Well, I guess you must always have a clear head before you take off for your morning commute to work. [/align][/align]My regular routine: 1. Back bike out of garage[/align]2. Start bike[/align]3. Lockfork with other key (so nobody could just jump onand take off, they would have to shut it down to unlock first)[/align]4. Close garage door and head back into house to get backpack and jacket.[/align]5. Come out of house and lock the front door[/align]6. Walk up to my bike and UNLOCK the fork.[/align]7. Ride off and enjoy having a Harley.[/align][/align]Guess what step I didn't do this morning.................. #6[/align][/align]I didn't notice the step missed due to fact that I had to be turning left to get off the driveway. The problem became real apparent when I gave it a little gas and tried to turn right. CRASH!!! I went down on the right side, I had just enough room not to be pinned between the bike and my 2500HD truck. I was freaking out, Iknew when I got her up I was going to see all my tins scratched and no telling what else. I was somad that I threw the bike right back up, didn't even feel like I tried. I was in disbelief, the only damage was my throttle grip got torn up a little, the front break handle broke @ the tip, & my stock muffler got scratched. My new pipeswitch I ordered whenpurchasing my bike a month ago are still not in, I guess that's a good thing....... I sure would have been mad if this happened and I had my new Rineharts on her.[/align][/align]I almost put her back into the garage and brought the truck into work today, but I knew I had to shake it off and get back on. I tore myself a new one all the way in and apologized to my baby. I hope she will forgive me.[/align][/align]I tell you what, I will never forget step #6 ever again.[/align]

 

At least you're okay...and now that it's out of the way...


Those that have and those that will, right?

 

Sorry to read of your problem but I have to ask, why do you not just get your stuff, back out, close the door, start up and ride off? Your bike is fuel injected. There is no need to allow it to warm up before riding off at a reasonable pace. Hopefully there was not too much damage.

Mark

 

Glad everything is ok and you didn't slam into your truck. Don't let yourself believe that you are alone doing this, mybro almost did that with his girlfriend on the back.

 

Old habit to break from my other carb bike. I go back through the garage cause I'm a security freak and I have a special lock that keeps the garage from being opened unless you are coming from the inside. When I get home I have to go back through the house and open the garage to put her back in. I guess from now on I'll just bring her out and will not turn her on.[/align]

 

That or you can add a step that actually makes it real easy to lift the bike off the stand. Turn the wheel all the way to the right and then lift off the kickstand. Glad you got right back on that horse and either way you have learned from your mistake. If it is any consolation, it could have turned out much worse.

Mark

 

To Commander 112;
Actually you should ALWAYS warm up a bike regardless of if it's EFI or carb. Here's why...
The cylindar heads aren't torqued to a very tight spec. They need time to expand to fully seal the heads and gaskets, if not... The result will be premature head gasket failure.
I learned this the hard way....

To Smartbait;
Glad you're ok man!

 

I don't buy it Biker Trash. I am not saying to start it up and leave out laying a patch of rubber but by the time you ride out of your neighborhood (since you are being courteous to your neighbors anyway) you have warmed up enough to get the bike to operating temp. Auto manufacturers have said this for years. You are just wasting fuel letting it idle when you could be a quarter or half mile down the road. But to each their own!

Mark

 

Just going by what the techs at the local Stealer and the local indy have told me... Suprised they actually agree on something...

 

Glad you're ok, glad the bike is ok... Yes, she will forgive you. Don't feel too bad. I think we've all dropped our babies at one time or another.

I actually caught mine and "muscled" her upright the other day (this is a first). I did something I SWORE I'd never do... try to put her on the stand while it was still up. I felt her starting to slip out of my grasp, and actually pulled her upright before she went down. And, I really did swear to myself I would NEVER do that... so much for that... LOL