Author Topic: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .  (Read 10769 times)

Offline chuck peterson

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #30 on: January 15, 2018, 08:26:59 AM »
Running the slalom course thru a set of safety cones (it was a teenage brain at the time)...heh! I'm pretty good at this...try a little faster...try a little closer to the cones...SMACK! The clutch lever contacts the safety cone, and just about broke all my fingers behind the lever...imagine if it was the brake lever...idiot.
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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #31 on: January 15, 2018, 08:36:24 AM »
April 2007 in NORCAL - - Running out of GAS on my brand new 2007 Harley-Davidson FLH-R Road King, 5 miles from my house, after the "low-fuel-light" went on a few miles before.  I thought I had at least 20-25 miles on reserve....obviousl y NOT!!  I can't remember when that last happened!! :laugh: :grin: :wink:

I remember the HD Service Advisor telling me:  "Now...with these big fuel-injected twins....when the low fuel comes on...get off the exit immediately and look for a gas station!!"  :shocked: :rolleyes: :laugh: :grin: :wink:  Fortunately, my wife came to the rescue with the 5-gallon gas can!!



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Offline timonbik

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #32 on: January 15, 2018, 08:45:39 AM »
Laconia last year, riding my Victory with my brother and a half dozen of his HD friends.  Only non Harley in the group.  We all fuel up before heading up into the mountains for a ride.  Leave the gas station, pull the clutch in to shift into second and snap.  Clutch cable broken.  HD dealer 1 mile away.  Victory dealer 45 miles away.  My brother and his buddy went up and got me a Save ur Ride cable ad was up and running in a couple of hours.  Ruined the day and the HD guys will never let me forget it.
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Offline Guzzi Gal

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #33 on: January 15, 2018, 08:57:25 AM »
Great story GG.

BTW.
What caused the female cyclist to chuck her guts, did she catch a sideways glimpse of the NC 700?
That'll do it most times if you're already a bit fragile... :coffee:

You're too kind, Huzo.  Putting that story into written form was like giving birth-painful.  Dumping Anni in front of people you aren't likely to see again, bad.  Dumping her in front of someone you see several times a week, doubly so. :violent1:

Ha!  The poor thing was gushing her guts before the NC (it's not much to look at, but the "trunk" is awesome) showed up.  Methinks the young lady was suffering from heat exhaustion with salt depletion.  She had already pumped herself up the full length of S. Mountain's twisties and probably didn't fully hydrate before and during her ride. 

Getting caught perving on a Kawasaki GTR 1400 in a dealership while fondling my cheque book, back in '09.
All the while my Norge was out the front looking comparatively beautiful.
Never felt so silly in all my life...
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Yes, you were a total perv, but you redeemed yourself in choosing not to cheat on Isabella Rossellini.  BTW, that woman is still gorgeous IMHO, and better yet, funny as hell!  Green Porno is a must see if you're a fan of hers and can be found on Netflix.
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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #33 on: January 15, 2018, 08:57:25 AM »

Offline guzzimatic

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #34 on: January 15, 2018, 11:25:23 AM »
OK,I decided to go to a rally I had never been to,the Kentucky fall rally. Talked my riding buddy Bill into going,me on '08 Norge,Bill on '06 Breva. It was something over 400 mi to the rally and hot as July! We were wiped out by the time we got to the rally,sweating bullets to get the tent set up in the tiny camping area. I met some nice folks who let me buy into their cooler of beer,Thanks! The next morning we were just getting our 2nd cuppa when Andy( you know who) comes up and starts saying we should go on a breakfast ride with them...after some humming and hawing we said why not,famous last words...jump in our gear and ride up to the gas station to meet the group,5 or 6 bikes as I remember. We start out,I was about 3rd or 4 in line,look left for traffic as we turn right,I had a momentary lapse of reason and drifted 2 ft off my line,when I look back right( a split-second) I am 2ft from a bottomless crater caused by Semi's cutting the corner! My dirt bike riding reactions took over and I tried to lighten the front wheel,smashed into the edge of the pavement and crushed my front rim,trip over 450 mi.from home...I then proceeded to try and beat the rim back to where it would at least hold air,this was mistake number 3 as I managed to tweak the brake disk with all the pounding...in my defense I have read many accounts of ADV riders pounding rims back to sorta round and riding on...had to try. Now comes the best part,Curt Edwards befriended me,along with many others at the rally,got in touch with Enzo at Cadre cycle,he brought me a nice used wheel from a Norge he had just got and Saturday about 5pm I rode the Norge on a test ride,good enough to get me home! I never got to ride the wonderful roads Bill told me about when he got back Saturday but we made it home safe on Sunday...Thanks to everyone whose names escape me!!!
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Offline Chuck in Indiana

