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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: oldbike54 on January 14, 2018, 04:05:10 PM

Title: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: oldbike54 on January 14, 2018, 04:05:10 PM
 Here we are locked in Winter , so it is time for some humor , and maybe a bit of spirit cleansing  :laugh:

 No need to fear discussing this topic , as we have all experienced that moment when the only correct response is "oops , maybe no one saw that"  :shocked:   I have a couple to post up after while .

 So come on , we promise not to point and laugh , well , not too much anyway  :evil:

 Dusty
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: LowRyter on January 14, 2018, 04:44:40 PM
OK.

I was going to night school working on my Masters in San Antonio.  I was riding my '81 Seca 550.  The class decided to go out for beers after class.  We had several pitchers of draft.  And I drank too much.

I remember getting on the freeway and being hit with a rock the size of a walnut on my knee.  Then I decided to run up to 100 mph, hit the brakes and make the corner into my housing addition.  I hit the brakes, stopped in the road but didn't get my feet down.  I went over like the tricycle on Laugh In.  Then rolled my ankle picking up the bike.  Rode home, went to bed.

Next day, got up, rode to work.  I got in the office and bent over and my ankle hurt immediately.  I remember wearing a flannel shirt, the office was hot, I was hungover and got very nauseous.   

I had to go home sick.  Rode home, went to bed.

//////////////////////////////////////////

About as dumb as I can remember excect for another time I was riding home from work in San Antonio and decided to peg it on hwy 90 doing about 100.  When I slowed to get on Loop 410 and looked in the mirror, the cop car was bearing down on me so that I could see vortexes of dust behind him.  The cop was huge guy who said he had been trailing me for about 4 miles........
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: ohiorider on January 14, 2018, 04:47:11 PM
Dusty, here's my contribution.

Several years ago, on a bright, warm spring Sunday, I was leaving one of my favorite restaurants in the beautiful little canal town of Peninsula, Ohio.  I had no sooner straddled the bike (BMW Rockster) when two lovely Ducatis pulled in and parked next to me.  I shut off the engine, and chatted with the riders for a moment, then decided I needed a closer look at their bikes.  As I dismounted, the bike didn't settle on the side stand ..... I'd put it up (!!) so the little Rockster crashed to the asphalt.

Both the Duc riders jumped to the rescue and began picking the bike up. 

Bad enough to do this in front of a couple of strangers.  To add to my embarrassment, the restaurant manager, who was on the outdoor patio, heard the noise, saw the problem, and began shouting "Bob, are you ok?"  Now, of course, everyone on the patio is looking.  I'm thinking 'please, please .... don't ask me again!'

Embarrassed ............ oh, yeah!
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Sasquatch Jim on January 14, 2018, 04:52:55 PM
 I was riding my SR500 coming into Klamath Falls Oregon.  Stood up on the pegs to fart, only it wasn't a fart.
 I had to ride standing up all the way home.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: bad Chad on January 14, 2018, 05:00:32 PM
After a hard weekend at the IA Guzzi rally a few years back, a gaggle of us Guzzi riders road down the dirt road to the ferry crossing over to Cassville WI.   As we road up to the staging area a group of HD ridders were already there waiting.  The five of us road up to a stop, and then, then my Bassa tipped to the left, and down I went, bike and all!   I too forgot to put my feet down!  That sweet ass Bassa said, "dude, if you aren't going to pour me the coals, then you ass is going down and down it did!   Right in view of the HD riders, Dough!!!    Thankfully my fellow comrades jump in to help rectify the situation and all appeared ok. 

I felt like a dipstick!  But we all had a good laugh.  Later I found I tore my meniscus on that slow tip over, I would have never thought that would happen as the damaged knee was on the other side and never even hit the ground, but the way I twisted my leg as I went down did the damage.   That's my most embarrassing thing to happen yet while on a motorcycle, I have done far more embarrassing things after parking the Guzzi for the night!   
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: cloudbase on January 14, 2018, 05:02:58 PM
I never did anything stupid.
I won't do it again, either.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: oldbike54 on January 14, 2018, 05:03:17 PM
  :laugh:

 So since I started this ...

 The first really embarrassing personal incident happened at about 10 years of age . We were at the old Salvation Army Summer camp outside of Wichita , and there was one of those weird clown scooters on campus , the strange little beasts that had something resembling a chair located close to the ground where the operator sat . It had a lever throttle with no return , worked like a lawn mower throttle . There was a dirt road running around the property , probably a mile around that ran right by the pool . You guessed it , I went racing by the pool feeling all grown up and cool , forgot the throttle didn't shut off on its own and failed to negotiate the left hand curve just past the pool . Ran off into a shallow ditch , bounced off the scooter, landing in a very ungraceful manner while all of the older kids at the pool cheered me on  :rolleyes: :laugh:

