My Spyder bloopers - I will tell you mine if you tell us yours

[pegasus1300]

When I put the gel pad that I got from Dave in my seat as I removed one of the bolts from the seat to take it off I dropped it and sure enough it went down the black hole. I managed to not have the fumbles on the other and removed it successfully. When I went to reinstall the seat, yup the fumbles came back and away the remaining bolt went. No I didn't learn anything about black holes the first time. I rode the Spyder for a couple of months with only the latch peg holding the seat on.

 

[PrairieSpyder]

I have to take my glasses off to remove or put on my helmet. I used to put them on the back seat of my RTS. A few years ago when we rode to Alaska, we had either just had lunch or refueled. We were finally riding on some decent pavement at a good speed when I realized I didn't have my glasses on. I pulled over and, sure enough, no glasses to be found. I backtracked and found them in the middle of the road, all bent up. I did the rest of the trip without corrective lenses. Maybe I'll go back to Alaska someday and see what I missed!

 

[Pirate looks at --]

Two bloopers involving similar circumstances. I was leading a group of 20 or so SPYDERS on ryde up Ebbetts Pass at the Nor-Cal Spyder rally. We got to the top at 8500 feet or so and stopped for a photo op. Took out my new iPhone and took some pictures. Got ready to head back down and got all geared up to head back to the resort. Normally when I am ryding I would listen to music streamed from my phone. Not this time I was leading. A group and neede to communicate with my sweep. Well you can only imagine how easy it is to forget a black phone on a black phone. That phone is spending its third winter in the Sierras somewhere under 10 feet of snow.

 

[seaweed]

Blooper #2

Well this is BLOOPER #2 out of 5 that I will write about. I hope that there will not be any more in the future. This is a variation of a BUTT dial on a phone. In case you do not know what a BUTT dial is ask your kids.

I was touring the UP of Michigan (was raining quite a bit so decided to head to lower Michigan to visit my nephew and dry out). After I crossed the Mackinaw Bridge the weather broke so decided to travel the Tunnel of Trees in the north west part of Michigan. That road is very scenic but after about 12 miles of the 22 mile road I decided get off that road. Way to narrow and to many bicycles!

Using Google maps I set the designation on my phone for North Branch, Michigan. After a while it started raining again so I took the phone off the X ram mount and put it in my caring case secured to my belt. I was using bluetooth from the phone to my speakers so all was good. NOT!! Some how I did a BUTT change of designation on Google maps. Way down the road I heard Google maps say "your designation is on the right". Hmm, I am looking a a large building not a house. Took the phone out of the case and checked it. Well I was about 80 miles off course.

What did I learn for this? Well I will always carry a zip lock bag to protect the phone on the ram mount so that I do not have to put the phone in my carrying case. Also I will periodically check that I am on the correct route and designation has not changed.

I try to live and learn and to enjoy life along the way. nojoke

 

[Pirate looks at --]

Second one!

Ok Iron butt time! This is after loosing the cell phone. 650 miles into a 1000 mile, 19.25 hour ryde, we stop to get gas. Feeling pretty good, but the stop was much needed. Gassed up, pulled to the side for a 1/2 sandwich and water (5 hour energy) and off we go! 150 miles later we are at the next gas stop. Get to the pump, and no wallet! You guessed it Black Wallet on a black seat. Kicked it off as I got on, left it at the gas station. Well it’s an Iron Butt, can’t go backwards so used my wife’s credit card the rest of the way! Good news after getting home after midnight, I called the gas station the next day, and they had they had the wallet! Mailed it back to me, and I sent the young man a $100.00 reward!

 

[LeftCoast]

Ok Iron butt time! This is after loosing the cell phone. 650 miles into a 1000 mile, 19.25 hour ryde, we stop to get gas. Feeling pretty good, but the stop was much needed. Gassed up, pulled to the side for a 1/2 sandwich and water (5 hour energy) and off we go! 150 miles later we are at the next gas stop. Get to the pump, and no wallet! You guessed it Black Wallet on a black seat. Kicked it off as I got on, left it at the gas station. Well it’s an Iron Butt, can’t go backwards so used my wife’s credit card the rest of the way! Good news after getting home after midnight, I called the gas station the next day, and they had they had the wallet! Mailed it back to me, and I sent the young man a $100.00 reward!View attachment 168679View attachment 168680

Ha! Thanks for sharing these pirate. I try to put my stuff in the same pockets all the time but have left the garage on multiple occasions with the wallet sitting right next to where I put my boots on.

 

[KosherKid]

Spyder601: I had a similar issue so I glued the rubber pieces on the X-grip.

 

[tehrlich]

Hahaha.......you aren’t a surgeon are you, Todd ? :2thumbs:

Well, I'm sort of a doctor. hyea: Just a dentist smart enough not to go to medical school.

 

[seaweed]

Blooper #3

Well Blooper 3, 4 and 5 occurred on a trip to southern Arizona to visit some great Spyder friends and my 2 brothers.

I admit, I ran out of gas. I was heading south on I25 enjoying the sights and not paying attention to the gas gauge when the low gas light came on. Not many exits and gas stations in that area. I decreased my speed hoping to make it to the nearest gas station. I was about 6 miles north of Trinidad when the Spyder ran out of gas. Dang! Took my helmet off and put on my Air Force cap and stuck my thumb out. The 3rd vehicle stopped. The driver said that he noticed that I was on a motorcycle then saw my Air Force cap, and hit the brakes. He took me into town to get a gas can, then to a gas station, and back to my Spyder. He stayed there until I had put the gas in and had started it up. There are good people in this world, and he was one.

