#first a socket sparking now a different plug smoking

[brainrot-stitch]

Hope the electrical fires don't get my ass 💜

[0risha]

romanticism 

pairing :: shinichiro x fem!reader

tags :: fluff, a curse word

a/n :: i was supposed to work on my geto fic like kiki said but i love shinichiro so much, saurrrrrrr...... I don't like the end at all but whatevs.

“did you know that there’s a difference between a petrol engine and a diesel engine? one uses spark plugs to ignite this thing called—”

“is this what i got all dressed up for?” at your words, shinichiro’s cheeks bloom with red, from embarrassment or your closeness, you’re not sure. 

even though his eyes are still trained on the road ahead, he can practically envision your ones of amusement. his knuckles go white, the grip on his bike’s handlebars growing tense.

as a cover-up, he coughs up a light compliment, “y-you look nice.” but his voice is shaky, not reassuring at all. shinichiro inhales sharply as bile nearly rises in his throat. 

he lets out a curse, his younger brother’s words echoing through his mind. you need to work on your game . . . at this rate, you’ll be single forever. a sharp pain cruises through his chest in remembrance.

even if it chipped at his pride, he couldn't deny the truth in mikey's words.

gosh, he really needed a cigarette.

unaware of his inner turmoil, you hum. "thank you, you do too." turning your attention towards the sky, you make the decision to tighten your arms around his torso. 

the city's quickly spiraling into dusk, humidity still taking its reign. surprisingly, there's little to no cars filing through, the rev of shinichiro's bike more deafening than anything else.

"any destinations in mind?" you quirk up an eyebrow as the bike comes to a halt. a red light casts a shadow on his pale face. you study the slope of his nose, eyes trailing down to his lips. if he notices your lingering stare, he doesn't show it.

"i don't know, you're the one that asked me out on a date." red turns to green— the bike starts it's trek once again.

"that's true....." he takes a sharp turn and your heart nearly drops to your ass.

"give me a warning first!" annoyance and a sprinkle of fear simmer at the pit of your stomach but you have no choice but to press your body closer to his. he's oddly warm and smells like pine and motor oil.

"sorry." you know he doesn't mean it, his apology ending with a chortle. "if it makes you feel better, we're here."

you part from his back, eyes flitting across the scenery before you. 

“i didn’t know we were this far from the city.” you marvel, voice catching in your throat.

“it’s nice, isn’t it?” he puts the bike into park and steps off. you nod, not even deterred as a pair of arms haul you up. as soon as your feet touch the ground, you’re running to get a closer look. 

from above, shibuya looks like something straight out of a high-budget film. pink twilight from the sky clashed with the curve of buildings, people, and artificial lights. you can’t help but feel like you’ve been taken by the scruff of the neck and placed into a dream, one that you forget little by little because of its unrealistic canvas.

a spell of smoke breaks through your awe. a head turn and you’re confronted by shinichiro’s presence. he’s not that much taller than you, you both are practically nose to nose. 

“is it alright if i smoke?” his eyes flit to you, a flame from his lighter swaying dangerously slow. 

“nope.” you rock on the balls of your feet, anticipation for your own next words pulling a smirk from your lips. 

he blanches. “oh... sor–”

“i want to kiss you first.” you watch his eyes nearly pop out of his sockets. 

“like . . . right now?” he points, ears red. you nod. 

you’re a short distance away, it’s enough to reach out and you do. you place a hand on his chest, your palm meeting with a terribly fast heartbeat.

you tip towards him and he catches you, his arms are tight and warm, built from his years of fixing bikes. 

“thank you for bringing me here sano, it’s really pretty.” you watch as his dark eyes light up then shape into crescent moons as he smiles.

