But I've found some time to sort out the photos and a write up, so here goes:
Back in September my sprag failed en route to a camping weekend, not wanting to kick her over all weekend I took the bike home and jumped in the car, thinking that the bike would be an easy fix the following week. Upon inspection, it was a broken sprag spring, easy, been there done that before. What I wasn't expecting was the small handful of shrapnel that was hiding behind the clutch cover and later in the sump..
After checking the possible culprits (camshaft bearing cage, etc..) with no sign of failure, I asked Gary if he could have a look and if he would pick the engine up from Stu's weekend in November. 
Seeing as the engine was now out the bike and I was bikeless for the foreseeable future, I took the opportunity to piece together a 350 kicker that I've had sitting about in pieces in a box for the last year. I printed out the workshop manual and began tinkering in the workshop (and kitchen) every evening after work for about a week and a half until I had something that resembled a very beat up rotax. It went back into the frame, with a freshly painted shoe and was ready for a test run. I struggled to get her started on the kicker, but put this down to lack of practice; as I've always had the push button! Eventually I developed a knack (or so I thought) and she ran, but ran poorly.. But enough for me to attempt the ride down to Hailsham for the November gathering. Those of you who were there will testify to how shit this engine was and Gary's ankle is probably still swollen from when it kicked back on him.. I missed out on the off roading, but stayed back and tended to the camp whilst trying to find out why this engine was running so incredibly badly.
But the weekend was a success, because Gary now had my electric start engine and it was on its way to Oxfordshire
TBC
