Most Embarrassing Moment With Your Bike

  • November 19, 2011 4:46 AM PST
    Or is it vice versa? Never can remember the thing I do cause it wont roll over the way I explained it.
  • November 20, 2011 12:06 PM PST
    As anew rider I still have plenty of dumb things, but earlier this summer , we went to my son's, He lives in a very , very small town, I thought what a great place to learn to start on a hill and practice turning, hardly any traffic. The second time at a certain stop sign, I stopped and was a little too close to the edge of the road, there was a little slope and the bike just started leaning, and over I went. That was bad enough, good grief , dropped sitting still, But the only traffic we saw that day was the people sitting at the other stop sign. And of course the man who worked with my son who was working in his yard. The couple was very nice and stopped to make sure I was ok. Only hurt my pride. The sporty has since been lowered so I can reach the ground better.
    • 823 posts
    February 13, 2012 3:01 AM PST
    Back in the early eighties I had a friend of mine jump on back of my 920 Virago. We were draggin main street like we did back in the day, also it was okay for two dudes to ride together back then. We pulled up to a light and I thought it would be funny to get the front tire off the ground a little. I guess I got a little whiskey throttle going and we rode a wheelie for about half a block with my buddys feet under my arms and his head almost scraping pavement. Scared the crap out of us! Everyone else got a good laugh though............
    • 1855 posts
    February 13, 2012 3:49 AM PST
    I'm ridin' to a party at a friend's house. I got my beer cooler on top of my leather saddle bag, I got my tent on the other saddle bag. I got my guitar strapped to the sissybar/bitch pad. I'm in the lane headin' to the barn. Everyone is standing outside on the dude's deck waving. I wave back. Apparently the dude just put some fresh (thick) gravel in front of the barn. My bike just sinks and over I go. Someone yells out, "SAFE"!!!!!! O.K. not too embarrassing but I ain't admitting to anything else.


    Peace
    • 1161 posts
    February 14, 2012 6:10 PM PST
    I had another one the other day, I was on my way home and my bike started up got going down the road and the bike died... I looked to see if I had forgotten the petcock in the off position, nope it was on and I checked my oil to make sure my engine cease up. Nope it was just fine as well, then it hit me, check the fuel tank! Yep ran out of gas. Lol. Well I shook the bike around ( to get more fuel into the engine) and sure enough it started right up after I pushed it 1/4 mile before I checked it). I had to push it into the station.

    The guy in his car asks, "Did you run out of gas?"

    I told him, "no I got tired of it pushing me around I wanted to see how it felt doing it for the bike". He left in a hurry.
    • 1161 posts
    February 14, 2012 6:28 PM PST
    GoFur wrote...
    During the summer the wife and I were over just outside of Tuscon, AZ. We stopped at a motel around 1:00 in the afternoon and parked the bike outside. We were so tired we left all our gear on the bike (probably around 75 lbs or so). Well the temp was around 110 (probably hotter in the sun), the parking lot was asphalt, and all our gear was stacked high on the rack really adding a lot of weight to the kickstand.

    When we decided to go out for drinks later that evening, the kick stand had sunk into the asphalt about 3/4 of an inch and the temp had cooled down enough to harden the asphalt. Well that wasn't gonna stop me from going out for a beer. With one big jerk I managed to free the kickstand and throw the bike right over to the ground on the other side. Of course my wife, and several others who were around thought this was the funniest thing they had ever seen, while I was making up new cuss works because none of the current ones were strong enough.

    After that I learned from the locals to carry a kickstand plate when traveling in the desert!


    I saw some one do that years ago and it always stuck in my mind that is why I carry a small crushed soda (pop) can under my seat.

  • February 15, 2012 12:27 AM PST
    A buddy of mine was getting rid of some saddle bags so I told him I would take them. Strapped them to the bike and went riding over to the small town on the other side of the bridge. Going down main street in summer traffic and took advantage of an chance to speed up. Hit a pot hole just hard enough to make all the contents of one of the bags jump up-out and on-to the pavement. Ended up pulling the bike to the side of the road and spent the next 5 mins running back and forth in traffic picking up my shit. Now i check and recheck that everything is snapped, zipped or attached.
  • February 15, 2012 12:44 AM PST
    When in Arizona I NEVER go anywhere without something to go under the jiffy stand... One of the riders I was with had his embarrassing moment when his bike was tilted a little more than usual and his jiffy stand was buried up to the halfway point!
  • February 15, 2012 6:06 AM PST
    Seakers wrote...


    I saw some one do that years ago and it always stuck in my mind that is why I carry a small crushed soda (pop) can under my seat.


    I don't carry a soda can, but I do have one of those plastic freebee discs you can pick up at bike rallies now and then.

    I do have a friend with about 15 bikes, and one day last summer I noticed a few he had out in the driveway were starting to sink. So, I grabbed a few cans out of his trash and placed them as needed. Those flattened cans are STILL kickin around in his garage and on the edge of his driveway.

