[uberwench]

So, I've had the Monster less than a week, but Mother Nature obviously likes him, because the weather's been great to ride in every single day since.

Yesterday I'm cruising around and the gas light comes on. I head into the nearest gas station and pull up to the pump. Turn it off and put the sidestand down, but as I'm about to get off I see the pavement really slopes and the bike's at a precarious angle. No matter, I stay on the bike, run my card through, and fill the tank while I'm still on the bike. I look up and see a group of guys pointing and staring. Yeah, they're digging the bike, I'm thinking. They're giving me the thumbs up and nodding, and I'm loving it. Finish filling up, start up the bike, ready to give the boys a little of that Ducati noise as I leave, put it into gear....


...and I've left the sidestand down.

Hopefully they couldn't see how red my face was behind my face shield. :-[

 

[Herb]

You think THAT is embarrassing? Try dropping a bike on yourself in front of a group like that. THAT was embarrassing! :-[

 

[monstervixen]

i think everyone has had one of those moments. i'm pretty clumsy when it comes to life in general so i've done some pretty embarassing things. don't let it get to ya though.

 

[DTMsurf]

I do that all the time. I ride off with my sidestand down almost once a week.

 

[LiterLeaner]

Here is a great one for you.....

Hospital shifts are usually 12hrs. I am getting off of a long night shift and its about 7am. Our motorcycle parking is way up front next to the front entrance and all of the morning hotties pass by. Well, it was about 50 degrees and my bike was giving me hell, would not start what so ever. I spend about 10 min trying and trying. Finally I give up and go to set the bike back on its stand and let it rest for a few. WHOOPS! forgot to put the stand back down and over she goes with me on the saddle (not expecting this at all) and wouldnt you know it, a wonderfully large group of clinical students is right on the side of me.

GREAT :-[

I took the cage the rest of the month......

 

[uberwench]

DTMsurf, what are you riding that you can you ride off with the sidestand down? Mine stalls. If I'd been able to ride away, it wouldn't have been so bad.

 

[S4R996]

These are the little moments that remind us that motorcycles are very different than cars, they take more attention to operate them. It's what seperates us from the more mundane cagers. Hopefully we listen when these small things happen and we learn and we don't let small lapses turn into big lapses that cost us dearly. I take lessons from flying where you have a checklist that you must adhere to every time you fly. I have a similar list when I ride and yes when I fill up with gas, at first it took time to go through my mental list but after time it becomes habit and I like to think it makes me a better, safer rider. On a bike there's not much between you and the ground or other objects. Be vigilent and deliberate about everything you do on a bike. Above all else have fun, it's why we ride but don't forget the little stuff.

 

[Herb]

DTMsurf, what are you riding that you can you ride off with the sidestand down? Mine stalls. If I'd been able to ride away, it wouldn't have been so bad.

Well, when you pull out of the parking lot, make a left hand turn and pole vault off the side stand, that would be more embarrassing than simply stalling the engine, don't you think? :-/

 

[atatinen]

Wait am I missing something??. Maybe I am way off.. or it has been too long I had my kick stand bypass. with the stock kickstand u should not able to start with it down but when u put it in gear it should stall no?.
Just get that side stand bypass.... atleast one less thing to be embarrassed by .
Although I do have my share of those moments.. first day I reverse my shift pattern I pull in to the local bike show with my loud pipes and tryin to park and stall 3 times in 6th gear.... with about 100 people watchin me.
so watch out for that for the first few days .
Anil

 

[Stu Pedaso]

I felt like a dumass pulling up to my coffee place tonight after work. There were a few bikes out front and people hanging out so I figured I would stop in. Sure enough I park the bike take all my gear off and turn to walk up to the window to get a coffee and the damn place was closed. Boy did I feel like a knob! I guess it could have been worse.. I could have pulled up, forgot to put the sidestand down, and taken out a row of bikes.

 

[scootyman]

I was planning to do the sidestand bypass thing, but after reading this thread, I think I'll keep it.

 

[Ona800s]

LOL.... Sorry I got a lil laugh at your expense... not at trying to ride away from the station with the stand down.. I did that the first time I filled my bike... I was SOO worried.. I thought "what the hell I've had a few days and its already giving me problems." Freaked out I got off of it thought about what I should do who I should call.... Finally I got on it again put up the stand and rode off.. I thought what the hell is wrong with this bike... half way down the road I remmber reading about the kill swtich connected to the engine...
I was laughing beccause I imagined someone filling their bike while still on it. lol If I saw that I'd be thinking "Dam.. they love their bike that much they can't even get off of it to fill'er up"?

 

[Monsterlover]

I felt like a dumass pulling up to my coffee place tonight after work. There were a few bikes out front and people hanging out so I figured I would stop in. Sure enough I park the bike take all my gear off and turn to walk up to the window to get a coffee and the damn place was closed. Boy did I feel like a knob! I guess it could have been worse.. I could have pulled up, forgot to put the sidestand down, and taken out a row of bikes.

Good thing you didn't take out the row of bikes. Your insurance would have paid for all of them. . .

Kevin

 

[DTMsurf]

Well, first of all I aways fill my bike up while sitting on it. You can get alot more fuel in it with the bike level. Second, my sidestand cutt off switch has long been disabled. I forget that it has but just the other day I rode off with the kick stand down and did the side shimmey as I went into a left hander.

 

[monster_drill_sgt]

Not the greatest of feelings making that left hander and the sidestand letting you know its down. Kinda scary!!!

 

[ibthegator]

That aint no newbie moment, that is a weekly event.

 

[Tony]

You think THAT is embarrassing?

 

[tempdragon13]

 

[MagnusVer]

I sympathize with you. I once dropped a bike while pushing it up a slight slope into the garage. Thankfully, no one was around to witness the embarassing ordeal.

When I first got my rearstand I was trying to figure out how to use it... the bike started to tip over, so I threw myself between the monster and the cement. Took some time to get myself out of that one, but the monster was safe. And the garage door was closed.. phew!

 

[tempdragon13]

LMAO! I had the double-sided rear stand and thought that was challenging. This weekend, I used my single-sided stand for my new S4R...talk about walking on eggshells....