The "I'm dumb" thread.

[SliverXZennon]

So, last night we were at a festival here in town. I took the bike and it was a beautiful night! The girl and I were going to ride back home. So we both get on, start and head down a busy side city street. So I'm almost to the busy main street we need to get back to and the 700 dies. I start freaking out, hit the starter, nothing. Then I remember, I TURNED THE FUEL TO OFF! Damnit! So I put it back on ON and try to start it, nothing of course. By this time there is 10-15 cars behind us waiting to turn. I'm in the middle of the lane try to start my dead honda, then in my erratic thinking I thought, "use the choke"... Dumb. Again. It did start and I did make my left turn, but I came to the stop light and it wouldn't idle down, it was at 5500 RPMS!!! WTF!? So I'm thinking my bike is totally jacked up, and I remember the choke.

Light turns green and all is well again. Lesson learned, DON'T F'n forget about the fuel! 

So what's your dumb story? I've had my one..

BTW: If it wouldn't have been for people walking around the bike and cars behind me, I would have probably been fine. All of that just flusters me, and I am someone who NEVER gets flustered or nervous.

[ariwhiteboy]

Me and wifey went riding last Friday. The previous fill up instead of just filling it up all the way like normal I only put about 2.5 gallons in the CB1000. Changed the oil the night before, rode it up and down the road and we took off in the morning. Great day and the wifes first trip two up on the CB. Well on the way home bout 3 miles from the house the bike dies, not sputters, just dies. Of course when most bikes cut off the oil light comes on, so what did I do? Well Mr. King of rational thought immediately pulls off practically pushes his wife off and starts frantically hunting for any sign of an oil leak. At this point I have visions of seized pistons dancing in my head.  :Bogey: Try to start it after checking the oil and no luck then it hits me:

2.5 gallons of gas + an extra 1** lbs (changed for my safety)+ two trips through downtown Savannah stop & go traffic = CHECK THE GAS DUMMY!
 

Sure enough I'm low, flip to reserve and she fires right up. Good thing we're already married or I wouldn't be getting a second date...

So that's my story, nice thing about riding a Honda is the most common problem you encounter is the nut connecting the seat to the handlebars.  

[coffee_brake]

This morning, took an intersection left hand turn at a hight rate of speed, didn't pay attention and ran over the manhole cover....back end slid a little and then caught. I was going fast enough to really mess up me and the bike if the good new rear tire hadn't caught.

I berated myself for a very long time...I'm still smiting my inner idiot right now....

[Brittles]

  .....I do that all the time. I'm trying to get in the habit of always turning the petcock off and getting pretty good at it. It's just turning it back on that I can't get used to.

[fishmeister]

.....I do that all the time. I'm trying to get in the habit of always turning the petcock off and getting pretty good it. It's just turning it back on that I can't get used to.

Did the same thing twice yesterday, only get about a block away. Getting pretty good at not looking down to turn it back on tho.....

[Adam Roby]

Rode my brother's Harley (ok I was deperate, my ride is out of order), it is an old 1978 Sportster.  The flasher is a button for left, another button for right and it has to be held down to flash.  So I go thinking I am using the flashers... get to my destination only to realize (once I am there) that I was pressing the horn the entire time instead of the flasher button.  Lucky for me the Harley is so loud nobody heard it (at least I didn't).  Felt like a real bone-head though.

[Lurfadur]

I too have forgotten to turn the fuel on.  I've also forgotten to use the strap for the helmet after putting it and my gloves on, so I have to take the gloves off to get the helmet strap in place...then I remember about the ear plugs I forgot to use and I do it all over again.

[fishmeister]

I thought it was because of my age, but now I feel better...thanx.

[gammer]

I posted this in another thread...

Heh, just the other day I got on my NH at lunch and started off down the road. I forgot that I had the fuel line shut off and I made it a mile or so and my bike died...I geared it into neutral while it was rolling, switched the fuel to the ON position, turned on the choke and had it fired up again before it stopped rolling...away I went.

[bajakirch]

Last summer I was having all sorts of problems with low battery power, and I had a few times where the battery was so low I had to jump the bike back to life.

