suffer one and my pitiful mortal efforts to avoid this fate were thwarted by those capricious gods that govern the fates of all beings, and Bullet riders in particular.

 :)
« Last Edit: December 13, 2009, 02:49:03 pm by Chasfield »
2001 500 Bullet Deluxe


1Blackwolf1

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 3,599
  • Karma: 0
  • Looking for the next rebuild project....
Reply #1 on: December 13, 2009, 03:44:42 pm
  Well at least you were close to home.  When I worked at a service shop we had a jar with removed items from flats.  I removed a diamond ear ring from a female customers car tire one day and she exclaimed "I've been looking for that for weeks".  Guess hubby had bought them for her for Christmas and was less than pleased she had lost one.  Will.
Will Morrison
2007 500 Military
2000 Kawasaki Drifter 1500
2000 Victory V92SC
1976 Suzuki GT185 Rebuilder Special..AKA (Junkyard Dog)
Many, many other toys.
The garage is full.


Cabo Cruz

  • Papa Juan
  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,331
  • Karma: 0
Reply #2 on: December 13, 2009, 07:33:55 pm
Neat little stories, brothers...  :D
Long live the Bullets and those who ride them!

Keep the shiny side up, the boots on the pegs and best REgards,

Papa Juan

REA:    Member No. 119
BIKE:   2004 Royal Enfield Sixty-5
NAME: Perla


Ice

  • Hypercafienated
  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 6,753
  • Karma: 0
  • Ride In Paradise Cabo, Don and Ernie
Reply #3 on: December 13, 2009, 08:10:32 pm
 Pop rivets may be susceptible to the same sort of homing or flocking instinct that is common among old keys, broken drill bits and other odds an ends.

 Perhaps the 5mm fellow may have sensed the gathering of the 4mm herd/flock/gaggle and tried to join them. ;)

 

 
No matter where you go, there, you are.