Whoops moment

Well, I just joined the Drop the Bike at 0 mph Club, argh ! Just sitting on it
across a slight slope, and spontaneously decided to fall over. After which, the
bike was hard to start, but finally did. It ran for about 5 miles, although very
hesitant under acceleration, but then died at a stop sign and cranked over but
wouldn't start. I'm guessing that gas flooded into somewhere it shouldn't be -
although in that case, I'm surprised it ran at all. Any suggestions ? Do I need
to start dismantling things to get any gas out ? I bent the clutch lever, but
otherwise can't see any external damage.

At least I have the Drop It event behind me now; hopefully won't require a
second lesson

 

Argh.

Last week, I rode to the grocery store; turned off the gas, turned off
the bike, and got off.
Then I watched it slowly topple, having forgotten to put the kickstand
down. Fortunately, there was a guy who helped me pick it up. I used to
be able to, before I tore my rotator cuff.

Well, better to forget to put it down than forget to put it up, eh!

--
--
Barb
Chaplain, ARSCC



"Comparing Scientology to a motorcycle gang is a gross, unpardonable
insult to bikers everywhere. Even at our worst, we are never as bad as
Scientology."
-ex-member, Thunderclouds motorcycle "club"

 

Done that, a number of times. Other than the embarassment of trying to
figure out why the bike stalled out, at least it's a problem I can fix
without requiring the kindness of strangers.

I had a bike where the interlock switch had been disabled.
Forgetfulness was no big problem: the bike's forward motion would bring
the kickstand up.

Rich, Urban Biker

 

Heh! (Well, okay. Argh.)

When I took the MSF class, I thought it was goofy for us to practice Getting On
The Motorcycle and Getting Off The Motorcycle at our desks in the "ground
school" classroom:
Squeeze the handbrake, swing a leg over, sit down, stand it up, put up the side
stand. Suqeeze the handbrake, put down the side stand, lean it over, stand up,
swing the leg over, walk away.

 

What kind of bike? Read about certain models of Triumphs that have the
carb overflow vent hose routed into the airbox, which can then drain into
the #1 cylinder when righted causing some serious damage (liquids don't
like to be compressed).

Other than that, a bike should be able to survive a drop without any
mysterious oddities.

 

Heh. Interlock switch, huh?
When my bike was at Brattin for some work, they gave me one of those 650
chain driven sportbikes as a loaner. Okay, first morning I went to
start it up...no go. It wouldn't start, or even turn over.

Who knew it had some idiotproof kickstand system? I hadda call Brattin
and felt like a toadle idiot! Gnarf! Damn new-fangled motorsickles!

--
--
Barb
Chaplain, ARSCC



"Comparing Scientology to a motorcycle gang is a gross, unpardonable
insult to bikers everywhere. Even at our worst, we are never as bad as
Scientology."
-ex-member, Thunderclouds motorcycle "club"

 

You may have gotten gas (or worse, water) into the tank vent. That
would interfere with the normal gas flow until the vent tube clears.
Fortunately, this condition is not serious. Of course it may not be
the condition of your motorcycle...

<snip>

Al Moore
DoD 734

 

Honestly, I HAVE a "system!" This time, however, it failed. I was
dreaming of pork chops or something.

--
--
Barb
Chaplain, ARSCC



"Comparing Scientology to a motorcycle gang is a gross, unpardonable
insult to bikers everywhere. Even at our worst, we are never as bad as
Scientology."
-ex-member, Thunderclouds motorcycle "club"

 

Gawd, I hate maneuvering on hills! Always have, always will. Wiggley, it is.

--
--
Barb
Chaplain, ARSCC



"Comparing Scientology to a motorcycle gang is a gross, unpardonable
insult to bikers everywhere. Even at our worst, we are never as bad as
Scientology."
-ex-member, Thunderclouds motorcycle "club"

 

Good to hear.

It's been almost a year since I sold my street bike, sort of forgot how
finicky they are. The dirt bike knows full well what it's like to be
dropped It just lets out an almost inaudible sigh, and waits for me to
pick it up again.

 

It just might be a damaged clutch interlock switch that was making bad
contact and finally gave up the ghost while you were riding after the
accident.

Also, work the sidestand up and down several times to exercise the
sidestand interlock switch and see if it makes better contact. I have
had my KLR's engine stall intermittently while riding on rough roads,
because the sidestand was flopping up and down slightly.

Those damned safety interlock systems were added in the early 1980's
because the manufacturers think we're too stupid to remember to pull
the clutch lever in when we start the engine and we're too stupid to
put the sidestand up.

I spent an hour alongside the road bypassing my Suzuki's moron
protecting clutch switch one time. It had been working intermittently
for decades. Literally. Decades.

I finally wrapped some wire around the switch contacts and taped it
over until I could get home and fix it permanently by cutting the
damned wires off the accursed switch and soldering them together.

The Japanese companies use different safety interlock systems. Some of
the systems will allow you to crank the engine with the electric
starter, even though the ignition system is disabled, but others also
prevent the starter from working.

Kawasaki's system needs the sidestand to be in the up position or the
ignition is disabled when the bike is in gear. I don't remember if
Kawasaki starters work with a sidestand switch problem or not.

My Suzuki's sidestand switch just makes contact when the stand is down,
so an idiot light comes on. So the switch could be removed and that's
what I did.

But Kawasaki's execrable electrical system requires the sidestand
switch to make contact when the sidestand is UP.

I disconnected the heretical sidestand switch and made up a special
jumper wire to plug into the bike's wiring harness, bypassing the
switch.

 

Last week, I was too stupid to put the kickstand DOWN...D'oh!

--
--
Barb
Chaplain, ARSCC



"Comparing Scientology to a motorcycle gang is a gross, unpardonable
insult to bikers everywhere. Even at our worst, we are never as bad as
Scientology."
-ex-member, Thunderclouds motorcycle "club"

 

OY! BTDT, Doh!

 

Just last week...

My loft has a communal garage, and parking is a bit tight.
The Harlot is a little bit cranky when cold, so the bike is
running to warm up. I walk her around the cars and out into the
open, then reach down with my foot to put the sidestand down.

You can probably see what's coming.

<Chunk> into gear. Forward about five feet, then onto her side.
The damage was quite minor-- a broken mirror and a couple of
scuffs, but I felt horrible. I have gut reaction to seeing
a motorcycle laying on the ground; it makes me very sad.

-Patti

P.S. Anyone in the market for an old EX500? Recently dropped,
but the damage was minor.

 

Sure. Pre-dropped! Saves me the trouble of dropping it myself.

 

What year? How much do you want for it?