Boneheaded things we've all done to our bikes
- Thread starter cjpayne
- Start date
Coastal Redneck
120cc
I don't know about my bike, except for buying substandard Chinese parts and whatnot, but I'll never forget the time I found a big ol' metal fuel nozzle (complete with 16" of ripped hose) hanging out of my starboard side saddle tank aboard a big rig I was driving at the time, LOL. Actually, I was parked when I found the goddam nozzle, I think it was just some other hand playin' a prank on me, I can't for the life of me recall ever ripping a nozzle off a fuel pump, but there it was, just hangin' from the tank like nobody's business, LOL, the tank cap on a chain hangin' below the nozzle and ripped hose. :43:
Alright, I'm back to this EXCELLENT 1953 WESTERN---"SHANE" with Alan Ladd---a CLASSIC WESTERN if ever there was one. And those shots of the Teton Massif in Wyoming, and all those AWESOME HOMESTEADS??? F#%g unreal, those little spreads, maybe I should be lookin' for one of them on my upcoming camping trip. Christ, I could live in a dugout buried halfway into a hillside, except I like my hot showers & baths, 10-4? Meh, get a piece of streamside property and take dips in it, aye? Freezing my @$$ off in the wintertime, like those Finnish tards. LOL. Damn, this movie is SO GOOD, and here comes the grand finale, with Shane riding into town, WOOHOOOO!!!
Alright, I'm back to this EXCELLENT 1953 WESTERN---"SHANE" with Alan Ladd---a CLASSIC WESTERN if ever there was one. And those shots of the Teton Massif in Wyoming, and all those AWESOME HOMESTEADS??? F#%g unreal, those little spreads, maybe I should be lookin' for one of them on my upcoming camping trip. Christ, I could live in a dugout buried halfway into a hillside, except I like my hot showers & baths, 10-4? Meh, get a piece of streamside property and take dips in it, aye? Freezing my @$$ off in the wintertime, like those Finnish tards. LOL. Damn, this movie is SO GOOD, and here comes the grand finale, with Shane riding into town, WOOHOOOO!!!
OLD CT
Well-Known Member
Forgot to lock-tight the rear hub bolts, 3 of the 4 came loose fell out and locked up the rear wheel at around 40 mph and it almost happened in a turn! Skidded 50 feet, the only damage was to the chain guard. Had to call the GF to pick me up, about a mile from her place. I never forget it now!
b52bombardier1
Well-Known Member
Hey Adam,
Ditto . . . same exact thing. Broke a bunch of rear wheel spokes and who knew the CT90 had such wildly effective rear brakes. But I managed to keep it all upright and my skin intact. The hardest part was walking / pushing / dragging / heaving that bike a half a mile back to my house with the rear wheel locked up . . . not fun on a hot Louisiana day.
Fortunately, parts were still available for the brake pedal, brake rod, the brake lever at the rear hub and the rear brake cam, plus some spokes. Two weeks later, I was back running again but much more cautious.
Rick
Ditto . . . same exact thing. Broke a bunch of rear wheel spokes and who knew the CT90 had such wildly effective rear brakes. But I managed to keep it all upright and my skin intact. The hardest part was walking / pushing / dragging / heaving that bike a half a mile back to my house with the rear wheel locked up . . . not fun on a hot Louisiana day.
Fortunately, parts were still available for the brake pedal, brake rod, the brake lever at the rear hub and the rear brake cam, plus some spokes. Two weeks later, I was back running again but much more cautious.
Rick
oldbikenut
Member
Sounds like something I'd do:18:
When finishing up my Yamaha RT1 after the first start in over 30 years I took off for a little spin, I forgot to tighten the rear axle nut and threw the chain, not a big deal on a bicycle but the chain ate up the left side cover including the clutch actuator(a very hard part to find for this bike). A month later and a little less money in my pocket I went for my second ride!
Until this thread came along I thought that losing hub bolts qualified me for #1 spot on the "king of 
-ups list". I only made it about 200 feet before I felt the rear wheel coming loose and stopped before anything was damaged.
Once left a cam chain roller bolt loose...and watched in horror as it backed-out. Again, nothing damaged...except the hairline.
