Interesting commute to work today

[OreoGaborio]

ok... first i fuck up my shoulder because of my stupidity.... that's an interesting story....
leave for work
stop at gas station
pull up to pump
put it in neutral
put down kickstand.....
bout to shut off the bike & car at the pump in front of me pulls out...

so i toss the kickstand back up
put it in gear
pull forward
toss in in neutral
go to set it down on the kickstand....

hmm.... kickstand's a little lower now.... kickstaaaaAAANNNNNDOHFUCK!!!

i shit you not... somehow i got my right leg over & onto the ground on the left side of the bike & was able absolutely muscle the thing from nailing the ground & back upright. the thing BARELY tapped the asphalt... only two SUPER WICKED PISSAH () TINY marks in the crank case cover that literally look like mini rock chips. It was like one of those superhuman strength tales of a mom who lifted up a 10 ton tractor off of her 6 month old baby.... only not as dramatic

so i fill up & get back on the road after stretching out my shoulder (no idea what happened, but she made a nice "POP" while i was momentarilly the incredible hulk (cut me some slack, i'm just shy of 5'10" & only 145 lbs soakin wet )

while i'm headin on 95 S i see a red pickup headin the other way... w/ a motorboat... no biggie... cept the boat was mounted ON TOP OF THE TRUCK like damn... how the hell did it get there? and why didn't they just buy a trailer?

so then i get to work & go to park at my usual & famous "motorcycle island" near chinatown ... pull up, park my bike, shut her down......... awww shit... every single bike except for the one that had a cover on it has a 40 dollar ticket... boooooooooooooooooo... fuckin meter maids & their "quota"... had to wait till the end of the month & make it obvious, didn't cha?

needless to say i found another spot... although if you think about it... 40 bucks is rediculously cheap for MONTHS of parking in boston

[Nikon]

very interesting story. Godd thing you saved her.

[katana0215]

quick question. Why do you put your bike in nuetral to park it or fill it up. If you leave it in first it wont roll on you. I know that wasnt the problem this time, but it might help you in the future to leave it in gear while parked

[mikeb]

do what i do, pay with a card at the pump i never get off the bike. i can stand flat footed so i can top it of nicely. plus i don't have to go in the store and take all my gear off.

[craig]

Originally posted by OreoGaborio
so then i get to work & go to park at my usual & famous "motorcycle island" near chinatown ... pull up, park my bike, shut her down......... awww shit... every single bike except for the one that had a cover on it has a 40 dollar ticket... boooooooooooooooooo... fuckin meter maids & their "quota"... had to wait till the end of the month & make it obvious, didn't cha?

needless to say i found another spot... although if you think about it... 40 bucks is rediculously cheap for MONTHS of parking in boston

doh! I came out yesterday to find the section of sidewalk/parking spots I park in empty and surrounded by jersey barriers! I had to climb over them to get to my bike, and then thank god I noticed down the end there was a little gap I could sneak through. Cops across the street just standing there watching me..oh well, at least it wasn't a ticket.

today I parked outside right in front of the building...there are no meters/signs/etc. and I see bikes parked there for the whole day, but my luck and the thing will be towed when I go outside (that's the bad part about being on the 10th floor on the other side of the building..can't watch my bike all day )

[Bluesman]

A bike in the city blows. I had my bikes in the North End for years. (Only knocked over once.)

You have to find the innovative spaces. There is always extra space somewhere. Just off HP spaces, commerical spaces, near (but not close) to hydrants...

Just stay away from ends of streets, espcially small ones. (Cars make a tight corner, and down goes your ride.)

[RandyO]

Originally posted by blackvfr
do what i do, pay with a card at the pump i never get off the bike. i can stand flat footed so i can top it of nicely. plus i don't have to go in the store and take all my gear off.

so what happens when a drop of gas hits a hot motor part and starts a fire when you are straddleing the bike?

topping off the tank doesn't gain you anything , half of the 3 extra milliletres of gas you put in by holding the bike up straight probably get spit out the overflow.

I like pay at pump too, but I ALWAYS get off my bike,

[OreoGaborio]

Originally posted by katana0215
quick question. Why do you put your bike in nuetral to park it or fill it up.

yeah i'm gonna start doin that. i'm just so used to walkin up next to it, starting it & letting it warm up while i throw on my gear... i'd probably stand there for a few seconds wondering why it wouldn't start

Originally posted by blackvfr
do what i do, pay with a card at the pump i never get off the bike.

i always pay w/ my card... and what randy O said... 90% of the time i get off my bike, but sometimes i stay on the bike... yesterday was one of those 90% days i hopped off

Originally posted by Bluesman
A bike in the city blows.

you said it brutha... a bike in the city DOES blow... but a CAR in the city SUCKS... and costs a shitload more... right now i'm parkin my bike every day for free

Originally posted by craig
doh! I came out yesterday to find the section of sidewalk/parking spots I park in empty and surrounded by jersey barriers!

