Drive-thru on bike = sucky

[Jazzzzz]

I recently got switched from the early morning shift (5am-2:30PM) to the swing shift (6:30PM - 3:00AM,) and now I have to pack a sack lunch or leave the premises to get food since the company's greasy spoon is closed at night.  I forgot to pack anything before I left today, so I figured I'd hop over to the nearby Wendy's (open til 2 AM!) and get a bite.

Pulled into the parking lot, killed the motor, went to go inside -- doors are locked.  Bleh.  Hop back on bike, pull into line for drive-thru.  When I get to the speaker to place an order, I have to kill the motor again so I can hear the lady confirm my order (had earplugs in).  Pull up to pay, and promptly told that they won't serve me if I'm on a bike.  WTF!  I argue that I'd gladly come inside except they've closed the dining room, and I was just going to tuck the bag of food inside my jacket and ride back to work to eat at my desk.  They decide they can serve me after all, so I go fishing for my wallet.  Oh yeah, I can't separate bills with gloves on.  My gloves have 2 velcro fasteners each and fit pretty tight, so they take a bit to get off.  After about a minute, I finally get my money handed over, and they hand me a fist full of coins (sorry, we're out of singles) as change.  The change would not go down my front pocket while I was on the bike, even while standing.  CRAP!  I gingerly held my wallet and change in my clutch hand and tucked my gloves into my jacket, and then idled forward to get my meal.  This was followed by another 5 minutes of re-arranging and re-gearing to get everything where it should be and so I could get back on the road.

Last night's "fun" bike experience involved riding home at 3AM in the pouring rain through an industrial section of town with torn pavement soaked in various leakings from cars, trucks, and heavy equipment.  It was windy too - the bike kept trying to change lanes without any input from me at all.  I passed a couple of cop cars on the way home, and the drivers gave me the "are you nuts?!" look.  By the time I got home, I thought maybe I was.

Sometimes cars really are easier.

[cobalt135]

Don't feel so bad.  I am from up in Springfield and had to ride home from work at midnight in the same pouring rain with a little lightning Monday night.   Add to that half the traffic signals would not trip :x

[Roadstergal]

You know how much easier that would have been on a scooter?

[Alphamazing]

You know what's really hard? Riding around trying to balance a soda can on your gas tank. I did that once... I don't remember why, either.

[davipu]

try half buzzed with a beer can, it's alot harder.

[yamahonkawazuki]

nope sorry, i dont ride while /after drinking

[oppy00]

This is why tankbags are so great, you just throw everything in the tankbag.  I know I've put burger and fries into my tankbag before.

[RVertigo]

So next time...  If you don't have a tank bag, get one...  One of those little Mantas or something.

When you pull up, take your gloves off before you head into the drive through line...  Put some money in your tank bag...  THEN head into the line.

Makes life a lot easier.

[Badger]

You know what's really hard? Riding around trying to balance a soda can on your gas tank.

Right before my MSF class, one of the coaches took off on his bike before we started and showed up a few minutes later with a cup of coffee.  I still have no idea how he managed that.  I believe he was on a 1000cc Ninja...I wasn't aware that those came with cup holders.

There have been a few times when I wished I could figure out how to transport a cup of coffee a mile or two.

[pantablo]

once a friend showed up with a cup of coffee tucked into his jacket! zipper was open for the upper 2/3rds and I know the coffee shop was 15 blocks away, a straight shot. STILL. I would never have attempted that for fear of burning myself.

[davipu]

just set it on the gas cap, and be smooth on the clutch throttle

[pandy]

I would LOVE a cup holder on the Baby G!  

[Jake D]

Yeah, but how would you ever pick a color for the cup holder?

[pnaberhaus]

No, no, no, Davipu! FIRST open the gas cap, then "nestle" the coffee cup in the filler opening. It WILL give new meaning to  the term "high octane" coffee! :lol:

[pandy]

Yeah, but how would you ever pick a color for the cup holder?

So TRUE!!! With so many shades of PURPLE to choose from!

[Badger]

Okay...now I'm thinking about cupholders.  I know...I brought it up, but I was just kidding at the time.  Maybe I'll grab one of those refrigerator magnet business card things and see what I might have laying around that I could fix to it that might support a large coffee.  Slap on the tank, insert joe, ride the last mile to the office/home, enjoy.

Or...just carry a fairly strong, round magnet.  Drop it in the coffee (okay, make that a strong, round, -clean- magnet) and now the cup will stick upright on the tank all by itself.  Hmmmm....

[Stephen072774]

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0013977520992a&type=product&cmCat=search&returnString=hasJS=true&_D%3AhasJS=+&QueryText=atv+drink&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jsp.22&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=atv+drink&noImage=0&returnPage=search-results1.jsp

[pnaberhaus]

Badger,

If your gonna do a cup-holder, don't mount it to the tank. You want the cup positioned down low, near the bikes' center of gravity, so as not to upset the delicate balance of handling that the factory has "dialed" in on our bikes. As an additional benefit, if you could mount the cup holder by the engine cylinder, you could keep your coffee hotter for a longer period of time.

[natedawg120]

I go to the taco hell here in bburg all the time with my 05 GS.  I throw the food in my back pack and rest the cup on the choke cable/fairing and it is stabalized by the clutch and power.  Works great for 20 oz bottles, liter bottles and cups of all sizes (coffee or soda).  Don't know if you could get away with it on an unfaired GS but hey everyone with an 04 or later there is your cup holder.

[Alphamazing]

Hmm..  I think I actually have a solution our problem of carrying coffee... Thanks to whoever did the $1 tank bag for part of the idea.

Anyways, take one of the coverable coffee cups, like this one for example. Take your old hard drive and remove the magnent. Test which side is the side that sticks to the tank, and use a LOT of super glue to glue it to the bottom of the mug, cover with a felt cloth so as to avoid scratching your tank up, and voila, a tank mounted coffee mug.

I am actually thinking about trying this this weekend. If I do, I'll post pictures and stuff.