My first drop - Oh the shame :)

Gimpymoo

Gimpymoo

Gimpymoo

Soldato
Joined
31 May 2005
Posts
15,640
Location
Nottingham
No idea why I attempted this...

With pillion, tried to do a U-turn from being parked on the side of the road as needed to go opposite to the way I was facing.

Get half way round, wheel full lock... Start to feel lean, Put feet down... Houston we have a problem

IT HAPPENED...

"We're going down"

Talk about slow motion.... No damage or harm, just my pride. I was honestly able to lay the bike down in slow motion as to not cause damage, was ridiculous.

Pillion ok, was amusing as they jumped off the bike as they saw me going down and as I fell I look over shoulder and see pillion flying through the air which made no sense as was a 0mph drop.

Lesson learned, should have just powered through the turn or just turned around further down the road where road was wider :)
 
Last edited:
I only dropped my current bike once, it was early in the morning after about an hour ride to work, middle of winter, so to give myself credit I was half asleep and frozen, but went into the little underground car park, literally walking speed, similar to the OP tried to turn the bike, and just lost balance.

I'm not even really sure how, anyway bike was fine, only damage was I bent the rear brake lever...a bit...to the point where I only actually realised I had done it several years later when I got an advisory on an MOT about it.
 
I did something very similar on my Mod1 training, I hadn't ridden in years and I was basically stationary like you and remember well that slow-motion fall to the ground :D :D

At least no harm was done to (hu)man or machine :)

Often times I find it easier and more stable / controllable to have the pillion dismount first if I need to U-turn the bike then get back on once facing the right direction :)
 
It happens. Next time make the pillion get off, cross the road, you turn, they get on. Simples. I do this with my girlfriend. I can turn fine but she makes me stop and get off and tbh it helps as it's just easier lol.

Key to living on a bike - always foresee potential issues and limit risk. ;)

If your pillion had fallen off and put their hand down funny they could have broken their wrist. Easy done.

Sorry to go all 'dad' on you but take and always look an easier/safer option if not sure.
 
Easily done on a U-turn when starting out, VERY easily done with a pillion. The pillion results in a high CoG which you cannot directly control as they move. I'm always more careful and pre-empting with a pillion, using my foot to stabilise where needed.
 
helpimcrap said:
It happens. Next time make the pillion get off, cross the road, you turn, they get on. Simples. I do this with my girlfriend. I can turn fine but she makes me stop and get off and tbh it helps as it's just easier lol.

Key to living on a bike - always foresee potential issues and limit risk. ;)

If your pillion had fallen off and put their hand down funny they could have broken their wrist. Easy done.

Sorry to go all 'dad' on you but take and always look an easier/safer option if not sure.
Click to expand...

^this, I always ask the gf to jump off/wait if I have to do some lowspeed carpark manouvers/mounting the pavement to park* its just so much easier.

Also drag the rear brake a bit at very slow speeds helps stability, and don't worry about slipping the clutch with higher revs than you think you "should". They're wear parts and they'll take it fine but it again just makes things easier if a bit more obnoxious sounding.




*I'm not an ass the free motorcycle parking in chester is on a pavement behind bollards
 
Tefal said:
youtu.be

Rider crashes whilst doing U-Turn on test day. (Read description for explanation..)

Explanation herehttps://youtu.be/NX7jwDNrkWs?si=Oi4tbJizzFznpXxjFirstly, making sure the bike is switched off is the very first thing to do in an accident to...
youtu.be youtu.be

^could be worse, you could have done this.
Click to expand...
I was close to doing that on my Mod 1. I almost dropped it on the turn so rather than put my foot down I opened the throttle and corrected it. But it was a close run thing between control and shooting off outside the box.
 
Gimpymoo said:
My drop was midday on a high street, on a Saturday. I stopped both lanes of traffic :cry:
Click to expand...
Amateur, i dropped mine on Trent bridge during rush hour at night, managing to block both out bound lanes for a couple of mins cos i snagged my damn boot under the swing arm & couldn't get free till a couple of folk came over & got it off me, no damage to the bike other than chipped paint on the left hand engine case but boy, did my pride take a beating!, lesson learnt, when coming to a stop on Trent bridge during a storm, put both damn feet down & not just one incase you get caught by a particularly strong gust of wind!. :o
 
Sinbad2000 said:
This is technique :D I did a BMW motorrad course and they had us picking up a 1200GS (230kg worth). All but the smallest lady on the course managed to do it...
Click to expand...
I know I know, seriously. In the heat of the moment technique evaporated in view of my old love laying down for all the wrong reasons. But I totally do hear you now, in the peace of the home, CBR xx (lighter by some margin) cosy in the garage after an outing today. It'd be so much easier to have a test dummy but a twenty plus year old heavyweight swathed in rare plastic isn't it.
 
Came within a hair’s breadth of punting a cone on the swerve during my Mod 1. Size 11 boots and a slightly late push down on the bars, but managed it, which was a massive relief cos Mod 1 was my bete noire - 5 attempts due to the slalom becoming a mental block.
 
VoG said:
Amateur, i dropped mine on Trent bridge during rush hour at night, managing to block both out bound lanes for a couple of mins cos i snagged my damn boot under the swing arm & couldn't get free till a couple of folk came over & got it off me, no damage to the bike other than chipped paint on the left hand engine case but boy, did my pride take a beating!, lesson learnt, when coming to a stop on Trent bridge during a storm, put both damn feet down & not just one incase you get caught by a particularly strong gust of wind!. :o
Click to expand...

Oh my goodness, Trent Bridge in rush hour :eek::D

Less of the "Amateur" though thank you very much, check this one out.

I am a keyholder at work, arrived at the car park a little late, queue of cars outside. Was a freezing cold morning, very frosty, my first ride in bad road conditions, was happy to have got to work.

Filter my way to the front so could get to the gate, side stand down, as I goto get off, the bike begins to go down on top of me, almost slow motion with an audience. I can only assume side stand not planted correctly in my rush.

Three weeks later, I goto the hospital as still not feeling great, a broken toe and a fractured collar bone.

Collar bone took forever to heel. Such a stupid "drop" :D
 
Last edited:
Gimpymoo said:
No idea why I attempted this...

With pillion, tried to do a U-turn from being parked on the side of the road as needed to go opposite to the way I was facing.

Get half way round, wheel full lock... Start to feel lean, Put feet down... Houston we have a problem

IT HAPPENED...

"We're going down"

Talk about slow motion.... No damage or harm, just my pride. I was honestly able to lay the bike down in slow motion as to not cause damage, was ridiculous.

Pillion ok, was amusing as they jumped off the bike as they saw me going down and as I fell I look over shoulder and see pillion flying through the air which made no sense as was a 0mph drop.

Lesson learned, should have just powered through the turn or just turned around further down the road where road was wider :)
Click to expand...
It happens, as other have said lesson learned and it’s always harder with a pillion on there too
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom