My dufus moment.

[Dr Bob]

Now that XJ has shared his dufus moment, I'll share mine.

Last Friday I bought a new headlight and parking bulb because parking bulb had long gone and my low beam blew the earlier in the week. I got stopped by a cop on the Thursday for passing on the inside of stationary vehicles ( I was on the right of the dotted line not the left where I should have been) and my warrant has just expired. Luckily I just got a warning for the warrant.

So .. thinking I had better go and get that warrant I bought the bulbs at Mt Eden motorcycles, I was going to go to Galbrieths for half an hour before going home; however, my signal fuse blew when I went to restart the bike. I went home cautiousley and made some small attempt to fix it. I eventually fixed it this morning, I took the windscreen off, the headlight, the dash, the tank, the side covers etc. and checked all wiring connections. By the time I had exposed everything the resistence to the fuse connector was back up - I don't know what I did, but the wire I tugged on the first time got tugged on again I guess. I put the bike back together, the only spare fuse I could find for the signal was a 30 amp one, it was originally 15.

This morning I took off to work. The bike sounded rough, but it was cold and with more choke than normal ( I don't normally use any ) I got from Te Atatu peninsula off down the motorway. Then the bike crapped out on the motorway, it turned over but no fire. I checked the fuses etc. I pushed it over the Patiki road offramp, stopped in at Remains of an Empire and made a call to work. Pushed the bike up the road and parked it. Got half way to the ATM and to phone for a taxi and realised what was wrong. I was thinking electrical electrical electrical when really I should have thought, did I connect the fuel hose when I put the bike back together.

[merv]

I was thinking electrical electrical electrical when really I should have thought, did I connect the fuel hose when I put the bike back together.

... and you didn't huh! Bugger!! .. but at least no harm done. I thought the story as I read it was leading to some fried electrics problem. Good on ya all is OK.

[jrandom]

I got stopped by a cop on the Thursday for passing on the inside of stationary vehicles ( I was on the right of the dotted line not the left where I should have been) and my warrant has just expired.

Passing on the left of stationary vehicles is legal. I hope he didn't ticket you for it, getting off should be a shoo-in if you take it to court. Particularly if he wrote the word 'stationary' on the ticket! Or did he just write "overtaking when prohibited"?

[Dr Bob]

Passing on the left of stationary vehicles is legal. I hope he didn't ticket you for it, getting off should be a shoo-in if you take it to court. Particularly if he wrote the word 'stationary' on the ticket! Or did he just write "overtaking when prohibited"?

I didn't get a ticket, I just got a telling off.

[jrandom]

I didn't get a ticket, I just got a telling off.

What a wanker. A 'telling off' for doing something legal. Then again, if he holds out the threat of ticketing you for the just-expired WOF, telling him to go feck himself would be a $200 moment of pleasure.

If I was pulled over for something like that, and the copper didn't have anything else to nick me on, I'm afraid he might get a rather rude response to his 'warning'.

[FROSTY:Me]

woops. --ahh well dude shite happens.
Um which dufus moment exactly did I admit to??
--ohh the plug lead thing hmmm

[Motu]

Pity I left early for work - if I had of seen you and stopped to help (not likely) then there would be a witness to your witlessness - oh to be able to twist the knife in person.....

[White trash]

Pity I left early for work - if I had of seen you and stopped to help (not likely) then there would be a witness to your witlessness - oh to be able to twist the knife in person.....

Lol. Good one.

[RiderInBlack]

Yep, you get day when the gray matter is a bit slow on the uptake, especially when you think your being quite clever.

My most resent "Dufus Moment was leading up to the Spanner Evening.
I'd washed the bike and had done all the pre-ride check the day before and parked the bike back in the shed.
Next morning I went to start the bike. Nothing. Dash didn't even light up. Kill switch wasn't the fault. Checked the fuses (well the ones in the main fuse box), no they're OK.
Decided it was due to a really flat battery from not truning the key far enough when I parked it (the CBR has a "Park Light and Steering Lock" key position just before the "Steering Lock and Completely Off" key position)
No Prob, thought I. I'll just hook up the jump leads to my spare Ute battery and try again. Fu*k still nothing Calm down Don't panic. Got to be something logical. Went over the bike again. No cann't find anything fu*ken wrong.
Then just before I was going to ring Frosty, I noticed that I had connected the fu*k leads wrong to the battery (no reverse polarity does not work well on my bike)
Fu*k I've fu*ked my CPU Hang on, get a grip. Don't most bikes have a main fuse on the side close to the battery?
Stipped the fairrings off and find the fuse (blown of cause) Disconected the bike Battery and left it on the battery charger (making sure the leads were the right way around this time).
Now I'm going to have to drive the Ute 60Km there and back to the nearest Service Station to get a 30Amp fuse (Bought 2).
An hour and a half later, I've got the bike reassembled, fuse in place. Crossed my fingers and fired her up.
Few, she going. Now don't stop her until she's had a good run.
I put back on the battery charger when I returned from the Spanner Evening, but talk about embassment. Fancy being stupid enough to put the leads around the wrong fu*ken way

[bungbung]

Shortly after I bought my VTR, I'd had it for a few weeks already when:

1. start her up

2. put into gear

3. and instant stallage

repeat several times thinking "what is wrong with my bike"

until I realise it has a side stand interlock switch which kills the ignition if you try and ride off with the side stand down.

[FROSTY:Me]

um er RIB you forgot the second half of the dufus moment--um actually driving the 60km when ya had fuse wire in ya house

[Devil]

Shortly after I bought my VTR, I'd had it for a few weeks already when:

1. start her up

2. put into gear

3. and instant stallage

repeat several times thinking "what is wrong with my bike"

until I realise it has a side stand interlock switch which kills the ignition if you try and ride off with the side stand down.

Haha, have done this myself once.

[Drunken Monkey]

1. start her up

2. put into gear

3. and instant stallage

repeat several times thinking "what is wrong with my bike"

until I realise it has a side stand interlock switch which kills the ignition if you try and ride off with the side stand down.

Used to do that too, but wouldn't necessarily call it a 'dufus' moment.
The '86 didn't have a stand switch, so I'd start it up and clunk it into gear with the stand down, then kick the stand up as I rode away (push bike stylez) - that was my routine, worked for me every time... I eventually unlearned this habit on subsequent bikes...

[vifferman]

Used to do that too, but wouldn't necessarily call it a 'dufus' moment.
The '86 didn't have a stand switch, so I'd start it up and clunk it into gear with the stand down, then kick the stand up as I rode away (push bike stylez) - that was my routine, worked for me every time... I eventually unlearned this habit on subsequent bikes...

That reminds me - I thought the sidestand switch was a stupid idea on the VFR and VTR, but your comment reminded me that several times on the VF500 I left the sidestand down, and didn't enjoy the first left turn I came to.
But then again, it's another "idiot factor device", and also another thing to go wrong. It's not altogether uncommon for it to cause problems when it gets worn or gets water in it. Other idiot devices are the neutral switch cutout in the clutch lever, and the tilt cutout switch in some of the touring bikes, which had a habit of suffering from Murphy's Law.

[Dr Bob]

The XJ doesn't have a sidestand switch cut out, but it has a nifty little "stand" lcd that tells you when it is down, also the dash tells you when you are low on brake fluid, when your headlight bulb has blown, tail light and brake light ditto, oil level, fuel level, and when to brush your teeth etc. I really have no excuses for any sort of dufus moment with all that crap. And of course the thing I really used to get tired of on other bikes was changing to reserve and already being there - I just love a petrol gauge.