“glad that you liked it.” his eyes meet yours again, now with a pleading shine. you answer it by molding your lips against his. somehow, he pulls you even closer, almost like he wants for you to melt into him.

heartbeat to heartbeat, you taste the smoke on his tongue. though, it’s more pleasant than it should be. your hands map the unfamiliar planes of him, hoping to engrave it into your mind. 

when time morphs and extends, your lungs signal at your joints to push away and find air. you listen with a sigh, peeling your lips away from his soft ones. 

you both don’t say a thing. instead, shinichiro shadows his thumb across your cheek, the feather-light touch pinging at your heart. your breathing is in sync with his.

“is this a perfect time to ask for you to be my girlfriend?”

you hum. “took you long enough.”

he’s true to his surname, sano; of field and wilderness. it’s evident in the way you lean back into his arms like a wilted flower, not from a lack of whatsoever but an overflow of adoration and soon to be love.

GENERAL TAGLIST / form

@keiwaizumi @crapimahuman @dukina @princess-in-flowers @astraea-essie @italyhrry @zeyyackerman @royalelusts @g0joluvrrr @k3isuk3 @morosis-haze @neavil

TOKYO REVENGERS TAGLIST / form

@milliumizoomi @zensaki @4igital @sani-signora @revengingvixen @beezebub @myhoodacademia @iheartgirl @akisssnigga @k0benii @lilies-and-rosies @kazuluvr

[urban-homesteading]

Hey do you know what kind of tools I should buy if I want to move into a house? It won't have a yard yet, but fingers crossed for the future. Thank you!

Congratulations on the new house! Since you said that there's no yard yet, I'm going to focus only on tools I use inside my house and ignore gardening and lawn maintenance.

What tools should you have around your house?

So here's a pretty simple list that will cover most minor problems you will encounter.

Hammer

Cordless power drill

Screwdriver set (grab one with the ten basic sockets)

Drill set

Adjustable wrench

Level (bubble works, but I upgraded to laser and it makes life so much simpler)

Tape measurer

Utility knife

Flashlight

Extension cord

Step stool

Spare batteries

Toolbox (or even a cardboard box, just make sure you have somewhere to return your tools or they will escape to the four winds)

So how to acquire these tools while maintaining zero waste?

1) Start with your research

If you are completely unfamiliar with tool brands and the features available on tools, do a little research. Visit the websites for Sears, The Home Depot, Lowe's, Menards, True Value, Ace Hardware or any retailer that sells tools, and take a look at their new selections. Most websites organize tools in a straightforward way so you can easily find what you're looking for.

Head to a local store to get a firsthand look – many tools will be on display and out of the box so you can actually pick them up. You'll see the most-recent models, from low-end to top-of-the-line. Make notes on the prices and available features (especially relating to safety). This is your base from which to work when evaluating prices.

The next step is to look at online auction sites, such as eBay, to get an idea of prices for used tools. This gets a bit tricky because you'll need to really look at the age and condition of the tools as described by the seller. But again, make notes for a range of features and prices. Don't try to list everything you see – just make a list of price ranges for the tools, with notes on the variances in relation to brand. For example, for circular saws that range in price from $30 to $60, jot down what separates the bottom-priced tool from the top.

Head over to pawnshops as well. Pawnshops only buy items they know they can turn around and sell, so they won't have tools that don't work (everything they purchase is tested), and a pawnshop won't carry poor-quality brands. Also, the prices will accurately reflect the current value of tools in the marketplace. Make sure you visit operations that are members of the National Pawnbrokers Association, as these businesses abide by a code of ethics established by the association.

2) Name Does Matter (For the more expensive tools)

Now that you have an idea of what you'll expect to pay, it's time to consider how you'll evaluate and decide what to buy.

It used to be that if a name brand was good, it was good.  But I have found that the ‘good’ name brands have been sold so many times that most manufacturers are coasting on their reputation and they are the same quality as the ‘cheap’ tools.  Even worse, manufacturers will have different quality tools that are sold by different stores.  For example, a DeWalt power drill sold at a Home Depot will be better quality than a DeWalt Power Drill sold at Walmart because DeWalt will have two different manufacturing plants and they will send the lower quality ones to Walmart, since Walmart demands that DeWalt sell them to them at a cheaper cost or else they won’t buy from them at all.

