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WHile loading the bikes on the trailer Friday morning (just before the TORRENTIAL rains hit)....i got complacent...and was rechecking straps on the front to make sure they weren't pinching any brake lines (my daughter had put on the front straps while i was sitting on the bike...so, since she had never done that ...i wanted to recheck them). I had put the back straps on the bikes...but hadn't put my usual second set of straps on the front yet. I figured the back straps would hold the bikes no problem ....just for this quick check of the main front straps.
I released the front straps....one at a time...on Sherry's bike first. no problem....and they were put on fine. then i went to release one of the front straps on my bike....and slowly....but kind of suddenly....the bike starts falling over towards Sherry's bike! It was slow enough that i had time to grab hold of the front strap i had just released....and start to grab onto the handle bar too. But...it had gone over far enought that it 'lightly bumped' onto Sherry's bike. I looked down at the rear of mine...and realized to my HORROR...in my 'old age moment'...i had FORGOT to put on the rear strap on the side of the bike i had just release the front strap from! BOth straps were on the other side...thus 'pulling' the bike that way (and of course, as you guessed, TOWARDS Sherry's bike!). it was tough trying to pull the bike back...against those two straps....and off of Sherry's bike. Even harder to get that front strap re-attached...and hold the bike up in the chock...but i did it (it pays to lift all those heavy weights four days a week!).
I thought it did NOTHING to either bike. But when we got to Helen...and got to polishing the bikes (it POURED rain most of the way there...i mean POURED!!!)...i notice her turn signal seemed lose and pointing down ever so slightly. I straightened it up and retightened it...and thought that was 'it'. But...then i noticed some small....ever so small ....fine scratches on the turn signal.
Tomorrow i'll call the local Honda dealer and see how much a replacement turn signal cover for the very front of the signal is. Hope it aint too much....but it's the least i can do for her :roll: She didn't give me too much grieve for my "Rookie" mistake
It really don't look bad...but i got to make it right. My bike...which bumped into hers ONLY on her turn signal...and on my end of the handle bar grip...still seems to have absolutely NO damage....thank goodness. One 'replacement boo-boo' is enough for now!
I also have an interesting story to share ...about an a$$ who followed me in a BMW convertible....right on my a$$...like just FEET OFF MY REAR FENDER...while i was flying thru the curves on 348 in Northeast GA. I tried to lose him....with sparks a flyin' off my pegs, but while i did gain ground in the straight aways, in the curves, he'd catch back up to me...and with me leaned over for EVERY INCH the bike had....draggin pegs...he'd get as CLOSE AS HE POSSIBLY could without hitting me. I mean he was ON ME.
Some 15 miles later...at the end of 348 where it dumped into Alternate 75 near Helen (Wayne/Runeman knows this area)...i stopped at the stop sign SHORT....and he stopped short too...RIGHT NEXT TO ME...and we had a staring contest for what seemed like forever. I have to be honest, i aint no small guy...and i'm in pretty good shape (see lifting wieghts comment above...and i lift HEAVY weight...four days a week). But this guy also looked pretty big...and already demonstrated he was as crazy...or more so...than me. So both of us just stared at each other. Finally, he drove off, and my attention went to going back and looking for Sherry (she can hold her own, but she was following me at first when the guy first caught us...and he had got on her fender, she slowed down...he passed her...and wound up on my a$$). I knew from past experience that she would no doubt just continue on down the curvy road at her 'own speed', while we "testosterone induced men" continued to race down the road :evil:
Still...when she didn't show up at the end of the road in a few minutes...i started back for her. FInally i found her....just taking her time. OF course, Mr. BMW and i had been going at 'brake neck' speed.
Other than that ride...and my trailer boo-boo, the Helen trip went well :lol:
I released the front straps....one at a time...on Sherry's bike first. no problem....and they were put on fine. then i went to release one of the front straps on my bike....and slowly....but kind of suddenly....the bike starts falling over towards Sherry's bike! It was slow enough that i had time to grab hold of the front strap i had just released....and start to grab onto the handle bar too. But...it had gone over far enought that it 'lightly bumped' onto Sherry's bike. I looked down at the rear of mine...and realized to my HORROR...in my 'old age moment'...i had FORGOT to put on the rear strap on the side of the bike i had just release the front strap from! BOth straps were on the other side...thus 'pulling' the bike that way (and of course, as you guessed, TOWARDS Sherry's bike!). it was tough trying to pull the bike back...against those two straps....and off of Sherry's bike. Even harder to get that front strap re-attached...and hold the bike up in the chock...but i did it (it pays to lift all those heavy weights four days a week!).
I thought it did NOTHING to either bike. But when we got to Helen...and got to polishing the bikes (it POURED rain most of the way there...i mean POURED!!!)...i notice her turn signal seemed lose and pointing down ever so slightly. I straightened it up and retightened it...and thought that was 'it'. But...then i noticed some small....ever so small ....fine scratches on the turn signal.
Tomorrow i'll call the local Honda dealer and see how much a replacement turn signal cover for the very front of the signal is. Hope it aint too much....but it's the least i can do for her :roll: She didn't give me too much grieve for my "Rookie" mistake
It really don't look bad...but i got to make it right. My bike...which bumped into hers ONLY on her turn signal...and on my end of the handle bar grip...still seems to have absolutely NO damage....thank goodness. One 'replacement boo-boo' is enough for now!
I also have an interesting story to share ...about an a$$ who followed me in a BMW convertible....right on my a$$...like just FEET OFF MY REAR FENDER...while i was flying thru the curves on 348 in Northeast GA. I tried to lose him....with sparks a flyin' off my pegs, but while i did gain ground in the straight aways, in the curves, he'd catch back up to me...and with me leaned over for EVERY INCH the bike had....draggin pegs...he'd get as CLOSE AS HE POSSIBLY could without hitting me. I mean he was ON ME.
Some 15 miles later...at the end of 348 where it dumped into Alternate 75 near Helen (Wayne/Runeman knows this area)...i stopped at the stop sign SHORT....and he stopped short too...RIGHT NEXT TO ME...and we had a staring contest for what seemed like forever. I have to be honest, i aint no small guy...and i'm in pretty good shape (see lifting wieghts comment above...and i lift HEAVY weight...four days a week). But this guy also looked pretty big...and already demonstrated he was as crazy...or more so...than me. So both of us just stared at each other. Finally, he drove off, and my attention went to going back and looking for Sherry (she can hold her own, but she was following me at first when the guy first caught us...and he had got on her fender, she slowed down...he passed her...and wound up on my a$$). I knew from past experience that she would no doubt just continue on down the curvy road at her 'own speed', while we "testosterone induced men" continued to race down the road :evil:
Still...when she didn't show up at the end of the road in a few minutes...i started back for her. FInally i found her....just taking her time. OF course, Mr. BMW and i had been going at 'brake neck' speed.
Other than that ride...and my trailer boo-boo, the Helen trip went well :lol:
