I've been wondering all afternoon how to title this post.
Could be "Dang!" or "Frick!" or "Shiznet!" or "How fargin' embarrassing!"

I dumped the Honda today... on the sidewalk at work. :oops:

Now that that embarrassing cat is out of the bag, I'll toss out the details.

Two-wheel guys are few at work, and there's no particular place to park a cycle. So several of us park on the sidewalk, next to the air handlers. That section of walk is only usable to people who want to walk from the air handlers to the utility pole, so it's not like we're in the way. The sidewalk is raised, above a down-sloping parking lot. So one of the H-D guys built us a ramp one night suitable for getting onto the "short" end of the walk, and there we go.

This span of walk is about 35-40 feet, so there's plenty of room for several bikes. The unspoken etiquette says you use the ramp to get on, and then move to the "tall" part so others can use it. No problem.

At lunchtime I decided to go out for a ride and a haircut. Jacket and lid on, gloves on, sunglasses on, engine on. All's well, and I headed for the ramp. And then it happened. What "it" was, I'm honestly not entirely sure. But at next to zero-speed, I lost my balance. And you guessed it: I couldn't get it back. The left side was going down faster than I could get my head together, and there I went. The bike came down on my left foot, and my head dropped off [the short side of] the sidewalk, bouncing helmet off the pavement. I was able to get up onto my right leg and lift the bike back up without too much trouble. (Thank goodness it only weighs 420 or so.

Why's it so embarrassing? It was lunchtime! People are outside having their lunches! One guy was driving in to visit an employee and did at least stop to ask if I was okay. All I could say was, "Thanks. I just got a little clumsy."

And because just two weeks ago I postponed ordering those doggonned Givi crash bars I've been lusting over for six months.

And because once I got upright again, the gal didn't want to start. I don't have a clue why she was so stubborn, but restarting the engine took a half-dozen tries. With about 30 people watching. (None offering to check on me, mind you, but I'm not sure I'm concerned about that right now.)

Got her started again (finally!) and headed on out for a haircut. When I got back, the visitor who stopped was there, along with his brother (also a visitor) and the employee they came to see. All I could do was walk back into the building with a disgusted and embarrassed look on my face.

Brighter sides:
1) The aforementioned employee came by my desk and asked me if I was okay and how it happened, and she was genuinely concerned rather than being there to razz me about it.
2) It happened at near zero-speed, rather than at road speed.
3) No major damage to the bike, though there's a bit of concrete rash showing now.
4) No major damage to me, though I am a bit sore this afternoon. Could be from the drop-and-pin maneuver, or from yesterday's stint at the driving range. No way to know, I suppose, aside from the idea that I wasn't sore in some of these places this morning.
5) An increased sense of awareness on the rides to and from the barber shop and back home this afternoon.

I didn't have the camera with me today, so I couldn't get pics of the sidewalk and ramp. I'll try to get some pics of the concrete rash this weekend, and of the ramp next week. (I don't wanna go back over there tomorrow!) And then I'll ask about how to rid my gal of the concrete rash.

So taking in just the basics, the general mood could be either "Dangit!!" or "Oh, man, how embarrassing." But with the big picture in mind, perhaps the mood is "Whew. Not so bad."

Known fact for the future: I'm not screwing with that damned ramp-and-sidewalk bit again. It's embarrassed me twice now, and I'll not have it happen again. I'll park out back with the cagers and be quiet about it! :?

Glad you're ok bro. Sorry to hear about your spill tho'!! Shit happens,
just wipe your ass, flush the comode, wash your hands and keep it
movin'.... 8)
The people that didn't check on you or show concern, well, the
concrete rash on the bike and minor bumps and bruises are a small
price to pay to let you know who's really real. But don't hold it
against them. If they get in a situation show them how one should
act, You'll be the bigger man for it!

Just remember the saying that every motorcyclist has probably heard:

"There are two types of riders: Those who have dropped their bikes, and those who will."

I can't help but smile when I think about your situation. Luckily the times I dropped my first bike I don't remember anyone being close enough for me to be embarassed in front of. And the one close call I had on my 599 (trying to slowly turn around on a steep grade), luckily I was able to catch it and hold it about an inch off the ground until quick moving friend was able to jump off his bike and help me lift it back up before any damage was done.

Don't let this experience bother you. The scratches on the bike only enhance it's character, and you should brush this off as a lesson learned. 8)

Bummer!

I layed mine down a couple of times at 0 speed. Sometimes you just don't have the strength to hold it. Luckily, the frame sliders held up their part of the deal.

Still... don't worry about this too much. I'm willing to bet that most riders have dropped their bikes at one point or another. I once dumped mine in front of a bunch of guys (non of whom even thought about helping me lift her)... it was embarrassing, but I forgot about it a couple of days later.

Brush it off.

