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Well, like I said, I ride a Kimchi bike so I guess that gets me some weird street cred?
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Sep 10, 2013 10:48
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Was lanesplitting yesterday and the car just in front of me decided to make a sudden pull-over without indicating (or checking their left side, apparently). Fortunately I was only doing maybe 10-15kph, I heard the back tire squeal but it didn't slip out or anything. Driver heard the noise and dumbly turned around to see me sitting behind his rear bumper, staring at him.
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Sep 17, 2013 00:53
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Earlier this week I am lanesplitting when I can hear an obnoxiously loud bike behind me. It's loud over my bike, my earplugs AND music. I am no wuss when splitting but I can tell this guy wants to really go so I try to locate him in my mirrors. Of course as I try to locate him and edge behind a car to get out of the way traffic comes to a stop and this guy is *right* behind me so I couldn't see him. I lay on the brakes behind the car hoping he stays splitting and keeps going. He does, but WTF man that guy is a JERK. And then today I get on the freeway and I start hearing this crazy noise in my helmet. I forgot to buckle my helmet strap and it's hitting me upside the head. I drove like a Grandma until I could pull over and strap in. It was crazy how vulnerable I felt without that half inch strap in place. Oh, and I overinflated my tires a few days ago. I thought my bike was broken until I corrected it today. I am basically retarded. 
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Sep 22, 2013 02:59
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Stugazi posted:And then today I get on the freeway and I start hearing this crazy noise in my helmet. I forgot to buckle my helmet strap and it's hitting me upside the head. Did this last week. On the other hand, the helmet stayed in place despite the usual shoulder checks and so forth, so I guess it's at least the right size. Couple of weeks before that I buckled the strap but didn't snap the end. Whee for getting slapped in the neck at freeway speeds.
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Sep 22, 2013 05:52
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TheNothingNew posted:Couple of weeks before that I buckled the strap but didn't snap the end. Whee for getting slapped in the neck at freeway speeds. My first helmet didn't snap at the end. I was on my first long ride, thinking, "What the hell keeps stinging me in the neck?"
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Sep 22, 2013 15:22
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Safety Dance posted:My first helmet didn't snap at the end. I was on my first long ride, thinking, "What the hell keeps stinging me in the neck?" Every time I wear a hoodie under my jacket I get continuously stung on the neck by the pull strings for the hood. I remind myself (for the 548th time) to tuck them in when I stop. I promptly forget about 2 seconds after and have the same problem the next ride. ADD x1000 is my life.
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Sep 23, 2013 20:30
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Jesus, today I took a ride up to Seoul and not more than 15 min in a friggin delivery truck tried to merge into me from the right. I was in the middle lane, and about to merge left so I totally didn't see it coming. He had the nerve to honk at me as I stared in his eyes. He decided that the best procedure was to keep merging, and I was kind of panicking so I pushed off the side of his cab with the outside of my arm and somehow got into the next lane without making GBS threads myself. Then I pulled over and had a smoke till my heart rate went down. I've been riding here for almost a year now and have had nothing but smooth sailing regarding cagers, I guess I'm just lucky it ended the way it did instead of being sucked under the truck. nullscan fucked around with this message at 12:37 on Sep 28, 2013 |
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Sep 28, 2013 12:34
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Dang that's pretty aggressive for a delivery truck. Usually I only see that kind of driving from taxis. Nice one on making it out.
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Sep 28, 2013 18:29
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So about a week ago I was heading back to my place after dropping a friend off at work on my Harley. I like taking the less traveled routes since I live in a college town full of idiots. However, there is one enemy of all bikerkind that cares not for traffic patterns. Deer. This deer is just walking across the road. I was going about 45, and was once again reminded that I -really- need to replace the headlamp on my bike. I saw the deer about 10 feet away from me since the road had no streetlights. I was very lucky that the deer didn't stop and look at my lights, it was just walking and if I had been about half a second sooner or he had been a bit slower I would have hit the deer straight on at 45 with only a helmet on for protection. I felt the drat things tail whack my arm a bit as I went by, and I just drove to the nearest gas station and just sat there for a good 20 minutes letting the adrenaline flush out a bit. poo poo like that reminds me I'm still alive, hoo boy.
