Stucchi saved my Tucchus!

[zen_kick]

The second mod I put on my new Ballabio was one of the two-piece Stucchi steel racks. Although it's heavier than the MG model, it's black finish matches the grey/black motorcycle paint scheme and I think the lines complement the bike's tailpiece better. So far I have found the rack great for bringing home takeout teriyaki - the little posts underneath tie up a plastic takeout sack nicely - but not so great for larger cargo - couldn't strap the kids car seat to the rack without covering the tail light.

 

Last night I found another great reason to have a solid rack on the back of my V11.

 

My family recently moved out of the city. Our new house has a lovely large yard, trees, quiet etc. Upon moving we decided to convert the garage into a rec center. The idea being we need a place where the teenagers can be teenagers and not bug the rest of us - but still be close enough to parental eyes to keep out of real trouble.

 

Without a garage, I have been parking my V11 on the front porch. The porch is two steps up, covered, and when parked there, the motorcycle is the first thing you see as you walk towards the door. Parking outside is proving a bit dusty but you can't have everything. To facilitate my entrances and exits I came up with the high-tech solution of a 4X8 sheet of plywood leaned against the top step with the last two feet of the board flush on the sidewalk. (The crack in the board allowing the last part to lay flat was a happy accident the first time I rolled the bike down the ramp) This solution has been functioning fine with the only problem being the kids using it for various wheeled devices - bikes, skateboards, unicycle (really) and leaving it a little high on the step causing me to scrape the crankcase bottom on the edge as I ascend or descend.

 

As we unpack the house and continue getting settled I am surprised each evening by whatever flotsam and jetsam the day brings to my parking spot. As I roll up the sidewalk towards the porch I may encounter packing crates, lawn tending equipment, dog beds, sports equipment or a forest of 5 gallon water jugs. Before I hit the ramp, I need to adjust my approach to be sure the whole bike makes it onto the porch so I can climb off and clear a spot to park.

 

Last night it was a weed eater and dog bowl sitting in my way and I made the mistake of slowing on the way up and stopping to chart the best path forward. Unfortunately for me I had stopped with the front tire on the porch and the rear tire on the ramp. After identifying the best spot to aim, I *slowly* (yeah right) let out the clutch to make it over the last part of the ramp. Of course I forgot to calculate the effect of my Ballabio's awesome torque when applied to a sheet of plywood sandwiched between the friction of a sticky Michelin Pilot and the relatively less sticky wood and concrete of the porch. The rear wheel shot the plywood backwards and I found myself high-centered on the top step, balanced on the crankcase.

 

As I was assessing my situation, my wife, realizing that she had heard me come home but not shut off the motor yet, came out of the house followed by the kid who is helping us unpack. They grabbed the rack on the back of the bike and with a "1-2-3 heave!" we very handily got my motorcycle out of it's embarassing predicament with no damage to the bike and only a single cracked plank on the deck. Looking the Ballabio over for breakage, I realized that without the rack, the MG tailpiece really doesn't have a good solid place to grab in situations like these and we would have had to try a more risky back-down strategy with who knows what results.

 

Thank goodness I got a rack.

[docc]

Stunt parking!

[stogieBill]

How's about a picture of that rack, Zen?