My first off in 20 years

**Berries** · 23rd February 2012, 22:36

Well, had to happen sooner or later so I post it for your amusement. I ride everyday so a bit of rain doesn’t bother me. In normal Dunedin rain by the time I get to the end of my 14km commute I can start to feel the odd drip of water getting inside my gloves. This morning it was proper jungle rain. So much so that the wife offered to drive me in to town but you know, cars? No thanks, it’s only water.

So I’m not even half way to work and I can feel that my gloves have filled with water and the rain has got up under my jacket so my shirt is wet. Decided to get some petrol in town. Pull in to the Mobil, stop next to the pump then raise both my hands and am fascinated by the sheer volume of water that pours out of them. Fill up and get off. As I swung my leg over the bike and put it on the side stand I had the sudden realisation, just as it went past the tipping point, that I hadn’t put the stand down because I was too busy emptying my shithouse gloves. Bastard. Went and paid, put the bits and pieces in the bin.

Moral of the story?

Get apehangers.

**jaffaonajappa** · 23rd February 2012, 22:49

Ohhhh Classic!

I prefer filling up while sitting on the bike too - unless its got a centre stand.

but up here in Dorkland....majority of petrol stations get all anti about it. Explain that its safer for me to sit on it while filling, rather than balancing it with one hand while off the bike...usually encourages the 'we just follow the rules we don't make em' line. Insist on filling my bike to the brim - can't do that on a its side stand.

But yeah - never quite forgot to put the side stand down before using it. BUT......know of a few people that assumed their stand was FULLY down only to find out the hard way that it was half down / not locked in.

20 years aye. Personally...I don't think this counts as an "off". Your record remains intact!!

**hayd3n** · 24th February 2012, 06:28

oh thats not a off thats a woopsie

**Oakie** · 24th February 2012, 06:35

Originally Posted by hayd3n

oh thats not a off thats a woopsie

True ... unless your arse hit the ground too.

**Swoop** · 24th February 2012, 07:08

Where is the old unwritten rule of KB that the bike has to travel more than its length to be classed as an "off"?

**Katman** · 24th February 2012, 07:26

Originally Posted by Berries

Moral of the story?

Get apehangers.

Typical - blame the handlebars.

**Zedder** · 24th February 2012, 07:39

Sorry to hear about your "Bugger!" moment but it's probably something we've all had at some time.

**The Pastor** · 24th February 2012, 07:40

i had a bike fall off the side stand once, that was gay

**5150** · 24th February 2012, 07:43

I once had an off when I forgot to take off the disc lock right in the middle of town.......... Outside Starbucks with lunchtime crowd watching

**Tigadee** · 24th February 2012, 09:03

Originally Posted by renegade master

i had a bike fall off the side stand once that was gay

Oh, you ride a Honda, do you?

**G4L4XY** · 24th February 2012, 09:22

When I first started riding I went to get onto the bike and the momentum of me getting on kept going to the other side of the bike and I had tip over the other side, was using all my strenth to hold it up.

Another time I was at a set of lights... I let the clutch out too early and it lurched forward, I lost my balance and dropped it

by the time I had struggled to get it back up people then asked if I needed a hand, they're not bloody light these things!! I felt stoopid, was blocking a whole lane of traffic haha shame

**yod** · 24th February 2012, 10:16

Did it twice on my old NS250, caught it and saved it both times - you can do that with a 140kg 2-stroke

Did it once with my GPz900 - absolutely no fucking show of saving that one!

**slofox** · 24th February 2012, 10:38

Originally Posted by jaffaonajappa

Insist on filling my bike to the brim - can't do that on a its side stand.

You may well lose some gas through the overflow pipe if you fill it right the way up - as it warms and expands. My SVS used to do that even though I did fill it on the side stand.

**The Lone Rider** · 24th February 2012, 10:42

+1

Thats not an off.. that's a drop!

Did similar with one of my bikes a month ago, but thankfully I had a wooden shipping crate right next to it and it ended up snuggling the crate rather than the ground.