So I'm new to the motorcycle scene, I won't deny it. I knew I'd put the bike down at some point and I bought a used bike in good running condition that has a few scars for that reasosn.
That said, I wasn't prepared for someone else to put it down.
I've been riding my '97 500E more or less every day for the last two weeks, mostly to commute and a few times for kicks.
On Friday I rode her to location in Manhattan Beach for a TV pilot I was crewing on.
I parked my bike in the location's garage per the Asst. Director's instruction, patting myself on the back for saving gas and trouble finding a spot. I was told it wasn't a problem because no-one would be using the garage during photography and my bike was small enough we could still secure equipment there. A couple hours into shooting someone calls me over my walikie and says I should go out to the garage at my earliest convienience.
**Sinking feeling in my stomach**
I arrive on the scene to find a small, heavily plastic surgeried 60 year old woman standing over my bike which is tipped over to her right side, inches from the concrete supported only by the rmirror and brake lever which had punched through the drywall of the garage.
The woman apologized saying, "I had no idea it would be so heavy!" I must have given her one of these: :o because she continued, "I wanted to pull my car in here and so I thought I'd scoot your motorcycle up to the front of the garage. But when I got on it fell over!" This woman, who claims she once rode a dirtbike when she was a teenager, thought she would hop on my locked bike, which was also in first gear, and just "scoot it up" Fortunately the only damage appears to be the mirror (already replaced) and the brake lever which lost the little metal piece that the spring presses against for resistance. (picking up the new handle tomorrow) The woman payed for everything and says she'll cover any additional damages that I might have intially miseed. I can't see any damage anywhere else and the brake works fine. I can't believe she didnt just ask someone to move the bike for her and told her as much. She reiterated that she used to motorbike as a teenager and thought it would be easy to roll. She turned out to be the producer's wife, so I'm glad I didn't say some of the things I wanted to. :2guns:
Is there anything else I should check for that I might not see with a cursory examination?
Any tips related to parking in the city to avoid future crazy-people damage or similar stories?
Is everyone in Hollywood totally out of touch with reality?
Will Rocky and Bullwinkle ever escape from Boris and Natalya?
Inquiring minds...
no idea...
BUT! you should make it out to some of the LA Area GS Meets and or Random Events.... especially Skillz Days!
And as far as parking.... I park as far back in the spot as possible, at an angle, with the steering wheel locked.
OR! I park in a motorcycle specific parking area
OR! I park at the end of a row in the cute little triangle area... but you'll usually get tickets for that in a parking garage.
I like parking in undesignated parking areas...like the sidewalk at Wal-Mart or between curbs and walls in dense lots or in the yellow zones at the mall.
I probably wouldn't have thought much of someone knocking my bike over and paying for the damage. If you think about it a tip-over is extremely trivial.
Get an alarm...Gorilla and Scorpio both have tilt sensors and the Scorpio I know has the perimeter alarm. Gorilla may too, I'm not sure..usually if people hear the alarm they wont try and move it. Ive had the same issue with people trying to move my bike....I almost made one guy cry when I caught him...It won't really keep it from getting stolen I don't think..but it keeps people from sitting on them/moving them/stupid kids playing near them.
Would this be Andy who just bought my bike a few weeks ago?
Good to see you joined the forum! (Andy has my '97 GS that was for sale previously)
Sorry to hear that you're having stupid people issues..although, that will happen more often than not in LA.
SO, if I read correctly, the bike didn't go all the way over? It was supported by the wall? (sounds like that extra mirror came in handy)
The only thing I'd caution against is with the brake...they sell the lever itself, but it doesn't come with any of the other hardware, so just make sure you're getting the right part. Maybe have them replace the entire mechanism, especially if it's on her dime.
Good luck, and I second tragic's offer to come out on rides...I went to a skillz day last weekend with him and several others and had a blast...and he remembers my bike from a group ride a couple months ago...so he'll be glad to see that you're getting good use out of it, as am I!! :thumb:
that sucks dude, but it is a great story :cheers:
Hey Scott!
This is indeed the Andy who bought your bike. It's been running great other than the little snafu with the prducer's wife.
The rides sound fun. I'll try and make it out to skillz day when I have some, you know, skillz.
Hey! Welcome to the site, hope you like your gs!
I'm torn, part of me says take her for everything that you can... Make up some stuff, part of me says let it be fair and get fix what she broke.
The whole moving your bike so she could park makes me wanna scream YOU F&$kn freak!
Gotta follow your heart.
They,ll never catch em! :)
You should of said, "what the hells wrong with you?!? Would you hop in someones car to move it?!?" NO thats stealing!!! Infact go one further, file a police report on her ass for attempted theft or something, Hell she might of been trying to steal it :icon_rolleyes: You never know. :laugh:
-ash
Muhahaha, I cant imagine. I dont like touching someones bike. Its there property after all let alone getting on it and trying to move it.
the nerve of some people...
welcome to the site and to motorcycling in los angeles. like tragic said, join us on some rides and such...
(I'm in santa monica).
pablo-
I think you bent your SM2s and you need for the producer's wife to have a set sent to your friend in Washington state in order to "balance" the handlebars. :laugh:
Chilly
Sorry to hear bout your bike, glad to hear it was paid for. What's it like in LA on a motorcycle?
I was considering moving to LA with bike only. Owning only a bike is doable here in Portland, although its wet and cold for 4 months, but I'm not so sure about LA. Seems a little sketchier. I always thought it would be cool to take 101 down and roll into town on the GS, start with just the bike. Any thoughts?
I rolled into town with just a bike. In my case it was a Trek 520.
Figured I should add a motor to my wheels if I was going to get around LA in a timely fashion, so I bought the gtwin.
Right now my Motorcycle and bicycle are my only vehicles for the forseeable future.
I'll let you know in a year how it goes, I've literally only been here a month. So far no trouble commuting, and any discomfort resulting from being exposed to the elements is probably nullified by the look on everyone's face as you zip by them in gridlocked traffic.
Quote from: AWRobinson on November 16, 2006, 03:58:34 AM
So far no trouble commuting, and any discomfort resulting from being exposed to the elements is probably nullified by the look on everyone's face as you zip by them in gridlocked traffic.
Yes. :laugh: Well Im booking a flight Monday to check out the place, if any of you freaky LA people have any recommendations on what to do, let me know. I'm scouting for living/restaurant working in the future... trying to see what neighborhoods I like, get a feel for the deal, etc. Pablo mentioned some ramen restaurant I'm going to check that out. O0
You missed your new key to survival!! If she's the producer's wife, guess who's going to be crewing on EVERY shoot he has from now on!! I think you should slide in there and take this opportunity to make her your new best friend. coo coo ca chew Mrs Robinson!!
I don't think there is any fool proof way to protect your bike. I caught a friend of mine getting on my bike when it was parked once. He was drunk and thought he would just sit on it. He went to stand it up straight not realizing IT WAS ON THE CENTER STAND!!! :o I didn't know I could move that fast. Drunk and stupid people shouldn't be near bikes.
I once found my bike messed up on the right side in its garage (public parking structure). It was 20 feet away from the guard booth... 3 days later I was like, "it must have been an employee, they at least saw something." 2 months later the garage wrote me a check for the parts. They totally denied it was their fault but said "an employee was pressure washing near the bike, he said it fell on him, and it broke his leg!"