| Author | Message | ||
     Mstrfrz |
Years ago, on my old Ducati, in Houston, left lane, easing past a convoy of trucks carrying 60' sections of concrete retaining wall. Got hung up behind a little Ford Escort that should have been on the feeder road. Crap, now I have to let all these trucks pass me so I can go around behind them. Instead, I went UNDER one! What a thrill, but NEVER AGAIN! I would have liked to see the face of that trucker seeing me on his left, then screaming around his right. I could only guess at the radio chatter from the trucker behind him... | ||
| Rick_a |
This fellow was picking up a new H-D 1200 Sportster Roadster. I was in the shipping and receiving area and heard that unmistakable sound of crunching motorcycle. Opened the door, and he had just picked it up. Got back on, wobbling just to keep the bike upright, wife in the car a mess behind him, then off again. Instead of counter-steering to get around the lot he's trying to force the bike to turn, then wobbling around, hits the brake, and down again. At this point my wife shows up. It's the end of my work day. I help the guy pickup the bike, hold it while he gets on, and get in our car. The wife wants me to make sure he's ok. He gets out on the road, which is an industrial parkway that is a series of sweeping "S" curves. This fellow, almost dropping it again making the 90 deg. left out of the lot, gets a foot down to save it, then accelerates hard to pull out of the death wobble. His wife is yelling at him to be careful and sounds like she's praying out loud. On the first set of curves he is going about 10mph and going curb to curb, barely staying on the road, with traffic coming the other way. His wife is now hysterical, and at the next lot he manages to pull off the road. The wife insists I offer him help. Our shop is closed for business so I can't get him trailered home (apparently nobody offered to deliver the bike). I offer to ride his bike to his house while they follow. He insists on riding across town through some of the worst traffic in the area during rush hour  In my case I ran out of road after a wheelie and lost the front end during moderate braking due to the road having some residual dew on it. Where I landed there were SUV tires all around me. Oops. It was the first and last time I tried any such stunt with vehicles anywhere near me. I tore my rotator cuff, bicep, and pectoral muscle pretty good. My bicep and pectoral muscles had bulges where the torn strands bunched up. My entire shoulder was inflamed around the ligaments. I couldn't raise my left hand over my head for a month. I couldn't lift anything heavier than a small book for months. Harsh lesson, but well deserved. The reason for the injury (aside from the obvious) was a discount glove I purchased with rubber armored palms. It stuck to the road like glue on contact and it felt like I about got my arm tore off. That was another lesson...no rubber armor on any gear...especially gloves. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
The inaugeral run of Fat Guy in Orange, on street bike in woods ..... http://youtu.be/gG76ftSFOcg | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
1977, Suzuki TS250M, Semi knobbly tyres, Rider totally unable to judge grip levels on tarmac. Not just once! Repeatedly! Yes me. I've seen some awful riding over all my years on the road, but my own memories still make me cringe the most. | ||
| Vtpeg |
MC Skills test,DMV parking lot. Short woman on 250 ninja. She couldn't touch both feet with platform boots. Lines up to start test, very nervous. Instructor is digging for her paper work, and over she goes, standing still. Couple of guys pull bike off her and she is kicking the bike, screaming she can't believe she failed AGAIN. Instructor says "test hasn't started, thats no points deducted." She calms down and lines up to go again. Instructor says begin, and she promptly mowed down every cone in the slalom. "Now you've failed". They let her leave on the bike! Me- 25 mi and 2 hours into a memorial day ride with 2000 of my closest friends, with a top speed of, oh, 5mph. clutching between first and second when all of the sudden pace picks up. Hit the gas, oops, still in first, big stand up wheelie, think me running down the road after the bike. Got back on, no dump, no crash, mostly clean underwear. No more parades for me. | ||
| Milt |
Ask anyone who rode to Slimy Crud with me last Spring. That guy Milt is a moron. | ||
| Xl1200r |
