Three days in and time for a boo boo

[TheTengTheory]

So I got my license earlier last week in preparation for buying a bike. Wanted a hornet 250. There's something about the naked bike that just catches me.

bought a hornet. Rode it back to PNC from Wellington. Done about 300 in the last two days and the first day I bring it to work. Dropped it.

Lesson no. 1: always put your foot down on the higher side.

Let the lessons begin :D

TheTengTheory

[Maha]

Easily done, I have dropped (well, more gently placed) a bike on two occassions, some of the more rudimentary/fundamental things can catch you out when you least expect it.

Last week, I had a double pack on my bike for a trip away..I have the rack part facing the front (over the pillion seat) so the weight is over the rear wheel when the pack goes on..
I decided to attach the smaller pack also with my wet weather gear in it...and the bike seemed very unstable.
The reason? the smaller pack was was not sitting on anything, just zipped onto the big pack and swinging in the breeze.
I reversed the rack, which should have been done in the first place....rudimentary/fundamental thing you see.

[Mom]

I suffer from short leg syndrome and am always at risk of dropping my bike. Just last weekend, fully laden, very heavy pack on the back I managed to dismount from Millie without ensuring the sidestand was fully down :pinch: Result, I went to ground :o Maha and our host managed to grab Millie before she lay down fully on the concrete. Nothing beats an arrival like that :lol:

[pzkpfw]

Brand new shiny ZR750K1. Ride out of dealer, straight to petrol station to fill tank. Go to leave, stop across gutter. Back wheel on footpath, front wheel on road; I'm 6'3" but came flipping close to dropping it - tip-toes just on ground. Lesson learned.

A year later, laid it down gently in the garge, just lost balance wheeling it around. Scratched engine side cover. Frack.

It happens.

[sugilite]

Done about 300 in the last two days and the first day I bring it to work. Dropped it.

Pfft, what took you so long, I did that in the 1st 3 meters I rode a bike! :facepalm:

[FJRider]

I suffer from short leg syndrome and am always at risk of dropping my bike. :lol:

Me too ... but you dont have 266 kg's wet weight to pick up ... :lol:

[SNF]

I "parked" mine horizontally within 10 mins of buying it. Stopped on a slope in neutral, put the stand down, bike slid. Dumb. Didn't hit hard though, I was trying to pull it up as it went down (god that sounds so wrong....) Thankfully the fairings were off so nothing done.

[TheTengTheory]

Some pretty interesting stories haha. I'm glad I didn't do it at an intersection :). Buti am getting alot of shit at work. Apparently dropping a bike means i can drop a 2ton forklift :S hopefully not again.

Btw. When it dropped fuel started coming off a excess tube at the bottom. I assume this is a safety spill valve to stop fuel running over the hot engine?? That is what I've deducted so far anyways

[FJRider]

Btw. When it dropped fuel started coming off a excess tube at the bottom. I assume this is a safety spill valve to stop fuel running over the hot engine?? That is what I've deducted so far anyways

It would have been from the overflow pipe .... beside/at the filler cap. When you overfill the tank ... it goes down the tube rather than down the side of the tank.

[bogan]

It would have been from the overflow pipe .... beside/at the filler cap. When you overfill the tank ... it goes down the tube rather than down the side of the tank.

That would indicate a faulty fuel cap if that was the case. Far more likely it is just from the carb bowl overflow.

[FJRider]

That would indicate a faulty fuel cap if that was the case. Far more likely it is just from the carb bowl overflow.

Possibly ... but the cap should let air in ... and some fuel out ..???

[bogan]

Possibly ... but the cap should let air in ... and some fuel out ..???

It has a check valve in it so air can get in but fuel and fuel vapor can't get out.

[TheTengTheory]

Soo its normal then? Anyways. Anyone in palmy keen for a ride? Thinking of doing the Apiti loop. Just finished work and the sun is SHINING!

[Stevee2]

I dropped my hornet on a very steep driveway when I overbalanced a month after getting it. We've all been there at some point!

[Hitcher]

What or where is "PNC"?

[Stylo]

Brand new shiny ZR750K1. Ride out of dealer, straight to petrol station to fill tank. Go to leave, stop across gutter. Back wheel on footpath, front wheel on road; I'm 6'3" but came flipping close to dropping it - tip-toes just on ground. Lesson learned.

A year later, laid it down gently in the garge, just lost balance wheeling it around. Scratched engine side cover. Frack.

It happens.