My personal rule of thumb is buy cheap for the first one, then if you use it so long or so much that it needs replaced, buy expensive quality the second time.  This prevents you from spending hundreds on tools you’re only going to use a couple of times.

3) Where To Buy

You can start your shopping by revisiting some of the places you accessed when doing your research. Clearly you'll save money on shipping if you go to a local operation or an individual. Remember to test and examine tools closely no matter where you shop.

Pawnshops As mentioned earlier, pawnshops are a good bet for buying tools. You're going to find better-known brands that are probably on the higher end of the quality and price spectrum. Although, you're going to have little to no negotiating room on price compared to if you were buying from an individual.

Thrift Stores A thrift store may be a little less reliable for quality, and you'll probably find a lot less availability, especially at a thrift store that obtains its wares through donation. However, those that aren't donation-based aren't going to want to develop a bad reputation by selling inferior items.

Live Auctions Check local notices for potential auctions in your area. You may have a good chance of finding quality tools, but “auction fever” may set in, and you could wind up overpaying if you are bid up. These may be a good source for large equipment.

Garage Sales You could score the best deal at a garage sale, as the seller may be less likely to know the value of the tools being sold. Sellers will also be more open to price negotiation, and you can offer a bundle price for several items. Quality is going to be your biggest concern, so look these tools over really well.

Flea Markets These are similar to garage sales when it comes to negotiating, but the seller at a flea market will probably be more knowledgeable on price. Some flea market vendors have access to surplus or closeout suppliers, so you could see a potential mix of newer and older tools that haven't sold well at retail.

Classifieds Search online or newspaper classifieds under the equipment and tools categories. You may see a set or combination of tools listed as one price, which can be a good deal. As with garage sales, look these tools over carefully.

Online Websites offering tools are almost too numerous to mention, but eBay is certainly one that comes to mind. Check the seller ratings and reviews when shopping on auction sites. You'll also want to take a look at Amazon, which offers a lot of items, both new and used. Overstock.com, for example, has surplus items and may be a good source for refurbished items. You can often get limited warranties.

Retail Speaking of refurbished items, you may do well by looking at the clearance aisles at hardware stores and home centers. Sometimes they will heavily discount tools that have been returned. Check the reason for the return because it can be merely cosmetic.

4) Be an Inspector

On corded power tools, examine the electrical and basic mechanics of the tool. Aside from plugging it in and turning it on, thoroughly inspect the cord. Look for any visible defects, such as a crimp (what looks like a big dent), or if the cord is bent at a severe angle. A thick wad of electrical tape will be a big tip-off that something might not be right. Also take a look at where the cord meets the tool to see if it's heavily worn or loose. Closely examine the prongs of the plug. A slight bend on one of the prongs isn't a big deal, but if the metal looks heavily worn at the bend, it may be close to failure. And don't forget to check out the switch to see if it is loose or cracked.

Cordless tools present their own challenge. If you've ever looked at the price of replacement batteries, you know they can be quite pricey. Some are very expensive in relation to the cost of a new tool and can be as much as half or more of the cost of a new tool. Plus, it's hard to tell if the battery will hold its charge for any length of time. Sure, it may work fine in the short time you test it, but it's difficult to determine if it will hold a charge for longer than a few minutes. Only opt for cordless tools that you know are at most a couple of years old. Refurbished units are your best bet here.

With both corded and cordless power tools, be sure all the parts and guards are there. It's a bonus if the case and operating manual are included (although you may be able to find a copy of the manual on a tool manufacturer's website). You can easily find replacement accessories, such as saw blades, for many tools because the standards for accessory sizes are pretty consistent.

While you can't exactly take a small screwdriver and dismantle a power tool to look at its inner workings, you can search for a few telltale signs that all may not be well. Be prepared to use all five senses.

