Day 1 of new motorcycle ownership, June 1992, I just purchased my first bike, a used 1991 CBR600F. I did not have a license or permit so I paid $25 for the shop to truck it to my house. I lived at the end of a 1/2 mile driveway that snakes through some woods (it was an old run down estate that a bunch of us were renting). That afternoon I decide I am going to try my new bike out just riding up and down the driveway. I was having fun blasting up and down it, but there is a corner that had a lot of trees and as I was ready to make the turn, going way too fast, I see my roommate coming the other way in his car with *no* room to go anywhere. I immediately put both feet down and the bike starts a big wobble as I wag the bars back and forth since it doesn't seem to want to go where I point it (countersteering anyone?). I *just* missed his bumper and the look on his face must have matched mine - wide eyed horror!
Having not learned any lessons from this, I continue blasting back and forth when I decide I really should learn how quickly the bike stops. So in a straight section of the driveway I pull really hard on the front brake at about 15 mph. The bike literally stops dead before I can even think about getting my feet off the pegs. There is a very sharp crown in the driveway and the bike starts to tip. I go to put my feet down but the crown is too sharp and it goes past the balance point by the time I get the foot down. Knowing that the bike is going to go over I swing my unplanted leg over the bike and try to keep it from tipping. It was a losing battle and I am crying "no, no, no, no...!" It very gently touches the pavement and fuel starts pouring out the carbs. With all my strength and then some I heave the bike back up and stand next to it completely shaking from the exertion. At the time I was 6' and 155lbs and it was the heaviest thing I had ever lifted. After parking the bike I looked at the damage... my immaculate CBR was now damaged with some pretty deep scratches in the plastic. I just happened to have a couple American flag stickers from the dealership, and after gingerly riding back to the parking lot I put one over the scratches and it hid them perfectly.
Day 5 of bike ownership. I am washing my bike and it is a kind of gravel parking lot. It must have had just a little incline and while washing it I give the back end a little extra scrub to get off some sticky chain spooge. The pressure from me pushing with the sponge was enough to roll the bike forward off the side stand and down it went. I think I swore for about 5 minutes after that one... "G*d-dammnit! Not Again" I picked the bike back up and the clutch lever was really bent and the other side of the fairing was scratched in the same place as the opposite side. So I put another flag on that side... at least now the flags looked purposefully placed. When I rode the bike to the dealer he laughed at me, and said "already?" and handed me a new lever and then said "no problem, we go through lots of these". I felt better knowing I was probably not alone.
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Originally Posted by ThisBitch