Me... Well as long as we're all tossing ourselves in... I don't don't have anything real good - I've been down twice on the street from just going too hot on a road I didn't know well enough. But the doozie was when I was learning to ride. I was 14 and had a Suzuki DR125. I was learning to ride and turn in a long driveway that was shaped like more or less like a T. From the road, it was a long stretch in, then you turned left to get to the side of house (duplex) the guy teaching me lived, or go straight to his neighbor's side. I was going from his garage to the road all day, taking that left turn, but never taking it out of 1st gear. Then I get the go ahead to up the speed a little. I'm hammering it, must have gotten into at least 3rd or 4th before the turn comes up. I'm going way too fast and habit it stuck with me, so rather then just go straight while I slow down, I decided I had to bring things to a halt. But in the excitement my foot slipped off the rear brake and in a panic I grabbed all of the front I could muster and over I went, and slid another 20 feet on the pavement with that bike on top of me and the foot peg just missing being driven into my back. I little rash on my knee was all I came away with, which is a miracle considering I wasn't even wearing a helmet... It's got to where I don't do group rides at all any longer. I don't care for groups - I do once or twice a year to see and hang out with some people I don't get to see often, but otherwise I prefer to be on my own, or maybe with one other rider who I know well. | ||
| Bbbob |
I had a guy in his early 20's buy an XB12Ss on a Friday & planned to pick it up Sat morning before he had to attend a wedding. Thinking he was going to pick up the bike go home & then to the wedding I was shocked when he showed up with his girlfriend both dressed for the wedding with absolutely no gear. He in a suit & she in an ankle length dress & high heels, very high heels. I suggested I'd have the bike delivered to his home later but they indignantly insisted "we know what I'm doing, we ride all the time" & they were going to ride to the wedding...I know, wait for it... I was about 20 feet away when he climbed on, his girlfriend hiked the dress up above her knees & climbed on the back. She was holding his coat tails as he pulled away...popped the clutch & lurched forward...as she slid off the seat tearing his coat, I'd swear she hovered in the air as if she were sitting on an invisible bike for a split second before crashing to the ground on her a$$. Ripped a hole in the back of her dress big enough to pass a basketball though, she wasn't wearing any panties...I guess better to have happened in the parking lot than on the highway... | ||
| Jaimec |
I didn't actually witness it, but my best friend was a salesman (and also an experienced MSF Instructor/RiderCoach) at a local Honda shop. Teenager bought himself a brand new Honda CBR600RR. This shop is right on a very busy highway. Just watching the kid mount the bike in front of the shop set off alarm bells, so he convinced him that he'd wheel the bike onto the side street where there was less traffic. The kid seemed belligerent that his riding ability was OBVIOUSLY being questioned, but he acceded to the suggestion. Once on the side street, my friend pointed out all the controls and the kid was all "yeah, yeah, yeah, I know that." So, my friend stepped back and said "Have fun!" The kid fired up the bike, wound the throttle wide open, dumped the clutch slammed right into a parked van about 26 feet away. The shop got to sell the bike TWICE that day. The repairs actually cost MORE than the bike itself. Was I ever that young and stupid?? | ||
| Sifo |
Watching the new buyer of my Wide Glide roll out of my driveway and actually had to duck his shoulder out of the way of the neighbors mailbox as it went by. He had just completed the BRC and gotten his license. I tried to emphasize the difference between the bikes he learned on and a heavy HD with fairly long forks and tried to talk him into letting me ride it to his house so that he could get used to riding around his subdivision at his convenience. He would have none of that. I ran across him at the dealer a year or so later. He told me about the trip he took with it to Sturgis. He even told me about the trailer he bought for the trip! | ||
| 86129squids |
Bbob, that's gotta be close to the top of the list of "good 'uns"...  | ||
| 86129squids |
