Wow...so many familiar stories here....

[FleshField]

I've been riding for about two months total now, and it's really interesting to see that others have had the same noob experiences that I've had. Makes me feel a little better about all of the stupid mistakes I've made.

Forgetting to kick it down into first and stalled it at as a red light turns green because I'm trying to take off in second? CHECK.

Accidentally kicking it into neutral instead of second and attracting looks while the engine revs and I go nowhere? CHECK.

Swinging a U-turn too wide and ending up in the grass? CHECK (although managed to keep it upright).

Laying it down on the left side because I wasn't paying attention after I shut it down and didn't put the kickstand down? CHECK.

Laying it down on the right side because I didn't pay attention to the road and put my right foot down into a canal for water runoff while coming to a stop? CHECK.

Frame sliders...best investment ever.

Or maybe I'm the worst rider ever, as most of you have only done one or two of these things in your entire riding career, and I've done them all in the first two months...

Better to get them out of the way early, I guess.

Anyway, great section. It's kind of therapeutic.

 

[6R Blackout]

Don't be ashamed it happens to all of us. I haven't done those things exactly but I did lay my bike down on the left side going about 1mph trying to show someone what not to do and I also layed it down on the right side when I changed my rear spring and let the tension off on the left side first with the kickstand down and then let the tension off the right side and it was all I could do to lay it down "gently". I have a few years, off and on of riding experience under my belt, but all I can say is just be focused when your out on the road! Not to mention safe!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Casey (aka) Hunter77!

 

[wtnotch]

Nothing new :

My worst wasn't even riding related. I was working on the bike and had the bike resting on a hydraulic jack. I did what I could one night, then went to bed with the jack supporting the engine block.

About 2AM, I heard this 'CRASH' sound from down in the garage. I didn't even get up to check it out. I knew what it was. The jack was an el cheapo Harbor Freight one and it lost hydraulic pressure. The end result was that the jack gave out and the bike gradually lowered until the jack couldn't support it any more. The bike then fell on the left side.

Thankfully I had the frame sliders on and the end of the bars took the rest of the hit. Result = zero damage, except that I felt like a total goon LOL.

Lesson learned.

Russ

 

[tzrox]

Had the bike 2 weeks now, been riding for 2 weeks. Installed frame sliders a few days ago. This morning i'm going to work and have to park down an alley. The stall is 90 degree turn left. A guy is walking in front of me so i'm going 1 mile per hour. He stops to tie his shoe while i'm in the middle of a turn. The alley is banked, I hit the front brake... and down I go.

I was so embarrassed that I hoped off and man handled that bike upright before anyone had a chance to see. Had that -"mom saves baby" adrenaline kick. I had wondered if my 155lb frame could lift that thing and it came up very quick. This made me feel a bit better and a bit like a man again, but man was my ego bruised for about half a day until I had a chance to log into the forums and see that iwas fairly common for us noobies to lay the bike down.

Only damage to the bike was a scuff on the mirror and another on the black part that says yamaha on it.

The funny thing (now) is that I scared the crap out of the pedestrian because as I went down, the noob in me held on to the right handlebar, which reved the engine right behind him. I also held onto the clutch, which kept the bike from going anywhere thank god. He jumped back and then ran off.

Lesson learned is that i no longer touch the front brake while in a turn, slow or not slow. I knew this from the MSF course too, but nothing like a real life example to make you remember it.