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Oct 14, 2013 05:47
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ArbitraryTA posted:I -really- need to replace the headlamp on my bike Get that headlamp replaced ASAP, and get some gear. You were really lucky, but you can't always rely on luck to save your rear end.
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Oct 14, 2013 08:24
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Bugdrvr posted:Every time I wear a hoodie under my jacket I get continuously stung on the neck by the pull strings for the hood. My beard does the same thing - it's pretty awful. I hate rubber banding it but I can see little alternative, as it gets wrecked and tangled on freeway rides.
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Oct 15, 2013 08:33
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Well, poo poo. I think this goes here: I'm on my way home from work today (planned to install new sparkplug wire that just came to see if that fixed my bike's stuttering issue), stopped at a light about 7 minutes from my apartment. See smoke out of the corner of my eye. Look down and my bike is leaking alarming amounts of oil on the exhaust and my left boot. Switched it off and walked it through the intersection when the light turned, as fortune would have it this happened right in front of a car mechanic's garage. The guy came out to help me while I was surveying the problem, appeared that one of the lines holding oil (starts below the oil dipstick on the right side, goes in front of the engine and up to the fork on the left side?) cracked. Despite a valiant attempt on the mechanic's part to patch it up with some tape and zipties (note to self: add those to repair kit in topcase), still couldn't get it to stop hemorrhaging oil when the bike was on. There was a motorcycle shop up the road, but I decided to just walk it all the way home, as I saw a doozy of a storm gathering. Still got rained on for a few minutes in the middle of the ~3kms back home, but fortunately the insane winds that started kicking up were either at my back or sometimes perpendicular, wouldn't have made it home by myself if they'd been against me. Also, thank god it was mostly flat, although there are far worse bikes to push than a 250cc. The mechanic refused to take any money despite being out like a liter of oil and 40 minutes of his time, and a lady driving past me walking the bike stopped and asked me in English if I needed help. I run into some dickheads here every now and then, but Japanese people are by and large pretty awesome  All told it went about as well as that situation could: it could have happened on the way to work and made me really late, could have happened out in the middle of nowhere or close to work (14kms away from where I live) making it impossible to walk home, I could have not noticed so early and either wrecked my engine or wiped out (threw some oil on my rear tire too  ), I could have had no help trying to get it working again, storm could have started before I got home instead of just after, etc. Still vexing as hell though, I was hoping I'd be able to get the stuttering issue fixed and be able to take a trip this weekend, instead I'll either have to rent a car or not go, and be stuck with public transport for work/personal stuff until I get it fixed. There's a shop I could walk it to that I've used before but prices are kinda steep (~$130 for a rear tire when I was told to expect $100 or a bit less), so I'm hoping the shop owned by a friend-of-a-friend I found out about is both more reasonable and has a truck I can load the bike on. I've been trying to learn to do my own maintenance on the bike, but at this point I think I'm just going to throw a bunch of money at a shop and hope I get something semi-reliable out of it. Pompous Rhombus fucked around with this message at 12:57 on Oct 15, 2013 |
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Oct 15, 2013 12:55
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spacemanspliff posted:My beard does the same thing - it's pretty awful. I hate rubber banding it but I can see little alternative, as it gets wrecked and tangled on freeway rides. A mate of mine that rides has a rather impressive beard going and he just plaits it when he's going for a ride. Seems to work for him.
