Embarrassing Bike Related Incidents

[Tango]

I'm sure that we've all had those, so spill the beans, own up to the times when your biking cool deserted you!

My first "proper" bike was a Honda CD175, which was a great little bike to learn on and take the test, but after a year on it I was struggling to keep up with my mates, who had all moved up to bigger bikes. My solution to this was in the form of a Yamaha RD350B, which I picked up brand new on a Friday evening after work. My first run on it was sedate, as I was running it in, but I noticed a small oil leak from one of the cylinder heads, so I took it back to the dealers on Saturday morning. I parked on their front forecourt and went in to the shop and they told me to take it round to the workshop at the back. To get to the access road I had to ride up the main road a 100M and turn right. Being in the middle of a fairly busy shopping street, that was a slight challenge. I sat on the bike out the front waiting for a gap in the traffic to get out and do the short distance to the access road. I saw a gap and gave the bike a bit of throttle and dumped the clutch. I hadn't factored in that I was on a much quicker bike, so the RD stood on its back wheel and shot off across the road towards a queue at the bus stop opposite.  The queue parted like the Red Sea. Fortunately my reactions were quick enough to shut the throttle and pull the clutch in before I reached them, slamming the front wheel back onto the tarmac. I managed to haul the bike round to stay on the road and wobbled the 100M to the access road, but I couldn't help but see the glares from the passengers in the queue that I had thrown into disarray! Fortunately they couldn't see my bright red face inside my lid! When I got the bike to the workshop one of the mechanics said "alright Evel, what's the problem with the bike?". I could have died!

[XTreme]

Vespa SS180 (with bald tyres) Autumn 71 going into a downhill roundabout in Swansea......in the wet. So I binned it going in!

Got back on and then binned it again exiting the roundabout.

Both incidents in front of a bus stop full of people!

Not my best day really!

I no longer fall off Vespas......as @Mawsley has taken over that gig!

[Pedro]

First story has several embarrassing moments, long story short: I once managed to get my Transalp stuck in the bottom of a rocky trail and on the edge of a drop. Phone went out, spent a very cold day waiting for help, the help got lost and couldn't find me so were panicking assuming I was dead. Eventually it got dark and we couldn't see to get the bike out so it was left overnight. Next day I forgot the bike key at home and only realized 50km into the recovery trip! We got the fire departiment to winch it out, and then people proceeded to push me out because it wouldn't start. A while later I realized the ignition switch was off!

 

Second story, I'm taking my girlfriend on a trip to the Algarve on our new (to us) R1150GS, the trip was to be a prelude to a Morocco trip later in the year, we're feeling adventurous and confident, the ride down the Atlantic coast is pretty nice with cliffs next to the ocean and pretty views, to stop for one of those views as soon as we approach the first cliffside I ride out of the street and after the first 20 meters of dirt hit a soft dirt patch and wash out the front. Down we went after 20 meters of dirt. Went from confident to embarrassed quite quick 

[busabeast]

Mine was when I came back to riding after my big accident in 2004 got myself a gleaming new kawasaki eliminator 125 cruiser, it was parked out the front of the dealers id just been handed the keys and swung my leg over, keys in ignition and fire it up pick it off the stand and literally dropped it on the right hand side .......so I righted it and sit on it again and take it off the side stand again and dropped it the other side 

[Sir Fallsalot]

Nothing has ever happened to me like that honest 

[busabeast]

16 minutes ago, Sir Fallsalot said:

Nothing has ever happened to me like that honest 

Hmmm 

[XTreme]

Just now, Richzx6r said:

Hmmm 

He went over to France and fell over!

Maybe he's got the bike weight problem already but doesn't want to admit it!

[boboneleg]

2 hours ago, Sir Fallsalot said:

Nothing has ever happened to me like that honest 

Ah-hem !!   Outside the bar in La Brigue

[boboneleg]

I had been into Fowler's in Bristol get some parts, I came back out to my KTM 950 and there were loads of people in the car park.  I rode off and dropped it straightaway as I forgot to  take the lock off the front wheel . There was much sniggering and plenty of this ................