 Dusty
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Ncdan on January 14, 2018, 05:09:57 PM
As a young motor officer I had been in the prestigious position for only two days when being dispatched to a minor fender bender in the parking lot of a trucking company. It was around 4:30 in the evening as the office was letting out. I pulled into the parking lot with blue light on, mostly to accomplish getting the attention of several young ladies office employees who were walking to their cars. The pretty shiny electric glide had an issue of coughing after cutting it off. When I stopped and suavely kicking out the kickstand and stepping off, the bike was in gear and about the time I was completely off, the motor coughed, the harley lunged foreword. The stand latch hadn�t engaged and  the big beautiful electra glide fell over like it had been shot by a sniper. The laughter erupted from the pack of young ladies and a flood of embarrassment came over me. However a flood of adrenaline also surged through my body and I snatched that harley up like it was a bicycle. I tipped my helmet to the ladies and strutted off towards the OTHER ACCIDENT I was suppose to investigate.
(http://thumb.ibb.co/ivi9CR/0870_AEBA_653_D_4881_B27_B_DE10_AD5_EC9_CF.jpg) (http://ibb.co/ivi9CR)

From that day foreword anytime someone would ask me how much that big harley weighted my response was always the same..... DEPENDS ON HOW MANY LADIES ARE WATCHING WHEN YOU DROP IT😂
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Shorty on January 14, 2018, 05:21:13 PM
I "borrowed" my dad's CZ. Rode it into town, to the campus of the Carnegie Library, where all my 420 buds hung out. They were all sitting on the concrete wall by the grass, as always. I wanted to pull the bike up onto the sidewalk to get it out of the street. I revved it, popped the clutch, and the bike bounced off the tall curb, in a crooked wheelie. What was worse, I still held onto the bars with my, er,  right hand.  :embarrassed: So, there I was, half on, half off the bike as it wheelied toward the red light. It got out of my grip, and rolled , down the hill. I had to run along side, and kick it over to make it stop. It knocked a nice chunk of yellow CZ paint off the front fender. I then had a lot of 'splainin to do when the old man got home..... :sad:
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: antmanbee on January 14, 2018, 05:25:06 PM
After 40 years of riding without a motorcycle endorsed licence, I decided it was time. So I enrolled in the required course and on the fist day in the morning classroom session while we were introducing ourselves and telling about our previous riding experience, I was sitting in my chair balancing on the two rear legs like I frequently do, in that state of not knowing which way you are going to go. Down I went over backwards while all eyes are on me.
They even let me on the bikes later in the afternoon. I passed my test!
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Guzzi Gal on January 14, 2018, 06:09:54 PM
I've got this.

Ok, so the majority of WG knows I'm a newb, and my first motorcycle was rolled into the garage this last September 22nd.  One month to the day later I dropped Anni at a T intersection in South Mountain Park, not once but twice!  I swear it wasn't just a simple case of the jittery newb as there was vomit, a bee sting, and a downed cyclist involved. 

The story goes like this:

I dropped off the kids at school and rushed home to gear up.  The weather was perfect for mid-October, 80 with an expected high of 92, so I was excited to get up the mountain.  I pulled out of the neighbourhood gate, turned up the hill and hung a right.  Immediately I saw two motorcyclists on the side of the road, and one was flagging me down. 

Turns out, she just was so thrilled to see another lady on a bike she couldn't contain herself!  I thought the other biker was a friend of hers, but he was a stranger she had struck up a conversation with.  Whilst we were talking, a kid on a Honda NC700 went by and waved, she tried to flag him down too.  This lady was a very enthusiastic new rider and wanted everyone to know it.   After chatting about her Honda Rebel, and my admittedly gorgeous Anni, 20 minutes later I was on the road.

The ride up Summit Rd. and Dobbins Lookout was beautiful, so I decided on the way down to take a left at N. Buena Vista, then up S. TV Rd. to the Gila Valley Lookout.  All went well, I even saw the Honda NC700 and her rider taking in the view, but I chose not to stop but to return down the mountain.

Here's where it gets hairy.  I came to the Summit Rd./N. Buena Vista T, and stopped for a car that had the right of way.  I was stopped on an uphill grade making a semi-blind downhill left turn, a little rough for a newb, but I'd done it several times before without issue.  As I eased on the throttle and started slipping the clutch I heard a crash at my right rear accompanied by retching!

As you know, newbs don't do well when they have to think about too many things at once.  Here I was, worried about traffic on a blind corner, getting moving on a hill, and negotiating an uphill to downhill turn, then I'm startled by lord knows what behind me.  I grabbed a handful of front brake whilst turning to the right to see what the commotion was, and OH S#!+!!!.  Anni listed left, and down she went.

The crash turned out to be a young lady bicyclist coming to an emergency stop and being unable to get her clip ons detached before she puked all over herself.  She managed to, but just barely.  Anni landed on my left ankle, pinning me briefly, but in my adrenaline-fueled state, I pulled free as another cyclist pulled up.

