Finally bought one...

[Newtons]

So I was reading Vlad's "Back in Black" thread, in particular his second post about dropping his brand new bike after coming back from the shops.

I guess it's story time...

If you looked at the maps I posted on imgur.com above, you may have realised that I stayed at the Black Stump Hotel in Coolah, NSW on the Saturday night. This is known as the "bottom pub" by the locals, as opposed to the "top pub" which I didn't visit, sad to say.

The bottom pub was an OK pub with a basic, old school pub room for $40, with bathrooms down the hall. The beer was cold and the T-bone steak meal with chips and salad decent and satisfying. But as is the case with these places, it's the people who make them. In the end I chatted to some locals, got into a few shouts and ended up having maybe 8 schooners of mid strength before heading to bed around 10.30pm.

Was up at dawn the next morning and headed downstairs to get going. Got on the bike and both mirrors were out of line. Uh oh... Got off the bike again and noticed the bar end on the RHS all scratched up! Someone had dropped the bike while I slept!! After checking it over there was just the bar end, a scuff to the RHS (timing?) cover and a tiny scratch and dent on the seam of the Staintune. I feel lucky it wasn't worse. So I got the tool kit out and sorted the mirrors before heading off under dark clouds again, but figuratively this time. Took me a good couple of hours to shake the anger and dread. I'd actually considered, for a few seconds, hanging around and getting to the bottom of what &^$#& did it... But it was Sunday 7.15am and I had to be at work in just over 24 hrs, 10 hours ride away...

Hindsight is 20/20 and also a bitch. I'd parked the bike on the footpath under the pub's verandah which was under cover - see photo. When I'd ordered my meal and got chatting to the chef she'd offered to let me put the bike around the back under cover. It wasn't going to rain so I didn't take her up on it. Wish I had. I'd also only put it on the side stand. Maybe it wouldn't have happened if I'd used the centre stand. Bear in mind that this bike was immaculate when I picked it up. Sure, it had some road grime after coming down from Brissie in the rain, but it had never been dropped. I felt like a dick. The day after it's in my care, THIS HAPPENS! I've still not told the lovely couple I bought it from. I can't.

Anyway, I ended up following up by calling the pub on the Monday. Eventually I got onto the friendly woman manager and asked her if she knew anything. I must have said something about the "he" who did it and she said, "Actually, it was a she..." Turns out that a local woman turned up some time after 10.30pm and was refused entry because she was too intoxicated. Although multiple people who were there at the time claim it was this drunk woman who dropped the bike, none of them actually saw it happen. Which is fine. I'd not claim on insurance anyway, even if I could nominate the drunk woman and not pay an excess.

So I've got the new timing cover which was only a little over $100AUD. I'll clean up the scratched one and perhaps get it powder coated black and keep it as a spare. Some neat aluminium bar ends are on the way from Japan, and I'll carefully wet and dry then polish the scratch out of the staintune. A bill of ~ $150AUD is not too bad all things considered. Less than a speeding fine.

All's well that ends well I guess. On some level I'm glad that I've got the first mishap out of the way and now it'll be smooth sailing like normal. I am almost obsessive about looking after my bikes. But I'll definitely be more careful where I leave it in future and use the centre stand.

[Blubber]

Welcome 

[Del]

Welcome to the forum fellal 

[KiwiCol]

Glad is not too bad to fix Newton.  I always use the main stand if the bike will be unattended for more than a few minutes.  We get earthquakes & ya never know when they will pop up, bike may be ok on the side stand, but I think it's way more stable on the main stand.

[Globalrider]

Welcome onboard Fig!

Stan

[Kiwifruit]

Hiya Newton welcome aboard 

[stone]

Welcome 
                     Stone

[SheepDog]

Welcome aboard Newtons.   

Bugger with the damage but lucky. 

[Tony Nitrous]

Lad I knew in Kidderminster had one of the very first EXUP / Genesis / FZR1000's we ever saw.

He picked it up from the dealers and had a very steady ride home.
Stood on the driveway admiring it ready to show all his mates he decided to give it a wipe over in case there was a slightest mark or fingerprint on it.

He picked up a can of furniture polish and gave it a good shake, can went out of his grip and went BONNNNG off the brand new petrol tank, leaving a dent and chipped paint.

He got back on the bike and rode it back to the dealers, asked them to let him know when they had got him a new tank!

[grog]

Welcome Mate. You got out of that one fairly well. Is that something to do with Newtons Law?

[VladTepes]

As you say, I do feel your pain