....if your going to ride them, sooner or later, your going to drop one. It's a sad, little discussed, (or admitted) fact. The hardest part of motorcyling for most new riders is just moving them around their garage....or very low speed handling, such as what happened to you in your yard.
....my most famous fuax pax happened in the late 1980's. I had just finshed cleaning up and cosmetically restoring a 1977 F-2. It was a low mileage bike that had been left out in the sun and snow and was badly faded and weathered.. I went to Honda, and bought, all new, the tank, seat/cowl, clocks, side covers, headlight, fenders, chainguard... etc etc. Nothing like new trim parts from Honda! I even ordered a complete new F exhaust system. I gave the bike as well a complete service......and new chain, sprockets, tires, filters, fork oil, swing arm bushings...the works.
...Took on her first ride......and it was lovely.
Went for a wonderful 70 mile blast at 70-80 that lasted until the sun went down...... I stopped at a friends house when it was done, rode the bike up his steep gravel driveway in the dark. I was a bit groggy....you know, rider's fog. It's that heady feeling you get after a long, wonderful ride. I put the centre stand down, got off the bike and started to walk to the door, and met my buddy who was hustling out to see the bike. No sooner had I stepped away, and the most horrible 'thumpcruch' echoed through the neigborhood...
....Yup, there has my F....lying in it's side, on the RIGHT side no less (where the new pipe was). In my fog, coupled with the darkness, the stand wasn't locked down. I never heard it click up, but I sure heard the end result. Lets just say the gravel and the force of the fall did a real number on my new pipe, signal lights, brake lever... etc etc.
......So take heart De La Nooch...you aren't the first to drop one...........
