Not My Weekend!

[Gixxerdale]

Not my weekend is an understatement! I think Murphy must ride pillion with me!

Let's see, it started Friday night when I went to Cycle Gear for some new pilots. They didn't have one of them at the local store but did have one in Newhall some 20 or 30 miles away. So I made arrangements to pick it up in the morning and return to my local store to have them mounted promptly at 10:00.

I bust my tail Friday evening doing a tune up oil change etc. Thinking I can still salvage Saturday afternoon for a ride. I make the drive, get the tire, drive back to my local store and walk in at 10:04. Then I'm told that there are several tires ahead of mine and it might be late afternoon before they are mounted! So much for my 10:00 arrangement, I was pissed but stuck. So Saturday was history. Got the tires on late Saturday.

I get word of a casual ride up the Crest Sunday at 9:00. Just what I need with new tires to scrub. I'm game. I hit the slab for the 20 or so mile ride to Jays Shell Station at the base to meet everyone. I pull in but it's packed and my path to where the others were parked is blocked. No problem, I'll park on the others side, near the building.

While we are tire kicking I notice a white Toyota SUV loaded down with mountain bikes on the back, pull in towards the gixxer and then turn into a lower parking spot. Well 5 minutes later it's time to leave to ride the Crest.

As I turn towards my bike I see the Toyota back right into the Gixxer and down she went! Now normally this would be bad enough, but when she was 3 months old I went through this very thing in front of my house when an uninsured Toyota truck did the same thing to the tune of $5,000.00. So I'm losing it! My friends kept me from nailing this guy!

On the plus side, I had my camera with me. So I've got lots of pictures for the insurance company. I haven't even listed all the damage yet, maybe later today. The obvious is;
front fairing
left lower
left bar mount mirror
air duct tube both sides
tail
left swing arm spool
front fender
Exhaust loose at header
left engine cover
turn signals
clip on maybe

I need out of LA and away from idiots than can't drive! Needless to say with no focus left, I decide it's best to slab it home and abandone the ride.

Dale(moving to Sac. ASAP)

[Louis]

Speechless. Looks more like it's not your summer... Keep us posted.

[Gixxerdale]

Originally Posted by Louis

Speechless. Looks more like it's not your summer... Keep us posted.

I think this is the final straw. Besides, I moved here for one year in 1975! I think the year is up! We are definitely moving out of Los Angeles and going to Sacramento! The drivers may not be any better, but there are not as many to avoid!

Time togo to the garage, take some notes and dig deeper to list all the damage.

[wookie]

I feel your pain. That's why I always park my BMW far far away from anything.

[inspiron]

Dale, have you considered moving to a small, hilly country in the middle of Europe ... tiresomely neat? From the southern Black Forest to the Vogesen to the Alps, you would have twisties to keep you busy for MONTHS! (And, the worst traffic jam I've been in over here was just 45 minutes...)

[Gixxerdale]

Originally Posted by wookie

I feel your pain. That's why I always park my BMW far far away from anything.

I triied I was on the side of the station where no one goes. against the sidewalk even! Guess I better start parking on the sidewalk.

After going over the damage it's all cosmetic except the left clip on bent in 1/2 an inch towards the tank. Another 1/2 inch and good bye tank!

The left Napolean Bar End mirror saved the side of the bike. If the mirror arm and clip on would have held a little more, the Cowel and Fairing would never have been touched. My frame slider never touched down. The swing arm spool/mini slider took the rest of the load.

It's rideable but I can feel the clip on out of line. One day and I can have her good as new. First I need the OK from State Farm to order some parts. Guess my new tires will wait to get scrubbed in!

[inspiron]

Originally Posted by Gixxerdale

I triied I was on the side of the station where no one goes. against the sidewalk even! Guess I better start parking on the sidewalk.

The police in Berne and Zurich have begun to crack down on bikes parked on the sidewalk - if you do that over here, you could find a CHF 40 (about $30) ticket on your bike when you get back...

[Gixxerdale]

Originally Posted by inspiron

The police in Berne and Zurich have begun to crack down on bikes parked on the sidewalk - if you do that over here, you could find a CHF 40 (about $30) ticket on your bike when you get back...