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #35 on: January 15, 2018, 04:51:23 PM »
OK,I decided to go to a rally I had never been to,the Kentucky fall rally. Talked my riding buddy Bill into going,me on '08 Norge,Bill on '06 Breva. It was something over 400 mi to the rally and hot as July! We were wiped out by the time we got to the rally,sweating bullets to get the tent set up in the tiny camping area. I met some nice folks who let me buy into their cooler of beer,Thanks! The next morning we were just getting our 2nd cuppa when Andy( you know who) comes up and starts saying we should go on a breakfast ride with them...after some humming and hawing we said why not,famous last words...jump in our gear and ride up to the gas station to meet the group,5 or 6 bikes as I remember. We start out,I was about 3rd or 4 in line,look left for traffic as we turn right,I had a momentary lapse of reason and drifted 2 ft off my line,when I look back right( a split-second) I am 2ft from a bottomless crater caused by Semi's cutting the corner! My dirt bike riding reactions took over and I tried to lighten the front wheel,smashed into the edge of the pavement and crushed my front rim,trip over 450 mi.from home...I then proceeded to try and beat the rim back to where it would at least hold air,this was mistake number 3 as I managed to tweak the brake disk with all the pounding...in my defense I have read many accounts of ADV riders pounding rims back to sorta round and riding on...had to try. Now comes the best part,Curt Edwards befriended me,along with many others at the rally,got in touch with Enzo at Cadre cycle,he brought me a nice used wheel from a Norge he had just got and Saturday about 5pm I rode the Norge on a test ride,good enough to get me home! I never got to ride the wonderful roads Bill told me about when he got back Saturday but we made it home safe on Sunday...Thanks to everyone whose names escape me!!!

Yeah, Enzo gets Karma points for that one. I try to steer people his way. All of a sudden he had a bike he couldn't sell until he got another wheel..
Chuck in (Elwood) Indiana/sometimes SoCal
 
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Offline Chuck in Indiana

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #36 on: January 15, 2018, 04:56:04 PM »
Quote
What caused the female cyclist to chuck her guts, did she catch a sideways glimpse of the NC 700 ?

I've done it once.. down at the "Hilly Hundred," a hundred miles of .. uh.. hills in southern Indiana. GG did say she was climbing a hill, right?  :smiley:
My friend Ed the Rocket Scientist calls motorcycles "trainer bicycles.." you don't have to pedal.
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Offline MMRanch

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #37 on: January 15, 2018, 11:21:25 PM »
Am I the only one who has been embarrassed  while trying to impress the opposite sex ?

The first time I remember :  I must have been about 20 years old and enjoying my new to me CB350 Honda .   That bike was so easy to wheelie , if I played it just right , I could let the front end down between gears and catch the bounce to bring it back up in second and sometimes third -it was a lot of fun. 
Well , one afternoon I was ridding through an apartment complex where two young ladies about my age were walking along till they saw me come idling into view and heading their way.  Something about the way they both stopped walking and talking and gave me their complete attention made me want to do a wheelie. :rolleyes:    All was going well for a bit , balanced on the rear wheel and looking their way and smiling really big like.   Then the rear tire dropped into a hole in the pavement , the rear fender hit the ground and the whole bike came down sideways with my right arm pinned under the brake pedal.  We (me and bike) didn't slide far because we couldn't have been going more than 20mph , but it was far enough for me to be totally embarrassed .   I got up didn't even look at the blood and kinda hopped back on and was gone in a second !   Hope the girls enjoyed the show more than I did !  :tongue:
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Offline Rick in WNY

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #38 on: January 16, 2018, 08:06:00 AM »
First time going for an after-work ride with a co-worker. We'd been going for about a half hour, having a good time.