Take at look at the motor vent area of the tool (which looks like little slits in the housing). Ideally, you want this to be free of any sort of dirt, grime or buildup – a tall order for a used tool, but a good indication of how well it has been maintained. While inspecting this area, look for any burn marks or smoke trails (take a peek at the switch area as well). These would be clear indications that there's been an electrical problem. But just in case the evidence of a fire has been cleaned up, give the vent area the old sniff test for odor of smoke.

Keep the focus on this area and turn on the tool. You don't want to see smoke or sparks emitting from the housing. Notice how the tool feels in your hand while it's running. Look for intermittent operation or jerkiness. Yes, a power tool will vibrate in your hand, but you should be able to control it. If it feels like the tool could jump right out of your hand, there could be issues. Listen to the tool. Is it making erratic sounds or grating noises? Think back to other tools of the same type you're inspecting. Does the used tool sound significantly different?

You can look for specific things such as the movement of the blade in a circular saw or table saw. With the tool off and unplugged, move the blade around to see if there is a significant wobble to its motion. An old blade may be the culprit, but the arbor (the metal rod on which the blade is attached to the saw) may be bent. It would be difficult to replace and not worth purchasing the tool.

These tools will be a pretty good head start and will enable you to repair most minor work around your home.  

[summahsunlight]

Reader Request, #35 and #37 with Poe

Title: One Last KIss

Rating: T

Word Count: 1785

Pairings: Poe x Pilot!Reader

Summary: From 50 Angsty Questions Prompt list (here), #35 “Can I have one last kiss?” and #37 “Is this how you thought your life would be?”

Warnings: Heavy angst, implied major character death

Request from anon: “35 & 37 with Poe?” Thanks for the request! This one was much longer than I had originally anticipated, but there were so many parts to this that I wanted to include. Hope you like it! Remember, comments, likes, asks, or reblogs about this work are always appreciated.  Happy reading friends!❤️

Everything had happened so fast.  

Poe had been joking and flirting with you over the comms while you made your final sweep on this recon mission, and then out of nowhere, you were ambushed. Bounty hunters looking to make payday.  Both you and Poe managed to take care of them, but not before Poe’s fighter was badly damaged. 

You were forced to watch it go down. The stars spun in front of you as you sent a panicky distress call to the Resistance. Commander Dameron was hit, you needed medical assistance--because there was no way Poe had not survived the crash. That was just what he did--survived.

Landing your own fighter close to the crash, it had barely touched the terrain when you opened the hatched and jumped out of the cockpit. You tossed your flight helmet as you ran for the wreckage of Poe’s x-wing, heart beating so fast you were sure it was going to beat right out of your chest. “Poe!”

BB-8 responded with frantic screeches. You climbed up onto the smoking wreckage and helped the little droid out of the socket. It took you a few seconds to find the emergency hatch release, but once you did, you yanked on it hard. 

Nothing prepared you for the sight before you.

Poe’s blast shield was cracked, blood spattered on it. His orange flight suit. was covered in blood. Carefully, you wedged yourself into his cockpit and heard him groan in pain. Relief washed through you--he was alive. “If I’d known crashing my ship would have gotten you in my lap... I would have done it sooner.”

“Don’t joke,” you snapped at him, gently removing his helmet to inspect his head injury. “This is a serious situation, Poe. You’re hurt, badly.”

“How...how bad?” Poe asked, his eyes locking with yours. When you refused to answer, he asked again, “How bad is it, princess?”

Damn that nickname, damn him for using it in that exact moment. Tears instantly sprang to your eyes as your hands pressed down on the chest wound that was bleeding profusely. “You’re... you’re gonna be fine,” you lied to him, even as his blood stained your fingers and flight suit.

Poe gazed at you sympathetically. “I’ve been around long enough, survived enough crashes--I know it’s not good. You don’t have to lie to me, Y/N. I know...”

You cut him off before he could finish that sentence. “It’s bad, yes! But you’re going to be fine, Poe!” Please, you have to fine! I need you! BB-8 moaned nearby and you choked over your next words. “If you die, whose gonna look after BeeBee?”

“Just figured you would. He likes you.”

“Yes, well, I like him too but he isn’t going to need me. He’ll have you!”

