three drops in last year...two on grass (don't ask)Mike in Nawlins'
But I gotta ask. Were the two on grass within minutes of each other?
Only asking because I dropped a previous bike twice on the grass. Standing next to it and moving it around, it started leaning away from me past the point of no return. Plop, it hit the ground. :angry2: I must say, the sound of a bike hitting grass is much better than hitting cement or gravel.
Then in my rush to get it picked up before anyone saw what I had done, I picked it up and proceeded to plop it over onto the other side! :angry2: :angry: :angry2: :angry: :angry2:
So what's your story, Mike?
no, they were months apart with atomic engine fix in between
first grass dealy was my compulsion not to have to paddle the bike backwards. I will really go out of my way to pull in somewhere to park where I can just pull out to the front of the bike.
well, CMA officers meeting at the President's house who lives on a dead end. Other vehicles parked around, so I drive up the sidewalk. Decide to do a U turn in the guys side yard and park pointed back where I came from on the sidewalk. Well it had rained pretty good the previous night and I didn't factor that possibility in as it moto'd through the St Augustine. Turned the bars to come around with a bit of speed and the front end washed out in a split second and over she went. Buds were watching through the sliding glass door and came running out. Prez and VP pick it up for me and on we went with the meeting. This was June of 2009.
second time was similar. More recently with new used engine. Like 3 weeks ago on my 3rd ride since engine swap. In Hattiesburg, my phone rings and it's a health problem with one of my daughters. I stop on the entrance to I-10 north and discuss. Decide the problem is serious enough that I'm gonna head home instead of meeing the gang after the PGR mission for a meal (turns out to me very minor bump in the road for Emily). It's like 3pm. Scan around and notice the southbound exit ramp is just over there...running parallel to where I am on the entrance ramp. I need to go south back toward Nawlins' and decide I can just motocross the 25 feet through the grass to the exit ramp and go on. It did look a little soggy and there was a bit of downslope to an upslope between the strips of asphalt. But hay, I was a successful dirt bike rider - ah - 30 years ago - with a 220 # bike - when I was 30# lighter - riding on knobbies...but hay, that's just some minor details to overcome. And in both examples, I learned such shenanigans are even more of a bitch with a full tank of gas. Yes, learned 40# of top heavy weight makes a diff, too.
Well, you know where this is going. Downhill went fine till the suspension compressed at the bottom and back wheel immediately spun with no purchase heading up hill and boom, rear comes all the way around, and high side to the right burying the air horn some. I just stood up over her and shook my head in disgust knowing I was doomed from the minute I checked out that little ole 25 feet.
There was a female cop stopped at the red light about 100 yards away who rolls her window down and yells , "Hay, Hay". I'm thinking I'm screwed and am soon receiving a performance reward. I look up and she asks if I'm OK. I give a thumbs up. She knods and drives away shaking her head. Two other nice folks, typical/steriotype MS, ah, country folk looking stop their pickups and get out to check on me. Both say they are Harley riders and smile that they are paying it forward. Done that myself bud, they chuckle, but not on an interstate ramp. What happened? Oh, I got distracted, I answer :dribble: . They ask what can they do. I recommend just pushing it up the little hill to the exit ramp. We did and was easier than I hoped with three of us grunting. No damage except to my pride and discernment confidence.
Both times when I got home to clean up the bike, there was mud packed into the middle crevis of the slider and I had to pressure wash with my hose the caked mud hiding the slider bolt up in there.
Well, there you go. It's one thing to be assertive, but another to be unrealistic and pig headed my Dad always said.
Thanx Dad, and it's Christmas
Friday and all that.
Merry Christmas and let's be careful,
Mike in Nawlins'
