Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Finally rode up next to another America!

On Friday I was riding north on Route 1 through Melbourne on the way to Cocoa and I rode up next to a fellow on a Mulberry Red America. I didn't get to talk to him much other than to give him the thumbs up. He did say he had about 6000 miles on it. I'm just wondering if he is a member of the site here. It was pretty cool seeing another Triumph on the road. Around here it seems like it is Harley Central or something.
On a less happy note, I rode to work this morning at o'dark-thirty and did the unthinkable. I thought I got the kickstand down but didn't (I guess I was really still asleep) and started to get off the bike. It leaned left and kept on leaning. I was lucky that the crash bar on the front, the bags on the back and my panicked lunge stopped the bike from going down hard. It was like one of those surreal dreams where everything happens super slowly. I just managed to slow it enough that nothing got broken, bent or scratched. I stood there looking at it for a second and thought back to all the others I have seen posting on doing essentially the same thing. What a stupid way to start out your morning! At least the bike is ok, and I only got a good sized bruise on my leg for slowing the fall. Doh!! Doh!!

And how many people were standing around
pointing and giggling??

And I KNOW you had to do the...
"Look to see if anybody saw me" thing!!

I'm REALLY good at that!!!

Fortunately, it was so early in the am (about 5am or so) that no one else was around. I still did the "over the shoulder who did that to me" thing! Anyone watching would have been reminded of the little kid who rides wildly up to the sidewalk in front of their house, vaults off the seat and lets the bike drop on its side instead of using the stand. I would have been very sad if I hurt her!!

I did it on my honda. 1800 kms in a day, (including a very very fast escape from the Commencheros gang in the west of Sydney, they didn't like my pretty bike. but at 200km/h they didn't see it for long) got back to the airforce base I was at at the time. Thought, great, cold beer and bed and hopped off. no side stand. I happened to park outside the cinema, in front of the ticket line. I probably knew 80% of the people there. I still get asked about it nearly 20 years later. and it was a fully faired sports. Didn that hurt!

Did your peg touch down or do the crash bars come out far enough. If it did touch check it carefully. They crack easy. Mine cracked and I did not know. Came off the next day. Scared me much more than dropping the bike. Thats two pegs for the year for me.

I backed mine into the garage a couple of months ago and did the same.

My ankle still hurts. Never swoll much, or discolored, but I'm reminded of it every morning while drying off after showering.

Luckily I was between the bike and some plastic shelving, and though I didn't catch it, I did slow the fall as it through me back into the shelves. My left ankle was caught under it enough to pinch it pretty good, and it came down as hard is it has since I've owned it. Had other close calls where I was able to grab the bar and either keep it from falling all the way, or slow it to a real easy let down. Not this time.

Pinched my shift linkage a bit, too. Felt pretty stiff, and I have looked and pulled on everything I see, and though better, it is not the same as it was, but works fine.

Other than that, turned the left mirror stalk and "adjusted" my left driving light.

My daughter was in her car on the drive, looking right at me. I kick the stand up when backing it in every time, and for some reason though I had not done so that time. I hopped off, and over she came!

If it has never happened to you.....maybe it just hasn't happened yet.....

What's with all these light, agile cruisers tipping over??

Last spring I was wearing a pair of jeans that fit well ten years ago, along with some clunky boots. Rolled into the driveway and as is my habit, went to find nuetral. Bike pitched, ever slightly to the left. Between the skin tight denim and oversized boot locked under shifter, I slowly tipped over like Arte Johnson falling off his tricycle on the old Laugh-In show. Funny thing is I saw Ruth Buzzi watching from the street .

No damage done, except to my pride.

JH

I just fell over laughing at the remembrance of Arte Johnson slowly tipping over (after Ruth Buzzi clobbered him). I used to love that show! Checked my peg today to make sure it didn't crack and it looks and feels good.