Similar thing, pulled up at my mate's place on the Hayabusa, stopped and put my right foot down, as you do.

Problem was my foot landed on a small tree branch which rolled like a pencil on a table and took my foot with it. Bike slowly went down as I struggled with the increasing weight ,probably about 600 to fix the scratches , I'm told from the body shop.

One of those things and, shit happens.

[Mom]

What or where is "PNC"?

Papua New Guinea Cuz?

[TheTengTheory]

Okay so after I got back from work I wanted to go for a ride. Possibly to apiti and back. However, one of my main issues was the brake pedal situated too high for my foot to comfortably rest on it without activating it. Anyways so i pulled apart the brake pedal unit and screwed it down lowering the height previous owner had bent it dropping the bike. After adjusting the switch i noticed that the brake light was constantly on. After an hour of troubleshooting testing different parts fuse connector etc etc etc. We decided to look online. Instead brain wave. What if it was the front brake.
true to form, the brake switch was on the front lever was cracked. Pulled the micro switch apart which then promptly exploded into tiny pieces.
Took me and my friend half an hour to figure it out.

result: piece of bread clip thingy super glued to the tip of the switch so the front lever can actuate the switch. pictures soon to come :)

Actually it just came off. Attempting to weld a needle to it.

[FJRider]

Okay so after I got back from work I wanted to go for a ride. Possibly to apiti and back. However, one of my main issues was the brake pedal situated too high for my foot to comfortably rest on it without activating it. Anyways so i pulled apart the brake pedal unit and screwed it down lowering the height previous owner had bent it dropping the bike. After adjusting the switch i noticed that the brake light was constantly on. After an hour of troubleshooting testing different parts fuse connector etc etc etc. We decided to look online. Instead brain wave. What if it was the front brake.
true to form, the brake switch was on the front lever was cracked. Pulled the micro switch apart which then promptly exploded into tiny pieces.
Took me and my friend half an hour to figure it out.

result: piece of bread clip thingy super glued to the tip of the switch so the front lever can actuate the switch. pictures soon to come :)

Actually it just came off. Attempting to weld a needle to it.

There is a brake light switch attached to back of) the back brake (well usually is) and adjusting the back brake lever will often change the tension on the (usually) spring loaded switch. (Also usually easy to find)

Front brake switches are time bombs ... if you pull one apart. E.mail a bike wrecker .... cheap as ... or buy a new one. Jury rig a switch and it may not last until the next WoF.

[Hitcher]

Papua New Guinea Cuz?

Sounds more believable than the alternative.

[Berries]

However, one of my main issues was the brake pedal situated too high for my foot to comfortably rest on it without activating it.
Why would you want to?

[Glowerss]

Okay so after I got back from work I wanted to go for a ride. Possibly to apiti and back. However, one of my main issues was the brake pedal situated too high for my foot to comfortably rest on it without activating it. Anyways so i pulled apart the brake pedal unit and screwed it down lowering the height previous owner had bent it dropping the bike. After adjusting the switch i noticed that the brake light was constantly on. After an hour of troubleshooting testing different parts fuse connector etc etc etc. We decided to look online. Instead brain wave. What if it was the front brake.
true to form, the brake switch was on the front lever was cracked. Pulled the micro switch apart which then promptly exploded into tiny pieces.
Took me and my friend half an hour to figure it out.

result: piece of bread clip thingy super glued to the tip of the switch so the front lever can actuate the switch. pictures soon to come :)

Actually it just came off. Attempting to weld a needle to it.

Just curious, was this the hornet on TM with the dual carbon exhausts? Was looking at a few hornets in wellywood a few weeks back. Was a couple of decent ones down that way.

[TheTengTheory]

Fjrider: yea to be honest I don't expect it to last long anyways. I'll probably get a new one soonish. Gotta pay for rego first haha. I think i will slowly upgrade the parts as a long term project.

Glowers: i wish. This was the one with the painted fuel tank and Ventura rack. Paid a reasonable price for it. Not the tidiest but some TLC and a good paint will get it back to normal. Engine runs well so far though.

Ended up riding to pahiatua and back through the gorge. Much more fun when you're abit more comfortable with the bike.

Berries: haven't worked out that one. I just figured if it was useable it would be more use than not.

[Glowerss]

Fjrider: yea to be honest I don't expect it to last long anyways. I'll probably get a new one soonish. Gotta pay for rego first haha. I think i will slowly upgrade the parts as a long term project.