“Is this how you thought your life would be?”

“Not even close; although I knew at some point you’d be bleeding all over me.”

He smiled, wistfully at you. Poe’s eyes were beginning to glaze over, you could see the tint of his pink lips starting to turn blue and you desperately pressed down harder on the wound. Where is that rescue transport! It had felt like hours since Poe had crashed, in reality it was probably only minutes. You had never felt time move so slow before. 

It felt like there were walls pressing around you, watching the life slowly leave Poe’s body, watching the spark fade from his beautiful brown eyes--you should have told him, the morning after Snap and Karé’s wedding, the morning after Poe had kissed you at the party--you should have told him you loved him.

Now, he was lying underneath your hands, dying and there was no stopping it.

“Can I have one last kiss?” Poe whispered, drawing your attention to his ashen face. “Please.” 

“Stop talking like this, you’re going to be fine, Poe,” you cried, tears streaming down your dirty cheeks. “Help is coming, okay?”

“Princess...

“No! I won’t let you die!”

Your words though couldn’t stop it; Poe’s eyes slipped shut just as you heard BB-8 squeal that the transport was here, it had arrived. They’re too late, you thought, falling against Poe’s chest and burying your face against his neck. “Poe! Please! Don’t leave me... don’t go where I can’t follow! Please.”

He said nothing. You sobbed as the world around you shattered. Hands were pulling you away from Poe’s body and someone was leading you towards the rescue transport while the others worked on getting Poe out of the x-wing.

At least there would be a burial, at least you could contact his father and let him know that he could bury his son on Yavin IV, next to his mother. That’s where Poe would want to be buried, you decided. He loved Shara. She was why he became a pilot. 

It was only fitting that Poe’s final resting place was with her.

-----

After arriving back on base and watching as Poe was taken away, Jessika helped you get out of your blood soaked flight suit, into the shower, and then when you were done showering, she helped you get back into clean clothes. From there, she took you by the hand to the mess, where she insisted you needed to at least have some water.

You numbly went along, not bother to talk or look at anyone. Poe was gone. He was gone and it was your fault. You hadn’t done enough to save him. It made you wish you had died as well. Something bumped into your leg and you realized it was BB-8. You vividly remembered Poe saying that he thought you would be the one to step up and take care of his beloved droid. 

Fresh tears assaulted you and you felt Jessika’s arm snake around your shoulders, pulling you closer to her. She was muttering words of comfort, letting you know that it wasn’t your fault, you’d done everything you could... Poe wouldn’t want everyone to be so upset...

...that last part was probably true. Poe would be the kind of guy that would want his friends to tell funny, embarrassing stories about him, to remember him fondly, not how he’d looked in the final moments of his life. “He asked me to kiss him.”

“What?” Jessika quipped, not sure she had heard right.

“On the planet, he asked me to kiss him one last time,” you said.

“When, when did you kiss him the first time?”

“Snap and Karé’s wedding. We were so drunk. I didn’t think he remembered.”

Jessika continued to hug you. “Oh, Y/N, I’m so sorry.”

You let your tears continue to fall. “I never told him how I felt.”

She leaned her head against yours, and cried with you. “He knew; he might not have come out and said it to us, but the way he talked about you, he knew--he knew how you felt about him--he felt the same way about you.”

This hurt even more knowing that you had missed your chance to be together, even if it was only meant to be for a short period of time. Suddenly, you were glad that Jessika was only making you drink some water because you didn’t think you could stomach any food as she led you into the mess hall.

Black Squadron was sure to take care of you. They were grieving themselves, but they knew it was worse for you having been there in Poe’s final moments, knowing how you loved him. You were grateful for their companionship. Each one of them offered to walk you back to your quarters after you had some water and something to eat because Karé insisted--you declined. You had BB-8 to keep you company, you didn’t need anyone else at that moment.

So, with BB-8 rolling sadly alongside you, you headed back to your room. You already had a charging station for him--when Poe was away on missions that BB-8 couldn’t go on with him, the little droid would spend the evening in your room. It was no wonder Poe thought you would be the one to care for his droid.

