Category: The Grand Tour

Everything went smoothly at the bike shop and now I’m waiting for the Kawasaki to be prepared. Unfortunately I’m being held up again by paperwork and it feels like this blog is turning in to a whiny series about the difficulties of getting papers in order in Spain, especially during summer. Well this is not the intention but the fact is that my bank is being messy and the bank transfer to the bike shop is not coming through due to a – to me – not understandable error. Hopefully, I will get some answers from the bank man tomorrow. Another thing that was necessary was to be registered on the new address. According to the system my id number/NIE is registered to the first address I had in Spain, that is now 5 years ago and I am registered still on the previous address in Alcobendas. So for the papers for the bike tax and possible other stuff to reach me I have to get this organised. This can only be done at daytime and on a pre-made appointment. Hopefully, my fiancé can sort that out on Wednesday. Another thing is that inbetween bikes I will have to commute to work by public transport, which is a 1 ½ hour single journey, I spend less than half that by bike. So while part of me is jolly happy that the deal is settled, another part is sick and tired of Spanish paper work and bureaucracy.

A Kawasaki might put a smile on my face but Ducati still has a place in my heart. I was delighted to see Rossi riding his Ducati to a podium today. My congratulations!

So, yesterdayi got The Message from Motos Racing House, the Kawasaki has arriwed to the store. Of course I’m eager, even though i feel sad. But when a decicion is made I can’t wait to make it happen, rather sooner then later and prefereably last week.

This afternoon I will ride there and take a closer look at my new companion and leave the Ducati world behind, at least for a while. I will have to live without bike for a bit though. Since the Kawasaki is new it will take a week to prepare her and organise with papers. The panniers, topcase and heated grips will be mounted. And after a bank transfer of 3800 to that and we are ready to go Then I just have to do a thousand kilometers, have first service done and we’re ready to travel.

I hope that all that paperwork will go smothely and that insurance wont be a problem. And with problem I mean crazy expensive. I am now a city girl and that change of post code might make a big difference. I rather not have to change insurance company, since I expect that that is just as complicated as changing anything else.

Tomorrow before work I will have to take a detour by the postoffice and get late for work all just to pay the bike-tax. It is amazing how a country can just stop working at noon. Between may and september all banks close at 14.00 and the tax can only be payed in a bank and in may. Spain has tought me patience, but sometimes it just gets to much – so fingers crossed that it goes smooth in the bike shop.

Today I gave the Ducati some Tender, Love and Care. Possibly the last wash and wax I´ll give her since I´m waiting for the message telling me that the Kawasaki is delivered to shop.

I still have mixed feelings, when I look at my Monster my heart aches, it is such a beautiful bike. But when riding her I feel certain that I have made the right decicion. I do need to strech my legs a bit.

But, we did have some awesome tima togehter!