Beauregards Ultra
Member
Most Embarrassing Day
Well, it started as a pleasant enough day. The wife and I headed out for a nice little 250 mile road trip on one of the last real nice days of the season. Topped off the tank at the local station and headed out.
When we stopped to refuel the gas cap was missing. When I fueled at the first gas stop I placed it down on the floorboard….I know, stupid. Anyway I no doubt kicked it off before I even got out of the station and didn’t hear it fall off. Where’s a good place to set it when fueling? Most cars these days have the cap tethered just for this reason.
But that wasn’t the big embarrassment of the day. Not by a mile. When we pulled back into town I was still stinging about the lost cap and pulled up to a red light on a four lane divided highway just about at rush hour. As I pulled up to the light I steered to the left side of the lane because of some oil in the center of the lane. I was steering left and looking down at the oil going about 2 mph…..and using the front brake.
Any guesses what happened? You’ve got it! I lost a zero MPH wrestling match with a 900 pound Ultra while stopped in rush hour traffic with my wife on the back. Oh Lordy!
The Black Beast did a soft lay down onto it’s right side. Not all the way down, just to the bars. My wife stepped off without saying a word (bless her heart) and together we up righted the Beast with about a million (it seemed) people looking on from all sides of the road. I had her drop the Jiffy stand while I held it upright from the right side and we both mounted (while trying hard to look cool and under control.) The engine had died when the Beast tilted and I feared a sensor or something was tripped that killed the fuel pump. I cycled the ignition knob and turned the kill switch to off then on and she started right up. It took a full cycle of the traffic light to perform this blunder and the cars behind were VERY understanding. Just as I got it started the light turned green so we waved and pulled away very sheepishly.
Let my tale of woe be a reminder to all you Big Hog riders. These bikes are very heavy and you will not win the wrestling match. I go about 260 pounds and it was all I could do to lift it in a bad situation. I know most everyone on here knows this (I thought I did too..) but it bears repeating: Do not use just the front brake at very low speeds, never turn the front wheel when you’re stopping and don’t look down when you’re stopping. In a few brief seconds I created the perfect storm in traffic on a busy street. I thought I knew better, but I was wrong. Don’t panic if it goes over. Step off and get it upright before you get hit.
To end on a happy note, we stopped by the station where we first fueled and they had my gas cap inside. So other than a badly bruised ego for someone who should know better no harm was done to the bike or the wife.
Well, it started as a pleasant enough day. The wife and I headed out for a nice little 250 mile road trip on one of the last real nice days of the season. Topped off the tank at the local station and headed out.
When we stopped to refuel the gas cap was missing. When I fueled at the first gas stop I placed it down on the floorboard….I know, stupid. Anyway I no doubt kicked it off before I even got out of the station and didn’t hear it fall off. Where’s a good place to set it when fueling? Most cars these days have the cap tethered just for this reason.
But that wasn’t the big embarrassment of the day. Not by a mile. When we pulled back into town I was still stinging about the lost cap and pulled up to a red light on a four lane divided highway just about at rush hour. As I pulled up to the light I steered to the left side of the lane because of some oil in the center of the lane. I was steering left and looking down at the oil going about 2 mph…..and using the front brake.
Any guesses what happened? You’ve got it! I lost a zero MPH wrestling match with a 900 pound Ultra while stopped in rush hour traffic with my wife on the back. Oh Lordy!
The Black Beast did a soft lay down onto it’s right side. Not all the way down, just to the bars. My wife stepped off without saying a word (bless her heart) and together we up righted the Beast with about a million (it seemed) people looking on from all sides of the road. I had her drop the Jiffy stand while I held it upright from the right side and we both mounted (while trying hard to look cool and under control.) The engine had died when the Beast tilted and I feared a sensor or something was tripped that killed the fuel pump. I cycled the ignition knob and turned the kill switch to off then on and she started right up. It took a full cycle of the traffic light to perform this blunder and the cars behind were VERY understanding. Just as I got it started the light turned green so we waved and pulled away very sheepishly.
Let my tale of woe be a reminder to all you Big Hog riders. These bikes are very heavy and you will not win the wrestling match. I go about 260 pounds and it was all I could do to lift it in a bad situation. I know most everyone on here knows this (I thought I did too..) but it bears repeating: Do not use just the front brake at very low speeds, never turn the front wheel when you’re stopping and don’t look down when you’re stopping. In a few brief seconds I created the perfect storm in traffic on a busy street. I thought I knew better, but I was wrong. Don’t panic if it goes over. Step off and get it upright before you get hit.
To end on a happy note, we stopped by the station where we first fueled and they had my gas cap inside. So other than a badly bruised ego for someone who should know better no harm was done to the bike or the wife.
