After 3 years of pampering, an unattended tip over

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She had sat in my wife's garage for about 10 months. I had just finished with an oil change. I parked her at the bottom of the driveway off to the side leaving plenty of room for cars coming and going. I went into the house to get myself ready for a test ride. I went out and took a photo and promptly posted it on Facebook. That's when Mark Martin (from way across The Pond) left a comment saying that the brake lever looked as though it was pointing 90° downward. I told him that couldn't be. After all, the bike was sitting upright every time I looked out the window.

My step-daughter was backing out of the driveway and tapped the front tire just enough to tip it over. She must have panicked and immediately got out of her car and somehow stood her back up before I noticed. Fortunately, the bike was parked over what used to be lawn so it was a soft landing. I considered bending it back, but it seemed like it would be difficult to do without snapping it. Then I remembered AF1. I went online and saw that they had exactly 1 unit in stock! $90 plus shipping. Aggravating, but it could have been much worse.
 
I want to see that photo. You would probably have snapped it without heat. Cast crap. Tell your step daughter a little honesty goes a long way. It happens. We were all young once.
 
After 3 years of pampering, an unattended tip over


Does anything seem odd?
 
My vision begins to blur as I look to the right side forward. The remainder of the pic is crystal clear and of a perfect beauty....Says he who fell off the ramp driving into the storage shed two months past as the Norton stalled and died but a short distance from total victory.....I guess I'm saying I've no room to talk nor to judge, but damn I hate it when stuff happens.
 
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Some years ago I dropped my GSXR 750, nothing too dramatic, but the brake lever bent. So I bent it back, with a bit of heat from a propane torch. All was well and I rode it like this for several months.

This was my only transport at the time, also in winter.

One very cold, early winter morning, I got the bike out of the garage to go to work, I had to kinda reverse it out over a step / threshold, then put it on its side-stand (perhaps with an unintentional jolting) whilst turned to lock the garage door.

That’s when I heard a kind of tinkling noise behind me, I turned but could see anything. It’s only when I mounted the bike I noticed the missing brake lever, then saw it on the floor.

It has simple broken off.

I can only assume that the fatigue from the earlier bending, followed by the extreme cold, and then the jolting as I reversed over the small step and then as I put it on its side-stand was enough to combine to allow the earlier invisible damage to open up, and allow it to just fall off.

Like many young ‘uns, in those days I rode a tad too briskly, I’d have been doing 130mph a little later on this bike and what could have happened when I went for the brake at those speeds, only to find no lever, doesn’t bear thinking about.

Suffice to say, I haven’t straightened an alloy brake lever since. The cost vs the risk is just not worth it IMHO.
 
My frustration level at the time was the other thing that caused me to hesitate. As I waited for her return to the scene of the crime I couldn't even figure out how to remove it. :mad:
 
I've got one thing to say on Al alloys...6061 T6. We bent/straightened w/oxy-acety. Blacken w/acety only. Adjust flame & heat until carbon burns off(happens quickly), stop heat, bend quickly stop. Can do only once.
I wouldn't recommend for parts which stand between you and eternity.
 
Well she did pick it up, though didn't notice the damage and probably thought all was well...and didn't get herself hurt either, so it's all +++ but for the lever. I'd venture to say that the time was ripe to just get around back out of sight and kick an old helmet for a bit.
Envision a former Soviet tank driver buttoned up backing down your drive in an old T-34 with no spotter. I watch wifey daily and keep clear.
 
At the end of the day, this story involved a FEMALE REVERSING down your driveway...

The tip over is patently your own fault... your bike shouldn’t have been within 100 yards of a reversing female !!
 
My step-daughter was backing out of the driveway and tapped the front tire just enough to tip it over. She must have panicked and immediately got out of her car and somehow stood her back up before I noticed.

At the end of the day, this story involved a FEMALE REVERSING down your driveway...

As my experience has proven, after dropping my 961 in the garage a few years ago, the bike is strangely easy to lift back up. Probably due to a very low CG.

Now It appears even the fairer sex can lift one.:p

If she had pushed over a Hayabusa, it would have still been on the ground.

Has your step-daughter owned up to the tip over?
 
I sold a car a few years ago...

Buyer is kicking the tyres and looking around the car...

“Do the parking sensors work” he asks,
“Yes” says I,
“Does the reversing camera work”?
“Yes”,
“Well, not being funny, but how did that happen”? he says pointing at the scuffed rear bumper,
“It’s my wife’s car” I answer,
“Fair enough” he says!

True story.

Still makes me laugh!
 
Wow, and no tank or exhaust damage, just the lever? Lucky man.

Same as when I dropped my 961, except the ball end of the clutch lever snapped off the lever when it hit the concrete floor, and shot straight past my nose by maybe 2 or 3 inches, and then bounced off the garage ceiling.

No other damage, I couldn't believe it either.

If the bike falls just right, straight onto the lever/bar end, this can prevent the other components (silencers, footpegs, tank, etc) from touching down.

A nice feature, maybe makes up for crappy idle air design.:D
 
Ah you’ve got me thinking, maybe that is the real benefit of the abysmal turning circle.... it keeps the bars straight-ish in a drop and keeps the expensive stuff off the ground.
 
As my experience has proven, after dropping my 961 in the garage a few years ago, the bike is strangely easy to lift back up. Probably due to a very low CG.

Now It appears even the fairer sex can lift one.:p

If she had pushed over a Hayabusa, it would have still been on the ground.

Has your step-daughter owned up to the tip over?

Yes, she did confess after my wife called her to ask about it. Step-children are a delicate creation, in my opinion. Can't truly express anger lest you are coined as the "old bastard step-father".
 
You're right, probably best to take the high road.
Of course you could have your wife tell her that you were impressed that she was able to lift the bike up.
 
The wife was indeed impressed. I would be, too. Except I don’t like thinking about it. Oh well, it will all seem like a bad dream once the new lever arrives and I take my first ride of the year.
 
I sold a car a few years ago...

Buyer is kicking the tyres and looking around the car...

“Do the parking sensors work” he asks,
“Yes” says I,
“Does the reversing camera work”?
“Yes”,
“Well, not being funny, but how did that happen”? he says pointing at the scuffed rear bumper,
“It’s my wife’s car” I answer,
“Fair enough” he says!

True story.

Still makes me laugh!


Ha. Classic ! :)

sam
 
Still rideable. Take a pill, Pops. Really easy to change. Damn....if I can do it......
 
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