But, the most "exciting" was a drain plug that fell out while riding. The bike suddenly felt slightly loose. Saw what looked like a dark trail in the rearview mirror. Pulled in the clutch, shut off the engine and coasted to a stop. One stopped, I heard the sound of liquid draining, then looked just in time to watch the last few seconds of oil flowing out of the engine. Going by the ~250-feet of oil striping on the pavement, that was about 4 seconds of no drain plug, at 50mph...which seemed waaaaaay longer at the time. Only thing I never figured out was why the plug happened to come loose when it did...after well over 100 miles of riding. Again, no mechanical damage.
As others have remarked, you never forget lessons like these. :30: Last one, for me, was 12 years ago...feels more like 12 days ago:13:
-ups list". I only made it about 200 feet before I felt the rear wheel coming loose and stopped before anything was damaged.Once left a cam chain roller bolt loose...and watched in horror as it backed-out. Again, nothing damaged...except the hairline.
But, the most "exciting" was a drain plug that fell out while riding. The bike suddenly felt slightly loose. Saw what looked like a dark trail in the rearview mirror. Pulled in the clutch, shut off the engine and coasted to a stop. One stopped, I heard the sound of liquid draining, then looked just in time to watch the last few seconds of oil flowing out of the engine. Going by the ~250-feet of oil striping on the pavement, that was about 4 seconds of no drain plug, at 50mph...which seemed waaaaaay longer at the time. Only thing I never figured out was why the plug happened to come loose when it did...after well over 100 miles of riding. Again, no mechanical damage.
As others have remarked, you never forget lessons like these. :30: Last one, for me, was 12 years ago...feels more like 12 days ago:13:
Houredout401
Active Member
Id better go loctite those rim bolts..
Bevelsd
Active Member
The day that I brought my 78 home from the auction I first parked it in front of the garage door then grabbed a large push broom to clear our a spot inside the bay. After cleaning the new parking spot for the bike I propped up the broom next to the door then turned around to get the dust pan. Behind my back I suddenly heard a sickening sound of breaking glass. Seems I stood the broom up with the brush on top then it decided to tip over and fall right onto the 78's speedo. The heavy wooden end of the brush smashed right through the glass and even dented the speedos face and needle...I had not owned it for half an hour yet..
kirrbby
Well-Known Member
How about bicycles?
When I was a youngster I reached down to check the tension on my chain. Didnt bother to stop pedaling I guess. Peddled my finger into the sprocket. Put a tooth through my fingernail. I was stuck. My friend had to stretch the chain, got just enough to let me get my finger out of there. b-b-b-BONEHEAD!
When I was a youngster I reached down to check the tension on my chain. Didnt bother to stop pedaling I guess. Peddled my finger into the sprocket. Put a tooth through my fingernail. I was stuck. My friend had to stretch the chain, got just enough to let me get my finger out of there. b-b-b-BONEHEAD!
OLD CT
Well-Known Member
Yup, I put around 500 miles on the bike before it happened, 110cc so the added power really needs lock tight! It is also good to check them off the list ''pre ride list'' at the beginning of riding season! I too remember losing the roller bolt on one bike, the hardest part was digging it out with a angle pick and lining it up with the hole Bob! :102: Also no damage done.
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cjpayne
Well-Known Member
When I was a kid(9-10yrs), my grandfather bought a really nice street legal Yahmaha 80 2stroker. Rode it for a couple weeks everyday. Eventually got careless/stupid with it and pulled real hard on the front brake just to see how well it worked @20-30mph. Well, it worked VERY WELL and I just happed to be riding on loose gravel. The front wheel locked up and the bike immediately dropped to its left side. I put my left hand out to to brace for impact and got a small rock imbedded into my palm. Still have the scar to this day too!!! Wow, that was dumb.lol. It was fortunate for me that grandpa insisted that I always wore a helmet.
oldbikenut
Member
My first brand new motorcycle an 85 XT600 I was 19. With less then 100 miles on it, I was cleaning it up in the garage, when done I was backing it out when all of a sudden the bike pulled away from me and went down taking out the right side controls, scratching the tank caused from the garage door track. This was caused by me leaving the kickstand down, when the bikes rear wheel went down to the lower level. I sold the bike several years later scrape in the paint still there.
cjpayne
Well-Known Member
Are you saying the bike felt unstable in the rear?
Yes and it was subtle. The amount of oil lost, while riding, was less than half of crankcase capacity. The rear tire was completely dry by the time the bike came to a complete stop.