One day I went to the bank, came back out and she wouldn't start up. I had used up just about all of my battery power trying to get it started when I noticed I still had the kill switch turned off. DOH!

I turned it back on, with what had to be the very last of its available amps, the engine caught.

I've also -- on more than one occasion (but I'll really be embarrassed to say how many) -- I've left the key in the ignition and it turned on. When you've already got a weak battery, it only takes a few minutes to drain the battery dead.

[EM87]

I should probably know the answer to this question, but I'm still learning.... Why do some (most/all?) of you turn the fuel to 'off'?  It seems like, from what I've read, that this is a everyday occurrence, not just once in a while when you know you won't be riding for a few days.

[keymastr5912]

a couple weeks ago i rode to the store and parked the bike. got off, put the helmet on the end of the bar and went inside. i came back a little later and put my helmet on and tried to start the bike. it cranked but would not start. it took me a couple minutes to figure out that the kill switch was turned off. i always use the key and never use the switch. must have bumped the switch when i put my helmet on the bar. just gettin old i guess

[Tryvelcro]

A few weekends ago, I put the new registration and insurance card in the baggie underneath the seat. After I got everything ready to head out, I spent 30 minutes trying to find my keys that were still hanging in the seat release. Darn good thing my head's permanently attached, although not always functional.

[tcoop]

I should probably know the answer to this question, but I'm still learning.... Why do some (most/all?) of you turn the fuel to 'off'?  It seems like, from what I've read, that this is a everyday occurrence, not just once in a while when you know you won't be riding for a few days.

So that if the floats are stuck open you don't loose all your gas into your crank case. Its just a safety precaution.


On my Yamaha turned the key to Lock the steering but I turned it one click too far and the parking lites came on and I didn't notice. By morning, had absolutely no power, I thought I had a short but found the Issue before I tore the bike apart.

[flynrider]

1980 :

  Just got my brand new KZ750 and went over to my folks house to visit.  The bike was parked at the curb in front of the house with the bars cocked left towards the road.  Since it was my new bike, I made sure to lock the forks.  Unlike my Nighthawk, that KZ had a separate fork lock under the triple clamp.  When it was time to go, I hopped on the bike and started it up.  The bars were already in the right position to make a U-turn back towards home.  I took off briskly and twisted the throttle as I straightened up out of the u-turn and the bike kept going hard left.  It tossed me off and landed in the middle of the street with the bars still firmly locked in a left turn.  Boy did I feel stupid   

[Brittles]

I think we all must have done the kill switch thing at one time or the other.

Not sure if all newer bikes are alike, but the '98 Shadow I had wouldn't turn over with the kill switch engaged............didn't have to scratch my head quite as long to figure out what the problem was.    

[ariwhiteboy]

Yeah the first time I tried to startthe CB after using the kill switch I got nothing.  First bike I ever had that wouldn't turn the starter so I assumed I was having a starter issue at first. 

[82CB750SC]

When I first got my bike, I was excited about riding it to work.  So one morning at about 5:30 am I went out to start the bike.  Put the key in, turn on the fuel, turn the kill switch to on, and hit the start button...nothing...tried again...nothing.  Checked the fuel, key, and switch...nothing.  I drove the car to work and was thinking about a bad battery or some other electrical work problem all day.  Got home and realized that the bike was in first gear and I wasn't using the clutch. 

Put it in neutral and it started right up.  Haven't done it since then.

[bajakirch]

I think it's funny that most of us automatically assume the worst when something goes wrong. I know I'm guilty of it. The bike won't turn over and it's gotta be a problem with the starting system (it was a dead battery, just needed a charge). I lose all electrical power and it must be a short somewhere in the electrical system (it was a loose connection at the negative terminal).

That's the one thing I really like about the NH -- every time I've had a problem, it's ended up being a relatively simple fix. For a piece of machinery that came off the production line when I was a sophomore in HS, that's impressive. As weak as I am around a tool box, it's also greatly appreciated.

[I hope I'm not tempting the MC gods with this.]

[gammer]

Why do some (most/all?) of you turn the fuel to 'off'?

