Shifter woes

[fcchavez]

On a warm fall day down in the sunshine state my bros and I decided to go for a little scoot. So we jumped on our bikes and headed for some hills and twisties wwest of orlando on old 50 then toward old 441. The bikes were running fine, weather was great, cool breeze across the top of my face, couldn't ask for a better time. As the day drew on we were finishing up our loop and headed toward 50 to get some grub and a couple o' cool ones. As we were riding side by side three rows deep a car full of delightful ladies pulled along side of us and were admirng our bikes and in true biker fashion we started to show off. Dropping gears pulling whole shots that type of thing. I was at the back of the pack and i was getting close to the car full of delight, talking, showing off . As my bros pulled away to our final destination, i went to grab some gears. Nothing. Hooked my foot and pulled up again still nothing. I looked down and my shifter fell off. At some point during my horsing around my damn shifter fell off! Needles to say two hours later and a lot of not nice words from my bos i found my shifter. If your gonna show off make sure everythings tight!!

 

[Ironriot]

Lol sh!t happens to the best of us. Ah well atleast you'll have something to look back on and laugh at

 

[pntrdave]

So your saying that for a time you were shiftless?
and that it was all the fault of the delightful young ladies.
Always carry a small pair of vice grips, makes an excellent emergency shifter.

 

[Ironriot]

So your saying that for a time you were shiftless?
and that it was all the fault of the delightful young ladies.
Always carry a small pair of vice grips, makes an excellent emergency shifter.

You know that's a VERY good tip.... Writing down in my book of motorcycle tips and tricks

 

[Guest]

Had my side kickstand fall of one time. Didnt notice it until I stopped for gas and went through the motion with my left foot (contacted only air) did a major splits. Pulled a groin muscle - had to have help picking up my bike. Spent the next 1.5 hrs retracing my ride (all local) and found my kickstand sitting in the middle of a street. Now - EVERY time I hit my kickstand - my groin remembers that day. I now have it Locktited and double nutted. Now - looking back - I am just happy my ride that day was all local. Can you imagine if it was all x-way.

 

[Rocketman]

Your not alone. I posted this back in October of 2006. see link: http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=99736&highlight=lost+shifter

"
Last night me and my son went for a ride on my '82 GS850L for about 1-1/2 hours starting at around 7:30. Beautiful crisp night for a ride. On our way home, as we entered the on ramp for the highway to head back home, I tried to downshift and realized something was missing.......my gearshift lever was gone! What a surprise. Had to find a way to get home without stopping, as starting the bike in 5th gear is a drag. Thank goodness it fell off while I was in 5th, or it could have been worse. Made it home with no problem, then drove another 1/2 hour back by truck with flashlights in hand. After an hour of walking back and forth, we finally found it around 10:00 last night. Unfortunately, a few cars had hit it and mangled it pretty good, but I bent it enough to get it back installed, and am now in search of a replacement. Short of carrying around vice grips, etc, what the heck do you do if you lose something that important, and you're much further from home? Hope I never have to find out.
Larry"

Eventually I bought two OEM replacements. Installed one, and zip tied the other to the frame under the cover, just in case.

 

[KiwiGS]

I had my foot peg fall off once while I was showing off.
Doesnt sound to bad so far right?.
At the time (4.30am) just arriving for work along with everyone else.
I decided to show the girls how good I was at wheelies. \\/
After I picked myself and the bike up.
I went looking for the peg and other bits and pieces that belonged to my bike. And kept a very low profile at work for a while.

 

[jola]

Reading these stories makes me realize I have to look my bike up and down a lot more then I realized, lol. I never thought shifters could just fall off, but I guess anything can happen. Good story. :-D

 

[spyug]

In the MSF course the instructors all stressed that you need to perform the walk around inspection everytime before you hop on no matter if you had just done it 15 minutes before. One of them related two stories.

One: He had just started out on a Sunday morning scoot and had pulled into a gas station to tank up. Filled her and walked to the cash. As he was walking back to the bike he sees something shiny sticking out of the back tire.....a nail head.

Two: He and a couple of buds were on an extended ride and had stopped for lunch at a small roadside cafe in cottage country. The parking lot was beside the joint and there were no windows onto it so they couldn't see their rides. After lunch they came out and got ready to ride only to find all the back axle nuts had been removed. Someone had deliberatly sabotaged 3 bikes.

These stories stick in my mind and I now always do a walk around before each ride and anytime the bike is out of my sight or when stopped for a fill up.

With the Yammie XS being a shaker I am used to doing a walk around with wrenches in hand as she tends to shed nuts and bolts.

If you do it often enough is does become second nature. Just think of yourself as a fighter pilot and this is your preflight.

Cheers all,
Spyug.