Topic: Man! I feel like an ass! (Looking for a little "support" on this one)

[kach_me]

Alright, I've had my bike back for about three weeks from getting the carbs sync'd and electrical problems chased and yesterday I got around to changing the oil, filters, etc. and some other minor maintenance that needed to be done.  I'll take the bike for a ride to make sure all is ok (no leaks or other problems), right?   

I'm cruising along fine and about 15 minutes into the ride the bike falters a bit and starts to lose power.    OH F#@K! is what I'm thinking and I nurse it along to the next stop light where it promptly dies and will not re-start.  CRAP!  I'm rolling through all the things that might possibly cause the bike to stall.  Now, of course, I'm on the side walk going through my mental checklist and I'm pissed (at myself) for not getting something right.  And it dawns on me to turn up to reserve and give it a go.  Sputter, sputter, and it starts (whew!).    I'm relieved and irritated (that I let it run outta gas). 

At this point, I'm not thinking and I let go of the clutch to push the choke back in and B-A-M the bike takes off... I'M IN GEAR!!!! DOH!  Down we go and I've dumped the bike for the first time.  Now I feel like a total dip #$%*.  Quick as I can muster I'm back up and looking around to see if anyone saw my moment of stupidity. 

Lesson here for me... don't overthink the situation.  It dawned on me that maybe I'm not the only one in this boat... Anyone else here have a "moment" they would like to share?  Anyone? Anyone at all?  (Don't leave me hangin' here). 

[Frankenkit]

Yesterday.  Sitting there with repair manual in one hand, choke rods in the other,  on my face and beautifully racked/ linked carbs on the floor.  How do I put these in with it r.... .... ohhhhhhhhh

[nickjtc]

I think that everyone who has attempted to do any fettling on their own bike has had a'moment'. And sometimes these 'moments' just keep happening one after the other. The trick is to be dispassionate, whisper quiet words of solace in the direction of the bike, walk away as necessary then come back mentally refreshed.

Or you can just vent your frustration by hitting it with a big stick.

[snyquist53]

welded up a leak in my gas tank,  didn't wait long enough for the fumes to leave...

[canyon750]

You ran out of gas?? This has never happened to me!!     What's that Two Tired? Turn it to reserve?  You mean i didn't have to call a buddy and load my bike into his truck to get it home??  Of course this revelation came after i replaced the fuel lines cleaned out the float bowls and oh never mind... 

[asmallsol]

The first day I had my bike, I am down town with tons of people around. I jump on the kickstart, and it starts to move forward and I tip over. I kepted my hands on the handle bars so I reduced alot of the damange with only a little scuff on the bottom of the engine case.

[Bob Wessner]

welded up a leak in my gas tank,  didn't wait long enough for the fumes to leave...

And?? There has to be more to this tale.

[GammaFlat]

welded up a leak in my gas tank,  didn't wait long enough for the fumes to leave...

And?? There has to be more to this tale.

And then I'm betting there was an energy release. 

[super pasty white guy]

Ok, I'll ante.  Got home, pulled up to house, took off helmet, got off bike. 

Forgot to put the kickstand down.

Dave

[jdigga]

I'll raise you:  went for a ride, forgot to put my kickstand up, crashed trying to go around a left-hand curve.

Also, a few weeks ago, I forgot every day for the whole week to turn my fuel on.

[keepitrunin]

watched a dude pull up to a red light and forgot to put his foot down. best thing is ,in the next lane over was my cousin,(recoginized in dwi enforcement). when he opened his door of the police car,the guys head was right at his door. after the initial what the f--- were you thinking, he got a big ol whiff and a reply from the guy"did you see who hit me?"

[c_kyle]

I feel like an ass when I stall my bike at intersections.  I've done it about 4 times.  But what makes me feel like more of an ass is when I try to put the bike on the center stand.  I can't do it and I keep trying and I know everyone stops what they're doing to watch me not be able to put the bike on the center-stand.  I'm f***ing short, too damn short to put the bike on the center-stand!  I'm just going to remove it, since I can't use it at all.

[333]

welded up a leak in my gas tank, didn't wait long enough for the fumes to leave...

And?? There has to be more to this tale.

And then I'm betting there was an energy release.

And some hair disappearance too

[OldSchool_IsCool]

Robert M. Persig in "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" has a story about riding with his son in the rain when his bike sputtered to a halt.  He fiddles with it for some time in the rain, son pestering him with questions and frustration growing.  Checks the spark, electrics, etc anything that the rain could have gotten into.  They end up hitching back home (several hours away) hook up a trailer and go get the bike then continue their vacation by car.  Lost a day or better of their vacation because of the failure!

A few weeks later, they are back home.  He starts to look into why the bike died.  Opens the fuel valve to get a little gas and... you guessed it, nothing!... switches to reserve and gas pours forth.  The whole time he was sure the rain caused the failure, and totally blocked out the possibility he was low on gas.  Over thinking the situation.

Bottom line Kach, you are in good company.  VERY good company!

[hymodyne]

thought I had the side stand down on my 500, after rolling it into my work space, felt it begin to tilt away from me, but I said to myself, "why that stand is down, I always put it down," and watched the bike fall towards the floor in slow motion. Destroyed a $100.00 wind screen.

hym

[333]

I feel like an ass when I stall my bike at intersections. I've done it about 4 times. But what makes me feel like more of an ass is when I try to put the bike on the center stand. I can't do it and I keep trying and I know everyone stops what they're doing to watch me not be able to put the bike on the center-stand. I'm f***ing short, too damn short to put the bike on the center-stand! I'm just going to remove it, since I can't use it at all.