Not his droid anymore; your droid. 

You flopped down onto your bunk as BB-8 went to the charging station and plugged in for the night. Twenty-four hours ago your life had been so much different. There hadn’t been this pain inside of you gnawing away. Poe, I miss you. 

The knock on your door started you. Jumping off the bunk you rushed to answer it. “General Organa! Ma’am...can I...do you need me for something?”

Leia smiled at you and shook her head. “No, Captain.Well, actually, yes, I do need you for something. There’s a patient down in the medical bay that keeps asking for you. Can you come down to see them?”

Confused, you nodded and agreed to go with her. You couldn’t possibly think of any patients that would be asking for you; your friends had all been fine at dinner--with the exception of feeling the large void left behind by Poe--but there was nothing in the medical bay that could help with that.

It turned out, however, there was.

Poe.

Leia placed her hand on your shoulder as you looked at him, eyes wide. “He was barely clinging to life when you arrived back on base. Medics didn’t think he was going to make it--he’s stubborn. When he woke up he kept asking if you were okay. We told him you were fine. He needed to see you.”

Swallowing your tears, you stepped inside Poe’s room. He was asleep for now, hooked up to every monitor imaginable--but he was breathing, on his own. He was alive. He hadn’t left you at all. Frozen in place for a few moments you stood there, then turned slightly to find Leia, but she was gone. When you glanced back in Poe’s direction, his eyes were open, looking at you. 

Relief shown on his face, the color still not quite back in his cheeks yet. “You’re alright,” he sighed. “They told me I was the only one hurt but I...guess I needed to see it to believe it.”

“I thought...I thought you were dead,” you cried, quietly. “We all did.”

“For a while there, I thought I was dead too,” he deadpanned.

“Don’t joke, this is a serious situation, Poe,” you repeated, “You were hurt, badly.”

“Yeah, I know. Hey,” Poe said, smiling at you softly, his voice weak, “you never gave me that kiss.”

You didn’t hesitate this time; this time you moved across the room, sitting on his bed, and took his face between your hands and kissed him.

[thegreatduggo]

Ye Olde Triumph Speed Triple

In 2005, I bought a gorgeous Triumph Speed Triple off eBay. The bike was located in New Orleans and I had to arrange shipping from there up to me in Hoboken.

Arranging shipping is always an awkward dance. First you have to track down viable shippers and get quotes. There are hundreds to choose from, and it's a tricky business to try to figure which ones are best for the job.

Once you've picked one, it gets more tricky, where the buyer (me) has to coordinate and schedule mutually acceptable times and make the detailed arrangements. The shippers are not that flexible because they combine multiple shipments and you have to fit in with the options they offer up. It inevitably gets a bit fraught. It's exacerbated by the fact that the seller, having completed the sale, now just wants to be shot of it. You have to do your best to keep them sweet as things get messed up..

You never know exactly what you're going to get from the shipper and this guy turned up with a huge 18 wheeler. The seller lived about half a mile down a tiny lane, plus the shipper wanted the bike empty of fuel – which was ridiculous. Lots of fraught phone calls and eventually it was worked out with the seller running the bike on idle trying to burn up the remaining fuel and then saving enough to get it down the lane.

A week later the bike shows up in Hoboken and once we'd offloaded it, I tried to start it up - no joy – but, I figured it was probably out of gas. I tried a few more times over the next week and there was absolutely zero sign of life. I even tried extended starts with a jump from the car battery – not a good idea because extended use of the starter motor can cause over-heating and possibly burn out the motor, aside from causing unnecessary wear.

Out of ideas, I gave in and spent more time getting the bike trailered to the nearest Triumph dealer 20 miles away for a hefty fee of $250.

The dealer managed to get it running without too much trouble and then I had to pay another $40 to pick it up by taxi. According to the dealer – and much to my surprise - the problem was fouled spark-plugs. The dealer had no reason to mislead me, but I was still curious. 

