Another Lesson Learned

[tew47]

I remember my first bike a '68 Yamaha YDS3C, two cycle. Went to the store and got some outboard motor oil and after putting it in the oil tank it would only run for about twenty feet. Call my wife to get some two cycle motorcycle oil and I changed it out, still would not run far. It had gas in it also. It was then that I found out the bike had a reserve on it. this was hours later and I was working the 11 to7 shift. I sure felt dumb.

 

[cdnuser]

I always use the kill switch to stop the engine, so it's the first thing I hit after turning the key.
But we all have those moments. I took all the contents out of my pockets and put them in the frunk including the bike key, luckily I was home and I just had to run in and grab the spare.

 

[RJ_CB450]

Ooh. Nother goodun that I did when I got my first bike. Reversed which way the choke went. So starting it no choke and then put it to full choke to ride... Thought I had been fanagled by the seller. Ran good when I picked it up.

 

[FrankQC]

An Admirable Trait by mike cash, on Flickr
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Mike, I browsed your Flickr gallery, you got some really nice pictures in there. Good work.

 

[netizen]

Since no one has mentioned my most embarrassing moment yet, I'll chime in. (I know some of you have done this too!)


Back in 1984, I got my dream bike, a pearl white 1981 Yamaha 550 secca.



I rode it home and parked it in the carport. The next day I got ready to go riding, went outside got on the bike, turned the key, hit the starter switch.... nothing. CHECKED the kill switch... it was in the ON position. Tried again. Nothing.... Flipped the kill switch on and off a few times and tried again.. ... still nothing!

After about 5 minutes I went back inside and called the service department at the dealer, and explained the situation. First question he asked me was, is it in gear?, and is the kickstand down? He went on to explain that this was a NEW safety feature to keep people from taking off with their kickstand still down and then dumping their bike when it hit the pavement when they leaned the bike over to turn.

I asked him to "hold on a minute" put the phone down.... (corded phones back then) steped outside the door and sure enough... kickstand down....and IN gear. I clicked up into Neutral, hit the starter switch and Viola! She fired right up. When I came back in the house and picked up the phone, I could hear the service guy laughing, he had HEARD the bike start up.


In my defense, this was my first MODERN (at the time) motorcycle, and this was a NEW safety feature at that time....... but I still felt quite silly.

 

[Mike Cash]

Mike, I browsed your Flickr gallery, you got some really nice pictures in there. Good work.

Mainly just something to do at red lights and in traffic jams. Thanks for the kind words.