Third time out on my brand spankin new 06 I dropped it - it bucked me off and landed on me - in parking lot with four or five little league baseball games goin on. I dropped it again on some gravel trying to take a picture of it. Then bough some sliders and dropped it again coming to a stop on a damn oil patch. All of these were 0 - 2 mph drops. It happens. It's embarassing. But just picture everyone else around you naked!!! And take your time picking her back up. I screwed up my shoulder that first time trying to get her up too fast and too wrong.

Bummer!

Yup, I'm still a little bummed about it. I went through the garage a little while ago to bring the pup in for the night, and I had to stop on the way and examine my scuff. A tiny one on the left bar end, and a little bit on some black plastic piece (Roughly 50-cent piece size? Dunno what it really is.) I'll get a pic of the big scuff tomorrow.

When I had my Yamaha 600 I nearly dropped it in the [sloped] parking lot right after cleaning it. The bike tipped downhill to its right side, and I was on the left. I was in a full squat trying to get her back up, and managed to do it without hitting the pavement. Then today the Honda falls to the side I'm on and I can't recover it. Grr.

Interesting thing now is that my knee is sore -- the right one. It was my left foot that got pinned, so I'm trying to figure why the right knee is sore. Oh, well. This too shall pass, they say.

Thanks Yero and Alex for the good flush it away and brush it off advice. I guess the mental part of it is just like the soreness... it'll go away in time. As Dj said, maybe I just lifted it way wrong.

Not too worried about those who didn't offer to help, though I do appreciate the visitor at least stopping to check on me. It only took a few seconds to get my ass and the bike off the concrete, though it seemed like a frickin' eternity.

I'll survive it; I'm just bummed, embarrassed, and a little disappointed in my own abilities. Now: off to order that danged Givi bar. :wink:

Damn man I can imagine how you felt kinda like the hot pins and needles shooting thru your body when it happened and even worse to have witnesses..... so I voted "NO" on the poll to be funny but in reality it CAN and most likely WILL happen to anyone at some point in time..... I had a real close call while washing my bike .... I ws in front of the bike and grabbed the bars , leveled the bike up str8 and pushed it back ..... little did I know that from my kickstand being wet , when I leaned her back over onto the stand the water allowed it to fold up from the slightest movement and over she went.....I was lucky enough to catch it and quickly looked around to see if my wife was watching me :shock: :shock: :lol: ....... that night I ordered my sliders :thumbsup

Just remember the saying that every motorcyclist has probably heard:

"There are two types of riders: Those who have dropped their bikes, and those who will."
We hear one similar phrase flying airplanes... "Those who HAVE landed gear up, and those who will." Personally though, I don't want to admit defeat prematurely! :wink: Plus, have you SEEN what it costs to replace the belly and engine on an airplane? :shock:

Not parking lot or sidewalk, but in driveway. With any of the bigger bikes (generally not 600cc, but most anything bigger) i get anxious wheeling them around at slow speed. My onluy other drop was taking off on a hill at a hard right hand turn. I laid it down slow once i realized what was happening, saving it from any damage, but the 9'er was too heavy for me to save (unlike the F4i, which can be caught at almost any angle of lean).

Got the camera out today. Here's the scuff:

Pic 1 (http://www.blackcatresearch.com/photos/P3242275.JPG)

Pic 2 (http://www.blackcatresearch.com/photos/P3242276.JPG)
Pic 2 shows the mild scuff on the black plastic thing attached to the carbs. (What is that thing, and would it have been the source of the engine's post-drop reluctance to start?)

And because once I got upright again, the gal didn't want to start. I don't have a clue why she was so stubborn, but restarting the engine took a half-dozen tries.

That's not uncommon...especially with carb'd bikes. FI bikes don't seem to have that problem, but when you lean a bike over that much i think the float bowls empty of fuel and you have to wait for them to fill back up again. Did you notice any spots of fuel under the bike where you went over? I wouldn't worry about it...when i was learning to ride on my friends old beater bike i dropped it and took a few minutes to get it running again. The one time i dropped my 9'er it only took a couple of seconds before starting..but it is fuel injected.

It happened at near zero-speed, rather than at road speed.

So far mine always have. They're embarrassing to say the least, but much safer all around. 8)

The one time i fell over at an intersection it took me a few seconds (and yes those few seconds do seem REALLY long) to pick the bike back up. But in those few seconds i had a guy pull off and see if i needed any help. I had it up by then, but thanked him and appreciated his offer. I also had a battery die on my in a parking lot but after trying to push start it had a guy come over with a jumper battery pack. He also used to ride and of course we started up a conversation. I stopped once not too long ago when i saw a guy in a parking lot with his seat off...he needed a jump and i was happy to help. All in all, i've had good experiences with bike troubles and seems like there are always people there to lend a hand. Most of them have a bike or have had one at one point...it really is a community that is glad to help each other out for the most part. So yay us. 8)

Glad you're ok and it wasn't worse...even if it is a bit of a bummer. And being a work where you actually know the people... :oops: Sorry, dude. But at least there's not any paint damage. That's really hard to fix. You're fortunate to be able to just buy a new cover and make it right as rain for relatively little $$$.

