Post-monsoon clean, chain and chrome

Two dry days in a row this week, which in Kerala in October is a forecast you do not waste. The monsoon leaves a grey film on everything chrome, and this year it had started leaving small brown spots as well, mostly on bolt heads.

Started this morning at seven, before the sun got serious. Warm water and shampoo first, then the chain. Kerosene on an old toothbrush, because the uncle across the lane swears by it and I have stopped arguing with him, then proper chain cleaner after it and fresh lube on the inside of the chain while I turned the wheel by hand. Slack was still fine at 18,400 km, so no adjusting.

Then the polish. The tank, the headlight shell, the engine covers and both silencers, close to two hours of it, and my right shoulder now sits a bit higher than the left. Most of the spots came off. Two bolts did not, so stainless ones are ordered.

My mother walked past twice and asked if I was planning to sell it.

Rode it to the bridge afterwards to see if it still looks like the first picture. From the front it does. Thulavarsham is due in a week or two and will undo all of this, so it was mostly for me.