It’s amazing what one has to do to keep things running when the nearest parts shop is halfway around the world. Just the other week I needed to quickly check our generator… and backed my motorbike right into a pole. Did you know that the taillight on a 1979 Suzuki can be fragile? Yeah, shattered like an egg.
So, my bike is now missing a brake light, and thus is not street legal or safe on the roads. After a bit of searching I found an online motorcycle shop with the part, but it will take a while for it to get here. But what to do until then…
Time for a bit of bush mechanic work. I found a PVC flange, a tail light lens, and an empty metal peanut can. It’s simple- shape the PVC to fit and wire it on. Next, with the aid of tin snips and a drill, turn the peanut can into a reflector. Then, take the reflector and attach with a trio of wood screws. Finish by sealing the whole thing with clear packing tape and red electrical tape. I would have used duct tape, but that was unavailable.
And the fix works! Not the best looking thing, but it allowed me to finally take a trip to town on the machine. And next time I need to do a quick trip to check the generator, I’ll use the Center’s 4 wheeler.