Oh yeah, just remembered something from BTF... ME, and a couple of other schmucks, suckered into offroading our bikes whilst following Barker... No_Rice might've just as well had been on a YZF450, the way he rode that 1125!! (And, BTW, whilst showing MAD skillz in the dirt- me jealous, want dirtbike now...)  | ||
| Blake |
My own. | ||
| Babired |
Riding in western Maryland and seeing a guy with his female passenger on a sportbike. The tail end of the bike was connecting with the rear tire and smoke was coming from the tire rubbing the underside of the tail section. They were in motion the smoke was trailing, she probably had a HOT seat! I couldn't believe it! | ||
| Xl1200r |
Crazy what totally inexperienced people will buy/ride with complete confidence. My 1125CR is for sale. My neighbor is a brand new rider and while he likes the bike, I refuse to sell it to him and he gets it. | ||
| Fast1075 |
Spring 1969. I'm 15 years old, riding home from Jr. High on my week old brand new Yamaha 90 Enduro. I come up on a gaggle of girls walking home from school. So in a jesture of my mighty manliness, I pull a monster wheelie. Perfectly controlled, I turn my head to see the awe on their faces for such a dramatic demonstration of my manly manliness...I don't notice the car stopped in front of me. I wheelied into the back of a teacher's car. Took me a year of odd jobs to pay for the repairs. Duh!!! | ||
| 86129squids |
XL- that was one of my biggest problems as a sales guy- dealing with noobs who were infatuated with becoming a REAL "biker"... Some look at motorcycling with the same mindset as going on a rollercoaster ride. 'Taint so, bubba... Had another old guy, just bought his first Ultra Classic- I'd done the delivery schpiel as thoroughly as I could, only to watch (in terror) as he wobbled around the parking lot- the whole time I was doing the delivery, he was pumping me to hurry up- he was worried about being late to the DMV to go take his MC endorsement test! Once he'd left, I realized I'd left a clipboard in the tourpak, thought to myself (I'll never see that again)... That one ended up, thankfully, a happy ending- he made it to the DMV, passed (!), and went on to be a decent rider. Sure gave me the willies that day though... Here's one on the + side: Guy wanted to rent a bike. I asked if he had a MC endorsement, (yes), then how long since he'd ridden. 20+ years or so... and he wanted to take wifey for an anniversary tour here in E TN. Remembering the earlier couple I'd refused, I went through the same thing with this dude. Difference being, he was employed as a heavy equipment operator, even trainyard stuff- I was kind of amazed at all the things he'd mentioned he could operate. At that point, I watched him VERY deliberately go over everything he needed to remember- I could almost see the wheels turning in his head- then he VERY carefully went about multiple manoevers quite well- then he got wifey to repeat them with on pillion. By the time he was done, I had no doubts. Wish I could've video'ed him, it was that impressive. They came back a few days and many miles later, having had a great anniversary weekend. | ||
| Buellathebuzzer |
You know, My first bike was a 75 Honda CB36T bought used in 85. Road it into the ground in a few years and didn't own another bike until last spring. A 00 M2. But before picking up the M2 I took the MSF beginner class and in MN you can test out and get your endorsement after completing the course. Of all the things that I learned there, a few of the most valuable are (1) respect these machines, (2) take plenty of time to orient to a new bike and (3) know your personal limits and don't exceed them. My skills have increase 300% since that cold rainy weekend last April, but I know I have at least another 300% to go. The one time I dropped my bike was when I was moving it around my garage and forgot the side stand. (DOH!) I'd like to keep it that way. | ||
| Fast1075 |
I have crashed in so many ways, there isn't enough time to tell all the tales...  | ||
| Stirz007 |
Babired - is this the one?  | ||
| Babired |
almost hahaha  | ||
| Macbuell |
I saw a guy ride a brand new bike off the parking lot and straight into a stop sign. He has no idea how to ride a bike and I was amazed they sold it to him. I talked to the salesman after and he said "yeah, you don't need a license to buy a bike". I actually felt sorry for the kid. | ||
| Bbbob |
