It was one year ago today...

[dwilson]

Last Christmas Eve I was working on my FZR, having just had spent alot of money getting it jetted and Dyno'ed I was anxious to take it for a spin.  Philly is kind of tough with driving around race bikes on the street, but since it was Christmas eve I figured I wouldn't see any cops.  I fired it up for a quick spin around the block and off I went, I get 3/4 of the way around and when making my final turn I find out first hand how poorly tires really work when they're cold...  The bike low sides sliding across the street, I land on my side and slide feet first causing my leather jacket to pull up exposing my side.  My pants although thick material didn't seem to provide much protection either.  I scramble to my feet, pick the bike upright, fire it back up and continue on my way.  The whole deal took just a few seconds with some guy stopped at a stop sign watching the whole thing.  I was too embarresed to tell my family so I just went to the drug, loaded up on gauze, tape and spray.  I had rash pretty bad on my right side and thigh.  The worst part was I come from a big family and of course everyone has to hug you and OOOWWW!!!  I held it in pretty good though, my girlfriend just laughed at me...  I guess I deserved it.

[chris_chops]

Oh yeah, I,ve done that one before.  I wasn't really dressed for it either and I had an audience.  Isn't it amazing how fast you want to get the heck out of there due to embarrassment?  How did the bike fare?

[dwilson]

The bike did OK, just some rash on the one case.  

The most embarressing bike experience I had was in high school I rode a 72 Harley Sportster, one day they re-painted the yellow cross-walk lines but didn't put up any signs or anything.  I came through the turn, hit the line then me and bike went sliding on our sides in front of the whole school.  Then there was the time in summer school that I got broad sided by a Chrysler and went flying about 10 feet...  did a summer sault in mid-air before landing on my face.

[xlr8tn]

Been there done that...well almost.

So I was giving my bike a bath when it used to be a street bike.  I used to dry it off and take it for a quick spin around the neighborhood to get the rest of the water off.  Approaching a stop sign that leads out of the subdivision, rotors wet and all, I went straight through two lanes of traffic and headed right for the curb on the other side.  My front brakes failed due to the soap and water that must have still been on the rotors.  I managed to stop it (someone was sure watching over me) and lucky there were no cars on the road at the time.  I went back home and parked it (I hate it when my leg shakes uncontrollably).

[K3 Chris Onwiler]

One day I finished washing my hopped-up, polished, custom painted (read VERY EXPENSIVE!) ZX11 out in front of the house.  I fired it up, intending on riding it around the block to put it in my garage off the alley.  Naturally I gave it a poke as I angled away from the curb, and the wet, soapy rear tire lit up and snapped sideways on me!  Then the water burned off the tire and it tried to highside!  I somehow gathered that up,  narrowly missing a couple parked cars in the process.  Fortunately I didn't pitch the beast, because I was only wearing shorts and tennis shoes at the time... :-[