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embarrassing moments
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 811
Likes: 0
From: Inverness, FL
RE: embarrassing moments
ORIGINAL: barjbar
I've gotten in the habit of always engaging the clutch lever when starting for just that reason. Really, HD should lock out the starter if the vehicles not in neutral. Every other bike I've had has had that feature.
I've gotten in the habit of always engaging the clutch lever when starting for just that reason. Really, HD should lock out the starter if the vehicles not in neutral. Every other bike I've had has had that feature.
One moment I'll share was after a ride from Marion VA to Detroit. I had been in an accident the day before and lost my windhield, side mirror and my bags were duct taped closed. It rained most of the way andI had only leathers, beany and sun glasses. Took 11 hours and I was cold, soaked and hungry. When I got off the freeway and put both feet down at the stop sign the bike went over. I could barely hold myself up, and was laughing hysterically. While I was picking the bike off the ground the cager behind me was pissed off andyelling at me for holding him up.
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 97
Likes: 1
From:
RE: embarrassing moments
ORIGINAL: Pipedream
Dumped my bike in the garage today. Thought the kickstand was down...it wasnt. Bike fell on my leg and minor damage...
Dumped my bike in the garage today. Thought the kickstand was down...it wasnt. Bike fell on my leg and minor damage...
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,599
Likes: 1
From:
RE: embarrassing moments
I went on a trip in the mountains (Florida rider, it was all new to me). I rode past my limits for many hours as a rider. Left at 6:30am and it was 8:30pm and I wouldn't get back to the place I was staying until nearly 11pm. My nerves were shot, I was tired and my sanity was slowly slipping.
I had stopped at a Wendys and grabbed a hot burger and some coffee to warm me up for the rest of the ride in the mid 40s. When I came out I stalled the bike going up a hill and turning right leading to the stop sign. I grabbed the front brake because my legs didn't seem to want to work very well. Over she went. Another rider from this forum that I was with helped me pick her up by showing me proper lifting techniques. Couple tiny pipe scuffs and a badly bruised ego.
Two great lessons there -
#1 let off the front brake as the bike comes to a complete stop on inclines, declines and in turns - or to any stop in general.
#2 plan your rides for your level of experience and plan for fatigue.
Other newb moments include periodically stalling the bike or other dumb stuff. One day I was sitting at a light (I always keep the clutch in until the car behind me is completely stopped). For no reason what-so-ever I just let go of the clutch. Stall. Fired it right back up and shook my head sadly, reminding myself to focus, focus, focus!
I like the phrase another poster used: White line fever. Seems to appropriately describe what happens when you're overstimulated for any length of time travelling and kind of go numb.
I had stopped at a Wendys and grabbed a hot burger and some coffee to warm me up for the rest of the ride in the mid 40s. When I came out I stalled the bike going up a hill and turning right leading to the stop sign. I grabbed the front brake because my legs didn't seem to want to work very well. Over she went. Another rider from this forum that I was with helped me pick her up by showing me proper lifting techniques. Couple tiny pipe scuffs and a badly bruised ego.
Two great lessons there -
#1 let off the front brake as the bike comes to a complete stop on inclines, declines and in turns - or to any stop in general.
#2 plan your rides for your level of experience and plan for fatigue.
Other newb moments include periodically stalling the bike or other dumb stuff. One day I was sitting at a light (I always keep the clutch in until the car behind me is completely stopped). For no reason what-so-ever I just let go of the clutch. Stall. Fired it right back up and shook my head sadly, reminding myself to focus, focus, focus!
I like the phrase another poster used: White line fever. Seems to appropriately describe what happens when you're overstimulated for any length of time travelling and kind of go numb.
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 597
Likes: 1
From:
RE: embarrassing moments
Had a trucker pull out in front of me, I had to swerve into the other lane to miss him. He was about half out into the road when I rolled past him with a one finger salute. I had downshifted to what I though was 3rd to start back off in, it ended up being 1st. Popped the clutch and all heck broke lose as the rear wheel lost traction, theback endjumped left and rightfelt like it went a foot sideways, bike leaned hard but somehow I pulled it out and kept the rubber side down. I must have looked like a flailing RUB to the guy.
Going way too fast in the rain passing everyone up on a 4 lane highway. A light ahead started to change on me and there was no way I could make it but figured I would run it because it beat the option of a dangerous wet pavement sudden stop. I saw a cop at the light an paniced, hit the brakes hard to stop before the light. I went sliding on the wet pavement, back end started coming around but it finally stopped on the shoulderbefore I got too sideways. Cop was still sitting there, staring at me. He pulled over and walked up and called me an idiot, then just walked back to my car, never saying anything else. Traffic was bad and there must have been 2 dozen people watch me looking exactly like the cop said, and idiot.
Going way too fast in the rain passing everyone up on a 4 lane highway. A light ahead started to change on me and there was no way I could make it but figured I would run it because it beat the option of a dangerous wet pavement sudden stop. I saw a cop at the light an paniced, hit the brakes hard to stop before the light. I went sliding on the wet pavement, back end started coming around but it finally stopped on the shoulderbefore I got too sideways. Cop was still sitting there, staring at me. He pulled over and walked up and called me an idiot, then just walked back to my car, never saying anything else. Traffic was bad and there must have been 2 dozen people watch me looking exactly like the cop said, and idiot.
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,313
Likes: 1
From: Wagoner, Oklahoma
RE: embarrassing moments
I almost lost one in a parking lot at a grocery store kick stand issue I think it was one of those *** fault gremlins kicked it out from under me. Anyway it never went down but I think I red lined the tack before I got it back upright again. Needless to say I got a few looks. It just takes once and then you donât ever forget it.
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Advanced
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: Central Florida
RE: embarrassing moments
Was sitting in a line of traffic last weekend. The intersection had a loooong red light my way and I was totally surrounded by other bored people. Had shifted into neutral during the long stop and was just looking around at not much of anything. Have Rush 2.0 slipons, so the bike was idling with that nice Harley sound, some people and kids were waving at the big bad biker. Saw the light go green, put the boot on the shifter and popped into first - without pulling the clutch. The CLUNKCRUNCH as I stalled the bike attracted stares from everyone around, it was hard to hold my head up as I started her back up and slowly followed traffic down the road. I have no idea why I forgot the clutch, guess you can have a senior moment at any time.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 2,115
Likes: 1
From: CA
RE: embarrassing moments
Ive' tipped mine over twice, oncein loose gravel and once in soft dirt on an incline.
Going through Wyoming last summer, saw a guy and his girl passenger go down hard turning from the highway into the gas station. The gas station prpoerty was dirt and gravel and this guy was in a turn when he transitioned from ashphalt to gravel. Helped him get the bike up. Probably not the only bike to lose it there. Anyway, his bike was ridable but jacked up. Pretty sure it was a rental. They weren't hurt, but the girl looked pretty pissed off.
Going through Wyoming last summer, saw a guy and his girl passenger go down hard turning from the highway into the gas station. The gas station prpoerty was dirt and gravel and this guy was in a turn when he transitioned from ashphalt to gravel. Helped him get the bike up. Probably not the only bike to lose it there. Anyway, his bike was ridable but jacked up. Pretty sure it was a rental. They weren't hurt, but the girl looked pretty pissed off.