I'm a dumb arse: Indicators

[PrincessBandit]

My first bike died at an intersection the first day riding it. Tried a few things to get it started then rolled it to the verge to let traffic through. After pissing around for 5 minutes with the choke and cranking it over and over and anything else I could think of... you guessed it... I discovered a little lever with ON/OFF/RES on it.

Um, I pushed my ginny home once only to discover that I'd overlooked the "reserve" switch. Never did that again!

[p.dath]

First time I took my gsx250 out for a ride (while it had the now-fixed choke-stuck-on problem) and everything was fine, got back onto the driveway and couldn't get up it due to steep driveway and bike that was running so rich it would barely rev below 8k.
After stalling it half a dozen times I finally rode the crap out of the clutch all the way up the driveway, overshot past the garage and thought stuff it, I'll just turn around at the other end and come back. Got to the other end, tonnes of space I thought, was a little wobbly on the turn then noticed I was going to clip the back of my car. Grabbed a handful of front brake, bike stopped instantly and I did a perfect slow motion upright to lying down transition without even taking my foot off the pegs...
Broken indicator, scratched fairing and broken brake lever... Goddamnit.

Haha. I love those kind of stories. Could someone please make a "Motorcylist Funniest Home Videos" like the "Americas Funniest Home Videos" please. It would be hilarious.

[p.dath]

Well my old 78' yamaha musclebike has self-cancelling indicators as standard, a mercury switch inside the speedo shuts the contact after a certain distance travelled.. A bit too classy for the modern stuff nowadays huh?

That is very fancy. I wish all road bikes had that.

[jono035]

That is very fancy. I wish all road bikes had that.

Probably a pretty damn easy thing to build actually to be honest, providing you've got a digital wheel rotation sensor or somewhere to mount a magnet...

[Danae]

This one time at band camp, I put my Suzuki 125 back together with the carbs on backwards and then binned it down the road and everyone was watching me

-Indy

This one time, in the science carpark, I twelve o' clocked my 50cc scooter, then fell off and everyone was watching me

Um, I pushed my ginny home once only to discover that I'd overlooked the "reserve" switch. Never did that again!

Duuuuude

[rocketman1]

Plus they have a turn switch each side on most models

[mnkyboy]

once i tried to do a burnout ona triumph 600 in netural, it was pretty epic, because it was at this mad as biker party and everyone was watching me

LOL

Indy is a f'tard

[Indiana_Jones]

LOL

Indy is a f'tard

sif, can't you read, RM did it.

Tard munch

-Indy

[jetboy]

I've always found it annoying that on a bike when you indicate you have to flick the indicator back to the middle to turn it off. Why can't they have a simpler system like a car.

Then I was thinking, I can push the indicator button in on my bike (Honda CBR), why can't that just be used to turn it off.
Low and behold, I try it out, and sure enough, it does turn the indicator off. No more trying to flick it back to the middle position without going to far and turning the indicator on in the other direction.

What a dumb arse. Have you got any dumb arse moments?

....after reading your post I decided to try it out on my ride last night - and it works for the CBR250 too!! Makes life much easier.

No more fiddling with my glove to get the switch back to centre, or over correcting it and indicating the other way!

[jetboy]

Flame out the pipe seemed like 5 metres!

Was Vin Diesel standing about, telling you that any real racer knows that winning's winning?

[MDR2]

My previous ride (RG) was the easiest bike in the world to start, even for a kick start 2 smoker. Never needed any choke, would start and then just require the usual few minute to get up to temp before riding (your talking the time it takes to get your gear on)

The day I took ownership of the Hornet I rocked on up to it outside of the bike shop it had been dropped off to (And f@$K was I excited). Put the key in and had the common sence to flick the kill switch off before i hit the 'lecky start button and gave the throttle a wee twist. Whur whur whur whur whur vrooooommm blargh die. repeat 3 or 4 times...

WTF

Start looking for the petrol tap and can't find one for the life of me, 'Damnit!' I thinks to myself, 'I have to do something manly before people in the shop realize what a noob i am!' So on the phone to a mate in auckland you had previously ridden it before sending it down to me. and he runs through the pre flight check list with me.

We dont get to far into the convo before he asks if i've got the choke on...

What a tit

I laugh. It starts. it gets the victory blip on the throttle then i take off.

Personaly, I love the kickstand stall thingymajig.

[Indiana_Jones]

I can see the "pull the clutch in to start it" one getting a lot of people.

Bloody annoying >_<

-Indy

[quickbuck]

Was Vin Diesel standing about, telling you that any real racer knows that winning's winning?

LOL, Well he would have been if he had been invented then

[skidMark]

.... a picture paints a thousand words...

http://www.shitsandwich.co.uk/wp-con.../06/Timmay.jpg

[quickbuck]

I can see the "pull the clutch in to start it" one getting a lot of people.

Bloody annoying >_<

-Indy

It is all in the way you are trained.

It goes something like this:
1) Carry out all pre-ride inspections and ensure Disc Lock is removed
2) All gear On
3) Get on bike (Holding on Front Brake, and checking rear)
4) Kick Side Stand up
5) Ensure fuel is on (or Res if level is low)
6) Set Kill Switich to on
7) Turn on Key (Checking all lights)
8) Apply full choke if cold
9) Pull in Clutch (Regardless of bike, Neutral lights can tell lies too)
10) Hit start button
11) Allow engine to warm up. you may let clutch out if you are sure it is in netural.
12) When engine is self sustaining, set choke to off position
13) Make sure there are no unusual noises, smells, leaks etc coming from bike
14) Pull in clutch, put in gear, check mirrors, indicate, look around... etc, etc..... Release Front Brake and Ride off.....


Sorry for hijacking a thread of silly stories..... But obviously not everybody gets taught formally, and short cuts are taken most of the time....

Oh, and I realise this looks like more like a pilots check list. That is no accident.
I consider US more astute to our machinery than Joe Average cage driver.

I know some questions will come out of this... and to be truthful I am a classic for starting bike and allowering it to run of the side stand while I put on my gear.... BUT There is a very good reason why we shouldn't!