    Classy look, I gotta say. LOL

  • February 15, 2012 7:42 AM PST
    Drinking beer, putting up stand and then kick starting my old harley. Fell down in front of a bunch of friends. Moral of story, don't drink and drive.
  • August 2, 2012 4:22 AM PDT
    I took my bike to the shop to have the turn signal switch replace.  The service guy noticed my grips were really worn and asked if I wanted him to replace them while it was in.  I said sure and went into the store and found a new set.

    When I came back the next day and they brought my bike out I reached over and checked out how the new grips felt.  Not thinking I asked him why the right grip felt loose.  Without missing a beat he said "I made that one special for you, if you turn it it makes a vroom vroom sound".  Boy did I feel stupid
  • August 3, 2012 5:05 AM PDT
    A few years back, on my way home from work, I broke my clutch cable shifting from 4th to 5th. After the bike shut down and I was able to get into neutral, I decided to walk my bike the rest of the way (which was only 2.5 miles, instead of getting it towed (I'm a cheap polak)! While walking it down the street, I passed up a car wash that was full of hotties in bikini's hosting an event washing other bikes. I just put my head down in shame and kept walking. That was one of the longest and most strenuous walks of my life.
    • 2685 posts
    August 3, 2012 7:01 AM PDT
    Ok, its day one with my very first bike. At the time they didn't even have a learner's permit system in VA so I had a buddy drop me off at the local bike shop, walked in with a pocket full of cash (not that much I just wanted something used) and picked one out. It was a Suzuki GS450, had a fairing, highway pegs and everything. Thought I was the coolest.
    The guy went over the controls with me and I hopped on, started her up. Then it hit me, I've NEVER driven a bike before, Ok no problem, I'm pretty smart, figured out the controls started moving in the parking lot. Hey this isn't so hard what was I worried about.
    Pull up to the edge of the road, coast is clear, let out the clutch, give her a little gas and zoom, I'm off, straight across both lanes right into the ditch on the other side of the road. Ok so turning is a little more difficult. 8^)
    Well 3 bikes later and more hen 20 years and I'm still laughing at myself for that one.
    • 1161 posts
    August 3, 2012 7:41 AM PDT
    Well I just had one two weeks ago. Was with a group of riders and we were showing them the course of the MSC. We finished and were on our way home and went around a speed bump next to the curb witch is no problem done it many times before. Leaned to the left to go around the end of it and then back to the right to clear the curb, and WAM... My center stand caught the curb and threw my rear tire into the air and landed facing another curb facing a metal light poll and a tree. So I aimed for the middle of them since my whiskey wrist would not grab the brake or let off the throttle. I pulled up hard on the front to get it into the air and clear the curb and not toss me over the handlebars. Then my back tire hit (Hard) poped it and pushed my front wheel back down. Right into a manhole cover that was hidden in the uncut grass, and stopped the bike from going much farther and tossed me over the handlebars.  Apparently I looked like a flying squirl with my arms and legs stretched out and then, I landed and bounced twice on my helmet and destroyed it. Good thing I had my gear on like normal and unlike everyone I was with glad it was me that crashed and not them. All I had was a little rug burn type from my mesh jacket and a headache for a few days after but ok. And just finished repairing my bike yesterday. And of course it was thunder storms all day so far today.
  • August 11, 2012 4:58 AM PDT
    I got a sticker on my hat for this one. Damn witnesses.

    Me and some buddies were riding through Northern Kentucky, and since I hadn't been riding for more than a couple weeks, the guys thought they'd throw me for a loop and hit some winders. It was a fun ride, no big deal, and we start to head home, and one of the guys up front goes down thanks to a terribly timed blown tire. We all haul ass to the shoulder, help him up, check the damage (him and the bike), and get the bike on a trailer. We all mount up to get rolling again, and suddenly I can't straighten the bike out. I do two consecutive donuts and lay the old girl down. I'm confused, embarrassed, and pissed the **** off, and hauled up this big ugly 1200 all by my lonesome. I get to looking for what went wrong and there it was. I had forgotten to unlock the forks.

    That "Dumbass" sticker on my lid was well earned.

    **Editted for spelling by poster
    • 5420 posts
    August 29, 2012 6:23 AM PDT
    Okay, this is embarrassing and just plain stupid!  I went to the DMV today to pick up the personal license plate Laura got me for fathers day - CYKLFSH (believe it or not someone has CYCLFSH!).  So I knew I would have to turn in the old plate so before I left home I removed it and used wire ties to hold it on so I could just cut them at the DMV and take the plate in.

