Don't forget to check your "indicator fluid"

My brother told me this story tonight that he says the motorcycle

mechanic who related it to him swears is first-hand, gospel truth.

The mechanic was doing a simple oil change on my brother's ancient Honda V45 Magna ("He only charged me $15 labour, and that's worth it to me." Damn right.)

They got to discussing the valve lubrication issue the V45 had and my bro was advised to make sure he did two things: stay ahead of his oil changes and never, EVER start the bike leaned over on it's side stand with all the oil pooled over to the left hand side of the case.

Then the mechanic started talking about some of the customers he's had that might not be able to understand these instructions due to a lack of, ummm... perception.

Apparently he once had a rider come in and ask him for some "indicator fluid" for one of her rear turn signals. And this rider says she didn't want him to talk her into any other work, like other mechanics were always trying to do.

The mechanic said he didn't understand and maybe she could show him on the bike?

So she told him to go around to the back of the bike while she fired it up. First she selected the right indicator which worked, followed by the non- working, left one which, on closer inspection, had a burnt out bulb.

"See", she says, "the left indicator is out of fluid." The working, right indicator was half full of rain water.