I was only 16, but I knew just about everything in life. I was setting up a bike for the drags and had stripped it down to bare bones. I realized that the kick-starter would fit on the rear brake so I could use it as a brake lever from the leaning position. Looked and worked great!
I wanted to take a run down the street before the drags and my father told me to put the muffler on the bike before I pissed off the neighborhood. I put the muffler on and then took off down the street.
I only took it up to about 60-70 mph and then tried my trick brake set-up - except the freshly installed muffler wouldn't allow me to touch the brake - I was now a passenger. I couldn't make the turn at the end of the street and hit the island before the boulevard. I bounced off the grass and ended up half-way across the boulevard in between the traffic.
Other than grass stains on my T-shirt, I was unharmed - the worst part was pushing the bike back down the street in front of a half dozen friends who were laughing their asses off.
. Never did get on it but I hung on till it hit a hedge , I went flying and dislocated my shoulder .