    When I came out I realized I didn't bring extra wire ties to fasten the new plate and I had left my tool pouch on the work bench in the garage.  So I threw the plate in the saddle bag and took off in a hurry to get home and put my cool new plate on.  Sure as day I got pulled over.  The officer (motorcycle officer) came up and asked "do you know why I pulled you over?"  I said yeah, "no plate" and told him the story.  He said he didn't even notice the plate missing until after he hit the lights because I wasn't wearing a helmet!  Guess in my hurry to get home to put my plate on, I jumped on the bike without my helmet which was sitting there on the passenger seat wedged between my back rest and the passenger back rest.  He was understanding since the helmet was there and realized I was just an absent minded person who was excited about my new plate. 

    I found out he rides a Fatboy when off-duty so I gave him a CycleFish card, put my helmet on and went home.

    • 2 posts
    August 29, 2012 12:07 PM PDT
    Lucky wrote...
    Okay, this is embarrassing and just plain stupid!  .   .   .   .

    .   .   .   .   realized I was just an absent minded person   .   .   .   .

    .   .   . so I gave him a CycleFish card, put my helmet on and went home.

    You win, at least I didn't get Law Enforcement involved.
  • August 31, 2012 5:43 AM PDT
    Guess that's why they call him Lucky!
    • 3006 posts
    September 2, 2012 5:58 AM PDT
    1966 Honda street 90, a friend called n said hey meet up w/ buds at the local park.
    I am on my bike & my friends all kicking back on the lawn big blanket some ladys too, I decide here is my big chance to impress the ladys,I rev her up,gun it n charge across the lawn towards them. Too late I realize my brakes are great,yet the tires have zero stopping ability !! I cut the throttle,laid it down less then 20 ft away,shoot over the bars into a forwards tumbling role & end up face down sliding riteup to the edge of the blanket, I didnt live that down for quite a while.!!
    • 1 posts
    September 3, 2012 8:32 AM PDT
    Which bike and wich moment,lol... My old 69 (when i first started riding)  had beeninstalling new  clutch plates. Finished work and took her for a spin.  About 3 blocks from home went to stop at a stop sign and there was no clutch.  Made it home running up and down hills in 3rd gear zipping through the stops when got to the driveway was pulling in and slowed down way to much  to make the left hand turn and she died when I was turning in.  Yep bike and I went over just in front of every guy in the neighborhood...  

    Was "breaking in" a bike  for a guy I use to work for.  Was at a bike rally and went to leave my post and go get me a shower and clean clothes, forgot to turn on gas.  Took me a second and some one I know walking up and turning it on for me before I furgured that one out.  

     On my 80 low rider:  Going from manual drum brakes to dual disc... Coming into a gravel driveway, way to fast, like most times hit brakes hard.  Took every thing I had just to keep her from throwing me to the ground.  Stood there for what seemed like forever just waiting for some one to help me.

    On my 07 FLHX backing down a hill and stepped foot in pot hole, bike and I went down in front of every body, plus an entire town of strangers. In two different towns one of them was in front of the local biker watering hole. And lets not even talk about trying to learn to ride the 47.  

    • 28 posts
    September 3, 2012 12:24 PM PDT
    Well, been there, done that. Dropped my bike at a stop and at a slow turn from a stop. Glad to see that even seasoned riders have one of those "oops" moments. While each time (3 total) were equally embarrassing for me, I have to say this was the most.

    It gets pretty hot here where we live and I hate riding in 85+ degree weather with a vest or jacket on. Riding up the freeway feeling pretty cool with the wind blowing around me, my shirt started to creep up. Successfully pulled it down ONCE, but as I was riding passed several cars and before I could catch my shirt the second time...and up my shirt went!! Needless to say there was one male driver who saw everything and rode along side of me for a while, hoping for another free show.

    I tuck my shirts in now.
    • 823 posts
    September 3, 2012 2:09 PM PDT
    Nice! That isn't embarrassing. Embarrassing would have been if he didn't want to see it!
    • 1 posts
    September 3, 2012 3:05 PM PDT
    after filling my bike for umteeth time on my way back across SD, I was duck walking the bike outa the way at the Murdo Gas Station to make way for another biker to fill. The gas station was crowded to the max. I gave the starter a flick and the bike backfired through the carbi...and out through the exhaust...several people ducked one guy spun around grabbing at his heart..I burst out laughing....everyoine was looking at the vulcan...the gas station attendant inside said to Rob..that didn't sound good..Rob said it's o'k just my aussie mate firing his vulcan. Went off like a gunshot.....
  • September 17, 2012 10:38 AM PDT
    Jonesy........... THE SON OF A BITCH STILL BACKFIRES THROUGH THE CARB & EXHAUST!!!! I DAMN NEAR Dropped my bike I was laughing so hard & YES it was at the local gas station.....Which is across the street from the local cop shop.
    • Moderator
    • 19067 posts
    September 18, 2012 12:30 AM PDT
    Funny Jonesy, do that around some of my friends and there would be a lot of iron pointing at the noise source...HA