Came up to a stop sign and I took the outer position on the lane. Stopped, and put my foot down not on asphalt, but gravel. Not regular gravel, but pea-gravel. A lot of it. Apparently they had replaced a drainage culvert and just filled the trench back in with said gravel until they could repave the road. Well... my foot went down on the gravel... and kept going down... and down... and down... Nope, it wasn't packed well, and then, in super-slow-motion, my bike and I tip over.

Mike wound up helping me get back up, helped pull my foot out of the gravel-trap, and we continued our ride.

The next day I had to go to work...
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Offline Dofin

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #39 on: January 16, 2018, 10:11:34 AM »
Similar thing as above, while visiting the Blue ridge motorcycle campground, exiting the grounds stopped at the road to turn right.  Put my right foot down on top of some damp leaves, slipped and fell to the right.  I rolled right down the embankment into the ditch, so embarrassing and even worse, 3 Harley riders were coming down the road and witnessed the incident.  They were VERY concerned and kind, helped lifting the V7, I was so embarrassed I really didn't properly thank them or get their names just made an abrupt departure.  As I rode back to Deals Gap I realized my rudeness and regret not thanking them properly, I still do and wont let my embarrassment in future incidents stop me from showing my appreciation!!

One more, When I started riding my PC800 I wasn't use to how top heavy it is and how easy it was to tip over when riding slow.  If the front wheel was turned left or right and then tapped the front brake, going slow, it will just lay down!!  I laid it down twice in my front yard and the most embarrassing was at a gas station while on a camping trip with my brother.  Dropped it right in front of him maneuvering for a gas pump!!  It was just like the guy on the tricycle on the old Laugh In tv show, just stopped and plopped over!!  Hilarious!!

One more, first time to Mid Ohio Race Way for Vintage Bikes.  Got in Late 11pm, on my Suzuki Titan GT500.  Thunderstorms all around, got through the front gate but didnt know where the access road for the camp ground was.  To the left was a dirt road and at the end of the road I saw a light on a telephone pole lighting up the campground SO I turned down the dirt road.  It was DARK with lightening all around.  I rode slowly along toward the light, noticed a rain puddle and proceeded to ride thru it then suddenly stopped!!!  I had inadvertently wandered onto the 4 wheeler dirt track and road thru one of the big MUD traps.  The GT was stuck to the axles in mud, I got off the bike and it just stood straight up!! even with all my camping gear.  I walked back to the main road and as luck would have it a caretaker came riding by on a 4 wheeler.  He got a huge laugh out of my predicament and helped pull me out of the mud pit and opened the gate at the end of the road to let me into the campground.  I barely got my tent up before the heavens opened up with torrents of rain and massive thunder and lighting show!!  If you have been to Mid Ohio for the Vintage event you know what I am talking about.  It took an hour to clean all the mud off my bike but I swear I am still finding dry caked clay in nooks and crannies of my poor GT. 
« Last Edit: January 16, 2018, 10:20:03 AM by Dofin »
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Offline blackcat

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #40 on: January 16, 2018, 10:47:13 AM »
I was about 14 hours into a ride to Cruso, NC for the Guzzi open house in 1997? on my SPIII and I was about 30 miles from the site when I hit a bump and the engine died. I pulled over to the center median on a 6 lane divided freeway and tried starting the bike...NG. A guy on a BMW stops, along with a guy with a trailer. To make a long story short, the guy on the BMW points to the kill switch which was in the off position and asks, "Could this be the problem?"  Evidently, I accidentally hit the kill button from the bump. Embarrassed, I nodded my head, flipped the switch and the bike started. Thinking this was the end of an embarrassing moment, I thanked everyone for helping and proceeded to the rally.