That's not bad considering I'm guessing $2,000.00 to $2,500.00 in damage from this stupid tip over! Maybe once I get my handicap plate for the gixxer they won't mind me parking on the sidewalks!

[Gixxerdale]

Originally Posted by inspiron

Dale, have you considered moving to a small, hilly country in the middle of Europe ... tiresomely neat? From the southern Black Forest to the Vogesen to the Alps, you would have twisties to keep you busy for MONTHS! (And, the worst traffic jam I've been in over here was just 45 minutes...)

And that was the line at the mens room at the local tqavern probably!

Actually Jim, I'm in the middle of making plans to move to Sacramento. This will just motivate me even more to get out of here!

[inspiron]

My father is moving this week, but in the other direction - he's moving to Cornado...

[Scourge]

[quote=Gixxerdale]Not my weekend is an understatement! I think Murphy must ride pillion with me!

So I'm losing it! My friends kept me from nailing this guy!

Man that sucks, but get yourself some new friends. The kind that you would have to hold back from killing the dude.

[stevie c]

Sorry to hear about your bad luck mate, at least you caught the guy doing it because in my experience the cager drives off and you find the bike lying on its side when you come back to it.

On a lighter note he probably would have seen your bike if it was Yellow and Black!

[Hardware]

Well, when the stupid %%%%% backed into and knocked over my bike, upon first seeing it I started to lose it. I threw my wallet and started to yell obscenties at her. A friend was there - he gave me one harsh look and said, "Keep quiet! I'll handle it." He did.

As stupid, careless and downright dangerous as bad drivers are, if you assault or even threaten them, that will quickly become the bigger issue.

I'm thankful my buddy was there to keep me in check - I ended up actually making a little bit of cash in the event - if I'd kept going and threatened her (or made her feel threatened) then I would have definitely been on the loosing end.

As ****ty as the whole thing is look at the positives. Your bike will be fixed. You have some solid friends who looked after your best interests - as much as it may not have seemed like that at the time.

[Kehau D.]

Oh Dale, I'm sorry that happened!!

[Gixxerdale]

Originally Posted by stevie c

Sorry to hear about your bad luck mate, at least you caught the guy doing it because in my experience the cager drives off and you find the bike lying on its side when you come back to it.

On a lighter note he probably would have seen your bike if it was Yellow and Black!

He wouldn't have gotten very far. As soon as it happened he was surrounded by about 50 plus bikers! Now what would you do? Yes he was very cooperative and polite! Stevie it could have been neon green( ) and he would have hit it. He just plain and simple wasn't looking.

You see Jays Shell where it occured is the primary meeting spot to ride the Crest and it's always filled with bikes.

Hardware, My friends helped me keep my cool and they got his info while I took pictures of it. Now that it's done I think I was mad at the fact that it had happened again more than at the driver, if that makes any sense? And to think I was considering not carrying a camera any more because I stop to often to take pictures! It will be on every ride. I've used it several times when others have had similiar incidents.

Kehau, it seems I'm on a 2 or 3 year run of bad luck. I should start seeing the good luck anyday now I hope!

[ChicsterMG]

Tuff Luck Dale. Sorry to hear about.

At least you weren't on the bike and no-one was hurt. With all those bad stories this past week it could have been much worse.

I hope you get it all like new again. Maybe you can find one or two of those accesories you may have been putting off for a thicker wallet day.

[SuzukiGirl1]

Oh NO!!!!! I'm sooooo sorry to hear that Dale!!!!

Man, first the near accident w/ the car, now this??? Geeze!

[Gixxerdale]

Originally Posted by SuzukiGirl1

Oh NO!!!!! I'm sooooo sorry to hear that Dale!!!!

Man, first the near accident w/ the car, now this??? Geeze!

If it wasn't for bad luck.............................................. ..

[wookie]

Originally Posted by Gixxerdale

If it wasn't for bad luck.............................................. ..

I'd ask your wife to get you one of those gremlins that people've been talking about in the cruise forum.

[BigD]

I hate to be the one to bare more bad news but the traffic in the Sacramento area is getting just as bad as So Cal. There are some nice areas outside of Sac that might be a nice option though.
Sorry to hear about your run of bad luck.