To piggyback here, how many folks do you know have been rear-ended at a stop-light or stop sign?  I have never personally had that happen, but I know a lot of people who have.  Remember...in a car you need to get a new bumper and see a chiropractor a couple of times to work out the kinks.  If it happens to you ONCE on a M/C...game over!  I'm a big fan of the "escape strategy" myself.  Don't trust other drivers!

darn - feel like both moderators are playing tag wrestling with me!

seriously, on both occasions I have been rear-ended on a bike (yes, on both sides of the Atlantic!) it happened so quick.

one car came round a curve fast into me & bunch of cars @ the light. damaged bike - but his insurance more than covered it. no damage to me & (scared friend on back s@%tless).

other time driver went "brake, gas, oh s@%t, brake again" as he realized he jumped the gun @ the light ("my foor just slipped off the gas" - don't think so as he punted a 630lb bike & me into the car waiting in front.) lucky not hurt but one of us left in "bracelets" & it wasn't me or the cop!

both times I was in line in 2 traffic lanes so even if in gear could not have got out of way - also even if @ front of line would not fancy risking pulling into traffic going across my path.

moreover, cost of springs might not be great but don't want drag (clutch drag? - no pun intended!) of having to change them.

so far in almost 40 year not broken a bone on a bike despite 10,000 miles a year in London traffic for 20 of them so happy with how I drive.

Like I said - each to their own, though. know as well the MSF teachers here  don't preach what they teach so have doubts about some parts of that way of doing things.

my last word on subject - partly included because the second guy's excuse was so funny I almost laughed if I had not been pissed about the damage to my B & I wanted to share it, partly because as I said felt like I was being gang attacked (kidding!)  

As far as  changing into first while on the (slow) move - don't really have problems - been trying it more since this link started & seems to go smoothly enough (runnning standard Valvoline 10-40).

georgekathe wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:10:


WARNING  EXPLICIT CONTENT FOLLOWS, NOT FOR THE SENSETIVE OF MIND.


I guess that's better than getting gang banged.  

sorry folks just had to say it.

i've been called alot of things over the years, but sluggo and politically correct have yet to be used in the same sentance.

not only do i call a spade a spade, i call it a F'N shovel.  8)

Hell, while I'm at it, I'll ask, is the little plug that comes out of the left hand grip an accessory plug of sorts? Can you plug a cigarette lighter into it?

Posted by: phasender      Posted on: 24. Oct 2006 at 22:37
Hell, while I'm at it, I'll ask, is the little plug that comes out of the left hand grip an accessory plug of sorts? Can you plug a cigarette lighter into it?

What plug?? Was the road damp? And if so was you in the center of the lane? If I'm in slick situations, wet, snow or gravel I usally apply more of a bake brake then front. Sometime in certain situations I will not use front brake.

Yeah, the road was quite slick, and I was probably close to the center of the road, in the intersection. Big mistake, right?

Coming out of the switch box on the left grip is a 1-2" piece of wire with a little electrical plug at the end. I thought I could plug my hand warmers into it, but it doesn't fit. Too small. I ended up wiring the warmers directly to the battery, which is great, as long as you remember to turn the warmers off, which I didn't the other day. I'm hoping that if I wire them into the plug, that they'll automatically turn off when I remove the ignition.

I took the Advanced MSF course recently (required by my employer) and even after riding for 20+ years I learned a few things, met some great people, and brushed up my skills on my new-to-me Savage.  If it's free, I'd say it's worthwhile especially since most insurance companies will give you a break if you've taken it.  It only lasted about 4-5 hours and was almost all riding.