I had a fresh Rider's Edge graduate come in to purchase a Vrod. I did my best to have her think about something smaller to start off on & she just didn't want to hear any of it. I finally convinced her to rent a few bikes starting with a Sportster & move up as she felt more comfortable. She took my advice, almost... The next Sunday morning I rode up to the dealership & spotted her at the rental counter...cool, she listened! After parking, I walked over to say hello & saw the rental person wheeling out the one Vrod in the fleet. I again explained my concerns & asked her to start an something smaller. She said it's her money, she's an adult & she'll rent what she wants. The dealer has a connecting parking lot with a Medical office building that is closed on Sundays, it's parking lot is huge. I asked her if insisted on starting out on a Vrod would she at least agree to ride over to the parking lot next door, being a Sunday there was only one car in the lot, & ride around the lot until she got comfortable with the bike before she took to the street. She reluctantly agreed... Here it comes... She climbed on the bike, started the engine, adjusted the mirrors, kick stand up, looked around until all was clear, pulled slowly away from the curb heading slowly to the other lot, so far so good... Until she entered the other lot & gave it a "little gas" (her words) making a beeline straight into the drivers door of the only car parked in this huge lot... She was fine, the bill to repair the Vrod was $1,200... | ||
| 86129squids |
Dang- chicks get testosterone poisoning too?! IMHO the Vrod was designed and built to be a point and shoot device, but not for the uninitiated.  | ||
| Fltwistygirl |
"Dang- chicks get testosterone poisoning too?!" Yes, sir. Some of the scariest things I've witnessed on 2 wheels (and 3) have been with chicks piloting the bike. On bikes not easily wheelied. Part of the problem is the lack of exposure to bikes growing up. If you've got a young lady that spent her childhood doing what'd I'd consider "the traditional girlie things", and all of a sudden her friends are all hoochied out on tricked out 'busas every Thursday night at bike night, and she thinks that 1300 or 1400 cc monster needs to be her next accessory, instead of that new Louis Vutton bag, you've got a challenge. | ||
| Glitch |
Here's the worst example of parking I ever saw. Bike Night at the Vortex Little Five Points Atlanta  | ||
| Xdigitalx |
Funny stuff!! If I owned a dealership that had a Rider-Edge, I would make them all sign waivers for video recording and mount camera's on all the training bikes and also the building and maybe the teachers helmet too. (they notice the oops coming a mile away right?) $$$$ TruTV!!! $$$$ KA_CHING!  | ||
| Bbbob |
Same woman (she paid for the damage no questions asked on the Vrod) comes back 2 weeks later, this time with her boyfriend. Comes in to rent a Sportster, the rental person, still with a fresh image of her t-boning a parked car, asks if she is ready. Again...attitude! Yes she's ready & the boyfriend is going to ride along (he brought his own bike) to coach her! So while she's signing the paperwork, I pull the boyfriend aside & asked him if he's ever ridden with a "newbie"? More attitude! "I know how to ride!" I said "listen, that's not what I asked, When you are riding with her stay behind her". And went on to explain why. So off they go... After a few laps around the parking lot they hit the street. A 1/2 hour later the dealership gets a call to come get the rental bike. It seems they were on a 2 lane road that curved to the left, she didn't. And guess what? She was following him...another $1,000 in damage. This time they both balked about paying..."there was something wrong with the bike that caused the accident!"... | ||
| Harleyelf |
Yeah, it had an idiot sitting on it and that threw the balance off. | ||
| Just_ziptab |
3 notable "get offs" for me. SL 175 Honda,walking pace,front wheel crossed in a wheel rut.Face plant before I could even throw my hands out. KE 175 wheelie on the street.Was going great and suddenly went to the point of no return....bailed off the back. Bike kept going down the street. Over the curb,around a tree in a yard and fell over right beside a mint 67 Mustang. That was a close one! 67 Sportster. 6" extended front end,90 foot burnouts by dropping the clutch at 6 grand. Did it several times. The last time,the tire did not spin. Bike upended,pinning me on my back,with both hands still on the bars. Bike tipped into the ditch,upside down and still idling. Broken frame,broken rear motor mount. Scratched,bent,dented or ruined nearly everything except the tank.Helmet saved me from serious injury! |