Of course the next day, I'm at the rally and there was the guy with the BMW so I had to be embarrassed all over again.
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Offline jGuz

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #41 on: January 16, 2018, 11:29:35 AM »
It was a cold morning (around high 30's), but I thought I was such a badass that I was still going to ride to work.  I had only been riding for a few months, so I was not aware that cold tires are not the greatest.  As I approached a stoplight, it suddenly turned red.  I slammed on the brakes, came to a stop, and promptly dumped the bike.  I picked it up in a hurry, but the front brake snapped off.  I had to push the bike back to my apartment in front of all of the commuting traffic.  I was not feeling like a badass.   
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Offline JeffOlson

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #42 on: January 16, 2018, 01:05:29 PM »
Dropping my first Norge in the driveway. I though I had put out the kickstand, but my mind was elsewhere, and I had failed to do so... Fortunately, insurance covered the repiars.
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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #43 on: January 16, 2018, 01:57:30 PM »
I bought a Honda once... :cry:

Offline Guzzi Gal

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #44 on: January 16, 2018, 02:12:26 PM »
I bought a Honda once... :cry:

Ha-ha-ha!  I bought a Honda-thrice. :tongue:
« Last Edit: January 16, 2018, 02:16:43 PM by Guzzi Gal »
:bow: Thanks for enabling my MG obsession! :bow:
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Online v7john

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #45 on: January 16, 2018, 02:18:37 PM »
I was in my teens and riding home after work on a dark, cold and wet evening. Pootling along on a Yamaha V70 step through (like a 2-stroke version of a Honda Cub). I was wearing an open face helmet with a snap-on peak and had found that, if I kept my head tilted down slightly the cold rain didn't sting my face too much. The down side is that you can't see so far. Still in the town centre, I ran into the back of a parked VW beetle and managed, despite the low speed and style of bike, to come off and slide up the back of the car. I tried to make myself scarce but the sound of the dog barking inside the car and my having been seen by a Policeman sheltering in the doorway of the tandoori house opposite made that difficult. The fact I caught my nadgers on the bars as I left the bike also slowed me down a bit. Driving without due care and attention, points on my licence and a fine. Damage to the car was negligible, to the bike was minor and to the nadgers was temporary. I don't know if the car driver was fined for parking in a no-waiting area.
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Offline Curtis Harper

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #46 on: January 16, 2018, 03:55:59 PM »
at 16 all I was allowed to ride was a 78 Hondamatic 400 for the first 6 months or so. One day leaving school, being the way I am, I did a run by version of todays "knockout game" on one the biggest football teamers. Smacked him in the head on a full dead run. (I was about 140lbs) Jumped on my Hondamatic and forgot I had a forklock. Handfull of throttle , full right turn, thrown to the left in the parking lot on my ass. The big dude was fast as hell but we were all laughing so damn hard he never even got to me. I never used a fork lock again.
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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #47 on: January 16, 2018, 06:22:00 PM »
I was putting my Norge on the centrestand in my mate's concrete driveway.
I generally pull up and pop the side stand down and dismount, then if I want to, I roll the bike onto the centrestand. That was the plan this time..
But.
After dismounting,  grabbed the Norge by the rear grab rail and with left hand on the handle grip, gave the time honoured heave.
However..
I had not retracted the sidestand and as the bike rolled backwards onto the centrestand, the sidestand dropped onto my steel cap (thankfully) boot and levered the bike away from me..
CRASH!!!
I now know that a front brake lever from a WR 250 Yamaha $17.00 , will replace the standard Guzzi offering $125.00 (ish).
Then there's the one in Germany.
Same bike/rider.
Went to do a U turn on fully loaded Norge and instinctively looked the direction that would have been appropriate here, commenced turn and caught a glimpse of a car coming on the "wrong side" and touched the front brake, (yes, the Yamaha one) and a slow but inexorable journey to the Tarmac.
Fortunately two young lads looked in my direction and I motioned for assistance, they quickly arrived and while I was removing my gloves, they picked it up like a PW 50 Yamaha and asked me if I needed any further help riding the big bike !
Thanks Guys...
Sorry but one more.
In the grass at Camping in Spain and put the right hand pannier on before left...arse up on the right hand side.
No damage but a green smudge on right pannier, a young girl helped me pick it up... :embarrassed: :embarrassed: :embarrassed:x50.
Moto Guzzi Norge: 130,000 k, Europe 4 times, only dropped twice (whoops, thrice !!!)
« Last Edit: January 16, 2018, 06:42:12 PM by Huzo »

