.::z. 8/8.

The past 2 nights were spent dolling up the Varadero. It was way overdue anyway, when I got the bike back, there were holes on the seat, most of the lights were faulty, the engine didnt run smoothly and it was covered in dust, oil and grime.

On Monday, after breaking fast with Beng at Subway NUS and sending him home, I went to the Hyper Bike Werkz LLP shop along Jalan Besar. Had the engine oil changed there, it took 2 bottles to refill it, at $22 each. The ride felt smoother after that, the problem of the engine dying especially while slowing down reduced considerably, it didnt happen as often as before. I wonder what else need to be done to totally eliminate it. Perhaps the engine oil need some time to erm.. "gel" with the engine. I dunno.. any bikers out there? Biker mice from Mars maybe? I also got a new $100 matt black helmet from the Ah-boy shop across the street.

Yesterday, right after work, I rode down to Lavendar Street and had the faulty bike lights changed at a bike shop there (cant remember the name). $10 to change the headlights, tail lights, brake lights and the front and rear right signal lights. Feels much safer to be riding at night now :) I was riding out of the shop when I noticed a big banner outside another shop across the street that says "Seat cover and Helmet Repair". So I went there and asked how much to get mine changed. The guy said "$50-60, we change it now as u wait", so I said OK and before I knew it he took the seat out and ripped away the cover. I was then shown a display of covers to choose from - it was like buying cloth to make curtains at Geylang. The prices actually range from $45 to $85, depending on the quality of the leather. I chose the $75 grade, bargained it down to $70, and it took them about 1.5 hours to get it changed. I had to break fast by drinking a can of coke I bought from the vending machine outside the shop.

So the total damage for vava-vooming the Varadero came to -> $44 + $100 + $10 + $70 = $224. Ouch. Here it is, the Varadiva-vero, after a not-so-extreme makeover ->

Ramadhan is ending soon. I had the wonderful opportunity of breaking fast at home most of the time with mom and dad. The house is very quiet now, with all my brothers gone, and I feel the obligation to be the one to buka with them. Besides, nothing beats home-cooked food :) And I have the bike to thank for, I end work at 6pm and only a bike can bring me home by 645pm, regardless if there are any traffic jams on the expressways. Sometimes Sarah and family would come over and liven things up a bit, sometimes we go over their place, and once in a while the whole family will break fast outside.

And here's the other Diva in my life right now :)