Another confession…

I received a great e-mail from our good friend Jimbo this morning (that’s Jimbo in the photo to the left).   Jim is the real deal…we’re proud to have him as an advisor to the California Scooter Company, and he sure has the background for it.  Jim was the Production Superintendent at the original Mustang Motor Products Corporation!  And, Jim owns one of the very first California Scooters to come off the production line here in southern California.   This man knows motorcycles!

Hey, enough babbling from me…here’s the note from Jimbo!

Hi Joe!

After reading your blog this morning I could not help reflecting back on my first and only drop!  This was especially shocking to me after many years of testing new Mustangs, ten each day, rain or shine, through the testing area of the streets of Glendale, California. 

After testing thousands of the little jewels, I never had a fall or any kind of injury directly related to the job.  Last year, on the very first test run after taking delivery of my brand new CSC Classic, the odds caught up with me!

I had to wait a few days for a nice sunny day.  I already was familiar with all the controls and let it warm up before checking it out.  I slowly rode it around the block to the first stop sign.  I slowed as usual and used the front brake to make the very slow speed stop. Just a few feet from the stop  sign, my right foot felt paralyzed!  I could not move my right foot to put down to balance the bike at rest!  Both the bike and I fell graciously down.  I could not believe this!

There I was with the bike and me on our sides, the engine idling away nicely and gasoline pouring a steady stream from the gas cap.  I thought I had to get up quickly but I needed to take inventory of myself and check for injuries.  I realized my thinking process was OK and I didn’t seem to have any pain.

Realizing a fire could start at any moment, I got the strength to wiggle free and slowly got up and righted the bike.  While I was lying there, I thought all I need is a cop to see me down, since the bike was brand new and was not registered in Oregon yet (and I did not have the required driver’s license endorsement – a $750.00 fine).

Just as I stood up with the bike, a local police officer drove by slowly.  He looked real hard at me and saw I had a helmet on, and he waved hello!

What caused me to fall?  The shoe lace on my right tennis shoe looped over the brake pedal (no doubt caused by the “in motion” wind) locking my foot to the pedal and not allowing me to put my foot down at the stop!

The good news is only the rubber throttle grip was torn and no other damage.  New riding rules for Jimbo!  Wear boots only!

Steve knows about this but not the full details.

I enjoy the blog and check it out for new subjects every morning!

Cheers!

Jimbo

Jim, that’s good story and good advice.  I’ve come close to doing the same thing myself a couple of times with the lace-up boots I wear.   Thanks for sharing this with us!