I rode in to Trinidad, put gas in the Spyder, refilled the 1 gal gas jug and put in in the storage box on my Leesure Lite trailer.

What did I learn from this? Keep an eye on the gas gauge, refill at 1/4 full or sooner. Carry extra gas when I can (perhaps I will be able to help someone else on the road). There are good folks in this world.

I try to live and learn and to enjoy life along the way.nojoke

 

[PrairieSpyder]

I've never run out of gas completely, but I've cut it really close. With all the stories of how difficult it is to find fuel on the AlCan, I carried a gallon of gas all the way to Alaska and back and never needed it. But, kind of like guns, it's better to have it and not need it.

 

[PW2013STL]

Ok Iron butt time! This is after loosing the cell phone. 650 miles into a 1000 mile, 19.25 hour ryde, we stop to get gas. Feeling pretty good, but the stop was much needed. Gassed up, pulled to the side for a 1/2 sandwich and water (5 hour energy) and off we go! 150 miles later we are at the next gas stop. Get to the pump, and no wallet! You guessed it Black Wallet on a black seat. Kicked it off as I got on, left it at the gas station. Well it’s an Iron Butt, can’t go backwards so used my wife’s credit card the rest of the way! Good news after getting home after midnight, I called the gas station the next day, and they had they had the wallet! Mailed it back to me, and I sent the young man a $100.00 reward!View attachment 168679View attachment 168680

Wow did this story bring back memories.

First time I lost my wallet (happened 3 times) I was on my Harley. I try to always remove my wallet from my back pocket and put in in my jacket pocket. Since I normally wear riding pants over my jeans I will remove my wallet and place it on the back seat, and then after gearing up put the wallet in the jacket pocket. This time as I was gearing up someone stopped to talk to me, and I forgot the wallet.
I took off and about 6 miles down the road remembered my wallet - of course it was no longer on the back seat. Drove back to the dealership as slow as I could watching the other side of the road as best I could. When I got to the dealership I ask if anyone turned in my wallet, but no one had. Since I was low on fuel the owner loaned me $10 to get home.
I drove back the same way keeping an eye out, but no luck.
Stopped at a gas station and put in the $10. as I was walking back to the bike I noticed my wallet resting on my left rear turnsignal arm.

I could not believe that it stayed there over 20 miles and across RR tracks (3 times).


BTW that is the same wallet I lost 3 times, but got it back all 3 times. Its a little ruff from payment sliding, and even though I have a new wallet - this is the one I use when ridding.

 

[GaryinWI]

I can relate. I forgot to close gas cap on snowmobile and was going to show off for friends and went off this big jump, I was completely dissed in gas.

 

[ColomaSpyder]

On a ride with my wife who was riding her Goldwing and another Spyder rider. We stopped for fuel. I had to back up to get out of the gas station which I did. Then I could not get the bike into gear. Just sat there trying "everything" while the other two bikes waited. Finally, the other Spyder rider asked if I was applying the brake when going from reverse to forward......:banghead: Problem solved

I did the same thing - thought the new Spyder had problem with transmission. After a couple of minutes, realized that I had not put my foot on the brake. Problem solved - driver error!

 

[StillKickin]

Been there, done that... in the fast lane on I-95! Scared the crap outta me!

 

[seaweed]

Blooper #4

Blooper #4 is do not always believe Google Maps as it give you directions. As I was leaving Tombstone, I made sure that I had the correct address in the Google Maps for the Spyder friends that I was to meet. I headed down Hwy 80 and shortly I hear the message "turn right here". It looked like a farm/ranch road and I knew that my friends lived off the grid a bit so I turned onto the road. Soon the road got a bit rough and too narrow to turn around since I was pulling a trailer. I continued on hoping for a wide spot to turn around. Soon I came upon an opening but to my amazement I saw a 2 lane dirt road off to my left and straight ahead was a group of houses. I headed for the houses and saw a Spyder parked there so I knew I was at the right place.

If I would have continued on Hwy 80 for about 1.5 miles I would have been at the 2 lane dirt road instead of being a path that was almost a cow path.

I try to live and learn and to enjoy life along the way. nojoke

 

[ARtraveler]

Yes! They tell me google will put you on some "interesting" roads here in AK. Logging roads seem to be the jackpot. I wouldn't go there. :yikes:

 

[Fatcycledaddy]

Yes! They tell me google will put you on some "interesting" roads here in AK. Logging roads seem to be the jackpot. I wouldn't go there. :yikes:

My Garmin does the same thing in Canada.
I have the "avoid" unpaved roads checked, and yet it tried to rout me out of the way just to instruct me to go down a gravel road, and some of those looked like logging roads, or as we call them here, seasonal roads to drive at your own risk.

 

[PrairieSpyder]

Dean, been there . . done that, too! I love having GPS on my Spyder and in my truck. But I always study a real map before the trip so I have an idea of where I'm going.

 

[nightcruiser]

My RT wouldn't spin a wheel if I were dyeing. LOL

 

[stmike 1800]

While on the Cabot Trail ,my gps tried to send me out in the ocean .