Don't do that.  There's a trick.  It has nothing to do with height or lifting the bike.  Get the bike level on the ground-put the centerstand on the ground (both sides).  Then grasp the grab rail with your right hand and direct your energy between the two.  In other words spread the two apart.  Stand on the centerstand while pulling the grab rail.

[cben750f0]

self inflicted knobness...., had a VTR1000F, was really good a second gear wheelies..... mates down the street one day are eggin me on.... thought i was in second... was in first.... came up real quick, with the reaction of shutting the throttle off, big twin engine breaking, coupled with front wheel meeting terra firma =  smashed manliness on the tank!!!!!! . went about 20 metres then pulled into a car park, where i fell off b/c i couldnt get my legs down due to the pain....

yep i'm a knob..!!!!!

so dont feel bad mate... its all good.

peace

[clarkjh]

Stop at the bank, came back out, put my gear on and hit the starter, nothing, Damn, check to see if I lights worked, yep.  Then it dawned on me to pull the clutch, forgot it in gear, like the neutral light not being lit shouldn't have said something.  Start heading for home feeling like an ass and start up the last big hill, the bike stumbles and stops.  #$%*, spent about 5 minutes figuring out the fuel was off.

We all have our moments

James

[neil young]

i used to have an 81 seca 750.while driving with some friends we stopped at a stop sign the first bike went then my friend anthony started to go but saw a car coming so he stopped ....well i to saw the car but it was a ways down the street so i thought no problem.but since i was paying attn to the car and didnt realize anthony stopped whammo i drove right into the back of his bike knocking his girlfriend off and onto my front tire ended up poking a hole in my tire.had it repaired at a bike shop around the corner from the scene which happens to be about a hundred miles from my home on a sunday so a bit of luck there.well idrive it home and the plug held no problem so i didnt think much of it untill 2 weeks later when i was doing about 90 mph on a main hwy in Toronto when the plug let go  ..welldown i went wrecked the bike with a little damage to myself ...learned a good lesson on both occations...always pay attn to everything around you and if you have a tire repair get it home then buy a new tire

[c_kyle]

I feel like an ass when I stall my bike at intersections. I've done it about 4 times. But what makes me feel like more of an ass is when I try to put the bike on the center stand. I can't do it and I keep trying and I know everyone stops what they're doing to watch me not be able to put the bike on the center-stand. I'm f***ing short, too damn short to put the bike on the center-stand! I'm just going to remove it, since I can't use it at all.

Don't do that.  There's a trick.  It has nothing to do with height or lifting the bike.  Get the bike level on the ground-put the centerstand on the ground (both sides).  Then grasp the grab rail with your right hand and direct your energy between the two.  In other words spread the two apart.  Stand on the centerstand while pulling the grab rail.

I don't have a grab rail, but I'm going to go try that now.

[LoopsAndLogic]

Was moving one of my 400f's around my other 400F. I slipped a little cause I didn't notice this oil stain in my garage.

Luckily I gained my footing in a swift body motion. Said to my self, "Man that was close and cool. Wish I had a camera for that one."

While backing away from it, I tripped myself over my other 400f that I didn't move and bent the rear turn signal arm.

 That's the least stupid moment I've had and that's all I'm willing to share

LL

[Crusty_Butt]

Pulled out of my driveway one morning, half awake, the left handlebar grip came loose and twisted. Gave the other one a firm twist to make sure it wasn't coming loose too but that one was the throttle. Slid me onto the passenger seat and I think both hands came off the bars. Ha ha ha.

Bret

[Walt]

Me on my 74 KZ400 and the wife on her 80 CM400T pull up to a gas station, both fairly new riders. She's on the outside (from the pump) and forgets to put her kickstand down. Drops the bike, which hits me and forces me to be pinned between the pump and my bike. Luckily they were only 400's so it was easy to extricate ourselves. Quite a few people stood around watching this debacle and only after we get ourselves unpinned a guy comes over and asks "do you need any help". We did, but not any more, thanks anyway.

[HondaMan]

Wasn't my bike, but my mistake...it was a CB350 with no turn signals...came into the shop for a tuneup. Got it tuned, put on my helmet for the obligatory test ride, was in a hurry....left hand tightening my chin strap and I reached out and hit the waiting starter button...my left pant leg had caught the shifter and pulled it down into 1st without my noticing it (bell bottoms, you know)...bike started, shot right out from under my legs, out the door, down the ramp, and fell over on the gravel parking lot amidst several highly-entertained incoming customers...and me, running out after it.

I'm a professional. Don't try that at home......

[Peterbylt]

I was at a local bike night and walked out in front of a couple of Harley riders, trying to act as cool as possible I proceded to try and start the bike.
Bike won't start, I check the gas, Gas is on, Try the choke, Try the throttle. eventually I kill the battery trying to start it.
One of the Harley riders who are now quite entertained says how about the kill switch.
I look down and the kill switch is off.
Embarrassed I click the kill switch on, kick start the bike and drove off mumbling to myself.

Peterbylt