I dropped the scooter

I decided I could use some training drills, so I got into an empty parking lot and set some cones. I kept running over the cones realizing I'm not nearly as good at this scootering thing as I thought I was. Glad I figured this out off the streets! Getting lazy and not wanting to get off the scooter each time to put the cones back in place, I reached for it while on the scooter.

I grab the cone and pull it up off the ground. As I'm sitting on the scooter, my idiot self decides to hold the right handlebar with my left hand. Don't ask why. I have no clue. The next thing I know, it the scooter starts to lurch forward. I've engaged the throttle with my left hand! Ugh, I was so disoriented to drop the cone and reach for the brake that the scooter just slammed into the ground.

Ugh. As if that wasn't bad enough, I picked up and stare at the scooter just realizing how much I screwed up. It gets worse.

I hop on and depress the engine start button. Nothing. I press again and still nothing. Grrrrr. I'm at least 5 miles out from my house and have no clue about scooters. How am I supposed to get this thing running again?

A few things crossed my mind. Was it a dumb thing and the brake wasn't engaged or the key wasn't at the On position? Nope on both accounts. Was the brake no longer working? Was the scooter not sensing it being engaged and therefore wouldn't let the engine start? Tested both brakes and they work fine. The horn and lights work fine so it's not a matter of a battery gone bad.

I drop on all fours to inspect the side stand sensor. Using the tool underneath the seat, I push the sensor in and try to start the engine. Nothing. I didn't realize it until later, but the sensor button needs to be pulled out for the engine to start - not depressed in! I'm such an idiot.

After calling my friend who wasn't able to help me over the phone, I whipped out my cell and called AAA.

One hour later the truck comes and brings the scooter to my house. Home sweet home. Although I'm no longer stranded, I'm still saddened by an inoperable scooter.

I inspect further and look up a photo of how the sensor is supposed to look like. Aha! It's different. This is a good start.

I fiddle some more and found that when the side stand is half way put down, the engine starts!!!! Great! So now I've figured out what's wrong. The next step is how to fix the darn thing. I grab my pliers and using whatever strength a 145lb skinny kid has, I pulled the bracket back into place. That 45 degree piece is supposed to be parallel with the blue fender!

I pause for a moment realizing if this doesn't work, I'm out of ideas. I press the ignition button and wala! It works! Everything's back to normal. If only I figured out earlier in the parking lot that the engine would've started with the side stand half way up, I could have made it home on my own. Ugh.