 

 

 

[yen_powell]

I had bought my dream bike, a second hand GPz750 in 1986. I really liked it. I even used to wash and polish it. Then suddenly after 3 years I decided I was going to buy a brand new one so I could look after it from scratch without another owner being involved.

I found out they had stopped making them the year before, but tracked one down to Eddy Grimsteads in East Ham. Cash and a part ex were arranged and I turned up on the day to pick up my shiny new bike, identical in every way to the one before but with a different number plate.

After all the paperwork and handing over my hard earned wedge, I was led out to the side street by one of the mechanics to where the bike was sitting on the centre stand. "I'll just run over the controls and everything with you", he said. "No need, my good man, for I am perfectly familiar with this bike, you may sod off back inside, for I am in need of no further assistance!"

What I didn't know was that the side street had such a camber on it, both wheels were hard on the ground as well as the centre stand. If I pushed it, the whole thing was just sliding about on the tarmac making loud screechy noises, it wouldn't come off the stand. I had to traipse back into the shop to get the same mechanic out so he could stick his boot against the stand whilst I pushed forward at the same time. I was as red as the Kawasaki's paint scheme. 

[busabeast]

7 minutes ago, yen_powell said:

I had bought my dream bike, a second hand GPz750 in 1986. I really liked it. I even used to wash and polish it. Then suddenly after 3 years I decided I was going to buy a brand new one so I could look after it from scratch without another owner being involved.

I found out they had stopped making them the year before, but tracked one down to Eddy Grimsteads in East Ham. Cash and a part ex were arranged and I turned up on the day to pick up my shiny new bike, identical in every way to the one before but with a different number plate.

After all the paperwork and handing over my hard earned wedge, I was led out to the side street by one of the mechanics to where the bike was sitting on the centre stand. "I'll just run over the controls and everything with you", he said. "No need, my good man, for I am perfectly familiar with this bike, you may sod off back inside, for I am in need of no further assistance!"

What I didn't know was that the side street had such a camber on it, both wheels were hard on the ground as well as the centre stand. If I pushed it, the whole thing was just sliding about on the tarmac making loud screechy noises, it wouldn't come off the stand. I had to traipse back into the shop to get the same mechanic out so he could stick his boot against the stand whilst I pushed forward at the same time. I was as red as the Kawasaki's paint scheme. 

[XTreme]

10 minutes ago, yen_powell said:

I could look after it from scratch without another owner being involved.

Another owner being involved would increase the resale value though Yen!

[busabeast]

8 minutes ago, yen_powell said:

I had bought my dream bike, a second hand GPz750 in 1986. I really liked it. I even used to wash and polish it. Then suddenly after 3 years I decided I was going to buy a brand new one so I could look after it from scratch without another owner being involved.

I found out they had stopped making them the year before, but tracked one down to Eddy Grimsteads in East Ham. Cash and a part ex were arranged and I turned up on the day to pick up my shiny new bike, identical in every way to the one before but with a different number plate.

After all the paperwork and handing over my hard earned wedge, I was led out to the side street by one of the mechanics to where the bike was sitting on the centre stand. "I'll just run over the controls and everything with you", he said. "No need, my good man, for I am perfectly familiar with this bike, you may sod off back inside, for I am in need of no further assistance!"

What I didn't know was that the side street had such a camber on it, both wheels were hard on the ground as well as the centre stand. If I pushed it, the whole thing was just sliding about on the tarmac making loud screechy noises, it wouldn't come off the stand. I had to traipse back into the shop to get the same mechanic out so he could stick his boot against the stand whilst I pushed forward at the same time. I was as red as the Kawasaki's paint scheme. 

Id have casually stood just by the door to watch you trying to manhandle the bike before realising you needed some help then disappear round the back to take the bike off its center stand without you noticing and fuck off back inside sniggering like fuck 

[yen_powell]

Just now, XTreme said:

Another owner being involved would increase the resale value though Yen!

All my high mileage bikes have been owned by just me, they look awful but the engines, suspension and brakes are usually in full working order.

