Sirius Scratch
Moped
After a fifteen year hiatus, I returned to m/c riding in March of last year, and purchased my C10/1999 model from a fellow Cogger in Seattle, WA. I entered the realm of Connie ownership with eyes wide open, having read much about the bike's fondness for reaching what my good friend Ben calls the bike's "natural state of rest." Ben owns a Honda ST1300 which has the same tendencies as the Connie.
On April 8, 2010 at about 2pm, I was riding in the mountain neighborhoods of SW Portland. Pulled up to stop sign on a residential street, a street with an incline of about 45 degrees. The view to the thoroughfare I was trying to pull onto was blocked by a line of cars on the shoulder to my left, thus blocking any hope of seeing oncoming traffic. I had now owned the bike for a grand total of 18 days, had just filled the gas tank to its most top heavy status, and was slipping the clutch and rolling back, and leaning forward....well you get the picture. I still couldn't see oncoming traffic. So, I just got tired of the whole thing and eased my wheel into the street, of course, just as a large SUV came speeding down the street, suddenly appearing out of nowhere from behind the line of parked cars.
In my eighteen days of renewed experience, I managed to stall the bike as I jerked around to the right out of the way. I caught the bike about half way down, and held it about 60 seconds to no avail, and then had to lay her down gently. Damage to the bike limited to a few minor scratches. I sustained a severe shot to the ego and a bit of embarrassment. The owner of the house on the corner was staring at the whole thing through his picture window with his mouth, as they say, agape.
Lessons learned? Spend more time on flat surfaces getting the hang of the controls before you take this behemoth into the hills.
On April 8, 2010 at about 2pm, I was riding in the mountain neighborhoods of SW Portland. Pulled up to stop sign on a residential street, a street with an incline of about 45 degrees. The view to the thoroughfare I was trying to pull onto was blocked by a line of cars on the shoulder to my left, thus blocking any hope of seeing oncoming traffic. I had now owned the bike for a grand total of 18 days, had just filled the gas tank to its most top heavy status, and was slipping the clutch and rolling back, and leaning forward....well you get the picture. I still couldn't see oncoming traffic. So, I just got tired of the whole thing and eased my wheel into the street, of course, just as a large SUV came speeding down the street, suddenly appearing out of nowhere from behind the line of parked cars.
In my eighteen days of renewed experience, I managed to stall the bike as I jerked around to the right out of the way. I caught the bike about half way down, and held it about 60 seconds to no avail, and then had to lay her down gently. Damage to the bike limited to a few minor scratches. I sustained a severe shot to the ego and a bit of embarrassment. The owner of the house on the corner was staring at the whole thing through his picture window with his mouth, as they say, agape.
Lessons learned? Spend more time on flat surfaces getting the hang of the controls before you take this behemoth into the hills.
the slow drop is the best of us hope for! I hate them blind corners 
