Ever forced to push your bike?

[Guth_imp]

Not long ago I was talking with my son about how healthy I was back in my early teen years. This was largely due to the fact that I spent so much time on bmx bikes that I could have been surgically attached and probably wouldn't have noticed. Well, not long after that conversation a bicycle came up for sale on craigslist that caught my eye. I'm still not exactly sure what came over me, but I am now the owner of single speed cruiser bike. It's basically an over-sized bmx bike.

I suppose the thought (if you can call it that) behind this was that riding around on a single speed bike would supply some much needed exercise. Thus far all it's managed to do is haul me to the pub on dart night, lol. The thing is, my neighborhood has a few hills that are really draining on this bike — it iis serving as a harsh reminder of just how out of shape I really am.

Segue to the motorcycling related content...

This got me to thinking about the time the clutch cable broke on my Hawk one day on my way to work. I was only a mile from home and did not want to leave the bike, so I decided to push it back home (over these same hills that I've been struggling with on the bicycle). I remember thinking at the time that I wasn't that far away, how tough could it be? I was exhausted by the time I got home and drenched with sweat. My hawk weighs just a bit over 400 pounds and I'm glad that it did not weigh even a pound more. I couldn't imagine having to push my CB1100 over this same stretch of terrain and certainly not something like a GoldWing or other big touring bike. I'm hoping that I don't have to encounter such an experience again any time soon (or ever for that matter). The bicycle thing is demeaning enough.

So, any of you guys end up being forced to push a bike for any distance?

 

[Inhouse Bob]

I can barely push it out of a parking spot to turn it around. And I don't recall having to push any other bikes, though I've had to pick up a fair number

 

[the Ferret]

Thankfully no. Knock on wood, I've never had a bike leave me stranded. i don't recall ever running out of gas. I've either gone ahead and ridden on or plugged flats. Other than into and out of the garage or backwards out of a parking spot (which I have to do all the time especially on the ST) I don't recall being asked to push one.

I did help push one of MTC's friends FJR's twice. Once when he left the battery on and drained the battery and we bump started him. The second time when he came back around the building and stalled it. Does that count? Lol

 

[flynrider]

Not long ago I was talking with my son about how healthy I was back in my early teen years. This was largely due to the fact that I spent so much time on bmx bikes that I could have been surgically attached and probably wouldn't have noticed. Well, not long after that conversation a bicycle came up for sale on craigslist that caught my eye. I'm still not exactly sure what came over me, but I am now the owner of single speed cruiser bike. It's basically an over-sized bmx bike.

I suppose the thought (if you can call it that) behind this was that riding around on a single speed bike would supply some much needed exercise. Thus far all it's managed to do is haul me to the pub on dart night, lol. The thing is, my neighborhood has a few hills that are really draining on this bike — it iis serving as a harsh reminder of just how out of shape I really am.

Segue to the motorcycling related content...

This got me to thinking about the time the clutch cable broke on my Hawk one day on my way to work. I was only a mile from home and did not want to leave the bike, so I decided to push it back home (over these same hills that I've been struggling with on the bicycle). I remember thinking at the time that I wasn't that far away, how tough could it be? I was exhausted by the time I got home and drenched with sweat. My hawk weighs just a bit over 400 pounds and I'm glad that it did not weigh even a pound more. I couldn't imagine having to push my CB1100 over this same stretch of terrain and certainly not something like a GoldWing or other big touring bike. I'm hoping that I don't have to encounter such an experience again any time soon (or ever for that matter). The bicycle thing is demeaning enough.

So, any of you guys end up being forced to push a bike for any distance?

If I were 18 again, I might consider it

Last year I ran out of gas and pushed the bike a few blocks to a safe parking place. The effort (in about 90 degree temps) left me huffing and puffing. I didn't even consider pushing it the 1/2 mile to a gas station. I bought a gas can and brought the much lighter gallon of fuel to the bike instead.

 

[JustPassinThru_imp]

Not long ago I was talking with my son about how healthy I was back in my early teen years. This was largely due to the fact that I spent so much time on bmx bikes that I could have been surgically attached and probably wouldn't have noticed. Well, not long after that conversation a bicycle came up for sale on craigslist that caught my eye. I'm still not exactly sure what came over me, but I am now the owner of single speed cruiser bike. It's basically an over-sized bmx bike.

I suppose the thought (if you can call it that) behind this was that riding around on a single speed bike would supply some much needed exercise. Thus far all it's managed to do is haul me to the pub on dart night, lol. The thing is, my neighborhood has a few hills that are really draining on this bike — it iis serving as a harsh reminder of just how out of shape I really am.

Segue to the motorcycling related content...