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Oct 15, 2013 13:20
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Whenever I ride the helmet strap leaves a nasty indentation in my beard, its rather bothersome
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Oct 16, 2013 02:08
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I ride a '12 Ninja 650. On this day I have ridden maybe 300 miles total, ever, including MSF time. There's an H3 and a Jeep Wrangler stopped at a red light. It's dead quiet, nobody around except the three of us and my buddy on his FZ8, and the cages are three or four feet apart, so naturally I filter through so I can overtake them when the light changes. A moment later, BUMP, the Jeep's front left tire nudges forward and diagonally touches my rear tire. I had my hands on the bars and avoided losing my balance but the contact was startling and easily could have spilled me. I look back at the guy, and lo and behold it's Chad Bro'ingham wearing an off-pink polo shirt and sunglasses with one hand at 12' on the wheel, leaned way the gently caress back in his seat, and he doesn't so much as flinch when I give him the "What the gently caress?" look. The light changed, and I felt more pity for his ineptitude as an adult than anything else, and relief that I didn't spill. It's surprising how often people put me in dangerous situations and how I somehow don't rage at them. This is likely because as long as you stay on it, the bike allows you to evade and consign morons to the NMFP* dimension. * NMFP = not my loving problem
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Oct 16, 2013 03:35
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A very tired ride into work this morning in light rain. I've grown very accustomed to riding in wet conditions, and this morning I kind of forgot you still need to be more cautious in it despite being completely comfortable in it. I was riding somewhat aggressively in heavy traffic, and sped up to 50 in a 40 (speed of traffic 45) to make a lane change and find some open room. This was in-between stoplights and the one I was coming up on flipped yellow from it's stale green. I had somewhere between 75-100ft to stop and was doubtfully back down to 40-45mph yet, and the roughly 1 full car length in front of me lit up its brakes like it was planning to stop at the light. Ffffffffff... I would have just pushed through this light if it were up to me. I was caught a bit offguard by the car's decision to stop and hit the rear a little fast causing it to lock pretty much immediately. I held it down and gradually squeezed the front to closed while fishtailing. Despite this, I was very quickly closing in on the bumper just ahead of me. Who's driver mercifully decided to never mind stopping for the light and push through it after all. Not sure if this was a nice heads up who heard the squealing rubber behind them or just  I am not good with stale greens.For my part I was still braking, and taking note of the car waiting to make a left at the intersection in front of me while the light was still yellow. I got a good look at the line I was expected to stop in time for and concluded there was just no way it was going to happen. Let off the front and then gave a touch of the throttle as I let off the locked rear, fishtailed really loving hard as the traction transitioned until the throttle straightened me out and I made it through the intersection without the driver waiting to make their left cutting in front of me. Once through I glanced at the speedo which told me I was going 30mph, meaning at the most forgiving estimate I managed to slow down to 20-25mph by the time I was about to enter the intersection. If the guy hadn't decided to change his mind about stopping for the light I would have at best found his bumper, and at worst managed to swerve around it and into a very surprised left turning car. They saw me because the car sped up and gave them line of sight of me, but I doubt very much they would have noticed the bike shooting around a stopping car and directly into their path. I might have managed the stop before the intersection had I not instantly locked the rear, but given the distance, wet conditions, and the speed I was going highly doubt it. I should not have been speeding Halo_4am fucked around with this message at 15:49 on Oct 17, 2013 |
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Oct 17, 2013 15:38
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Halo_4am posted:A very tired ride into work this morning in light rain. I've grown very accustomed to riding in wet conditions, and this morning I kind of forgot you still need to be more cautious in it despite being completely comfortable in it. When I wake up in that drowsy state that feels like being drunk I don't take the motorcycle, or I wait for some caffeine to kick in.
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Oct 17, 2013 16:46
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Yeah that was for sure mistake #1. I had a cup of coffee in me so I wasn't completely zombified, but certainly not in tip top shape. I commute daily on the bike which leaves the wife with the car or her bike depending on her needs for the day. I was so tired because she's sick and kept me awake until 1 coughing, sniffling, and sneezing every 10 minutes. I didn't want to bother her to see if she needed the car for anything today, or ask her sick rear end to drive me in because she was no doubt worse off than me. Should have confirmed she would be lying half dead in bed all day and taken the car.
