Oh, for goodness sake!

[shop_addict]

After my imaginary flat battery incident (see the battery charger thread, and have a laugh), I've managed a mere 3 cock-up free days before my latest Novice Incident.

Riding home from work today - and trying not to get blown over by the wind - I was going along the Harrow road, under the Marylebone Flyover. As I was approaching it, I started thinking "My engine is sounding a bit rough....it must be the echo in the tunnel".

So I carried on....then it sounded worse (shocking for a 3 week old bike).....then it cut out as I stopped...then it wouldn't restart!

So I pulled over (still in the underpass), hoping a moment of inspiration would spark my non-mechanical brain. Overheating? No. Flooded by leaving the choke open? No. Run out of petrol.............?



Yes, one flick of the switch to 'reserve' and I was off again, hoping that this was merely another 'well-at-least-you'll-never-do-that-again!' cock-up!

Jo -> Much safer walking

[Bendy]

Have you ridden underneath a tube bridge when a train passes over yet?

HOLY SHIT WHAT'S THAT NOISE MY BIKE MUST BE ABOUT TO BLOW U... oh it's a train.

[shop_addict]

Not yet. But rest assured that when I do, I'll manage to turn it into some sort of 'oh-my-god-what-has-gone-wrong-i-must-call-the-breakdown-company-oh-bollox-and-damn-it-i-just-seem-to-have-forgotten-to-turn-the-ignition-on' fiasco"!

[Key67]

He! He! He! - Just having a chuckle to myself. It was about the third week of fully licensed riding when I did exactly the same!

T'was a fine spring morning in 2004 and I decided to use the bike for work for the first time. Got to within ¼ mile of work and what!!?? No power! Engine started to surge then cut out. I pulled over to the side (engine cut completely as I approached a main roundabout) and was still cursing the bloke who sold me the bike and wondering whether my AA membership covered bikes when the penny dropped. Needless to say, lesson learned!

The only other time I ran to reserve was to measure the tank range - once you know how far you can get, it's just a matter of resetting the mileage trip to zero every re-fill of the tank. Just remember to re-fill before you get to max range!

Key
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'98 Hornet 600 - Tahitian Blue - 'tis very nice!!!

Please visit my lads music site - Thanks! www.afhmusic.co.uk

[Craggles]

Yep done that! About an hour after I bought the GPZ! Sat on the side of the bypass thinking "Oh god whats up with it"...

Am now trying to get to reserve again so I know the range!

Craig
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If this signature is blue, you're riding too fast

[meyrick]

Last Sunday, the day I crashed the bike, I left the bike running while I put on my suit and gloves as usual to let it warm up. I know it doesn't like to idle, but while I was tying up my shoe laces it cut out. Thought it would start first time as it was warm, but no Tried the choke and my little choke shuffle that works every time, but still nothing. It was only when I walked away from the bike in disgust that I saw the fuel tap was set to "off"

Hmmm...lucky it cut out then and not half way down the road. Still managed to bin the bike anyway though

Paul

[Major_Grooves]

I have tried to ride a long town journey with the choke open. Couldn't work out why it was cutting out all the time!

Hit the kill switch by accident at a junction at thought the bike had died!

Going along a dual carriageway, I thought my bike was exploding and got really worried... till I looked around and saw an old landrover behind me back-firing all the way!
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About me|@Major_Grooves|My company|Digg|Flickr

[shellshock]

I have constantly tried to go many places in neutral and am particularly fond of beeping people for no appararent reason.

[Major_Grooves]

[camcam]

you aint alone i made both of mistakes when first got a bike with gears. i just look back and laugh.

[JodieWodie]

I ran out of petrol in the very early days, in one of the very best places...
the middle of a busy roundabout.

I pulled away, started going round,..bike slowed...
I gave more throttle...then bike died.

Oh God..bike is broken ! What is wrong ??
I went into COMPLETE panic mode.

