Experience is the word we give to the mistakes we make, (& hopefully learn by), as we proceed though the life of the biker. So, some of us would have had a lot more experience than others. Hehehe. I thought this may turn into an interesting thread…so I’ll kick it off: Some of my “experiences.” (a) Pulled up at a “T” intersection. Saw 2 lovely young ladies having an optic. Thought I’d impress with a screaming sliding start. Dropped the clutch, tyre hit road rubble, bike fell on top of me. I couldn’t get the bike off…had to wait for help….apart from feeling like a goose, had to wait 20 years for the scars from the pipe burns to go away. (no heat shields in those days). b) Riding between cars in the middle of the city with my mate as pillion, slowly pulling up to a red light. Just as I was going to stop, the lights changed & I wrapped it on. I then had said mates feet hooked under both armpits, & with his head just above the ground, was yelling blue murder. I couldn’t stop laughing (I know…I’ve got a warped sense of humour) & managed to pull up safely…no harm done. I’ve always wondered what those poor motorists thought. I’ve got another doozy but will leave it till later…… Ok guys…over to you & your “experiences”…..

Very recent experience........like Wednesday..........

Drove to Darwin in a hire car for a OH&S course the next day. While I was there, I'd pick up the bike. I dropped it off on the weekend prior to have a service, V&H big radius 2into1 exhaust, high flow air cleaner, SERT tuner, new front tyre and some warranty work done. (Pipes sound good )

Listening to the radio, ABC, on the way to Darwin ('cause thats it when your in the middle of nowhere) they were discussing the only fixed red light/speed camera in Darwin, and the problems they had with the heat, and how all is good now because it's fixed.

225 people a week they were getting, but now its down to 25 a day (175 a week). Now remember.... this is the only fixed red light /speed camera in operation in Darwin......okay. So I think to myself....are these people stupid or what!.........DICKHEADS!!..............its the only place that you know to slow down and not go through the red/yellow light. Wake up idiots I thought (you know whats coming, don't you!!!)

That night I was cruising Darwin, a balmy 25c, T shirt, jeans (yeah suffer you southerners ) fanging the bike at every chance to listen to them pipes, and yep cruised throught that intersection and FLASH, FLASH!!!!

DOH.

Who's the dickhead now? Hate that!!

LOL

Mate of mine had his Fatty parked just in front of one of those pubs where the crowd is only a few yards away. Has a few jars, jumps on his bike and goes to do a flashy pull-away. Woopsy.... left the disc-lock on!!!!  

Marla Bore Roadhouse SA, a stones throw south of NT border. Pulled in around 10pm in the middle of winter and was so frozen I couldn't get me feet off the pegs. Stopped, fell to the left still seated on the bike beside the bowser, had a clear veiw of the only bloke at the bar falling off his barstool from pissing himself laughing.

 

Two years later, same road different winter, 200klm futher north, me and a mate killed a bull and a Suzuki and a Kawazaki but not ourselfs, didn't even see the buggar, just rode into him side by side on high beam at 80kph.

 

Lesson - This Hwy may not be suited to bikes at night.

I actually like riding in the rain, (as long as its not one of those Qld downpours that you can't see F.... all in), and have done so for a long time. However, "experience" has taught me one thing. Never, NEVER, make snap decisions when riding in the rain. It's pissing down, haven't got far to go to reach home base.....criusing along OK. Rain increases, roads are awash....still going OK....see a Servo out of the corner of my eye, with one of those nice big (dry) covers over the driveway. Make a snap decision to seek shelter. Without thinking, sharply apply brakes.

Well, there I was, with the bike fully locked up sideways, still upright. WAAAHOOoooo, what a buzz. I'll just accellerate & when it starts to straighten up, ease off the juice. Famous F....... last thoughts. Flipped over the bike and proceeded to skid down the road on my arse, in a sitting position, (Draggin jeans weren't even thought of then), watching my bike do triple somersaults with pikes, plus cartwheels, slowly disintergrating in front of me. The bike died, and I had to walk the rest of the way home, in the pouring rain, no bum in the jeans, almost no bum left of my own, & with my ego and dignity in tatters. I am truly thankful that the road was covered in a thick layer of water as I probably would be walking around with a recycleable plastic arse. Experience tells us to always think ahead when riding, don't make snap decisions.....ride safe brothers.

Mine was as an MP in the army ..we had the suzuki gs 650 bikes with full fairing, panniers and sirens and such as parade and escort bikes ..well due to lack of events and such we were allowed to use the bikes as transport to and from home to get the k's up ..without the k's up the army in their wisdom would take the bikes off the unit

it was in townsville and it had rained overnite but morning was pretty sunny ..came up to T intersection, stopped, then started turning right, going around the turn the rear wheel slipped a little bit, so in my wisdom I thought I will give it a bit more to really get the slide going... well farking jacknifed the bike didnt I, got thrown up and over the handlebars as a result and landed in a heap in the middle of the road .... if I remember correctly not one person stopped to help me, maybe too busy laughing and happy to see an MP go down ..it was busy time of morning too

of course the resulting investigation was done by a fellow platoon member and the resulting cause of accident was found to be oil on road lol ..not rider negligence

what did I learn from that ... dont give the bike too much stick when on a wet road going around a corner lol

At least you didn't drop one of the new total waste of tax payer money Beamers the Wooden Tops have now. 

Un fuck'n believable that they brought a big Beamer that gets used mainly for parades and tuff laps around barracks, whilst cruising at 40km/h max.

They are a hoot to ride on the open road though on the very few opertunities you blokes get.........

Dropping my bike outside a crowded restaurant after breky one morning trying to get out of the bike parking area, and not being able to pick it up by myself. I had 2 girls walking past saw it happen and walk past saying "sorry we cant help". Had to wait for a mate to come over and help...he didn't hurry as well..lol.