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To: mamelukesabre
I got pulled over for eating a hamburger while riding my harley.

Holy Moses! How the hell did you shift?

95 posted on 08/07/2007 7:09:24 AM PDT by Hemingway's Ghost (Spirit of '75)
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To: Hemingway's Ghost
The self proclaimed “expert” riders claim you don’t need to use the clutch to shift a modern motorcycle if you know what you are doing. Although I am one of those self proclaimed experts, you might say, I do not buy into this. I prefer to shift with the clutch. I don’t need any undue wear on shifter dogs.

The hamburger sack was balanced on my gas tank between my knees and partly pinched between one thigh and the gas tank. Whenever I needed to use the clutch I simply set the hamburger down on the sack and did so. Then pick it up again and take another bite. It’s far more easy than you would think. The trick is to only order “plain” hamburgers so there’s no risk of messes. No french fries obviously. and no drinks.

I used to keep a small water bottle wedged between my right handlebar and brake line and throttle cables and the additional assistance of a toy sized leather dog collar around it. On long rides I would set the throttle lock and take a sip when I needed to. Unfortunately the bike I have now doesn’t hold the bottle so tightly that way as my old bike did so I gave up that practice.

I do occasionally talk on a cell phone while riding, sometimes if traffic permits. But only if wearing something with a breast pocket. A flip type cell phone can be “set down” for an instant in your breast pocket, still in the unfolded position while you momentarily use the clutch, then picked up again easily because it is tall when not folded up and sticks out the top of your pocket. It only takes about 3/4 of a second if you are quick. Obviously you can’t do this if wearing a helmet or going along at highway speeds. The wind makes it too hard to hear.

And yes, I have dropped my phone a time or two and had to circle back around and pick it up. My technique for that is to ride slowly past and kick the phone to the side of the road, then circle back around again and pull over with flashers on to retrieve it. I suppose if I was a little nuts I might try to pick it up as I rode past without stopping, but I’m not quite that limber or nearly that insane.

btw, as far as I know, harleys are the only bikes you can put on both turnsignals at once...ie emergency flashers.

159 posted on 08/07/2007 4:52:24 PM PDT by mamelukesabre
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