One of those questions that make you go, hmmm.

[Crazy Uncle Larry]

Did you ever have one of those questions in life that always made you go, Hmmmm? Did you ever wonder how clutch levers get all curled up and out of shape on some bikes? I know this has been a universal question for some of us! Well...I pulled the ole XT500 into the Corner Pantry parking lot off of Sheridan Lake Road on the way back to the house from my MLK holiday run, 19 Jan 09. Shut her off-after all, she is a big single cylinder and even though it was January, it's still a good habit to get into to. It may help you, in the future, to keep her from overheating. Came back out with my paper. Tucked it into my jacket and started going through the start up procedure for the XT. For me this includes the kick starter, decompression lever, ratchet the kick starter back into position, stand on the pegs, give a little hop and bring all 225-229 pounds down on the starter lever! Now, I've often wondered about the clutch lever like the rest of you, but have you ever wondered about what could happen if you were at the apex of your starting hop and suddenly your kickstand broke?!!!! I can tell you it's not a pretty sight!!! Down we came, caught her with my left leg, still had ahold of the handlebars, and ended up doing a one-legged squat trying to keep 265-275 pounds of bike from slamming to the pavement!!! This would have probably been child's play for flex larson but I only succeeded in gently laying the bike down, bending the clutch lever, putting a small scratch on the mirror and straining/pulling my left maximus gluteus. That's my left butt cheek for those of you who were drawing pictures of cars and motorcycles during anatomy class!!! It has hurt to sit for very long, all week. Remember that N U R S E I'm married to? She thought it was funnier than all get out and simply told me to go take my ibuprofen. Later on, she rubbed some more salt into the wound. Told me if I was going to be out playing with the boys that I had better get back to lifting and working out on the Bowflex or I would be looking some more sore muscles. Ain't it a bugger when they're right?!!
Anyhow, take care and thanks for making this forum available. I look forward to meeting up with you all later in the season. In the meantime, gotta go check Ebay for a used XT500 kickstand!!!

[flexlarson]

LOL LOVE IT . ............. Take care man...........Be careful. See you when the weather gets nice

[fringefan]

Lol, I like your sense of humor. I had my chain skip on my mt bike while sprinting across the parking lot in front of the cute chick that lived up stairs, worst crash I ever had. Hard to look kool laying on the ground with your leg all tore up.

[Hank]

Glad you didn't get hurt (worse)!

I've answered a few of those types of questions riding.

1)  What happens when your duffel bag gets into the back tire of your VFR at 90 mph.   The answer is not good; involves a trip to the ER and debraiding of many abrasions, and a pretty much totaled bike.

2) What happens when your hand grip suddenly slips off the handle bar when you land from jumping an approach:  A trip through a barbwire fence, a trip to the clinic, and about 20 stitches in your armpit 

3)  What happens when your handle bars break in half when landing from a jump:   Just a crash in that case, but it was scary!

[Crazy Uncle Larry]

Hank,

None of those options sounded good at all!!!

I did experience one more of those celestial moments when riding my '74 Sportster while stationed at Grissom AFB, Indiana. I was down some 2-lane blacktop and was winding her out to about 85 mph. All of a sudden the thought flashed through my head, "What would happen if the chain broke right now and locked up the rear wheel?! How would the bike slide?! Would the rear end come around or would the bike try to highside me?! Could I get my foot out of the way, lay her down and ride the slide?! How big of an owwwweeee will that make?! Will I have to undergo debridement to get all of the denim material out of my legs or butt?! Just how much pain is this going to create? And lastly, what will the N U R S E I'm married to say about all of this?!!!! By the time all of these questions flash through my mind, took about 2.5 seconds, I looked down and the speedo was now reading an amazing 50-55 mph! I realized then and there it was about the ride (not race), about the cruise, and about the road. I've tried to live and ride that philosophy ever since. That's where I came up with "dance with who you brung and ride what you got!" Don't covet the other man's/woman's ride, just show appreciation for the fact they are out riding! And always do your best to keep it smooth like good jazz!

Have a great weekend and shut the dang door up there! That Canadian cold blast has us in its grip again (1 degree at bedtime!). Later.