Fiddling with the chain in first gear.. Lesson learned

[notbike]

Just a warning to not do this under any fucking circumstance if this is how plan to clean your chain or something. I've done it few times now and have always managed to stay well clear of the rear sprocket and never really figured it could do any harm cause "I know better and wont get me hand caught or nothing", but I won't be doing it ever again this way.

Not because I hurt myself doing it like this but my brother nearly amputated his thumb right in front of me today doing exactly this. A fun day where I get to see my brother (who I dont get to see a lot) turned into a wild goose chase for doctors around busy A&E wards trying to get seen to. The bone in his thumb was crushed and the nail was pretty much off (sorry no pics) - I'm so glad it wasn't cut right off there & then.

Jesus Christ I still cant get my head round this. Can't imagine how shit that must feel for him, but I feel so guilty man. Stupid mistake, so avoidable, and I feel like it's my fault for encouraging it "coz its well fast way of sortin' out yer chain init!" yeah because fuck patience and common sense, what good do those ever do.

On another note, what is it with the fucking hospitals nowadays, you don't get seen for 3 hours just for an X-Ray, then get referred to another hospital located on the other side of the moon and still don't get to see a doctor for a further 6 hours no matter how much you badger them that your thumb is about to fall off and is bleeding everywhere. A&E my ass, bloody "emergency" my ass, 9 hours of waiting? Seriously? Seriously. Ended up not even seeing anyone and being told to come back Monday to get his thumb fixed.

What a shit day man. Sorry if this is blatantly obvious to you guys but yes it didn't occur to the both of us that this was a terribly stupid idea to begin with.

I don't even know who or what I'm annoyed at. Didn't even want to ride after that, properly put me off.

The more you learn I guess.

[metalangel]

If you care to search Google (I don't) there's pics of some guy's fingers who tried to save time by putting his bike on the centre stand, in first gear, and cleaning then lubing it that way. Sheared the tips off all his fingers on one hand. He has nice pictures from standing at the end of his drive waiting for the ambulance.


____________________
Previous: 2002 Honda CB500 (sold), 2007 Suzuki SV650SK6 (crashed), 2005 Yamaha FZ6 Fazer (sold). Currently bikeless
"A faired bike will get you 10x more clunge than a unfaired one." -Marlboro Matt

[notbike]

Honestly don't know how it didnt cross my mind that it could happen but yeah a google search beforehand would've stopped me ever doing it that way or suggesting to do it that way. The danger actually didnt occur to me at all to even warrant Googling whether it was safe and all that. Lack of common sense didnt make up for it either, learn the hard way but should have been my hand not his lol.

[metalangel]

Well, the pics are gone from ImageShack anyway, but here's the thread:

https://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=242261
____________________
Previous: 2002 Honda CB500 (sold), 2007 Suzuki SV650SK6 (crashed), 2005 Yamaha FZ6 Fazer (sold). Currently bikeless
"A faired bike will get you 10x more clunge than a unfaired one." -Marlboro Matt

[krarkol]

Never done it, but I've never really felt like I needed to save time.

I usually do it with the engine off and slowly turn the back tyre with my hand

About the hospital thing...I just bleed everywhere and make a mess, tends to do the trick
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Bandit 600 - deaded

[davebike]

It is common practice in the trade BUT
You use proper tools long handled brushes and long pliers to hold a cloth
Not your Hands !!

I think a Mechanic at a London Dealer lost a finger a year or two back

Keep you hand away from moving parts !!
____________________
Dave
NC750Xdct + others at work !
davebike1@gmail.com

[krarkol]

[Tungtvann]

My brother in law lost the tip of his finger this way. I'm well aware of the danger! I've sprayed the chain before like that, but tend to just rotate the wheel by hand normally.

[dodgydog]

"Never put your finger where you wouldn't put your cock"


First advice I got when starting in a factory.
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I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I am not sure you realise that what you heard is not exactly what I meant

[Llama-Farmer]

There's no way like the hard way to learn something.


Fortunately I've never injured myself when working on cars or bikes (aside from skinned knuckles or slightly cut fingers) but I have fucked up a few things by trying to take short cuts.


Now I'm spending my career in an industry where every procedure or SOP is there for a reason, and things can go fatally wrong if things aren't done to the letter. A lot of the time you'll be thinking "what a waste of time" or "what's the point in this" but for every seemingly pointless thing, there has probably been an accident and/or numerous 'near misses' as a result of not doing it. Miss out one small step or make one wrong move and it could be the last thing you do.