..can't watch my bike all day )

if i can get the parkin spot i did yesterday, i can watch my bike all freakin day... and if i miss somethin happen.... i can review the tapes (i'm a security guard & if i park in the other spot i park in, it's on camera the entire time i'm at work only problem is, once it gets dark, that camera can't see shit cuz of all the bright lights between it & my bike)

Originally posted by Mystery Squid
Sounds like great material for a new video to that song "What It's Like to Lose" by Everlast on a dreary Monday morning in Boston...

i haven't even heard it & it sounds like the story of my life jk

[OreoGaborio]

Originally posted by Mystery Squid
FWIW,

I NEVER put it in first unless there's some sort of significant incline.

IMO, there's too much of a risk in hitting that start button and having your bike surge forward.

I've never had a problem (except when I cleaned off my kickstand w/WD40 once and parked on a downhill ), paying attention to what your doing and situation is your BEST protection.

yeah, starting it in gear is the only thing i'm worried about... but i THINK that my bike has a protection feature to guard against that... cuz i know that if my kickstand is down, the bike is in gear & i let out the clutch it dies on me, so i'm guessing it won't do shit if i try & start it in gear w/o the clutch in... i'll have to check the manual or test that out in a controled environment today

[HBerry]

On my bike it wont let me start it in gear unless the clutch is in!

[OreoGaborio]

Originally posted by HBerry
On my bike it wont let me start it in gear unless the clutch is in!

lookin at my Kawk manual right now...

"The motorcycle is equipped with a starter lockout switch. This switch prevents the electric starter from operating when the clutch is engaged and the transmission is not in neutral."

i think it also doesn't start if i'm grabbing the clutch lever

EDIT: and don't worry squiddy... i won't rely on that... i think i'm just gonna keep doin what i'm doin & leaving it in Neutral, or leave it in first & do something to remind me before i put the key in the ignition

[HBerry]

Mine will let me start if I'm in first with the clutch in, I know this from stalling at stop lights (DOH)

[OreoGaborio]

Originally posted by Mystery Squid
and if the lockout switch fails?




IMAGE: Morpheus, "Use your mind...."

(edited my above post, sucka )

[Jank]

Originally posted by RandyO
so what happens when a drop of gas hits a hot motor part and starts a fire when you are straddleing the bike?

That's when you click it into gear and take off GhostRider style!!!

[Suf Daddy]

Contact the management of your office building complex and see if they have a spot around the building you could use.

Could they designate a bike parking area?

A bunch of guys park across the Fort Point channel bridge all over the place.. Just before A street goin' into Southie

-Suf Daddy

[Suf Daddy]

Pick a different garage every day and ride out the pedestrian ramp?
LOL
-Suf Daddy

[mungersv]

you lucked out, last time i dropped mine i really busted shit up. Pay at the pump kicks ass, hate haveing to take all that shit off and go into the store and hear dont you get hot wearing all that stuff or worse getting hit on buy an ugly chick who wants a ride (note to self "take the time to put helmet under seat no matter how short a time youll be in the store")

[OreoGaborio]

Originally posted by Suf Daddy
Contact the management of your office building complex and see if they have a spot around the building you could use.

i WORK for the building managment.... they suck not to mention i already know the exterior of the building, the parking garage, loading dock & alot of the interior like the back of my hand... i work for Security & used to be the Roving Officer... it was my job to know every nook & cranny. i have one last untapped resource, but i dunno if i'd get in huge trouble if i used it & don't really wanna take a chance. i can just park on the island of tickets, then move it to the spot a co-worker of mine parks his bike 10 minutes later when he gets relieved of his post like i've been doing. I have a feeling they aren't gonna ticket the bikes on "Motorcycle Island" untill the end of next month when the quota has to be met anyway

[craig]

Originally posted by OreoGaborio
I have a feeling they aren't gonna ticket the bikes on "Motorcycle Island" untill the end of next month when the quota has to be met anyway

that must be the case as I saw people parking there again yesterday

[OreoGaborio]

yeah there were a couple guys there yesterday... and one guy made it a point to bring his cover so they couldn't see the make, model & plate

[benVFR]

Guys...

Just follow basic MSF procedure and you'll lower your risk of these kinds of stupid mistakes.

Bike should ALWAYS be in 1st gear when you come to a stop.

Shut down procedure:

1. Engine cut off switch set to off
2. Ignition to off
3. Fuel cut off to off
4. kickstand down
5. Get off bike

Start up procedure:

1. Get on the bike and put the kickstand up
2. Fuel switch to on
3. Ingition to run
4. Transmission to Neutral
5. Engine Cut off set to run
6. Choke if necessary
7. Pull in clutch
8. Start bike

Put kickstand down and dismount if you need to let the bike warm up.

If you follow this till you have it memorized you'll have a much lower chance of having a stupid parking lot drop. They don't scream it into your face for their health. Everything in this thread (worried about the bike lurching cause you started it in 1st, etc.) is covered by the procedure.

I know I violate this cause lately I will go through the start up procedure while standing next to the bike with the kickstand down. I'm definitely opening myself up to a few accident situations which could topple the bike by doing so. I'll probably get it re-drilled into my head next week at the ERC.

This is basic stuff like knowing to hold your breath if you go underwater.

[craig]

Originally posted by benSV

I know I violate this cause lately I will go through the start up procedure while standing next to the bike with the kickstand down.

I've been doing the same lately. I start up the bike to let it warm up while I gear up. Thanks for the reminders