Triumphrat

dryheat · 05-14-2008

I cannot believe what a dumbass I am. I rode to my Mom's house to help with some stuff around her place. I stop in the driveway and pull into the garage. I shut off the bike (thumb, key, valve

) and start chatting. Not realizing my heel didn't quite catch the kickstand, I let bike go to the left. What a terrible idea that was. It dawned on me I screwed something up when the bike didn't stop. Crap! Now I've got my Scrambler on my leg, I'm half lying on a pile of boxes and as politely as I can, tell my Mom, "shut the garage door! shut the garage door!" God forbid someone witness this fiasco. I got the bike off my foot, I'm a bit shaken, a lot embarrassed and I'm a bit confused as to how I passed the MSF course.

The scrambler looks bad on it's side.

Now, to heave this beast up. On the first heave I notice this is much heavier than my DRZ. On second heave, I think one of my huevos rolled on to the floor. On the third, what's that' !viva dos huevos! Fourth one, She's alive! Back on two wheels!

What's that on the floor? ****, it's the knob from my gear change lever. I naively pick it up and try to stick it back, It keeps falling off. That's gonna make it really hard to shift. I grad where the shifting knob was and make sure it still goes into gear, check. Nothing bent, check. Then my mom asks "Oh, is this part of your bike?" ****. Sure enough. The end of the clutch lever.

My local Triumph dealer had the gear change part in stock. A trip across town and $25.00 later I'm back in business.

Now, here's my question. Anyone have a clutch lever for sale? Seriously.

Pythas · 05-14-2008

If you ever hit that problem again and find that there is no part in stock... a vice, a drill, and a 1/4" x 2" bolt with 2 nuts, some medical rubber hose to save your toe... works wonders.

propforward · 05-14-2008

I did that. Not on my triumph, but it was just as painful. And worse - lot's of people around to come and "help".

Nowadays everytime I put that sidestand down I push it firmly forward with my foot - but it's easy to get caught out.

I feel for ya.

oldmanjob · 05-14-2008

You are now a member of the "Oh crap

I just dropped my bike club" many of us have been there and done that

whoa · 05-14-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by dryheat

My local Triumph dealer had the gear change part in stock.

The only part of your story that got my attention. I had to read the sentence three times to make sure I had it right.

May all your unscheduled dismounts be from a stop.

innominate · 05-14-2008

i was in a hurry to meet friends in the french quarter one day. as i was backin up to the curb my phone started vibrating in my pocket, i knew it was my friends callin. as i started leaning the bonnie to the left to rest on the stand somethin in the back of my head is tellin me somethin is wrong. i hadn't put the stand down yet. luckily i hadn't gone past the point of no return. i was able to stand her back up and put the stand down. and saved myself the embarrassment of having every drunk on bourbon street witness it.

sweatmachine · 05-14-2008

I dumped mine in my garage one time.

I had it on the bike jack for something, took the jack out, sat on the bike, then climbed off it and started to set it down on the sidestand, which was tucked up firmly against the exhaust pipe. I start letting it down, then once I realized the stand wasn't down it was like a slow-motion "Noooooooooooo". I couldn't keep it from going down, as I was past the point of no return already, but I was able to slow its fall. No damage was done, and I picked it up really fast kinda like when you drop a cookie on the floor "3 second rule".

nick_t · 05-14-2008

yeah, if that's the worst that happens to you, you're in great shape!! i've done it twice so far, and feel like an arse each time. just wipe off your hands, and keep going.

two things I'll mention:

1. picking up your bike is not difficult. use this method:

http://www.youtube.com/v/pPjYweKeiLk&hl=en

2. if your shifter peg breaks, there's multiple ways to rig it up to get you where you're going. when it happened to me (and i was moving at the time -- MUCH worse than a stopped drop), i got a ride to the closest hardware store. picked up an "L" bracket, some zip ties and some duct tape. stuck that bracket to the shifter lever and wrapped it in ties and tape -- made it home no problem!!

all the best,
nick

DrewDesign007 · 05-14-2008

The Triumph engine guards have saved me more than once. Backing out of a downward sloped driveway has proven difficult.

I've pinged my guards more than once...

Gotta love that feeling of...oh no...oh sh*t! Here we goooooo....CLUNK!

CAPTDON · 05-14-2008

Put my Bonne in the garage & the stand down. Backed it up to realign it & didnt realize the stand dragged a little going fwd- just enuff past the center point! Bike fell against me & the wall. Friend had to pull it off me as I was pinned against the wall. Bent mirror & lamp visor- both straitenable! Could have been worse! It can & will happen to the best of us!