Triumphrat

kwajazz · 03-13-2006

This might reveal some pretty funny stuff if everybody 'fesses up.

Here's my best two: I used to ride my fathers' 1974 Honda Trail 90 to work when I was in high school. I'd put the passenger pegs down and sit on the metal rack behind the seat bent over like I'm Mike Hailwood in a pudding bowl helmet with the throttle pegged. That thing would go 0 - 40, most days.

Number two: I was in L.A. on my Kaw Concours in the early 90s and was in the audience of the Tonight Show (prior to Carson's retirement). My trumpet teacher had called his good buddy, Severinsen, and got me a seat right in front of the band. Wow. What a show. Jay Leno was a guest that night. After the show, I'm in the back lot warming up my Concours and putting on my helmet and gloves when I notice out of the corner of my eye, a dark red Corniche Rolls with someone watching me warm up the Connie. Guess who. Leno. I jump on the bike, stand up on the pegs and rock it off the centerstand. Lean way over and gun it toward him to go over and say hello. Of course in my excitement to meet Leno, I forgot to remove the padlock I put on the front brake carrier. She went over on me like a redwood. Leno laughed his butt off at me. I picked it up and went over to him he threw his arm around my neck and proceeded to razz me pretty good. His wife, between sobs of laughter, came to my rescue, "Jay! you let him alone!".

FattRat · 03-13-2006

Honda CL360:
Why would I bother to recite a story of how I thought that because it had 'scrambler' pipes, I could ride off road. NOT!

Honda 400F:
Painted it metal-flake Black, put a British tail lamp assembly on it, carved out TOO MUCH of the seat padding in an attempt to make the seat lower for my 24" inseam. Was getting pretty ***** cocky on this bike...... would kick it into neutral, roll to a stop, heel the side-stand down while the bike and I leaned to the left, and simultaneously step off the bike while it rocked onto the side-stand as I walked away. Sometimes...... the stand didn't snap into place, so the bike would fall to the ground while I was trying to maintain my coolness. NOT!
Wound that little 400cc four cylinder up toward red-line while at a stop, drop the clutch, and perform the most bad-ass wheelie ever seen..... not! Only had to scare myself twice to learn not to try THAT anymore!

Yamaha 750 triple full dresser:
Get going down the freeway at night, and press the center-stand to the ground with my heel..... covering EVERYTHING behind me in a serious shower of sparks! It was cool, until my center-stand was weakened to the point of breaking under the weight of the bike on it one day.

Ducati GT900:
Plenty miles and a couple months to learn the correct combination of choke/throttle position/ TDC compression stroke..... before I could start the bike with no drama. The kick starter allowed my shin to *BANG* the foot peg HARD every time it didn't catch and start. I think I still have a 1/2" bulge of scar tissue there 30 years later.....

Yamaha XV920:
Checking the new rider following me in the mirror (Salmon Falls Rd. behind Folsom, CA), only to look up at the last moment (too late) to see an MGB GT parked in the middle of my lane up ahead. High-sided, rear-ended, and tumbled. Jeez, we got a lot of muscles in our body to get sore after a good tumble!

Y2K XL1200'S':
Approaching a subtle rise in the road at 100 mph, only to discover that the other side was a drop to eternity. I was airborne for at least the next five minutes. Went to Johnson's Leathers in San Francisco and had body armour put into my leather jacket and bought some leather over-pants.

2002 BMW R1150RA:
Not even 300 miles on a brand new Black Beemer. Found myself riding on snow lined roads, eventually melted snow on the roads, to become snow and ice on the roads...... Saw a mound of snow & ice center-road up ahead. Can you say "target fixation"? How about $3,000.oo damage.... or, "Lucky I put that body armour in my jacket and bought these leather overpants a month ago...."

TBSstunta · 03-14-2006

Sorry guys, nothing nada...I'm a flawless and impeccable motorcyclist in every way. :-D

Ok...well years ago I used to have a set of big-ass bull horns on a little cruiser.

[ This message was edited by: TBSstunta on 2006-03-20 08:08 ]

kwajazz · 03-14-2006

The bullhorns are great!!

I was riding through Colorado once and bought a small set of deer antlers and wired them on the front of my Concours. Got some great gawkers on the ride back to Dallas.

SpecialEd · 03-14-2006

Driving my first bike 1966 Honda 50 step through to first day of school (freshman year - no drivers license) took corner real fast (relatively speaking) and slid/crashed into curb in front of school and many laughing upperclassmen. It's ok most are probably driving 4 door whatever cars now.

m_t_yeo · 03-15-2006

Riding my CR125 with the 36" inch seat height down a trail one day and discover a log in the middle of the trail. No prob. I've done this many times before, so I start to hop over it. As I skip over it, I realize that there is a branch from the neighbouring tree right at head height. It doesn't take me off the bike, but it bashes my helmet around so that it is facing the wrong way and I can't see a thing. Momentum takes me over the log and down a really steep embankment that was only a few meters past the log. I know I'm going down, but can't take my hands off the bars to twist the helmet around. My glasses are crushed all to heck, so I likely wouldn't be able to see, anyway. Branches are whipping me and eventually the bar end hooks on a tree and dumps me.

After a dozen tries, I figured I couldn't get back up the embankment and so I rode along the bottom of the ravine for miles upon miles until I got to a point I could climb. It took me two hours to get back to the family truck.

Spyder94 · 03-19-2006

Matt Great story, made me laugh hard.
I have a dork story that does not involve motorcycles, but the beast called Equine. I was 16 years when my Dad told me to go and bring back about 1/2 dozen mares back to the barn/corral. Being the good lad I was (he he he-chip off the old mans motorcycle block) I saddled up his stallion and proceeded to the west 15 acres. The Big Equine was freaked by a rattle snake (California has many, some with 2 legs). The big boy bolted down a ravine into the creek bed. The big guy was panicked and out of control. I hung on knowing he would ride himself out. You do not want to bale off a 1200 pound horse at full gallop. He took me for a wild ride. Lots of valley oak in the creek bed. When his head ducked I did the same until, you guessed it, I took a oak branch in the fore head. Pealed me right out of the saddle, landed flat on my back in the water and mud. My straw hat kept me from bleeding to much. The1200 pound dufus stopped and came back to see me. Stood there looking down at my wet muddy self with a smile on his mug. Today this is funny, but in 1964 it was not. Yes I did get the mares back like Dad said, and he never asked me why I was wet and muddy. He just rode off on his Harly with a silly grin on his face. I did walk funny for a few days.
Steve. :chug:

Spyder94 · 03-19-2006

Yo Jazzman, I have and engineering idea for a diesel powered motorcycle side car recovery rig. It has twin mounted everything. Square four, twin cams, twin axles, twin PTO's, twin crankshafts, twin Vickers, I have not found a name for it yet, but T 1500cc is a good start.
May the Schwartz be with you.
Steve :-g

Tarmac · 03-19-2006

Back in the early 80's I hacked up some old green shag carpet and glued it onto my helemt so I could have a Road Warrior style Mohawk.

Not nearly enough glue was used, it didn't survive the 1st highway ride.

Spyder94 · 03-21-2006

Tarmac Very Funny, green rug on your noggen knocker.

:-D