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Oct 17, 2013 17:18
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Monday I went on a little jaunt since it was so nice out and I had the day off. After maybe an hour I decided to just hit 495 south and head home, I didn't take into account the poo poo ton of holiday traffic that would be coming back from leaf peepin' or whatever the hell people do in the great white north. It was flowing at 70-80 but it was really dense with cars. I was behind a pickup with a few car lengths between us when it ran over an L shaped piece of metal in the road just right causing it to fly at my dome like a goddamn shuriken. I ducked down and right instinctively but it happened so fast that if it's path had been a foot or so towards me it wouldn't have mattered. It would have hosed me up quite properly. I got off at the next exit and just took back roads home.
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Oct 17, 2013 21:19
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I dropped my Speed Triple R in my own god drat driveway this morning. I was backing it out and forgot I had the kickstand down; turned it to the left and the stand caught (it's kind of an incline) and welp, down she goes. Guys, if it's beyond the point of no return... you can't stop five hundred pounds of bike from falling over. Gravity's a bitch. Just let it go, you can pick it back up after you regain your composure. Don't strain your back like I did. 
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Oct 23, 2013 03:38
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It's amazing how many of these stories involve lane splitting. It's almost as if that's something that's legitimately dangerous to do.
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Oct 24, 2013 04:27
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Oh poo poo
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Oct 24, 2013 05:18
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They also involve a high ratio of front brake usage. Obviously they should all be removed.
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Oct 24, 2013 06:06
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Modern Day Hercules posted:It's amazing how many of these stories involve lane splitting. It's almost as if that's something that's legitimately dangerous to do. You know what, we're all on motorcycles. It's clear we should just get cars, instead. Or Can-Am Spyders. 
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Oct 24, 2013 15:56
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Modern Day Hercules posted:It's amazing how many of these stories involve lane splitting. It's almost as if that's something that's legitimately dangerous to do.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E88HEuwInno
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Oct 24, 2013 18:28
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Drifter posted:You know what, we're all on motorcycles. It's clear we should just get cars, instead. Or Can-Am Spyders. I passed a Can-Am a couple of weeks ago while I was lane splitting. He looked sad.
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Oct 24, 2013 18:30
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I don't feel too bad for the people on Can-Ams. Like yeah, it's not a motorcycle, but it's got to still be fun, right? Somewhat? People have plenty of fun on quads and a Can-Am is really just splitting the difference.
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Oct 24, 2013 21:49
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Sagebrush posted:I don't feel too bad for the people on Can-Ams. Like yeah, it's not a motorcycle, but it's got to still be fun, right? Somewhat? People have plenty of fun on quads and a Can-Am is really just splitting the difference. I won't forsake the Can-Ams just yet. I've had a few folks that were too old or had issues with extremities that wouldn't allow them to hold up a motorcycle at a stoplight come through my MSF course. They could barely make it through the course and only planned on buying trikes. It does fill a niche and they are (at least in my opinion) safer than the converted harleys or goldwings.
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Oct 25, 2013 09:17
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Yeah, I was going to respond to sagebrush with pretty much what you just said. If you can't balance the bike at standstill or something then I'm more than happy to see someone riding a trike and am more than happy to listen to them talk about how much fun they have. Although I have met people at gas stations who try to equate can-aming with riding a motorcycle and it's just  The physics are completely different. You're just riding a less safe convertible car at that point; don't pretend otherwise. And no, I don't want to race you.