Glowers: i wish. This was the one with the painted fuel tank and Ventura rack. Paid a reasonable price for it. Not the tidiest but some TLC and a good paint will get it back to normal. Engine runs well so far though.

Ended up riding to pahiatua and back through the gorge. Much more fun when you're abit more comfortable with the bike.

Berries: haven't worked out that one. I just figured if it was useable it would be more use than not.

Nah mate. You're lucky. I was looking at the dual exhaust one and so had it checked out at Welly motorcycles. It was an absolute dog with the amount of shit wrong with it :banana: Just wanted to make sure you weren't on it! Was dangerous from what they were telling me :baby:

[TheTengTheory]

Nah mate. You're lucky. I was looking at the dual exhaust one and so had it checked out at Welly motorcycles. It was an absolute dog with the amount of shit wrong with it :banana: Just wanted to make sure you weren't on it! Was dangerous from what they were telling me :baby:

oh right. Lucky I am because yollthe hornet I've got while isn't cosmetically nice. I'm pretty sure its more or less mechanically sound....so far.

is the wind blast suppose to be so dam bad on a hornet. I reckon my head will feel like ita getting dragged back at 130. Not that I have been that fast. and my friend keeps saying it shouldn't be too noisy wearing my helmet at 100k but I can hear alot of turbulence in my neck area especially at the collar. FYI I'm wearing a shoei Qwest.

If its normal I'm going to have to get some earplugs pronto. Just a 1 hour ride got my ear abit numb.

[swbarnett]

I too have "dropped" my bike on more than one occasion. My foot slipped off the centre stand once and I nearly went down with the bike.


I suffer from short leg syndrome and am always at risk of dropping my bike.
Do you know the workshop at Cyclespot? Serious sideways slope on the exit and you have to stop on it so you don't get taken out by anyone coming down the driveway. I was there yesterday on the Hornet thinking "no way Irene could do this". Later she told me that's the main reason she doesn't go there anymore.


Nothing beats an arrival like that :lol:
Yes, that was rather spectacular.


is the wind blast suppose to be so dam bad on a hornet. I reckon my head will feel like ita getting dragged back at 130. Not that I have been that fast. and my friend keeps saying it shouldn't be too noisy wearing my helmet at 100k but I can hear alot of turbulence in my neck area especially at the collar. FYI I'm wearing a shoei Qwest.

If its normal I'm going to have to get some earplugs pronto. Just a 1 hour ride got my ear abit numb.
First time I rode my wife's Hornet 600 anything over 80k was an absolute nightmare (felt like my head was being ripped off). Going from a faired bike to a naked took a bit of getting used to. Now I don't have a problem. I also wear a Qwest.

[TheTengTheory]

Gusty wind seems to affect me alot more. I wore some earplugs for the last ride. Great stuff...Only sound is the sweet whine of 16k revs.

I shall now store them in my front pocket.

Do those naked bike screens you can get from trademe work quite well? Anyone with any experience?
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/parts-for-sale/fairing/auction-535151054.htm

[Glowerss]

In truth mate, if you're just starting out riding, give it a few weeks/month. I'd be willing to bet a lot of your discomfort is simply getting used to being out in the open at 100km/h full stop. I felt the same way on my first bike, then went to a half faired, then fully faired, and then back to the hornet. About 6 months between my first bike (which was a scorpio) and the hornet.

Honestly, I don't know why it bothered me the first time around now. The air passing over you and your helmet is much cleaner without fairings stuffing it up. I noticed a dramatic drop in wind noise going from a fully faired ZZR to the hornet.

Give it a wee little while before you go horribly disfiguring your poor little hornet :rolleyes: Might find it bothers you far less/not at all in a months time.

[TheTengTheory]

Disfiguring? I've already sanded the back fairing off and added primer to it. Wanted to do the front fender as well but I think I need to remove the wheel.

[kevfromcoro]

i have been riding for over 40 yrs<must get off soon,, i want a leak>
dumped my TDM in the middle of a gas station in surfers paradise
just gased up, an it became top heavy.
broke 3 bones in my foot
darn>>

[arcane12]

Gusty wind seems to affect me alot more. I wore some earplugs for the last ride. Great stuff...Only sound is the sweet whine of 16k revs.

I shall now store them in my front pocket.

Do those naked bike screens you can get from trademe work quite well? Anyone with any experience?
http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/motorbikes/parts-for-sale/fairing/auction-535151054.htm

Oddly enough I found earplugs didn't help much - just kinda amplified the thump of the 650 single.

