I like to people watch...I like to just sit back,(with a brew if possible) and observe the things people do. Okay, if there are motorcycles around, then even better I have recently started to notice the rituals people have when the mount and start their bike, or shut it down and dis-mount. You can tell those that ride often because they do their little ritual smoothly and without much thought. You can tell the newer riders right away...where to put the helmet, glasses,...they have no "system" yet and it is not muscle memory. It's okay cause we all have to start somewhere......have you ever noticed that your own ritual gets screwed up sometimes by just one change?
When I switched from a beanie helmet to a full face, crap I looked and felt like a newby all over again. Now it's back to automatic with no thought.
Sometimes I have seen newer riders, or their passengers do things you know they shouldn't like rest a helmet on the seat in a way you just know it is going to fall off.....usually does. If I know them I will point it out and try to prevent.

Just some ramblings..... and no you cannot get a refund for the time you just spent reading this

 

lol you can watch some funny things and interesting things.

You really want to see some crazy stuff take a ride down to your local lake during the summer and watch people putting boats in and out of the water. I used to run fishing tournaments and boat alot boy you want to talk about some entertaiinment.

 

Hehehe...I am one to watch. Coming and going to work on the base no matter how hot it is you have to wear full finger gloves, long sleeves, etc....Ad to that switching from regular glasses to perscription sunglasses, checking cell phone that is NOT permitted in my workspace, digging out or putting away security badges, and I am in knee deep in my saddleebags. LOL. I do have a system though!

 

HAHA... I boat also and this is one of the two things I was thinking of while reading the first post.
The other was sitting at a snow ski lodge watching peeps deal with skis, boats, gloves, and cold weather. HAHAHAHA

As for the bike ritual... I fall just as gracefully from either side of the bike.

 

Starting out, turn on the fuel, pull out the choke, turn on the kill switch, roll on the throttle once turn on the ignition key , hiyt the start button.

Getting off: Hit the kill switch, reach down and drop the stand with my hand, turn off the fuel on the way up, take the key out as I dismount.

I do it all in almost 1 motion.

 

What really messes me up is when I get on the wrong side of the gas pump.

 

What is the choke?...Oh I remember those things Kinda like an anti-theft device because only the owner knows how much choke and when to push it in and keep her warming up. LOL
Duff
Now Fuel injected and spoiled.

 

An old riding buddy of mine had a cigarette lighter mounted next to the petcock under the gas tank.Every time we were riding and stopped at a ginmill for a drink,he would pull up,stop the bike turn it off and light a cigarette.Take off the helmet and then get off the bike.
I used to laugh at the ritual and we hit so many bars one night he forgot to put the kickstand down,but he got the cigarette lit.

 

I never really thought about the mounting and dismounting ritual before but, I still perform the same routine on my 81 Lowrider since it was new. Three weeks ago today, I picked up an '09 FLHTP and I still haven't created a routine with it. But, I contiune my ritual of wetting my pants every 1000 miles.......I lick my left thumb and stamp my left thigh for luck.

Bob.

 

10-4! I hate that, especially when I just filled up in the car and it is opposite of the way I pull up on the bike! Drives me nuts!