This new guy arriving at the scene was at a loss as to which chick go to first, me under the motorcycle or the lady barfing up a lung.  I told him I was fine and to check on her, yanked clear, stood and surveyed the damage.  A few cars going up Summit Rd. slowed, but none stopped.  I guess they figured with two bikes, and one person down, they wanted none of it.

It took a few minutes for the women to start feeling a touch better, and when she did, the gentleman came to offer his help in lifting Anni off the blacktop, and to a better location.  This is when I discovered the broken peg staring accusingly at me from the ground.  I picked it up, shoved it in my pocket, and rolled Anni to a slightly flatter spot, and wondered how the f^@K I was going to get home.

Now, you might be wondering about that aforementioned bee sting; enter the NC700 and rider.  The kid comes to a stop, flip up his visor, asks if I'm Ok, reaches for his keys AND GETS STUNG!  The bee was on his keychain, probably hanging on for dear life when he went to remove his keys.

Now it was my turn to come to the rescue!  I scraped out the still pumping stinger and joked about good samaritans getting the short end of the stick or something dumb like that.  Nerves, I guess.  He mentioned seeing me earlier with the chick that flagged me and tried to flag him down.  I told him the same story as above and said I had considered purchasing a NC, but it was too tall for me to sit comfortably blah-blah...

Niceties done with, barf-girl on her feet and being loaded into a friends car, thank yous and handshakes all around, I mount up, and try working the clutch.  As it turns out, it wasn't difficult as there is plenty of room at the peg connection point to support my foot when working the clutch.  Whoo-hoo off to home I go to be done with this fiasco!

My ankle is a bit sore from the bike landing on it, but I was wearing TCX Street motorcycle hightops with ankle protection, which helped a lot.  I pulled up to my driveway, dismounted, opened the garage, rolled out my moto-dolly, and remounted.  My drive is short and steep so I use the momentum I get going down to roll onto the dolly.  Easy-peasy right?  Apparently not with a tweaked ankle!  Anni rolled on fine, I put my left foot down and felt an excruciating bit of lightning shoot through my ankle...and dropped her on the undamaged side!

A scooter-riding neighbour witnessed my distress and helped me pick her up and roll her into the garage because now I was in pain.   

To make a long story longer, the ankle still isn't right, but getting less noticeable every day, and the drop-fest hasn't reoccured.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: KiwiKev on January 14, 2018, 06:23:33 PM
Giving a mates GF a ride on my 250 NSU, showing her my riding skills down a muddy pathway. Back on the pavement I turn right and the front wheel slips out from under and down we go.

Hurt my pride and lost a bit of skin off my right knee.

Girl got a fright but survived pretty much unscathed.

Fun times :-)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: 73eldorado on January 14, 2018, 06:39:09 PM
My most embarrassing moment was at Alice’s Restaurant in California. We were going to the Moto GP race at Laguna Seca and I was riding a top heavy Honda ST 1300. It was a Friday evening and there was probably a 100 plus bikes and people everywhere. As I rode up to park I failed to notice that the ground was cambered left to right. The right side was lowest, as I put my foot down I noticed it was lower but the bike had leaned a bit. Then it started to slip out on a fine layer of sand, I realized there was no saving it so got out of the way and let her fall. People came running from everywhere to see what the not so bright Canadian had done. 3 of us got her back on her wheels and the only damage was to the tip over protector, a sacrificial part designed to save other damage. It didn’t save my embarrassment and my so called buddies rode that for the rest of the trip. Can I throw your bike on the ground for you etc!!

Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: guzzisteve on January 14, 2018, 06:50:34 PM
Which one and yes alcohol was involved. 
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Gliderjohn on January 14, 2018, 07:26:39 PM
Kind of like 73Eldorado. When the Norge was a mere two weeks old we pulled into a restaurant lot in Ellsworth, KS. Stopped and let the wife off. Went to park the Norge and as the front wheel went through a shallow rain drain it washed out on the silt and went right down. Found out I could pick it back up by myself. The Norge still has some scuffs and scratches to remind me.
GliderJohn
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Guzzi Gal on January 14, 2018, 09:15:29 PM
I was riding my SR500 coming into Klamath Falls Oregon.  Stood up on the pegs to fart, only it wasn't a fart.
 I had to ride standing up all the way home.
:1: ROFLMAO :1:
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Yukonica on January 14, 2018, 09:43:21 PM
Simple. Pulling up, first in line, to a main intersection stoplight, my pant cuff hooked the peg and hung me up while I toppled over like a bad Benny Hill skit. No help needed once I got out from under the bike. I was so embarrassed I could have packed that thing out on my back to get away. To this day I tuck my pants into my boots before saddling up.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: ITSec on January 14, 2018, 09:45:29 PM
LowRyter and I have something in common.

Way back in my university days, I was riding my first bike - a 1968 Suzuki X6 Hustler. I had spent too long at a frat party, and a buddy of mine who also rode decided it would be best if the two of us escorted each other most of the way home.