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Oct 25, 2013 10:05
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Sagebrush posted:I don't feel too bad for the people on Can-Ams. Like yeah, it's not a motorcycle, but it's got to still be fun, right? Somewhat? People have plenty of fun on quads and a Can-Am is really just splitting the difference. Quads can wheelie, though
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Oct 25, 2013 10:20
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Sagebrush posted:I don't feel too bad for the people on Can-Ams. Like yeah, it's not a motorcycle, but it's got to still be fun, right? Somewhat? People have plenty of fun on quads and a Can-Am is really just splitting the difference. I'm not anti them (and off road quad racing is huge fun) but I just think that anything like that is simply the worst drawbacks of a car and a bike. In other words, sit in traffic AND get wet while you do! Mind you, I can't speak for other parts of the world but old fashioned road going quads are a magnet for the local underclasses around here. They're insanely loud, while not being particularly quick and all they do is tear around the neighbourhood, no doubt illegally half the time - presumably because going any meaningful distance would be very uncomfortable.
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Oct 25, 2013 10:26
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You have to remember that in all of the US (aside from California) everyone on bikes has to sit in traffic and get rained on. The Can Am may be more boring but is just as impractical a commuter as any other bike. Unless you're smashing it into a tiny parking space at home or at work. A proper motorcycle will win then.
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Oct 25, 2013 19:06
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So I had a near-drop last night. I keep my bike in a semi enclosed area at the back of my apartment building that you access through a regular size door. It's just barely wide enough for my bike to fit through, but it works. It was a little trickier last night, because there was a used condom sitting right in front of the doorway I have to roll through. As I'm trying to worm my way around this obstacle I lose balance and it starts to lean over. Luckily I managed to not drop it but strained my back a bit holding it upright. This is actually not the first time I've had to dodge things while parking, just the first time I've lost my balance doing so. Oh, the joys of living in a city 
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Oct 25, 2013 20:01
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hot sauce posted:Oh, the joys of living in a city As I weigh moving into DC with a bike, I will have to add "dangerously placed used rubbers" to Potential Negatives column...
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Oct 25, 2013 20:14
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Sagebrush posted:I don't feel too bad for the people on Can-Ams. I know a guy who has a Can-Am, said dude has it because he pretty much told me he was too lazy to learn to ride a motorcycle. I always gave him poo poo about that.
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Oct 26, 2013 01:55
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In an effort to provide thread content: I once almost crashed a CanAm. In an effort to make them more appealing to people coming from cars all braking duties are handled through a pedal. There is no brake lever on the right handlebar. I was part of a group test and had to do a quick stop but out of habit I reached for the lever. There's no feeling quite like reaching for the brake lever and hitting nothing but air.
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Oct 29, 2013 15:53
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The only better feeling would be squeezing the brake lever and having it immediately bottom out. The owner hadn't put one of the calipers back together right, so it leaked between the halves, and after you'd braked a couple of times the fluid was gone. Coming up on a roundabout going 55mph in the wet is the essence of excitement, let me tell you.
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Oct 29, 2013 18:49
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Nidhg00670000 posted:The only better feeling would be squeezing the brake lever and having it immediately bottom out. The owner hadn't put one of the calipers back together right, so it leaked between the halves, and after you'd braked a couple of times the fluid was gone. Coming up on a roundabout going 55mph in the wet is the essence of excitement, let me tell you. Downshift, downshift, rear brake, scream like a little kid?
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Oct 29, 2013 19:38
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I had the exact same experience. I got new tires and put the wheels back on, but forgot to pump up the brakes. Excited to try out the new rubber, I didn't bother with my usual preride checks. Went down my road, which tees into a busy state route with a stop sign. Hit the front brake and it bottoms out, rear brake bottoms out...immediately begin down shifting and pumping brakes. I blew through the stop sign, thankfully no traffic my way, have to lean hard to miss an oncoming car, and slowly head to the shoulder to figure out what just happened. Once I figured it out, I tried to go for a ride, but was just too freaked out. I kept thinking what could have happened for a week or two. Now I don't skip the checks.
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Oct 30, 2013 12:18
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| # ? May 15, 2024 07:13 |
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Drifter posted:
Something like that.
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Oct 30, 2013 12:36
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