I generally don't shut mine off during the day. I usually only shut mine off overnight or when its going to be sitting for a while. During the day I leave it on. Probably the reason why when I got on my bike at lunch I didn't think to turn it on.

[hppants]

Those of you that have met me know that we could make a movie about me on this subject.  Stick around – this is going to take a while.

1.   On the day I brought my bike home, after changing a leaking fuel line, I spent the next 3 hours disassembling the bike only to realize I had FLIPPED THE KILL SWITCH.  Now I use the key exclusively.

2.   After rolling on reserve in the middle of no where on fumes for what seemed like forever, by the grace of God, I rolled into an oasis otherwise known as a gas station only to realize I FORGOT MY WALLET AT HOME!  Like a miracle, an old high school friend that I hadn’t seen in perhaps decades pulled in next to me and gave me a few dollars to get home.  Now there’s a $20 bill in my owner’s manual compartment.

3.   At the Deals Gap Rally, Coffee Brake warned me about these Tar Snakes – where they fill the cracks in the road.  After riding over hundreds of these on one particular road in NC, I was unimpressed – they didn’t seem slippery to me.  Down the road I can see what I interpret as an unusual tar snake, but hold my lane position none the less.  About 15 feet away, THE TAR SNAKE MOVED!!  It was like ice skating for the first time (I’ve only ice staked once in my life and that was one too many).  CB – I get it now.

(Saving my personal favorite for last)

4.   I was enjoying an evening ride when I stopped at a red light.  A crotch rocket pulled up next to me.  It was a kid riding 2-up with his girlfriend.  She is sporting a nice tank top to go with her shaving sink.  I acknowledged them and noticed that it looked like she was trying to tell me something.  I lifted my helmet and she said she liked the paint colors on my bike.  Mr. ‘Busa seemed unimpressed.  Friends, at my age, these moments are coming farther and farther apart.  I tried my best to act cool.  When I noticed the signal for opposite traffic turned yellow, with my clutch pulled, I snapped the throttle on the ‘ole girl as if to say “If you think these colors are nice, wait until you hear me take off”.  Our light turned green and we both ‘rev ‘em up.  Of course, my bike IS IN NEUTRAL.  Mr. Busa rolls off while Mr. Pants stays still looking like the clutz we have all grown to know and love.  I always forget about that little green light on the dash.

Life is funny…. By the time you figure it out, it’s over.

[Rusty B]

I rode to work one evening, our MC parking area is bike friendly.
They have a flat steel plate about 8 inches wide bolted to the asphalt for kickstands.
I always back in, and when the plate is right, put my kiskstand down.
This kills the bike I turn off the key and put the key in my pocket, then take off the gloves, and helmet.
About the time I put the kickstand down a Goldwing pulls in next to me.
I start talking to him, while taking off the gloves and helmet.
I talk to him while getting off the gear, backpack,and getting ready to go in.
I just happen to look back as we are walking away.
The headlight is just shinning away.
I go back and here are my keys still in the ignition, with it on.
Would have been hard to start in the morning, if it was still there.
Don't think anyone would have stolen it, but I wouldn't put it past some of the guys I work with to ride it around behind something and lock it up.
That is the main reason I always lock the bars when I walk away too.

Rusty       

[gammer]

Those were great HP 

Mr. Busa rolls off while Mr. Pants stays still looking like the clutz we have all grown to know and love.  I always forget about that little green light on the dash.

I've done this enough times to know not to put it in neutral when I'm at a stop light. Unless I am familiar with the light and I know its going to be a long light.

[ak85lp]

Had my 650 for about a month and organized a ride with 3 others. We stopped for about 1/2 hour and then took off. I'm so happy to be in the lead and then hammer the throttle to show off and a cloud of black smoke comes out and then no power...bummer. Pull over to the side of the road embarrassed as heck and the first guy pulls up and says it looks like you maybe dropped a valvle..oh great 

After sitting there for about a minute wondering what I am going to do I realize the engine is running really high.

Seems I left the choke on....

[Munkey]

Why do some (most/all?) of you turn the fuel to 'off'? 

Only turn mine off when I have to pull the tank to work on it.