Round about 2 am, heading down Portage Avenue in Winnipeg, being very careful and very conservative in our riding, we approached a red light. Drawing up smoothly and properly, we came to a stop. Then:

| / _

Completely forgot to put my foot down. My buddy nearly followed me to the ground, he was laughing so hard. Fortunately, the street was deserted and we picked up my bike and made our way home.

I won't claim I never have a drink while I'm riding - but I've never had more than one an hour when riding or driving ever since. And I've never had a moving violation, let alone a DUI!
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Johncolleary on January 14, 2018, 10:21:48 PM
Was at the MOGP laguna Seca with my then young son.  leaving the race went to my bike , April Falco and found a small group checking out my bike , go on started up to pull forward to let my sone climb on and slammed to the ground.  forgot to remove the disk lock.  felt like an ass! My son was standing behind some people like he don't know me. 

 
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Paul Brooking on January 14, 2018, 10:24:57 PM
In my younger and more hirsute days .....

I was a poor student who rode a Yamaha RD 400 on the road.
My previous dirt bike was a Honda CR250 ... which I could ride pretty well in the desert sand hills of my home town.
I got the chance to buy a mint condition Yamaha IT 465 ... that was quite frankly and absolute b*stard to ride.
My first day out with my dirt riding buddies, after bragging about my prowess on the 250 ...
We went into the hills surrounding the City where I went to college, and I could not for the life of me control this bike up a steep rocky path to the top of the first hill.
The bike just wanted to loop over me in any gear with any amount of throttle.
I just turned around a rode home ...

It took me six months of practice to get anywhere near as fast on the dirt with that bike as I was on the 250 ...way to much power for me.



(http://thumb.ibb.co/gierRm/yamaha_it_250_1982_7.jpg) (http://ibb.co/gierRm)
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Triple Jim on January 14, 2018, 11:07:32 PM
I was riding my SR500 coming into Klamath Falls Oregon.  Stood up on the pegs to fart, only it wasn't a fart.
 I had to ride standing up all the way home.

You didn't have to, you chose to.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Bazil on January 15, 2018, 12:55:45 AM
Maybe not my most embarrassing, but - yesterday.

Replaced brake fluid both ends and all looked fine. Geared up to go for a road test. Trickling down the driveway at walking pace, tried back brake - OK. Tried front brake and  (you know how this is going to play out)  next thing you know I'm on the ground ground with the bike on it's side.   :violent1:

A combination of sandy gravel drive with pine needles over it and a rookie error, and I've got a broken spark plug & cap, scuffed fairing,  headguard and wounded pride . A D'oh moment. Only upside was lack of witnesses.

Replaced the broken plug & cap and went for a ride anyway. Felt better.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Huzo on January 15, 2018, 01:36:12 AM
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...
Why have an affair with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, when you've got Isabella Rossellini at home "ready to go" ??? :wink:
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Huzo on January 15, 2018, 01:53:20 AM
I've got this.

Ok, so the majority of WG knows I'm a newb, and my first motorcycle was rolled into the garage this last September 22nd.  One month to the day later I dropped Anni at a T intersection in South Mountain Park, not once but twice!  I swear it wasn't just a simple case of the jittery newb as there was vomit, a bee sting, and a downed cyclist involved. 

The story goes like this:.....



......To make a long story longer, the ankle still isn't right, but getting less noticeable every day, and the drop-fest hasn't reoccured.
Great story GG.
Tennessee Williams would be proud of you.
Sort of Monty Python/Benny Hill/ Fawlty Towers combo. with motorcycle mayhem and hilarious hijinx thrown in for good measure.
Hang on, I'll just close the widow, somebody's playing Yakkity Sax outside.
No real damage to Anni or yourself, so nobody's lost an eye.
Two or more girls interacting in a scene can only be a good thing, :wink: :thumb:
and a bit of gratuitous toilet humour in the form of a chunder reference... :bow: :popcorn:
Extremely good rally story for the swaying participants around a late night campfire, and some good mental imagery to help one off to sleep.... :wink:
Oh, and 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:
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Rough Edge racing on January 15, 2018, 04:51:33 AM
 In 1972 when I was 25 ...I bought my first bike, a 65 BSA 650...It was a total piece of junk, leaked oil, long forks.....I had never ridden any motorcycle, other than a 50cc step through...I rode it up and down the road a few times when I bought it....So I get it registered and insured....I pull out  into the road at too high a speed to make a tight turn with the long front end and run right  into a brick retaining wall...I wan't injured, the front forks and wheel was trashed..
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: frans belgium on January 15, 2018, 05:28:32 AM
18 years ago.  Push my new EV out of the garage.  Neighbour across the street waves at me.  I wave back while holding the
bar with one hand.  Front wheel hits a pebble.  Bike tips over, on the wrong (opposite) side of course. Obviously I try to hold the bike. Ridiculous!  Bike on it's side and me  all over it.  Wife and neighbour helped to put it (and myself) back on its wheels, errr feet  :embarrassed:
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Testarossa on January 15, 2018, 05:46:36 AM
So many to choose from. Most recent was dropping the Mille trying to start from a hill-side curb -- in front of the entire gang at the Ouray NAR.

