DO NOT DO THIS at home, work or anywhere.

**Da Bird** · 3rd November 2005, 00:35

This incident happened last year but is probably a good lesson for newbies and experienced riders alike.

A person I know who shall remain nameless decided to clean his wife's motorbike and eventually set about cleaning the rear wheel.

He was getting a bit impatient for some reason and anyway, instead of manually turning the rear wheel by hand, he thought he would speed up the process by starting the bike up and chucking it into 1st gear while on the centrestand.

Wheel starts moving... chain rips into cloth being used for cleaning... hand inside cloth... cloth goes through sprocket teeth followed closely by finger.

Top of finger crushed.

Moral of story - Don't be impatient when cleaning your bike.

WARNING - Do not look at the photos if you are squeemish at the sight of blood. I took these the day after the incident.

**Korea** · 3rd November 2005, 01:28

I'm sure that didn't tickle...

Speaking of which, when you do any bike cleaning, spannering etx. save yourself from gaks and scratches by wearing some of those cheap gardening gloves, eh? It has saved me plenty of skin... might not be very effective against severing fingers tho'

**Gremlin** · 3rd November 2005, 02:17

owweeee... and I bet it happened real quick. I have to admit, when oiling the chain, I let it run in first, but my fingers aren't close because the can has a long pipe... shouldn't do it I know, but I did the same with bicycles as well...

I'm well aware of the danger, and take my time.

When I was at school, a guy I knew had to clean the woodworking lathe. Obvious rule was to not have it running when cleaning. He figured otherwise... see where this is going?? Wrapped the cloth round his fingers and started cleaning....

Well, the cloth caught on the lathe, because it was wrapped around his finger the lathe pulled his finger clean off as well. Turned out it also yanked his tendons or whatnot and there was no point in re-attaching a motionless finger

Left with a stump...

It really does happen... yet there are people like me who reckon they are safe doing what injures others...

Other than being an idiot, is there a solution??

**avgas** · 3rd November 2005, 03:38

moral of story:
"Clean your own bike B###H!!!!!!!

**Mattyc** · 3rd November 2005, 06:53

GAH!!! paddock/race stand ? it lifts the back wheel up and then you turn the wheel by hand.

**Deano** · 3rd November 2005, 07:05

I was waiting to hear that the rear wheel bit in and the bike lurched forward off the the centre stand, smashing one side of the fairings etc. That would have added insult to injury.

**Monsterbishi** · 3rd November 2005, 07:39

I've lost track of how many times I've heard of this happening :-(

**DEATH_INC.** · 3rd November 2005, 08:02

I met a guy a few years back that crashed a TT500 and stuck his whole hand through the chain/sprocket.Had some real impressive scars....

**wil** · 3rd November 2005, 08:39

did the hospital really need to put an arrow on his hand indicating which finger it was??? that worries me!!

i met a guy on holiday last year who had done a trackday the previous weekend. his arm was in plaster and fingers all pinned, a guy had high sided in front of him which in turn caused him to come off but when he went down he put his arm through the still spinning rear wheel of the highsiders bike. very very nasty.

**inlinefour** · 3rd November 2005, 08:59

thats not inpatient, thats just friggin stupid

**Magua** · 3rd November 2005, 09:03

OUCH, wow. I couldn't do that anyway, no centre stand. Does seem rather silly.

**ManDownUnder** · 3rd November 2005, 09:05

ow ow farken ow...

ooo - see there's a question over the need for the arrow but... I'm working too hard to keep my eyes open and lunch down..

oooo - whomsoever it may be
1) get well soon
2) DON'T do it again.

ow ow farken ow...

**bugjuice** · 3rd November 2005, 09:09

Originally Posted by wil

did the hospital really need to put an arrow on his hand indicating which finger it was??? that worries me!!

Postie's leg was mashed up nicely after his crash. A bloody mess. They drew arrows all over it, most had no sence (I reckon they were bored), and it was bloody obvious which leg needed the op on. What scares me, is the surgeons need an arrow to say where the injury is, and yet they're meant to be qualified to do the op!!!!!

tis only a scratch tho, it'll grow back..

**Zed** · 3rd November 2005, 09:19

Originally Posted by Bykey Cop

Wheel starts moving... chain rips into cloth being used for cleaning... hand inside cloth... cloth goes through sprocket teeth followed closely by finger.

Top of finger crushed.

Ouch!!

To be honest, in the past I too have put my bike on it's centre stand and put it in 1st when lubing the chain, but I have *sprayed* the lube from a safe distance...the thought of wiping the chain with a cloth while the wheel is in motion has never entered my mind!