This got me to thinking about the time the clutch cable broke on my Hawk one day on my way to work. I was only a mile from home and did not want to leave the bike, so I decided to push it back home (over these same hills that I've been struggling with on the bicycle). I remember thinking at the time that I wasn't that far away, how tough could it be? I was exhausted by the time I got home and drenched with sweat. My hawk weighs just a bit over 400 pounds and I'm glad that it did not weigh even a pound more. I couldn't imagine having to push my CB1100 over this same stretch of terrain and certainly not something like a GoldWing or other big touring bike. I'm hoping that I don't have to encounter such an experience again any time soon (or ever for that matter). The bicycle thing is demeaning enough.

So, any of you guys end up being forced to push a bike for any distance?

Nope.

I wouldn't even try, at this point. I'm no spring chicken...57 last month.

Pushing a bike...unless you have help, you're standing off to one side of your center of balance, trying to hold a top-heavy machine up WHILE applying force to the grips to move it forward. A chiropractor (I'm not one) could tell you what you're doing to your back, hips, and natural center of gravity.

And that bike can get away. I never dropped a motorcycle...UNTIL THIS YEAR. I dropped my BMW, twice - once, moving it around the garage. Good fortune had Tubesand, fresh out of my truck, alongside it; and the cylinder jug landed on it and kept it from flopping on top of me. Took me ten minutes to extricate myself from that; and another five to heave the cycle up.

And then, in the act of selling it...driving it to the buyer's home. Stopped, put the sidestand down (I thought) and dismounted. That old BMW followed me and flopped right down on my inseam. Again, nothing broken...the buyer was nonplussed but he did close the deal.

The other time, was with my until-then-brand-new CB. Lost it turning it around; it just leaned over, I couldn't catch it while on it, and down it went, running, at walking speed. Again, I was pinched. Again, I was lucky - nothing broken. And this time, I had Good-Samaritan spectators, who, once they got their wits about, came over to get the cycle off me.

No. I might push my 250-pound TW200 around for a short distance, but not the CB.

 

[Jonz_imp]

About 5 summers ago the battery in my kawasaki Spectre died. Almost 1/4 mile from home, of course it was uphill but not more than I thought was doable. At the time I didn't know it was the battery, the bike was almost 30 years old then and never had a battery die while driving. I would have parked it and gone to buy a new battery if I'd known. Got lots of funny looks from passerby's.
But my driveway is a short steep up from the garage(under the front room) to the street that I've always pushed my bikes up before starting. I'll ride till I'm so old I can't get it up so to speak. Maybe I'll just move to flatter ground.

 

[veech_imp]

Not only have I had to push multiple bikes over the years, I even had to push my CB11 about 2 miles last year when I ran her bone dry. It was kinda embarrassing pushing a brand new bike.... :blush:

 

[JustPassinThru_imp]

Not only have I had to push multiple bikes over the years, I even had to push my CB11 about 2 miles last year when I ran her bone dry. It was kinda embarrassing pushing a brand new bike.... :blush:

Embarrassing? No, you should get a medal.

That oughtta be a competitive feat. The CB1100 is 550 pounds.

 

[veech_imp]

It was a bit tough as much of it was actually uphill, which really sucked, but I do work out regularly in MA so it wasn't as bad as it could be. My old Harley weighed 850 lbs. so this thing is pretty light by comparison...

 

[furious_blue_imp]

It was my first bike. A '73 CB350 in glorious purple metal flake.
I was at the school library study hall one night. Study hall closes at 1 a.m. at which time everyone is kicked out and left to their own devices.
My device was the ride home that I always looked forward to.
Just shy of the freeway exit, the ignition key assembly failed. No power, no lights, no nothing.
I was about 2 1/2 miles of slight upward grade away from home. No money to pay for any services even if I could get any, so it's time for the push home.
It was a surreal time. Silent, empty, deserted streets and winking traffic lights. A long huff n' puff time, I finally got it home and konked out on the bed at 4 a.m.
Chemistry class started 4 hours later at 8 a.m. (they're crazy scheduling a class that early to begin with)...
I was one tired individual that morning and could barely make out the lecture topic...

It was love/hate for me with that CB350, but it was my first and I'll never forget that machine..

(I had to replace the switch assembly at the end of it all)

 

[Inhouse Bob]

In defense of the CB, it rolls better than some. My KLR weighs 100 lbs less but is much more difficult to roll around. Maybe the tires, maybe the bearings, maybe the low center of gravity, but I handle it much more easily. Uphill might be a different story.

 

[Kung Fu Joe_imp]

I did...

About 20 years ago I just bought a 1982 Magna V45... The bike had a low fuel warning light (which I came to find out, rarely worked)... I wanted to see how far I could go before running out of gas. I found out. LOL.