Happily the worst disasters happened without witnesses, so I blushed only for myself.

Much much worse than the physical mistakes (just klutzwork) are the mental blunders. Spending hours trying to trace an electrical problem, giving up, and remembering the next day to check the fuse.   Mistaking a brake bleeder nipple for a Zink fitting, and managing to break it off.  Heading out on a test run without fully tightening the handlebar clamps. And so on, ad infinitum.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Fontain25 on January 15, 2018, 06:28:37 AM
The only trials bike I had ever ridden was a Yamaha TY250. A friend purchased a SWM Jumbo and wanted me to do routine maintenance - went to load it into pick up and decided this was the type of bike I could ride up the ramp into the bed of truck. Got lined up and throttled it a little too much and did a wheelie all the way up the ramp and blasted out my rear glass with the front tire. The Jumbo had so much more power than what I was familiar with it was amazing !
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: twowheeladdict on January 15, 2018, 07:04:43 AM
When I was 19 (living in Daytona Beach, FL) I wasn't aware of any resources where one could learn about hazards to motorcyclists like all the books and internet resources we have today.

I had to learn first hand what those hazards were and sometimes I survived them without too much incident like sliding to a stop light sideways on a wet road, but a few hazards put me on my butt.

I was going around a Burger King in Daytona Beach and I crossed in front of the dumpster leaned over and didn't realize there was a nice trail of grease in front of the recently emptied dumpster.  Next thing I knew I was on my butt in the parking lot and my XS750 was spinning on the highway bar.  People started coming out of the restaurant but in my embarrasment I lifted that bike and started it and was gone in a flash.

Another time I met a couple tourists and offered to show them our only curvy roads in the area that the now call "the loop".  After we went through the curves I pulled into a sand parking area in Tomoka and as I turned to park the bike slide out from under me because there was a little mud under the leaves.  If this would have happened before leading them through the curves they might have decided to go their own way. 

Not embarassing, but my funiest moment was when a friend and I were riding up in Saint Augustine.  We were side by side in beach traffic and I was on the right.  I said "let's pull into that parking lot", that was to our left.  I started to move to the left to pull in and he for some reason didn't see that entrance and thought we were going to pull into the next entrance.  He bumped into the side of my bike and it was just enough where I couldn't hold it upright.  Being young, I was able to hop off the bike as it went over and just started laughing.  The tourists were freaking out, but we were both laughing. 

I alway recommend that a new rider either get a dual sport bike, or a bike that can have tip over bars installed.  I lost count of how many times that XS750 was dropped, but with highway bars and saddelbag guards there never was any damage done.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: bpreynolds on January 15, 2018, 07:32:57 AM
I was riding my SR500 coming into Klamath Falls Oregon.  Stood up on the pegs to fart, only it wasn't a fart.
 I had to ride standing up all the way home.

I think we have a winner.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: chuck peterson 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.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: JJ 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!!


(http://thumb.ibb.co/cfKOp6/Out_of_Gas.jpg) (http://ibb.co/cfKOp6)
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: timonbik 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.
Cheers, Tim
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Guzzi Gal 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...
Why have an affair with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, when you've got Isabella Rossellini at home "ready to go" ??? :wink:
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.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: guzzimatic 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!!!
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Chuck in Indiana 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..
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Chuck in Indiana 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.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: MMRanch 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:
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Rick in WNY 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...
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Dofin 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. 
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: blackcat 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.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: jGuz 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.   
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: JeffOlson 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.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: twowings on January 16, 2018, 01:57:30 PM
I bought a Honda once... :cry:
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Guzzi Gal on January 16, 2018, 02:12:26 PM
I bought a Honda once... :cry:

Ha-ha-ha!  I bought a Honda-thrice. :tongue:
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: v7john 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.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Curtis Harper 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.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Huzo 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 !!!)
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: oldbike54 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
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: analog kid 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:


(http://thumb.ibb.co/c1rjXR/VTR1000.jpg) (http://ibb.co/c1rjXR)


Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Rainrider 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.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: mobiker 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.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: oldbike54 on January 17, 2018, 09:03:45 PM
 Hello Mo .

 Dusty
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Guzzi Gal on January 17, 2018, 09:09:11 PM
Hello Mo .

 Dusty

Dito.

 :1: I'm happy to see you diving right in!   
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: wheaties 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
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: mobiker 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:
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Huzo 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...
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: oldbike54 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
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Huzo 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:
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Muzz 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.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Fireflyr on January 18, 2018, 08:50:47 PM
Was working on my son's TTR50 one day at work.  After I got it running I decided to do a victory lap around the helibase.  The back door to the office was open so I thought I'd shoot thru that, do a lap around the conference table that the fire crew was sitting around, back down the hall and out the door.  I made it thru the first door but the one into the conference room was narrower so I hit the jamb with both knees as the mini-moto continued on and smashed into the table.  I just kind of fell backwards.  f***, that hurt.

