Thought I was boned....

So last Thursday, as I'm headed to dinner with friends, the Sheriff's office calls (I'm the county Emergency Management director), saying there's a 4 year old missing in a cornfield. (Cornfields are big here; in every sense of the word.) The command center is well-manned, so I go home, get the WR and my kit, and head out to help look. After a couple hours poking around the edges of the fields, and digging back into some woods near the farm, I'm stopped on a remote gravel road, resting and scanning for movement. A pickup stops, and the driver tells me they've found the boy. We exchange relief, and he takes off.

I sit for a few minutes drinking some water, then start the bike. As I let the clutch out, it dies. Several times this happens. Obviously, it's an interlock switch, but I can't remember where it is. Great, I think. I've become part of the problem. I fiddle around with every visible wire, and the kickstand switch, which I can't believe would be involved. Next time I start it, I'm able to ride off.

The bike's started and run fine ever since, and I can duplicate the problem by trying to let the clutch out with the kickstand down, so I'm guessing I had something jammed in there.

Something to watch for.

Nice to be able to use the bike for something other than my own hooligan amusement.

Cool moment #47: pulling away from a group of searchers I'd been talking to, and hearing a young guy behind me talking to his friend: "Man, now THAT bike is AWESOME!"

Wanna hear something really stupid?

I've been riding for 30 years. The other day I'm wondering why my bike won't go when I put it into gear and dies. I'm all worried something is wrong, and I'm in the middle of nowhere.

Kickstand was down.

Seriously? How stupid Is I? Very. But it was mixed with relief... :)

Yep. It's a look over your shoulder, scan for witnesses, and drive off quickly moment....

I prefer it to the version where the guy bringing the pickup to rescue you, figures out YOUR problem, making his trip pointless... In that version, I feign heart attack, so he can feel useful.

WHILE CAMPING AND RIDING WITH A GROUP ,MY BIKE WOULD NOT START. I HAD A BUNCH OF MODS DONE AND INSTANTLY BLAMED THEM. AFTER COOLING DOWN I REALIZED THE KILL SWITCH WAS ENGAGED. IVE NEVER USED IT. MY BUDDY WHO RIDES DIRT BIKES DID AND IT TOOK ME A FEW MINUTES TO REALIZE IT. OF COURSE BY THEN ALL PLASTICS ARE OFF AND FUSES CHECKED. HA HA ON ME

You ride long enough, you'll have a bonehead story to tell.

GusinCA wrote:

Wanna hear something really stupid?

I've been riding for 30 years. The other day I'm wondering why my bike won't go when I put it into gear and dies. I'm all worried something is wrong, and I'm in the middle of nowhere.

Kickstand was down.

Seriously? How stupid Is I? Very. But it was mixed with relief... :)

Ummm, riding the trails last weekend. Was about to call the wife to bring the truck because as soon as I shifted into first from N it died.

Of course when I was 17, I pushed my first street bike for about a mile after running out of gas... oh look, whats this "res" thing for? I am quite sure I am not done doing stupid and embarrassing things.

GusinCA wrote:

You ride long enough, you'll have a bonehead story to tell.

.....and if you dont then you do not ride enough

I was leaving my daughters softball game. That day, I had my Moto helmet on and a pair of glasses. As I was riding thru the parking lot I realized I hadn't put my glasses back on. They were hanging from the collar of my tshirt (under my jacket). I took my right hand off the throttle to quickly grab them. They got stuck, the bike started to sputter and I almost laid it down right there in the middle of the lot.

DUH.

Next time I stop to put my glasses on.

Years--umm make that decades---ago I was riding in Alabama when an unexpected cold snap hit. I mean the temps went south in a hurry and me with nothing warm to put on. Finally got so cold that I was shivering hard and so I stopped at a General Store to get a jacket or something.

Big parking lot--lots of folks--pulled up right at the front and stepped off. Took about half a step away from the HD and I hear a resounding clunk---turned to see it had just fell over!! So cold I forgot to put the kickstand down

The one time I almost laid a bike down was at the toll plaza to the Bay bridge in San Francisco. I was riding my Honda Pacific Coast, with my girl on the back, when I stopped and put my foot down. My right foot. Where all the cars that stop drop a little oil.

As my right foot slowly slid out, I barely caught the slide and managed to somehow keep the bike from going over...

At a intersection in Dallas i was asked "You gonna shut that off or pick it up ?" as the sportster slowly made a circle going thump thump thump.
Was doing ok till i had to think about it.

I had one moment 2 weeks ago visiting my brother up in illinois. Mywife and I were on a 3k ride from florida and up to illinois/kansas/tennesse/north carolina and back, so I had all the clothes in bags on my 07' HD roadglide. We met him at a local eatery to get dinner and then go to the hotel, well of course when we get to the parking lot I back it in to the spot (slightly downhill- easy peasy backward park) we go into eat, have a great dinner and decide to ride to local HD dealership to spend 8k for our t-shirts. While pulling out I decide to cut it short and let him go around to lead, need-less to say the roadglide is a little top heavy already and with my wifes 80lbs of clothes in the back, I over cut it, the bike tips rapidly, I stick out my right foot, SAVED my ride from scratches! Um...however, the wife was not expecting the sudden tip and um, aahhhh!! plop! off she went onto the parking lot. I looked at a suprised evil set of eyes and quickly looked at my brother and shouted loudly, "screw the bitch! save the bike!" (which of course is what any bad-ass biker would do) and I smiled, for about two seconds, because the sharp pain in my right ankle made me yelp like woman (who actually kicke me there). I made it up to her of course, by carrying in the luggage to the hotels for the next 4 days.

I had just bought my brand new bike. It was quite a drive from the shop to my home and when I finnaly arrived, I rushed inside to tell my wife that I was home and if she wanted to see my new baby!

I poudly jumped on the bike and tried to start it. I turned over but wouldn't start. Wth... so I tried to start by pushing it. But it was way to heavy.
I was totally frustrated and annoyed, especially because my wife found it quite amusing. After checking fuses and what not, I noticed the kill switch.
I never use it but somehow I engaged it while running inside.