In my 30 years of motorcycling, I had never had a bike flat-out fail on me due to bad spark-plugs. My 2-strokes used to get through a fair few, but with a twin-cylinder, when one cylinder stops firing, it's pretty much a given that the plug has gone bad. The engine  still runs though. With my 4-strokes, I used to change the plugs periodically as part of routine maintenance, but by and large, I never could tell the difference. I think on one occasion, I had a sluggish performance issue that was fixed with new plugs, but the bike was a runner before I changed them.

Fast forward to a few months ago and the Speed Triple was getting a little capricious with the starting. At the time, I had a problem with a blocked drain line from the fuel tank gas cap well. I'd tried to fix it a bunch of times in the prior years but it was hard to get to and I had only partially cleared it. In recent times, it had been filling up with water on a regular basis and water would overflow into the tank when I opened the gas cap. I figured that the difficult starting and choppy running was from flushing the water at the bottom of the tank out through the injectors.

One time it was particularly hard to start and needed the throttle to held part open to get started. It produced a few small backfires and then a much bigger one, with a puff of smoke,  after which it seemed to run fine. It ran fine the next few times but after an 8 week post-surgery layoff, I tried to start it once more. The engine turned over fine and started, but it died after 30 seconds or so and then after a few increasingly short-lived run attempts, it gave up the ghost altogether.

Now, I was stuck. I couldn't even get it to a repair shop without an expensive tow. Casting my mind back 13 years ago, I wondered if the spark-plugs could once again be the culprits. It was certainly woth a try.

I found them on Amazon and with Prime delivery, that was the best deal.

The other day a large padded envelope arrived from Amazon. Inside was another item I'd ordered. I left the envelope on the kitchen floor to put it in he outside trash later on. Fortunately, I distractedly stood on the envelope to pop some bubbles and felt something else in the envelope. It turned out to to be the spark-plugs.

Replacing the spark-plugs is no easy matter. It requires removing the fuel tank, removing the air-box, pulling all the cables, drain tubes and fuel lines and then dig into 6” deep spark plug holes, one of which is partly obscured.

I set about the job. Working with the tank and trying to remove the tightly located fuel lines and electrical connectors, could really use another pair of hands but I got it done without major incident. I was able to get to the plugs with a deep socket and a cool extension bar that I have that allows a 15 degree angulation.

Because of the restricted access, my recovering shoulder, over-tightened plus and corrosion, I needed a 2 foot breaker bar to get the plugs out!

Once I'd got the plugs out, I happened to notice that one of the plugs was missing its washer. I stuck my rare earth magnetic pickup down the hole and out popped the washer. That was lucky, I thought. But then checking the other plugs, I saw that another washer was missing – but which one was it? Sticking the magnetic pickup down the hole didn't retrieve anything, but then I twigged that only one of the holes was pulling the magnet – isn't this an all aluminium head? Even a tiny washer will exert full magnetic force if locked in place.

I didn't want to leave it in place, although I would do if I had to. I tried drifting it with a long screwdriver, applying rotation with a thicker screwdriver, snagging it with a bent coat-hanger, applying penetrating oil, to no avail. In the end I knocked up a tool made of bent metal rod, that was then cut to length on the hook end and finally ground to a flat on the wheel. Fiddling around in the dark didn't seem to be doing anything but suddenly, to my surprise, it popped out.

It was weird that these washers came off at all as they are smaller than the thread and you can't ordinarily get them off at all.

Putting it back together, I needed an extra pair of hands even more, but I managed to get it all back together after a few attempts.

And, thankfully this was the problem and the bike is running fine now.

These plugs are dual electrode, which seem more sexy, but reading up on bulletin boards, opinions are mixed. Some casual users say that they really like them and they give a bit of a boost, but most think they’re fine but don’t really notice a difference, Builders of tuned engines don’t like them at all and also say they are less reliable. Having said that, although these plugs only had a few thousand miles on them, they did last 13 years. Next time I replace plugs, I may just go single electrode.