Nothing like the pilot instilling confidence in the crew with his amazing skills.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: oldbike54 on January 18, 2018, 08:52:01 PM
 ^^^ Yep , that is embarrassing  :laugh:

 Dusty
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: twowings on January 18, 2018, 09:29:23 PM
That's a $10,000 video, right there!  :laugh:
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: erich on January 19, 2018, 03:59:58 AM
I was on my Vespa in the Styrian mountains on a nice summer day, amidst quite dense tourist traffic (think there was no Autobahn then) with some stop and go. After one stop I released the clutch too quickly, the Vespa reared up, turned sharply to the right and dropped the front wheel nicely on the 50 degrees mountain slope that ran down to the street there. I stood in the fern, perfectly upright and somehow still in the saddle, front brake drawn and the Vespa in the direction of the mountain peak, while cars from the whole of Europe passed by less than a meter behind my rear number plate.  So the way straight back was barred etc., took me at least half an hour to extricate the Vespa from this place without falling between the cars. Glad her weight was only about 110kg.   
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: twodogs on January 19, 2018, 11:34:06 AM
Moment? I don't know where to start. :shocked: :rolleyes:
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Bill on January 20, 2018, 03:18:35 PM
Had my new 1966 Triumph T100C on the drag strip for the first run against the clocks. I wanted to do the best ET possible. About a thousand people in the grand stands. I revered her up, popped the clutch and pulled a near vertical wheelie, rolled the throttle back, she came down and bounced so hard that my hand rotated back to full throttle, up she came again. After one or two more bounces I aborted only to hear the crowd cheering at my terrible but entertaining  launch and recovery.
Bill
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: oldbike54 on February 13, 2018, 07:21:24 PM
Moment? I don't know where to start. :shocked: :rolleyes:

 Well start somewhere dangit  :laugh:

 Staying with some chronological order ...

 Fifteen years old , riding an old rigid frame Triumph illegally , friend's slightly older sister is really cute . Yeah , one of those "take me for a ride stories  :laugh:

 After starting the old beast doing my best Marlon Brando impersonation I casually tell her to climb on . Did I mention she was very cute ? So being an extremely cool young buck away we go , of course the sidestand is still down ( :embarrassed:) so at the first gentle left hand curve it bounces off the pavement , sending us across a driveway , a nicely maintained lawn , and into an azalea bush . Friend's sister being a bit of a smart aleck says ; "you meant to do that , right?"  :rolleyes:

 Dusty
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: chuck peterson on February 14, 2018, 06:08:08 AM
Huge Harley crowd at a Hooters weds night...

Chopper pulls in, popular guy everyone is pointing out his rear tire is mostly not round anymore...being a friendly guzzi guy I offer to use my travel air compressor to "pump you up..." I hadn't tried it yet...and ready to try it out

By now it's a crowd of fourty as this chopper was way out on the chrome spectrum, and I've hooked the little compressor up and attached the hose... Big moment as a crowd of Harley guys look on in amazement at a pump and tire gauge

Flip the switch, two secs of compressor, then SILENCE....you could of heard a pin drop. Fuse blew on the connection to the battery, needs a bigger fuse...

40 Harley guys look at the lone guzzi guy....
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: rider33 on February 14, 2018, 10:24:47 AM
my most embarrassing ride was also my shortest.  If you are going to leave a National Park before dawn you might want to forgo the use of a disc lock.  Should you forget,  you'll get a rather abrupt reminder early into your departure. Of course this sort of thing doesn't happen on 350# dirt bike, oh no, this only happens on heavy weight touring bikes with a couple of weeks worth of gear lashed on.  The reality of that last bit will impress itself upon you when said bike falls on you after having been so rudely (and incompetently) awakened from its slumber.  On the plus side it was dark, and early so hopefully witnesses were few....
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: oldbike54 on February 14, 2018, 10:45:39 AM
 ^^^
 The raccoons and deer are still laughing about that incident rider  :shocked: :laugh:

 Dusty
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Texas Turnip on February 14, 2018, 04:12:12 PM
It ws 1960 and had the local Harley dealer put a sidecar on  my '56 74. He is telling me that it is a lot different riding with a sidecar, but I was smart as I graduated 8th grade from a  one room country school. Left his place that was out in the country, went down his driveway and into the ditch. I walked back and said "I believe I need more instruction" and I listened.

And of course more than once after drinking 3.2 beer in Oklahoma, get off the bike and not put down the side stand. You make it about 3 feet and BAM.

