In case you've never ridden a british bike, this should give the flavor. -rehmi From: moore@profsc.fsl.noaa.gov (Mark Moore MOORE@FSL.NOAA.GOV) > The fog is thick on the cold, grey morning. The fields > are golden brown and dew covered. After hiking for a few > hours, the solitary shed rises above the horizon. The door > hinges are rusted shut. A few laborous minutes later, the > doors creak open. A shaft of sun light bursts through the > clouds and into the darkness revealing the outline of a > hand restored Triumph. There is a puddle of oil here. There is a clean rag here. There is a can of oil here. There is a key here. A hollow voice says "plugh". --> wipe oil With what? Your bare hands? --> wipe oil with rag You don't have the rag. --> get rag Ok. --> wipe oil with rag The oil has been cleaned up. --> check oil The oil tank is empty. --> empty can The oil tank is half-full. --> squeeze rag The oil drips out of the rag into the tank. The oil tank is now full. --> insert key in ignition You don't have the key. --> get key Ok. --> insert key in ignition The key is in the ignition. --> turn key Which way? --> Turn key clockwise. Nothing happens. --> curse prince darkness Nothing seems to happen, but an eerie feeling of readiness springs from the Triumph. --> kick triumph Why would you want to kick the Triumph? --> kickstart triumph You're not on the Triumph. --> mount triumph Why would you want to mount the Triumph? --> get on triumph You are now seated on the Triumph. --> kickstart triumph The Triumph emits a cacaphony of strangled popping noises and falls silent again. --> close choke The choke on the ancient Amal carburettor is now closed. --> tickle carb Oooooh! That tickles! --> kickstart triumph The Triumph emits a cacaphony of strangled popping noises and falls silent again. --> kickstart triumph hard The Triumph springs to life, emitting a cacaphony of bellowing and clattering noises. --> put triumph in gear What? --> press left toe You're already stopped! --> lift right toe The Triumph lurches forward two feet and the engine dies. --> press right toe The Triumph is in neutral. --> kickstart triumph hard The Triumph springs to life, emitting a cacaphony of bellowing and clattering noises. --> disengage clutch; lift right toe; engage clutch The Triumph is in first gear. The Triumph lurches forward, and keeps going out through the shed doors. You are at the junction of the driveway and a road running east/west. --> west You are heading west along the road. The Triumph is screaming at high revs in first gear. --> shift What? --> disengage clutch; press right toe; engage clutch The Triumph is in second gear. The Triumph accelerates smoothly. Suddenly, the engine splutters and dies. --> open petcock The engine catches again. A pack of Ducatis passes you at high speed. --> disengage clutch; press right toe; engage clutch The Triumph is in third gear. The Triumph accelerates smoothly. The pack of Ducatis is now a distant speck on the horizon. --> catch up What? --> catch ducatis The Triumph accelerates smoothly. Suddenly, the engine splutters and dies. --> open choke The engine catches again. --> catch ducatis You can't. Nyah. --> disengage clutch; press right toe; engage clutch The Triumph is in fourth gear. The Triumph accelerates smoothly. A Honda Civic starts to turn left in front of you. --> hit brakes With what? Your bare hands? --> yes Ok. The Triumph slows imperceptably, aided only by the front brake. --> press right pedal You're already in fourth gear. --> press left pedal The Triumph slows at a slightly higher rate. --> honk horn The horn emits a feeble "bleep". The extra load on the electrical system causes the engine to splutter and die. --> curse prince darkness The engine springs to life again. You successfully avoid the Honda Civic. You pass a pack of Ducatis that has been pulled over by the police. There is a junction ahead with a driveway heading south --> south You are heading down a rutted dirt driveway at over 60 mph. There is a brick wall ahead. --> pluh What? --> pugh What? --> plugh You're back in the shed. The light still shines through the doorway. The Triumph splutters and stops. --> remove key Ok. --> turn off petcock Ok. --> dismount triumph You forgot to put the Triumph on the stand. It tips over and crashes to the floor. Luckily, there is only minor damage. --> pick up triumph What? --> get triumph It's too heavy. You'll have to drop something first. --> inventory You're holding: an oil-soaked rag an empty oil can a key --> drop rag Ok. --> get triumph It's too heavy. You'll have to drop something first. Half of the oil has leaked out of the Triumph's oil tank onto the floor. --> drop oil can Ok. --> drop key Ok. --> get triumph Ok. --> put triumph on stand What? --> stand triumph The Triumph is sitting on it's stand. --> where You are in the shed. A shaft of sun light bursts through the clouds and into the darkness revealing the outline of a hand restored Triumph. There is a puddle of oil here. There is an oil soaked rag here. There is an empty oil can here. There is a key here. A hollow voice says "plugh". --> close door The door to the shed is now closed. Your first Triumph adventure is complete.