oldbike54

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #48 on: January 16, 2018, 06:57:24 PM »
 To keep my embarrassing moments in some chronological order ...

 About 13 , a couple of buds who were a year older were riding scrambles , and one had a hopped up Hodaka Ace 90 . We were all at the North Yale motorcycle playground in Tulsa , and my Hodaka owning buddy brought a pair of Aces , the hot rod 90 for me to ride . Now this thing probably made an incredible 10 HP , but to me it seemed a real beast . Start it up , let it warm up , rev it to about 4 grand , dump the clutch , yeah , you guessed it . Front end goes toward the sky , rider goes plonk on the ground . It wouldn't have been so bad , but there were likely 40 witnesses . Most were guys in their 20's , and only laughed for a few minutes , but my two buds poked me about that for years  :laugh:

 Dusty

Offline analog kid

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #49 on: January 16, 2018, 11:27:13 PM »
Out riding in the country on my Honda VTR1000, I am running with closed throttle in high gear on a long downhill.

I apply throttle and feel no response. I give it two more handfuls, nothing. My razor sharp brain determines the engine has cut out.
Take a few seconds to process. Am I out of fuel? No…then what the hell?

There’s one house on that hill, coming up on the right. The family has a blanket out on the front lawn, a picnic with small children.

I notice my kill switch off. Ah! Must have hit it with my gloved hand.
I’m passing the house now.
Flip kill switch to ‘ON', without pulling in the clutch lever.

Remember, all this time I’ve been coasting in gear with the rear wheel driving the dead engine. So the engine starts…..
…….And lights off the unburnt fuel that has been dumping into the exhaust pipes….As I’m passing the picnic.

KAA-BOOOOOM!

I did not turn back to apologize; I figured the audience would not be receptive.  :thewife:





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Offline Rainrider

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #50 on: January 17, 2018, 11:59:52 AM »
Been riding since 1990, so it stands to reason my most embarrassing moment would happen… yesterday.

I was working from home, and had decided to use my lunch break to take the K75 in to the shop. Since one of the issues was a deteriorating (read: seeping onto the hot engine) fuel line, I opted to load the bike into the truck. Since loading this bike (a little top-heavy) into this truck (a little tall) with this ramp (a little short) was something I hadn’t done, I figured I’d take a few moments to practice the maneuver, and then ask my neighbor to spot me. After going partway up the ramp a few times, it seemed pretty straightforward, so I figured I’d just do it and not bother the neighbor.

Still not sure exactly what happened (aside from I screwed up), but I ended up on the ground with the bike on its left side, front on the tailgate, back on the ground. I got the bike upright, but was in no position to get it either all the way into the truck or back on the ground. And so there I stood, holding my 500lb bike in place, having my moment of zen, for about half an hour until my neighbor happened to walk past.

If nothing else, that half-hour afforded me a chance to get in touch with exactly how I feel about that bike.

Offline mobiker

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #51 on: January 17, 2018, 08:53:05 PM »
In 1992 I stopped for gas somewhere in the Yukon. I had a lot of gear on the bike, so whenever I dismounted I had to do a sort of one legged hop dragging the right leg across the seat while hanging onto the left grip. Older BMW's have a spring loaded side stand that retracts as soon as its unweighted. See where this is going? I apparently lifted the bike up ever so slightly. As I finished dismounting and let go, the bike promptly fell over on me. Pinning me to the gas pump. As I flopped around like an inverted turtle, two long haired, tattooed, biker types ran out of the station and rescued me.

