Lads and lasses, lend me your ear. I had an off yesterday during a test ride when the bike possibly malfunctioned (they're looking into it), the bike is ok, just a few scratches to the tank and front fairing, but it's really hit my confidence hard. Over the last year or so when in the Toon, I often walked past a bike I'd seen advertised for sale online, I really liked it, the bright glittery custom paintwork isn't everyone's cup of tea, but me? - that's what I want! Then, a few months ago, maybe it was moved to the back of the store? I thought it had been sold. To my surprise, a couple of weeks back It appeared at the front of the shop again, reduced price, I saw someone getting ready to go for a ride, I asked if he was buying the bike and he said "no, I'm a technician and just testing it after maintenance". So, I decided to have a ride and make up my mind. Turned up yesterday on my day off work with all my riding gear, a big grin on my face, and the cash in my pocket. At first everything was completely fine and normal as expected, nice and smooth, comfortable, wind in my face, sun on my back but aye was it nippy (the weather, not the bike), I noticed the bike was getting a lot of looks from passers by. I saw one little boy with his mother stop and point with his mouth wide open. "This is awesome" I declared to myself. Then, and we're still trying to work out how, the bike began picking up speed, I couldn't slow it down. I tried the front brake - nothing. Back brake - nothing. Clutch to shift - nothing. The bike picked up speed. Seems everything is fly by wire? More and more. I held on tight and tucked in, and that's when the bike started to buck. Like WTF. So here I am, stuck on this bike, out of control, and now even more people are looking, but not at the nice shiny custom bike, but wondering WTF is going on, I think I was screaming and gripped with fear, it's all a bit blurry tbh. Anyway - so, I had no choice but to just hold on, faster and faster, every 5 seconds or so the bike bucked until eventually I was thrown right onto the handle bars with my chest on the front fairing - my legs in the air, and honestly - my life flashed before my eyes, I immediately thought of the wife and kids, it was a weird sensation because everything seemed to speed up but I felt like I was in slow motion, do you know what I mean? I thought that was it, as I held on and tried to keep steering - the bike accelerated rapidly, much more than before - so I decided to just let go and close my eyes, believing that I was definitely about to meet my maker. Suddenly the bike violently began slowing down on it's own and as a result, I was eventually thrown over the handlebars, landing on the pavement, helmet is all scratched, I was wearing a few veteran pin badges on my jacket - they scratched the tank and the front fairing as I fell off, and that's when the manager from the shop came out and told me I was too old for a coin operated kids bike.
