So I got my front wheel back from the shop with the 2nd new tire put on professionally so I could not fail to seat the bead again. Once again the venerable Royal Enfield INT 650 is in tip top shape and ready to ride. After remembering to tighten the pinch bolt on the front axle I deemed myself and the bike ready for its initial test ride post oil change, valve adjustment and new tires and tubes front and rear mounted and balanced. I backed out of the driveway and ran it up to 2nd gear getting to the first stop sign. Running great! I putter on out of the neighborhood and into the 4 lane stoplight traffic that is the main roads. getting near to the third light I notice the bottom of my right leg/ hamstring is very cold in one spot. I glance down and don't see anything so I continue on, after about 5 seconds I notice smoke or steam rising up from the header on my right side so I glance down again and see a LOT of smoke/ steam so I'm guessing its still got an oil leak from the valve cover and I better check it out so I pull into the next lights left turn lane to go to the nearest parking lot to pull over. while sitting at the light I lean over and look to see gasoline pouring down onto the engine, but Im still getting fuel to the engine so I rip into the parking lot and park it and jump off after lowering the kickstand and killing the engine. What I deduced is that when I went to do the valves and remove the tank, the first fuel quick release that I tried up near the tank that would not come off, actually came off. Im actually glad gas was pouring out and not just vaporizing over the engine, no external fire. The tool kit that came with the bike was sufficient to get the tank off so I could reconnect the fuel hose.
The only means to test that it was secure that I had was to turn on the kill switch which primed the pump and the first four times shot fuel out of the connection. However, once you hear a loud "CLICK" its good to go. After that fiasco and putting it back together I just wanted to ride home and park it. Luckily I was not going to get to do that just yet because while I was testing the fuel pump the battery got just low enough to not turn the bike over. Now, I've heard it said that you can bump start a fuel injected bike, but despite running most of the parking lot on it, it would just not kick over so I parked it and called Mrs. Gunner to come get me. A few minutes later a guy comes out and asks me if I needed help. I told him the deal and he said he had a jump box so I was like hell yeah! and took off the side cover to get to the battery. He gets it running and I call Mrs. Gunner to cancel. The ride home was dry and quick. Now it really is ready for Mrs. Gunner to take over.