I said, "Well, that was embarrassing".
One of the guys grins and says, "ah, anybody who rides much and says they never dropped one is lying."
Nice guys.
It was still embarrassing.
Mike

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oldbike54

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #52 on: January 17, 2018, 09:03:45 PM »
 Hello Mo .

 Dusty

Offline Guzzi Gal

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #53 on: January 17, 2018, 09:09:11 PM »
Hello Mo .

 Dusty

Dito.

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:bow: Thanks for enabling my MG obsession! :bow:
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"Grey Wind" '12 Vespa GTS 300 Super,  
The twin '16 Honda Metropolitans
"Miri" and Mori"

Offline wheaties

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #54 on: January 17, 2018, 09:21:28 PM »
Welcome Mo,

Those guys are exactly right.  I  have personally dropped my bike many times.  I'd share, but so many have offered bike drop stories that I'd only bore everyone.

Matt
2011 California Black Eagle
2014 Norge

Offline mobiker

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #55 on: January 17, 2018, 09:45:34 PM »
Thanks. I've been lurking for along time. I don't have a Guzzi, so not a whole lot to contribute on that front. Embarrassing moments though.....I've got contributions.
Like the time not long ago when the motorcycle quit running. I had the tank off, seat off and tool kit unrolled before I realized I'd hit the kill switch while fiddling with a new tank bag   :rolleyes:
Mike

'88 BMW R100GS

Online Huzo

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #56 on: January 17, 2018, 09:46:41 PM »
In 1992 I stopped for gas somewhere in the Yukon. I had a lot of gear on the bike, so whenever I dismounted I had to do a sort of one legged hop dragging the right leg across the seat while hanging onto the left grip. Older BMW's have a spring loaded side stand that retracts as soon as its unweighted. See where this is going? I apparently lifted the bike up ever so slightly. As I finished dismounting and let go, the bike promptly fell over on me. Pinning me to the gas pump. As I flopped around like an inverted turtle, two long haired, tattooed, biker types ran out of the station and rescued me.

I said, "Well, that was embarrassing".
One of the guys grins and says, "ah, anybody who rides much and says they never dropped one is lying."
Nice guys.
It was still embarrassing.
Sorry mate, we don't tolerate mistakes 'round these parts...

oldbike54

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #57 on: January 17, 2018, 09:49:14 PM »
Sorry mate, we don't tolerate mistakes 'round these parts...

 Don't listen to the Ozzie Mo , we are mostly one BIG mistake  :shocked: :rolleyes: :laugh:

 Dusty

Online Huzo

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #58 on: January 17, 2018, 10:22:29 PM »
Don't listen to the Ozzie Mo , we are mostly one BIG mistake  :shocked: :rolleyes: :laugh:

 Dusty
Dusty's right of course, welcome mate.
It's the human aspect of ownership, we never learn anything by getting it right.
Have you thought about sourcing the relevant bits from the members and build one ?
The reservoir of knowledge is astounding and you won't get BS advice, it'll get blown to the absolute schizen hausen before the ink dries on the page.
Would make a ripper build thread... :bow: :thumb:

Offline Muzz

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Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
« Reply #59 on: January 18, 2018, 03:18:38 PM »
Riding home sedately on my bro's AJS 500 after sitting an exam at school. Just gone around a bend by the girl's college and it did a tank slapper on me. Finally it reared up and threw me off. :embarrassed:

Fortunately, I was just about out of view of the college when I hit the road. An older guy wandered over and said, "you know, I have never seen a bike do that before". Still got a black stain in my palm from road grime after 40 years.
Muzz. Cristchurch, New Zealand
03 Breva

Life is just a bowl of Allbran
Ya wake up in the morning and it's there

 

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