Kurse of the katana... so mad right now

I am seriously f'n pissed at myself right now.

I ride an 03 katana 600. I've had a couple torn up gixxers but this bike was owned by an old man before me, all stock, low miles, pristine body work, no scratches or chips. Only mods he had done was a lsi bar adaptors and higher bars its nice and comfortable. He had just put on a brand new dunlop rear tire when i bought it in july. I've kept this baby washed and waxed and clean. I put a small scratch in the right side fairing from a ratchet strap (I had even wrapped one towl around the strap and put another beneath it, but still somehow scratched) that I lost sleep over.

Yeah. I lost sleep over the scratch.

So anyway, I decide I want to take a longer trip and order some new great stuff for my bike- new roadsmart front tire, sport touring windscreen, and some mirror spacers.

Roadsmart tire comes in and I go to my grandma's garage to remove the front axle to install it (I do my own tires). The 4 way hex tool from my "universal" tool doesn't fit (only goes down to 15mm) and my 3/8's hex set only goes up to 10mm. Apparently Suzuki put a 12mm hex on the front axle. And some sort of other "hex" to make it permanently stuck there. Despite my best attempts with a bolt welded to a nut, it was permanently stuck (until it snapped the shaft of the bolt and I gave up and rode back to my house).

Strike one.

Sport touring windscreen comes in, box is stamped "damaged by handling during transit at post office." Windscreen is split in two. I call the place I ordered it from, explain what happens, and after sending pics he agrees to send me out a new one as soon as he can- sometime early next week. Ugh.

Strike two.

Mirror spacers come in. I'm friggin ecstatic at this point because I finally got in the one thing that can't really get messed up. They are blocks of solid delrin that are specifically designed to fit my bike. No shipment issues, no fitment issues. I got outside and remove the left mirror to install the spacer. bike stands up and tries to fall over. WTF???? its leaning on the kick stand but as soon as I let go of it, it starts to tip right and fall over. OK, I think, for some reason removing the mirror must have seriously affected the bike's balance. I'd like to move the bike forward someplace where I can lean it more but the handlebar is locked and my keys are on the seat of my pathfinder, about 6 feet away. So I hold the bike with one hand (its practically balanced) and remove the other mirror. Bike sits back down on stand. Hurray! I applaud myself and go to grab my flashlight so I can see to put the spacers on. I turn to grab the flashlight and hear that sound that all bike owners dread.

Plastic hitting the ground.

Yep, bike stood up and tilted to the right and fell over on my gravel driveway. I stand it up and evaluate the damage. right side fairing has several big scratches, right side turn signal is smashed into eleventiy billion pieces, front brake lever bent and broken. I've got tears coming out of my eyes.

Strike three.

As I pull the bike up I realize the reason it kept wanting to tip. the rear tire is flat, as in no air pressure at all.

Four?

So, not wanting to admit total defeat, I went ahead and installed the mirror spacers, which are fantastic.

But now I have to lay awake and think about what I've done as I contemplate how to stretch my next paycheck to include a new brake lever, turn signal, and rear tire while i wait on my 12mm hex socket and my windscreen.

What a horrible night.

Only one thing you can do now to feel better.

Get on Craigslist, go to the free section, go pick up the largest object you can find.

Then soak it in gasoline and burn it to the ground.

Oh, and your welcome.

Don't do that. Go buy a $50 "smashin' car," preferably something like a Chevy Citation. Beat at will, until: A. Rage subsides B. Arms become too tired to damage important things

with the way yesterday went, if I would have attempted either of those strategies I would have certainly burned my house down, dislocated my shoulder, snapped my femur, and been arrested.

This story is why I have almost no interest in buying a faired bike :). My bike fell over under me while I was attempting to back up and turn at the same time in my driveway the other day, and all I have to show for it is a scuff on the brake handle (new ones are $6 from parts unlimited) and a scuff on the end of my exhaust (I still have some high temp paint left from when I painted it, and once I touch it up nobody will even know).

Yeah but faired bikes are so much more comfortable, especially on chilly windy days and on long rides.

I've ridden into the 30s with jacket+liner, overpants+liner and normal clothes under that. If I'd had a scarf and heated grips/handguards I would have been fine. But yeah, some of those measures might not be necessary on a faired bike.

Sucks man. The first trip I took on my old TL1000S, it fell over on it's kickstand on a hill. My fault as it wasn't leaned over far enough on the stand to be solid.

Bikes are meant to be used. It sucks but the best you can do is wipe away the tears and roll on.

Look at it this way. At least now you don't have to worry about scratching up the right side?

Indicators are for Bob Costas anyway. Use hand signals like old skool guys and chopper poseurs.

Would anyone on here think it was funny if I went to the decal shop and had them make a few 5" "bandaid" decals to put over the scratches, as a joke?

would you get it?

lol

all I can say is "Frame Sliders"

Numerous people on the board have seen my biek since it managed to be dropped on it's left side and then bounce onto it's right. I have left it largely the same, and seen guys walk up to it to think about taking it, and shake their heads and walk away saying "not worth it, damn!"

It helps to work an outside security gig occasionally, where you are tucked out of view, but no more than 25' from your ride.

Grtechguy wrote: all I can say is "Frame Sliders"

they are basically not available for katanas due to the perimeter frame and design.

There is a pair on ebay that are $130 but there are fairings on ebay for less than that. and they clamp onto the frame, which is weird.

I may think about getting a pair if I do end up replacing the fairing, but in this case, on gravel, I don't think frame sliders would have protected the fairings that much anyway. The katana has very bulbous fairings.

andrave wrote: Would anyone on here think it was funny if I went to the decal shop and had them make a few 5" "bandaid" decals to put over the scratches, as a joke? would you get it? lol

There was a Boxster at the last Boston BMWCCA autocross with a big crease in the drivers side door just above his numbers. He'd put 4 or 5 Hello Kitty bandaids across it. I chuckled.

I think this would be a better solution than the band aids

how would I ever get the bugs out? I'd have to call stanley steamer.

I love that my miata can't fall over. :) (and that I am an shiny happy person for posting this).

Autolex wrote: I love that my miata can't fall over. :) (and that I am an shiny happy person for posting this).

Yes, yes you are......

but on the other hand......my bike could be considered a rat bike and I really don't care if it falls over (again).

It gets ridden as much as possible, has PLPD insurance, is 23 years old and being an ex500, no value anyway

I do feel for the OP though. I have had many many days like that.

well, the silver lining here: 1) its a katana. they used the same body style for something like a decade. Fairings are $100 each for oem ones or $300 for a full set of imported reproductions. And replacing the scratched/ cracked fairing will replaced the scratches the ratchet straps put on there, too.

2) I had bought a new dunlop road smart front tire, and I haven't heard much about them, to match the rear dunlop tire. Now that the rear is flat too, I sent the dunlop back in to dennis kirk in exchange for front and rear new michelon pilot road 2, a tire I have heard GREAT things about.

3) the seller is replacing the windscreen without any hassle.

4) sears sells 12mm hex sockets.

Band Aid Stickers