I ordered a Givi screen for mine. Not a sporty number, my bike, but I still get messed up by the wind. I will post if and when it turns up from cycle treads.

An interesting chat I had with a bike riding friend was where he said 'a lot of the problem with wind is in your head' which I read as 'harden up'. It actually helped. Trucks are less scary. A good gust can still knock me around but it's less of an issue these days.

[duckonin]

Oddly enough I found earplugs didn't help much - just kinda amplified the thump of the 650 single.

I ordered a Givi screen for mine. Not a sporty number, my bike, but I still get messed up by the wind. I will post if and when it turns up from cycle treads.

An interesting chat I had with a bike riding friend was where he said 'a lot of the problem with wind is in your head' which I read as 'harden up'. It actually helped. Trucks are less scary. A good gust can still knock me around but it's less of an issue these days.

Find some better earplus then. There are some good ones around.:niceone:

[Glowerss]

Find some better earplus then. There are some good ones around.:niceone:

Or get em in there properly. I got a pack of 8 sets of earplugs from mitre 10 for 8$. I can't hear fuckall with em in. Doesn't help the hornet is super quiet on the motorway.

Anyway, the guy who said the wind is all in your head is mostly correctly. Obviously if its REALLY fuckin windy you're going to get blown about regardless :lol: But most of the time, it's all in your head. Just gotta remember not to tense up.

[p.dath]

Oddly enough I found earplugs didn't help much - just kinda amplified the thump of the 650 single

If that was the case then it is 90% likely you didn't fit them properly. Check out this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuGjv8ZAfv4

[arcane12]

Holy Shit. He gets that thing in there. I think that's going to be the best thing I learn all week. Yup I think I did... everything wrong! Good to know. Thank you. Sorry about the thread hijack... though I guess we kinda slow rolled off into a tangent. :scratch:

Edit: Update - Sorted. Works a real treat. Can hardly hear the engine (and no rev counter...)! Of course it cuts my situational awareness a little. I think only a good idea on longer rides where noise is a factor - good ears and no use if I don't hear that truck coming!

[Road kill]

Pfft, what took you so long, I did that in the 1st 3 meters I rode a bike! :facepalm:

Damn ya' beat me,I made two hundred yards.

Down the road,turn around come back an ride into the hedge beside our drive way.:facepalm::laugh:

[sugilite]

Damn ya' beat me,I made two hundred yards.

Down the road,turn around come back an ride into the hedge beside our drive way.:facepalm::laugh:

OMG, it's the hedge factor!!! I popped the clutch, veered left into hedge then fell over the other way :lol: Same hedge you think? I tell you they are out to get us!

[TheTengTheory]

Test rode a ninja 300 today in town and almost did that making a U turn...hehe....would've hurt me 1500 in the pocket if it had gone wrong.

[arcane12]

Test rode a ninja 300 today in town and almost did that making a U turn...hehe....would've hurt me 1500 in the pocket if it had gone wrong.

How did you find the new Ninja?

[TheTengTheory]

Pulls very well from down low but my only reference is my hornet which really needs to be above 8-10k to really pick up quickly.

Surprisingly not as aggressive of a seating position than it looked. Not as sit up and beg as the hornet but definitely an improvement over my friends cbr250rr. Oh and the fairing definitely made things different. I'm quite use to pushing my head forwards after experiencing the windblast on the hornet.

I can see how it would be a great first bike but I've always been a big fan of subtle looks the Hornets have even before I started riding.

[FJRider]

Nothing beats an arrival like that :lol:

Apart from a fast departure ..

[Macontour]

Bought an XJ650 years ago. Told the dealer that I would be back in a few days to get engine bars. 2 days later, wet road and coasting up left lane past stopped cars in right lane to lights, car in right lane pokes nose out a little, I hit rear brake and slide down the road past them. Only scrapes on engine cover. Fit engine bars 2 days later. Something about horses, barn doors and bolting I think but they did help out on a few other occasions and were good to mount my 50w Hella spotlights on.

[FJRider]

Bought an XJ650 years ago. Told the dealer that I would be back in a few days to get engine bars. 2 days later, wet road and coasting up left lane past stopped cars in right lane to lights, car in right lane pokes nose out a little, I hit rear brake and slide down the road past them. Only scrapes on engine cover. Fit engine bars 2 days later. Something about horses, barn doors and bolting I think but they did help out on a few other occasions and were good to mount my 50w Hella spotlights on.

I had a 76 CB750F1 ... I ruined three sets of engine casing bars. Engine was untouched.