Hopefully you're brother will make a good recovery and you'll both take something away from this and learn from it. Accidents happen, they always will. The important thing is to learn from them and stop them happening again, to ourselves and others.
____________________
Current Bike: 1999 Honda CB600 FX Hornet
Next Bike: I want a CBR-RR. And I want an F800 GS-A. And a VFR 800. Can I have all 3?
Dream Bikes: Honda VFR750R RC30, Honda NSR500, Ducati 996 R

[lukamon]

its not safe even with the engine off...... for my dad

was down with one leg stretched out under the bike, on one knee, cleaning the chain, his knee twinged and he kinda half "fell over".

this meant his hand on the rear tyre pushed it down and crushed his thumb and first finger in the sprocket nice trip to a+e for him.
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killa wrote: Im an ass man myself

[notbike]

The only injuries I've ever got from working on the bike include things like smacking my hand on hard parts of the bike from trying to yank stuck bolts with tools that were too short.. or classic ones like not realizing the exhaust/engine block is still hot XD (I still make this mistake out of impatience regularly)

I think I'll do the maintenance work on his bike while he's gone it's the least I could do. He's left the bike with me cause he couldn't ride it back, no sleep/food and pain pills for an injured right hand isn't a good combination for a 40 odd mile commute home on top of the fact that he's only been riding like a week or so if that.

Did I mention that before the injury occurred we changed the centre stand (old one was rekt) and as he went to give the newly fitted one a test, he somehow managed to slowly drop the bike on it's side thus bending the brake lever and scratching the side fairing.

In hindsight yesterday was like something out of a slapstick comedy/horror mix.

Edit:

[Polarbear]

It's obvious bikers are too stupid to be entrusted with maintenance . I think the government should make a law to ensure we are protected from ourselves.

A totally enclosed chain with seals on the bolts so it can only be opened by a dealer.

That will stop any more silly accidents and the wasting of NHS resources.

In reality, Jesus fuckin wept - chain, sproket, driven by an engine and it takes your brother getting his fingers mangled before you can see the potential risks
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Doovy]

[Llama-Farmer]

[Doovy]

Sorry to disappoint
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Yamaha RXS 100 > Honda CD 250 > Honda Hornet 600 > Honda CBR 600RR > Yamaha RXS 100 > Kawasaki ZX6R J2 > Yamaha FZ1

[Shinigami]

[RhynoCZ]

It amazes me how many stupid people are there in the world.

Time to buy a shaft drive motorcycle.

This is you and others that ever tried to clean the chain while the wheel was moving: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AI0OnpCKXzU
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'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

The stupidest thing is it doesn't even save that much time. We're talking seconds, a minute or two at most. Also, you can probably do a more thorough job without starting the engine and putting it in first - because you can grab the chain, and not have to worry about whether you're going to lose a digit or five.

Just get a few pieces of kitchen roll damp with paraffin/diesel/gt85 or whatever, and grab the chain with it. Turn the wheel with t'other. Repeat a few times and you're well on your way to having a pretty clean chain.
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[Aff]

[notbike]

Can't disagree with any of you to be honest, it comes down to a mix of stupidity/inexperience/impatience/lack of foresight on both our parts (yes two brains didn't realize this was going to happen) and I'm not beating myself up about it haha I just accept that it was very dumb that's why I made the post to deter any other noobs from doing the same if they were thinking of doing it. Still sucks though right, what's done is done and all that

On the plus side he had his thumb fixed today and everything's going to get better in a few weeks, meaning he can pick the bike up and not steal MY lamp post. Yes, the one I chain my bike to, that's MY lamp post.

Edit: Holy shit RhynoCZ that video made me cringe :S

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

[RhynoCZ]

[covent.gardens]

The chain should be treated like a chainsaw basically. When it's moving don't mess about.

That even includes when you're turning it by spinning the wheel under your own power. I learnt the hard way not to spin the wheel fast, as it certainly has a tendency to eat the rag you're holding and have a little nibble of the first finger it comes across too.

Ps. The blender video above is fake.

[recman]

Don't see the problem, I always use the center stand/third* gear method.
Nothing bad will ever happen.


* 'cos its quicker.