[Pedro]

36 minutes ago, boboneleg said:

I had been into Fowler's in Bristol get some parts, I came back out to my KTM 950 and there were loads of people in the car park.  I rode off and dropped it straightaway as I forgot to  take the lock off the front wheel . There was much sniggering and plenty of this ................

 

 

 

Oh oh, I did that too in the 1150 exiting a street parking outside a hotel in Rabat, only drop in Morocco and also only time I used the damned thing! Falling down I was thinkinh “funny, I don’t remember seing a sidewalk in front of the tire!” 

[yen_powell]

I was once barked at and then snapped at by the littlest cutest dog ever created whilst sitting at a standstill on my DR350. It made me jump so much I dropped the bike in front of all my riding companions who didn't let me forget it for a few years.

[XTreme]

35 minutes ago, yen_powell said:

bikes have been owned by just me, they look awful

[Catteeclan]

1 hour ago, Mawsley said:

I absolutely never was teaching my son to ride. I never went with him to a petrol station to show him how to fill up. Stories that go along the lines that I put a full tank of diesel in my XJ900 are complete bullshit. None of that ever happened. 

Mandi did that to her xs250.

[Tango]

The only times I started the bike, put it into gear and the engine cut out because the side stand was still down was at bike meets with an audience watching! I never did that at any other time. You could see them thinking "twat!".

[Sir Fallsalot]

after owning the 650 for a while i decided to take off all the safety switches that would stop it from working if damaged off road, so it was off with the clutch and side stand switch. The next day i was in the petrol station after filling i like to start the bike so it runs when i get my gear back on, I pressed the starter button and the bloody thing was in gear with no safety switches now fitted it drove itself off the side stand and landed on the floor it was up and and i was out of there before anyone could ask if i needed  hand  

[Pedro]

35 minutes ago, Sir Fallsalot said:

after owning the 650 for a while i decided to take off all the safety switches that would stop it from working if damaged off road, so it was off with the clutch and side stand switch. The next day i was in the petrol station after filling i like to start the bike so it runs when i get my gear back on, I pressed the starter button and the bloody thing was in gear with no safety switches now fitted it drove itself off the side stand and landed on the floor it was up and and i was out of there before anyone could ask if i needed  hand  

Top contender right here!

[XTreme]

6 hours ago, Mawsley said:

Nor did I ever dismantle a GPz305 outside only to reassemble it in our flat to work on…only to find I couldn’t get it out and down the stairs so I had to disassemble it all over again. That never happened either.

A mate of mine did that in the early 70's with a Lambretta! 

[Tango]

Not me, but a mate of mine back in the day, picked up his brand new Suzuki GT550 and rode it to our usual Friday night bike meeting place. The place was pretty crowded when he arrived, so he made his grand entrance on his new bike. When he stopped he went to put his foot down, but his jeans leg got caught on the footpeg and in slow-motion over he went, to a large cheer from the assembled crowd. We went across and helped him up, once we stopped laughing. He wanted to leave straight away, but we persuaded him to stay.

[Catteeclan]

6 minutes ago, Tango said:

Not me, but a mate of mine back in the day, picked up his brand new Suzuki GT550 and rode it to our usual Friday night bike meeting place. The place was pretty crowded when he arrived, so he made his grand entrance on his new bike. When he stopped he went to put his foot down, but his jeans leg got caught on the footpeg and in slow-motion over he went, to a large cheer from the assembled crowd. We went across and helped him up, once we stopped laughing. He wanted to leave straight away, but we persuaded him to stay.

That's another one Mandi did but in a petrol station on our way to the tunnel for France. She nearly deafened me over the intercom as she was falling. No harm done luckily.

[Catteeclan]

My turn.
XL250s, pulled a wheelie at the end of pulling away on a junction but still had some momentum in the bike and ended up on my righthand side in a lump.
Same bike after a morning out off road. Hit the back brake to skid the rear to go into my driveway. Bike does another 90 degs more than I expected and my left leg is stretched as far as it'll go, on the floor in front of many neighbours.

DRZ, wheelie away front the middle of two lanes of traffic on a roundabout only to hit the floor as the front tyre never got to grip the road as it came down. Both lanes of said traffic laughing as they drove passed. My shoulder hurt for months after that one.