There are loads moree stories, but not for an injured typist.
Tex
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: rider33 on February 14, 2018, 07:52:46 PM
the thing that always puzzles me: my Ural has a center stand, my V7 does not (will, as soon as it gets warm enough for me to put it on).  WTF?
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: oldbike54 on February 14, 2018, 08:07:32 PM
the thing that always puzzles me: my Ural has a center stand, my V7 does not (will, as soon as it gets warm enough for me to put it on).  WTF?

 Well duh , how much good is a side stand on a motorbike that won't lean over ? :rolleyes:

 Dusty
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: rider33 on February 14, 2018, 08:12:12 PM
'yup, but getting that Ural on the center stand is a bitch :)
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: 93spada on May 18, 2022, 07:22:24 PM
Just saw this post for first time.
I can add a few to the "laugh-in" Duuuuh!!!but.....  Mid 80's


(https://i.ibb.co/8mnDdkP/lemans-weds.jpg) (https://ibb.co/8mnDdkP)


What an ass I was (still am!)
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Kiwi_Roy on May 18, 2022, 09:53:54 PM
My most recent about a month ago,
I stopped at a service station to fuel up, saw a car driver waiting for me to move off so I thought I would do the decent thing and roll the V9 away from the pump.
I pushed the bike forward over one of those rubber speed bumps, it came down the prop stand caught on the speed bump and toppled over to the right bending the gear pedal and front brake lever, there was no way I could save it.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Scout63 on May 18, 2022, 10:21:41 PM
Two come to mind - both on my ‘81 CB750F back in ‘81. I was 19.  One I was trying to impress two girls when we were leaving freshman psych.  I hopped on the bike to cruise past them and forgot about the bike lock through the front wheel. The second was buying a new front turn signal lens at the local Honda shop, installing it in the parking lot, dropping the bike and having to go back in and buy another.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Huzo on May 19, 2022, 01:48:48 AM
In 2006 I had one of these
(https://i.ibb.co/KhvfVkX/3-F4920-A5-AE8-E-424-E-ADA3-1208-E90-FD693.png) (https://ibb.co/KhvfVkX)

My mate had one of these
(https://i.ibb.co/yNZpyZQ/ED369-B7-F-B63-C-420-C-8-E82-45-F4-D5-CBE210.png) (https://ibb.co/yNZpyZQ)

We decided on a one off basis to swap bikes for a jaunt accompanied by the usual briefings that are always exchanged.
He said ..
“Just jump on mate, there’s nothing I can teach you…”
I said…
“Make sure you give it plenty of revs because it doesn’t pull down low like the Duke, but once the revs hit 8,000 it just rips.
Also, blah blah blah…etc.
He tentatively climbed aboard the MV in front of the adoring throng and (relatively) skilfully, fed the revs in and off down the road.
“That’s not bad for a first time…”
I said as if my opinion was worth having.
I then casually strolled over to the 916 with a self assured swagger, swung the leg over Bayliss/Fogarty like and with
a skill that can only be gained from 40 years experience, snicked the Ducati into gear and fed the clutch out.
The rattling dry clutch stopped rattling and the engine quit stone motherless dead as I promptly stalled it and barely got my foot back down before the beautiful 916 was caught by the assembled gallery.
“Have you ridden one of these before, they’re not easy…”
A well meaning bystander asked.
I cannot remember what I said, but made sure the ride ended somewhere other than where they would be gathered.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Scout63 on May 19, 2022, 04:55:10 AM
In 2006 I had one of these
(https://i.ibb.co/KhvfVkX/3-F4920-A5-AE8-E-424-E-ADA3-1208-E90-FD693.png) (https://ibb.co/KhvfVkX)

My mate had one of these
(https://i.ibb.co/yNZpyZQ/ED369-B7-F-B63-C-420-C-8-E82-45-F4-D5-CBE210.png) (https://ibb.co/yNZpyZQ)

We decided on a one off basis to swap bikes for a jaunt accompanied by the usual briefings that are always exchanged.
He said ..
“Just jump on mate, there’s nothing I can teach you…”
I said…
“Make sure you give it plenty of revs because it doesn’t pull down low like the Duke, but once the revs hit 8,000 it just rips.
Also, blah blah blah…etc.
He tentatively climbed aboard the MV in front of the adoring throng and (relatively) skilfully, fed the revs in and off down the road.
“That’s not bad for a first time…”
I said as if my opinion was worth having.
I then casually strolled over to the 916 with a self assured swagger, swung the leg over Bayliss/Fogarty like and with
a skill that can only be gained from 40 years experience, snicked the Ducati into gear and fed the clutch out.
The rattling dry clutch stopped rattling and the engine quit stone motherless dead as I promptly stalled it and barely got my foot back down before the beautiful 916 was caught by the assembled gallery.
“Have you ridden one of these before, they’re not easy…”
A well meaning bystander asked.
I cannot remember what I said, but made sure the ride ended somewhere other than where they would be gathered.

