After nearly seven months on the road the bike really needed some TLC. So I put out a call via social media to get suggestions for a qualified person to do some maintenance. This plea for help returned many ideas and suggestions from around the world. One was Lance Carnes of Adventure Kartel in Mexico City. You might remember I purchased a tire from Lance and he shipped it to me in Oaxaca several months ago. Lance gave me the numbers of two guys in the area, but I was unable to communicate with them by phone because of that language thing. Another timely suggestion came from Jenny Cook, of Overland Magazine, in the south of England. Jenny referred me to a post in Horizons Unlimited about Taz Mania, a guy with a bike shop in Antigua. When Taz and I connected on the phone I right away recognized his heavy Australian accent. Taz said for me to bring the bike over. Upon arriving at Taz's shop, MotoMundo, there was this Aussie sounding guy wearing wooden clogs. As it turns out Taz is Dutch, speaks six languages, and learned his English in OZ.
Taz and I go over a list of things to be done to the bike in addition to installing a new chain. On Monday Taz goes to Guatemala City to get parts for the bike and does not return until 7:00PM...an all day affair. Taz said that there was one 525 chain in Guatemala City and it was probably the only 525 chain in the country. When the cover over the front sprocket is removed we see right away that the sprocket has significant wear. Taz has a 16 tooth sprocket that fits a KTM bike and with some modifications he is able to make it work perfectly.
I am planning to leave Antigua and spend a few days at Lake Atitlan which is about two hours west of here and if there are any other problems with the bike will be returning through this area again to see Taz on the way to El Salvador.
Here some photos in and around Antigua.
This is Taz and his shop.
Taz and I go over a list of things to be done to the bike in addition to installing a new chain. On Monday Taz goes to Guatemala City to get parts for the bike and does not return until 7:00PM...an all day affair. Taz said that there was one 525 chain in Guatemala City and it was probably the only 525 chain in the country. When the cover over the front sprocket is removed we see right away that the sprocket has significant wear. Taz has a 16 tooth sprocket that fits a KTM bike and with some modifications he is able to make it work perfectly.
I am planning to leave Antigua and spend a few days at Lake Atitlan which is about two hours west of here and if there are any other problems with the bike will be returning through this area again to see Taz on the way to El Salvador.
Here some photos in and around Antigua.
This is Taz and his shop.
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