Car after car stopped at exits....they didn't know what I was doing..so didn't pull away. Lots of eyeballs..looking at me hyperventilating.

Then I sat there for a minute staring at the instrument panel..and when calmness returned..I realised my petrol was running low for days..so I must have run out.
Flicked the switch to R..hey presto !!

I prayed that nobody watching me fumbling with the switch was also a bike rider...they will have known how stupid I was

I have never done it again...but I still do other dumb things.
As shell said, I still beep at people when all I want to do is cancel an indicator !!
You can see them looking in their mirror at me, etc...and I am quietly saying 'sorry' to myself.
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Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow"

[shellshock]

[paulodd]

Yup i've done that to (run out of petrol) on my very first day of riding. The tap was already on reserve and i forgot to stop at the petrol garage. NEVER again. It just began to jerk and then just stopped in the middle of a really busy road. I looked down to the tap to turn it to reserve, it was then that i remembered it was already on reserve

Pulled it up on the verge and called for backup (mommy ) A couple of bikers stopped to ask if i was ok. That made me feel better.

[Key67]

[shop_addict]

Ran out of petrol again. In EXACTLY the same place

Have now decided that at this time of year (i.e. when I'm using a lot of choke at the start of each ride), and while I still don't like filtering between rows of traffic (so have to hang around a bit longer) I will refill as soon as I do 90km.

The only good thing is that it costs a mere £3.50 to fill up from reserve to full!

[kasandrich]

Yep I ran out on mine .....first day!
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Richard

CBR1000FM

[stryker]

During my DAS the instructor decided we should go through the test show me/tell me for practice.

He asked me to demonstrate the horn works. I look at him like hes daft as its SSSSSsoooo simple.

I turned on the ignition, press the starter button.... jump out my skin.... LOL

Pre test nerves.
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Now what?

[Dom]

First day fuckup here too!

I really didn't have a clue at the time and just got the bike to the side of the road. Within about 30 seconds a lady walking her dog stopped and said 'Oh, my son knows bikes I'll give him a call'. A couple of minutes later who comes down the road but the guy who worked at J&S that I'd spent ages talking to just a couple of days before. 'Told you they're shit' was the first thing he said. Apparently he'd blown his up at full tilt on the motorway. Several times. Another 30 seconds later the bike's running and I'm feeling very embarrased.

They were both so nice and helpful but I would given anything to be left to my own stupidity for a few minutes so I could figure it out.

[Going2fast]

[ian_s]

I have pulled away with the fuel tap turned off before - got about 2 minutes down the road until it cuts out at a busy roundabout. Pushed it to the side hopped it up the curb notice my mistake and promptly flood it.

Take helmet off as I am hot and bothered now, sit on the pavement and have a smoke with all these drivers giving me dodgy looks. Starts first kick.

I have also had some knob flip my kill switch when I left my bike in a bike shops car park, I noticed straight away but was glad that learner bikers can provide so much amusement.

[GreyHam]

do all bikes have reserve switches?

[0ni]

No

Some have fuel on/off, some have fuel/reserve/off and others dont have anything at all.

[Method]

hahaha

ive done that many a time before

infact, only today i was riding round a major roundabout with a pillion on the back... bike started pulsing... panic... managed to get off the roundabout onto my exit, started riding down hill...cars passing me...by this time i had my head down the left side of the bike, hand right back almost touching this poor pillion up...god knows what he was thinking, trying to find the darn fuel switch, finaly find it and flick it to reserve...then suddenly fired back into action and scared me to death gota love those first few days on a new bike
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CBT Aug '03 ... Gilera GSM 50 ... Honda NSR 125 Aug '04 ...
Full Test Dec 04... Suzuki GS500 Jan 05... Suzuki SV650 Mar 07... Gixxer 6 K5 May 08... Oh and my 'Rado
My Bikepics.com - No Brakes, No Gears... No Fear.