Still ANOTHER way to dump a scoot...

[oldchopperguy]

OK, Rebs and Rebettes:

Here's still one more side-stand nightmare... I don't like these Chinese side-stands at all, and, never leave the scoot unattended on one. HOWEVER, my scoot doesn't like to go on the center stand with a load of "whatever" on the floor. (Requires TOO much lift on the weak-suck luggage rack, which alread broke once...)

So, when returning from Wally World with a hundred pounds of kitty litter and cat food, I aim the scoot uphil on the crown of my street, with the side stand well over to the down side of the crown, planted firmly in a hole in the concrete. I unload the floor, then put it on the center-stand.

Well... during the few seconds after unloading the floor, a little neighbor rugrat did a "Superman" dive onto the seat, screaming "me ride! ME RIDE".

He hit "Lil' Bubba" so hard from the LEFT, that the bike just CRASHED over to the right... Ever see a side-stand drop go over to the RIGHT? (Except when on a level place).

I'd have bet anyone that I'd be the last one to have a scoot fall over, BUT... it broke the front brake lever off, tore up the right mirror, the trunk, the plastic fairing below the floor, and the muffler. Thankfully, the crappy muffler mounts held, or the blow to the muff might have twisted the headpipe enough to crack the head.

No matter HOW careful you are, there are "scooter gremlins" out there just waiting to bang up your pristine (well, Bubba USED to be pristine) ride...

Don't trust those side-stands, even when REALLY well-planted!

Enjoy the ride...

Leo in Texas

PS: My neighbors tell me I'm lucky the kid's parents don't sue me for leaving the scoot legally parked, where it could "tempt" the little cretins. (And no, he didn't get hurt. He just stood laughing, shouting "cycle FALL!... BOOM!... COOL!").

[Rebel]

I do believe I would be a bit irritated.

[oldchopperguy]

Rebel,

You're still up too... Just caught your reply while closing down. Long day, me for bed.

Yeah, it's IRRITATING all right. But little kids don't think. We used to climb all over the local guys' Harleys when I was a rugrat, and you couldn't knock one over if you tried. (Of course, the owners would put their boot up your butt if they caught you, launching you over a couple of bikes without fear of being sued...) Sometimes, I miss the full-size bike world. That is, until I pay my cheap scooter insurance, license, or gas up...

A little Bondo, a little paint and touch-up, a couple of strategic decals, and Bubba will be ready for inspection once again. Already got a new brake handle off eBay...

Gotta love it!

Leo

[astroprof]

Leo - sorry to hear about the scoot. 100 pounds of kitty litter and cat food on a scoot? Good Grief!

[d3adeyes]

that kids parents would be paying for the factory replacement parts and the labor if it was mine and if not there would be other ways of repayment through destruction

[harrywr2]

I was confused as to why all the motorcycle riders are quite content to leave their bikes on the side stand and the one time I left my scooter on the side stand it fell over.

Then I realized motorcyle's are left parked in gear...so they won't roll.

Without a parking brake a sidestand on a scooter it pretty much useless.

[oldchopperguy]

harrywr2,

That's true, but also, the big bike side stands LOCK into position as the cycle is leaned over. Even if it could roll, it would just slide on the jiffy-stand. The stand CAN'T collapse unless the cycle is lifted nearly vertical.

Good old-fashioned engineering from the first part of the last century... Wish China would take a lesson!

These scoots would be fine on their side-stands IF they stuck out a foot farther, locked in position and the scoot leaned over 10 more degrees left.

Oh well, nothing's perfect...

Enjoy the ride!

Leo

[oldchopperguy]

astroprof,

I got a BIG cat... (LOL). Heck, that's only two bags of food, and two bags of litter... Really, I like to stock up when food is on sale, AND, my cats tend to poop more than they eat... I'm always toting loads on the floor of the scooter. Seems like it's just made for that...

It's less load than a passenger, and SO handy! I've been impressed that while the scoot isn't exactly "fast", an extra hundred pounds doesn't seem to affect what little performance it has enough to notice! Torquie little rides these are!

Enjoy!

Leo

[oldchopperguy]

d3adeyes,

Ah, I agree to a point, BUT... I have to live with the neighbors. The Mommy and Daddy wear appropriate color doo-rags, carry full-auto weapons and don't think too highly of anyone who doesn't.

I've made it to 62 by knowing "when to hold 'em, and when to fold 'em". An $8 brake handle and $15 worth of touch-up stuff beats having to grow eyes in the back of my head and wear Kevlar undies... Ya gotta pick battles you can win.

Ruff world around here...

Leo

[Rebel]

And I thought you have the kitty litter so you could just keep on riding and not need to make a stop.

[oldchopperguy]

Rebel,

Hmmm... not a bad idea! However, some does get used to sop up the oil leakage in the drive. The scooter doesn't leak, but my old Merc wagon does!

Like duct tape, kittly litter is good for SO many things!

Keepin' it dry,

Leo

[xs650]

Sept 13, 2009 18:29:37 GMT -5 Rebel said:

And I thought you have the kitty litter so you could just keep on riding and not need to make a stop.

Just what you need for the Cannonball Rally.

[Rebel]

naa, a good long hose would work just fine, now wanna ride behind?

[oldchopperguy]

OK guys...

Years ago, having found myself riding my old Harley behind a semi, while the driver was using a "trucker's buddy" (often a milking-machine nipple with a long hose attached...) I can assure you that you don't want to ride behind...

And at first, I thought the guy was washing his windshield, and I was getting the overspray... EEEWWWW! Sometimes you get pissed off, and once in a while, you get pissed on!

Ride safe! Keep your eyes open and your pie-hole shut...

Leo

[montanarider]

Just take that kid to a biker rally. I'd say he'll only tip over one 1%er's bike before he learns his lesson.