Comments on: Call Me Mr. Bonehead

By: Scooter in the Sticks

Scooter in the Sticks — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 22:03:04 +0000

So far I’ve not been challenged with a downhill drop. The worst for me was a drop in the snow where it was difficult to gain traction to lift up my Vespa.

Like you Jim, I learn and am more careful.

By: Jim Zeiser

Jim Zeiser — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 20:17:24 +0000

I dropped my W650 in a parking lot once. It fell downhill so it was practically upside down. It took three of us to right it. I scratched the engine cover on the left side but it started right up. Annoying but not fatal. I was more careful after that.

By: Scooter in the Sticks

Scooter in the Sticks — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 15:45:47 +0000

In reply to RichardMRichardM.

Man, you’re still beating that drum. *GRIN*

I’ve just never warmed to that accessory. Seems too transformative to me.

By: Scooter in the Sticks

Scooter in the Sticks — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 15:45:01 +0000

In reply to DOMINGO J CHANG.

Yeah, I suppose those mishaps are indications that we aren’t perfect in spite of what we might tell ourselves. Glad you got the TW moving without much trouble.

The W650 is in great shape though it suffered another misadventure at my hands. That will show up in a future post.

By: Scooter in the Sticks

Scooter in the Sticks — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 15:43:02 +0000

In reply to Steel.

Those unexpected mishaps are humbling. Looking around to see if someone witnessed our failures is common I think. Sorry to hear that your toes paid a price. I wince at the thought of things happening to my feet. Neuropathy has them already tender and even the slightest insult is almost unbearable.

I have good gear and wear it. And have some even better stuff on the way.

By: RichardMRichardM

RichardMRichardM — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 01:14:26 +0000

Those two-wheeled things. So unstable without the sidecar accessory…

By: DOMINGO J CHANG

DOMINGO J CHANG — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 22:32:53 +0000

We’ve all done it, Steve, whether we admit it to others or not. For instance, I was working on the TW200 this morning and had parked her too close to the closed garage door while doing so. Later, I was getting ready to take her out for a test ride and clicked the garage door open. Doh, the door hardware “caught” something on the TW and pushed her onto her right side with a loud crash.

I got her upright and everything seemed fine. Finished gearing up and found the throttle jammed, couldn’t turn it. The handguard, which had apparently taken the impact, had shifted and jammed the throttle in the process. A quick lever action with a large screwdriver and all was well.

So, shit happens. Glad the W650 is riding fine. I liked riding it .

By: Steel

Steel — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 19:23:42 +0000

I usually used the kickstand on my KLR650, but to properly clean and lubricate the drive chain I placed it on the center stand. Well, I tried to place it on the center stand. I was off the bike on its left side. Somehow I allowed the bike to lean away from me during the lifting mode and it started to fall on its right side. I tried to save it but I ended up going over with the bike. This took place on my concrete driveway.
The first thing I did after the fall was to look around to see if any neighbors saw me and the bike fall. To my relief, as best I could determine, none did.
The crash bars were scratched, and the right grip and bar were scuffed. When I went up on my toes during the fall, I wrecked several toe nails on both my feet. This all took place ten years ago, and my toenails have never fully recovered. If I had been wearing the steel-toed boots I normally wear when I am out riding, my toes would have been fine.
Lesson: ATGATT is a good idea (at least for me) even when just servicing the bike. Hah!

By: Scooter in the Sticks

Scooter in the Sticks — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 17:17:15 +0000

In reply to Fred.

I almost dropped a BMW K1600 GTL in a similar situation. Luckily I twisted the throttle instead of trying to put my foot down to hold the beast up.

I’ve only ever been down while riding once. That was back in 2005 on a snowy road with my Vespa. And pride certainly rears its head. I jumped up and was relieved no one saw me. It was slow speed, less than 5 MPH and almost stopped but my leg slipped away and down I went.

By: Scooter in the Sticks

Scooter in the Sticks — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 17:14:41 +0000

In reply to Tom.

Yeah, I have recovered. But I also know that I can’t act in the same way as I did just a few years ago. I must focus. One thing at a time.