 

[metallyguitarded_imp]

I "learned" how to ride when I was 18. My good friend Joe had a Honda 250 Enduro that he let me ride on occasion. I believe the extent of the instruction was: "This is the throttle. This is the brake (I didn't learn the bike had a rear brake until after the crash). This is the clutch. It's one down, five up. Shift when it revs high." No helmets. No gloves or boots. Just t-shirts, jeans, tennis shoes and too much testosterone and invincibility.

The day of the crash, Joe was on back, talking me through the ride. We were on surface streets going about 30mph. The light at the intersection was green. A van off to our right inexplicably decided to run the red light and turn left in front of us. Apparently, the van hadn't seen us approaching and the driver, a middle-aged woman with big hair, slammed on her brakes and stopped directly in front of our path. I am convinced that had she continued to run the light, I could have avoided the crash. But, with little training and even less skill, all I could do was grab a handful of front brake. I heard Joe behind me say, "Oh, sh*t!" then the bike and my head slammed into the side of the van.

When I woke up, I was lying in the street. Joe was still behind me and off to my right. The motorcycle was on its side. The engine off. Several people were gathered around us and a man was telling me that the lady in the van took off and that he got a partial plate. Apparently, upon impact, the back of the motorcycle swung around and actually popped the van's left rear tire. Still, the driver escaped and was never found. An ambulance took Joe to the hospital where he was treated for injuries to his knee and ribs. I declined treatment out of concern for the cost to my parents who didn't have much money. Other than a headache and road rash to my left shoulder (a scar that is still faintly visible to this day), I felt I was fine. Before Joe was taken to the hospital, he asked me to get his bike home and to tell his mom what happened.

And, hence, the pushing.

Luckily, Joe lived only about a mile, mile and a half, from the crash site and the path was flat to his home. Unfortunately, something had happened to the clutch and the front brake was dragging. After I was finally able to get the bike into neutral, I pushed it, bent bars and injured shoulder, to Joe's house. It was he**. All I could think about was Joe and I worried that his injuries were more than just his knee and ribs. I felt responsible. I felt reckless and guilty. I got the bike up his driveway and rang the doorbell. His mom answered the door. I don't remember what exactly I said or how it was that I explained to her that her son and I had just been in a motorcycle accident and that he was on his way to the hospital in an ambulance. When she panicked, something which for some unexplainable reason I wasn't expecting or prepared for, I started crying. That only made things worse as she must have taken that as a sign that Joe was even worse off than I had explained.

Turns out Joe's knee would be fine and his ribs were bruised, not broken. No other internal injuries. He made a full recovery. My parents later took me to the hospital and I remember the nurse scrubbing asphalt from my shoulder. An incredibly uncomfortable procedure that I highly recommend you avoid if at all possible. I've since learned a lot more about riding and although this crash wasn't my fault, I believe had I possessed more experience, I could have avoided it.

That was the only time I've ever had to push a motorcycle.

 

[the Ferret]

I think Joe probably used you as a human air bag to escape injuries. Can't understand how you weren't hurt worse though. Wow. Thankful for the relatively good outcome.

 

[metallyguitarded_imp]

I think Joe probably used you as a human air bag to escape injuries. Can't understand how you weren't hurt worse though. Wow. Thankful for the relatively good outcome.

Ha! I suspect you're right. I also suspect that although we were heading into the intersection at around 30mph, that handful of front brake must have scrubbed off at least 10mph before the impact. That, coupled with my hard head, prevented more serious injury.

This is one of those times where bad luck and good luck combined to cancel each other out, leaving me relatively unharmed. I've had a couple of those experiences in my life. Had I possessed the cushioning I'm currently carrying around, I bet Joe would have simply bounced off my back and landed on his feet, no worse for wear.

 

[the Ferret]

:rofl:

 

[Cormanus]

You do tell a good story MG.

 

[HikerToo_imp]

I've never had to push a street bike very far...I did once get my Honda Sl70 dirtbike stuck in mud so deep I could not get it out, had to leave it and get my dad to help

I bought a single speed bike (Cyclecross) this spring too, took a while to get the gearing setup ( 42/20) .

 

[redbirds_imp]

I was going to add my own "push the bike" story but after reading your offering MG mine does not seem interesting. Well done and glad you walked away from that one.:beerchug:

 

[metallyguitarded_imp]

You do tell a good story MG.

Thank you Cormanus! Your Australian adventures inspire me.

I was going to add my own "push the bike" story but after reading your offering MG mine does not seem interesting. Well done and glad you walked away from that one.:beerchug:

Thanks redbirds! But please don't let my ramblings deter you from sharing your story. I'm sure my buddy MTC is going to read my story, let out a sigh and reply, "So, you're saying, you crashed your buddy's bike and had to push it about a mile. Good story, MG."