Last year I burned my leg pretty badly on my motorcycle’s pipe. The toonie-sized mark has really only faded in the past couple of months and it’s still pretty noticeable.
We spent about 4 hours on the road last Sunday. My latest area of concentration is when I gas up Bernice. I have had a couple of pretty impressive spills and it’s not only embarrassing, it’s stinky! I need to fill up every 150 kms or so, and without the benefit of a fuel gauge, I’m watching my odometer pretty closely these days. Last season I ran out of gas 3 times! Thank goodness for a reserve in the tank.
We stopped to gas up partway to our destination on Sunday and I was intensely focused on getting all of the premium into the tank instead of on it when I felt a strange warmth on my leg. I inched my leg back a bit but didn’t look down until the nozzle was safely back in its holster. My Lululemon pants – my overpriced, incredibly comfortable, go anywhere Lululemon – were melted to the pipe and two apple-sized holes were left in the material. Oh the horror!
My brother’s advice? Burn them off all the way around to make capris! Uh…no thank you. I took them to my local mending lady and asked her to save them any way possible, just so I could wear them around the house, at least. She said she could. I’ll find out for sure when I pick them up on Friday. Last night I took a razor blade and a couple of polishing products to Bernice’s pipe and cleaned it up pretty well. The melted Lululemon fabric came off in sad, hard chunks.
There’s a lot to learn about owning, riding and maintaining a motorcycle and although I’m no veteran yet, I think this is progress: A burned leg in year one, a pantleg in year two!
Sorry about your expensive lesson. That’s one reason why the majority of riders that I have known always wear Denim. Cotton doesn’t melt. You are extremely lucky that your melt was not actually onto (or into) your skin. Fancy pants are great after you get there. Take a pair to ride in and a pair for fancy if you must when you arrive.
Yup, I know most wear jeans and that’s smart. I just find it uncomfortable especially in the hot weather. But you’re right, an expensive lesson!
Oh I haven’t forgotten that! But I was sticking with the theme of burns this time around!! I remember that spill every time I hit loose gravel or sand.
Although I hate to mention it, but didn’t you for get about the minor spill as you were pulling off the road into a parking lot and the sore ribs which came with it? However, I would say that you are making progress.
Lisa, try some Goof – Off or some oven cleaner to get the crud off your pipes. Use tinfoil to scrub – it’s softer than the chrome and will not scratch it. If you do use oven cleaner, make sure not to get any on any painted or plastic surfaces.
Another alternative is to get your pipes good and warm and use an old penny – pre 1968 if possible as they are solid copper and don’t have the nickel core in them – to scrape the melted material off.
I’m a die hard rider myself.
Trevor