A master craftsman at work.

One of the perils of moving is breakage and it’s something which invariably seems to find my 1975 BMW motorcycle the victim. This time it was the center stand tang, which is a small steel protrusion used to deploy and stow the centerstand.

Given a choice between using the side stand, easily deployed, and the center stand, almost as easy with these light, well balanced machines, most riders will opt for the latter as it’s more stable and prevents oil dribbling down past the piston rings into the head, avoiding a smoky, polluting start. On hot asphalt the center stand distributes the load over a far larger area, and once you have seen your machine gently tip over as the asphalt gives way, you will understand. Don’t ask, the pain – now 20 years old – remains.

The protruding tang, then, makes it easy for the seated rider to deploy the center stand to its down position, whereupon he dismounts, puts his foot on the big plate you see below, and gently rocks the 500 lbs. of German alloys and steels onto the center stand. While I was away when my machine was delivered to Scottsdale, evidently the mover used the tang as a load bearing point, placing a foot on it while rocking the machine back. Snap!

The tang, snapped off.

A call to the mobile welding shop saw Jeff the owner and Donny the welder turn up with their beautiful Miller MIG portable welding rig. We take welds for granted yet our world could not exist without them. Every vehicle, fence, gate, door – you name it – is replete with them. The process used here, MIG or Metal Inert Gas welding, is exactly what it says. The welding torch feeds a line of steel through its tip whose burning gases expel oxygen at the point of contact making for a properly melted junction, free of impurities which would threaten integrity.

While Jeff is a Harley man, which is the default for most riders here in AZ where helmets are not mandated (testimony to the contents between most Harley riders’ ears) Donny the welder turned out be a BMW man himself, which makes for a better weld!

The fire of the sun. Way to go, Donny! Not a good idea to stare at this arc too long.

I learned a lot from Donny about tuning motors and shared with him my passion for the old BMW airhead twins. A good time was had by all and now I can again easily deploy and retract my center stand from the seat.

The job completed, new paint applied.

iPhone6 snaps.