I was worried that was going to end up with one of those bikes on its side Huzo.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Huzo on May 19, 2022, 05:28:41 AM
I was worried that was going to end up with one of those bikes on its side Huzo.
Well mate, it almost did..!  :embarrassed:
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: pressureangle on May 19, 2022, 10:47:57 AM
Ya know those things from decades ago, that you'd forgot? Thanks fellas.

Circa 1982 I thought I needed more traction on the front of my flat track bike, and thought installing a rear 4.00 x 19 would do the job. After my buddy's brother stopped by the garage and smoked all the mosquitoes out (and us) we went inside, happy to load up in the morning and get to the race track.
So, our race ride and elder statesman, an AA mentor, shows up to load and I see that my supreme answer to all front end traction was flat as new and stuck between the fork legs. I suggested that it would narrow up with air, but it got tighter... he well knew what state we'd been in while making those decisions. Embarrassing and shameful even for a 20 year old.

Then there was the time my '97 Sport-i pinned me to the curb in front of a hotel, and a very nice young woman who looked to be about high school freshman age offered help and picked the bike up for me, of course while the airport courtesy shuttle was unloading. I subsequently cut the 'auto-retract' nub off the pivot bolt.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Bulldog9 on May 19, 2022, 09:14:52 PM
Having my orthopedic surgeon walk up to me after my post surgical consult as I was getting my gear on....... He was very unhappy with me and said "I hope you didn't just take a Vicodin" .....  lol.
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Dukedesmo on May 20, 2022, 07:43:45 AM
Many years ago whilst at High School in Florence, Italy some of us would meet up after school at a local bar. The bar was at a busy roundabout junction near one of the old city gates and so people were coming and going all the time, in the summer we would mostly be sitting outside enjoying the weather and, of course some of us would show off, trying to impress the Girls on our bikes.


A friend was really good at wheelies, he could wheelie a Vespa around the roundabout sometimes several laps at a time, even in traffic and so, feeling left out I decided to show everyone my wheelie skills.


I had a Ducati 250 Scrambler at the time and proceeded to clutch the front up right in front of my 'admirers' but overcooked it and basically went vertical, I slid off the seat and ended up running behind the bike whilst still holding onto the bars in the hope of somehow controlling it but, of course I couldn't and I ended up dropping the bike on it's side and me face down in the road.


I certainly didn't impress anyone but I did provide the entertainment that day...   :embarrassed:
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: Bulldog9 on May 20, 2022, 06:16:43 PM
Many years ago whilst at High School in Florence, Italy some of us would meet up after school at a local bar. The bar was at a busy roundabout junction near one of the old city gates and so people were coming and going all the time, in the summer we would mostly be sitting outside enjoying the weather and, of course some of us would show off, trying to impress the Girls on our bikes.


A friend was really good at wheelies, he could wheelie a Vespa around the roundabout sometimes several laps at a time, even in traffic and so, feeling left out I decided to show everyone my wheelie skills.


I had a Ducati 250 Scrambler at the time and proceeded to clutch the front up right in front of my 'admirers' but overcooked it and basically went vertical, I slid off the seat and ended up running behind the bike whilst still holding onto the bars in the hope of somehow controlling it but, of course I couldn't and I ended up dropping the bike on it's side and me face down in the road.


I certainly didn't impress anyone but I did provide the entertainment that day...   :embarrassed:

You have described why I have never aspired to or tried to wheelie............ lol
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: cliffrod on May 20, 2022, 07:53:18 PM
Which one and yes alcohol was involved.

^^^^what he said.. 

At least I didn't scrape the end off my pecker like my deliberately sober best friend did in May of 88 when he stuffed his bike into a guardrail about 150 yards from my house as he left the first party of the season.  That was a truly epic way to start our summer of invincible youthful debauchery...
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: LowRyter on May 20, 2022, 08:24:55 PM
my most embarring moment came in San Antonio.  I was taking a UTSA night class working on my Master's.  The class and instructor retreated to a bar for the last night.  :boozing:   I was on my 550 Seca-  if you've seen the Laugh-In tricycle you might have a clue.    :embarrassed:  :shocked:

Anyway, it was private.  N0 one ever saw it.   :thumb:

I might say I went to work the next day and had to come home not feeling well.   :sad:

So, fill i the blanks.      :lipsrsealed:

I won't to share my personal predicament beyond innuendo and your assumptions.  :laugh:
Title: Re: Your most embarrassing motorcycle moment .
Post by: stubbie on May 21, 2022, 03:04:51 AM
A friend asked me to go visit him at a social cricket match between the company he worked for and another. It was a nice sunny day so I took my 850 Le Mans, pulled up on the edge of the bitumen and had my right foot on the bitumen talking to my friend. A car passed me real close at speed and blew me off balance. I pushed down with my left foot on the marble gravel to try to counter, foot went west and the bike went over with me on top of it. Of course everyone turned around after the thud to see me akimbo on top of my bike. Broke 2 fins off of the left head.