Y'know, after I got my foot out from underneath (D'oh!) and got things on the upright again, the tank paint was the first thing I wondered about. A quick look said nothing major was not black anymore, so I went on about my business. But I took a good look when I got to the barbershop to make sure. No paint damaged in the event -- I'm good.

I figured the cover's not that expensive. I'll surf it out later this evening.

Didn't notice any fuel on the concrete, though I wasn't exactly looking for spills. Thanks for the advice on that one... I didn't think about fuel sloshing out of the bowls.

Thanks, all, for the support. (I'm still kinda embarrassed, though.)

TPS sensor throttle position sensor

About two weeks ago, it happened to me. I was a gas station--to inflate my tires, and I was going slow waiting for a car to go--when all of the sudden the bike was going down. :oops: at near 0 speed. The drop happened on the right side. It broke the footpeg off, bent my break handle, and scuffed the engine cover. I was embarrased, but even more so when I tried to lift the bike back up but couldn't. I was doing it all wrong, and hurt my back. I had to ride home with out a footpeg, and a sore back. Some guy saw what happened and comae over to help me lift the bike up. I need to get some frame sliders! Any suggestions?

Maybe someone shoud start a thread about the best way to pick up a downed bike. I know from experience that the first time or two that you drop it you have to try several different ways until you find that one that magically works.

It's good to hear that you're ok, VThokie. I dropped mine about the third day I had it. I was pulling into my yard, and little did I know, my 3 year old son watered the yard while I was gone. I was turning it around and it just slipped out from under me. My brother was in town visiting and unfortunately witnessed the scene. This was one of the things where you wish nobody was around.

I'm a fairly large guy, 6'2, 225, and go to the gym regularly, so it wasn't a problem lifting it. I just grabbed it by the handlebars and threw it back up. I think the adrenaline rush from the embarrasment helped me out a little also. I know the saying, "those who have dropped it and those who haven't", and hopefully that counted as my only one.

I need to get some frame sliders! Any suggestions?

I just ordered the Givi bar from Twisted Throttle.

Link here. (http://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/productview/1762/192/)

The Rizoma sliders from PJ's look good, too.

Link here. (http://www.pjsparts.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=59_45&products_id=98)

Word gets around quickly. Several people at work had heard about my "Honda drop" by the time I got there this morning.

I was in the lab today, building a gadget for my boss. He came by a while later and asked if I had any material handling equipment catalogs. "Sure," I said. "Sit at my desk facing the wall, and stick your left hand up toward the left. They'll be in that range."

So Mr Wise Guy says, "do they have handrails and such?" I was a little slow, and hadn't caught on. Until he brought out the "Evil Allen :twisted: chuckle" we accuse him of using when he's jerking one of us around. Then the big grin showed up.

And then came the comment about training wheels. Ouch. :roll: :)

turing mechanica got the rizoma sliders from pj's I wouldnt recommend them even though they look nice...they did not protect his bike well at all.

Got my sliders from supply-n-demand off ebay. AleX provided the
link but i can't remember where. Anyway they were super quick and
half the price of the Rizomas and look like they'd actually protect
the bike which is the intention. The brand of slider is eXtreme shoguns,
and the seller was supply-n-demand. Just go on ebay and put their
name and/or honda 599 frame slider in the search.
I ordered mine on a Thursday morning and they were at my door
on Saturday...awesome. I think i only paid 30 bucks!!!! 8)

I had a 1 mph dump while u-turning on a steep, uphill deadend street. I put my foot down and...you guessed it...the ground was much farther away than I expected. Thankfully it was dark and I escaped with only a scuffed left-side Motovation slider and a scratched clutch lever. Those little pads in the jacket work great at 1 mph!!!

I haven't got around to putting on the Givi bars yet.

Just got confirmation: my Givi bars are on the way! Yay! :D

Anybody got experience installing them? Maybe I can use the movie function on my digital camera to do a simple video. Probably won't be as slick as SS Steve's, but I may give it a shot.

March 29 edit: They're here! Likely will be next weekend before I get to give installation a shot.

Man, I feel your pain! I just bought my 599 a couple of weeks ago (my first real bike of my own!), and couldn't wait to take it out. Well, my first hour out of the driveway, I did a 0mph drop. Like you, I wasn't sure at first how the hell it happened, but I realized afterward what I had done. I had come up to a stop sign a little fast - and those brakes grab like crazy - and stopped kind of abruptly. It threw off the weight a little, and I would have been fine when I put my foot down to stabilize, but I had stopped right on the edge of the pavement, and when I put down my right foot, wasn't ready for the sandy shoulder that was a few inches below the pavement (and I'm only 5'6", so the reach is enough as it is). Anyway, I went down in what felt like slow motion, but just couldn't keep it from going over. I pinned my right ankle under the bike, but managed to get it up with help. Did I mention that my husband was right behind me on his 919? He was nice enough not to laugh at me (at least not too loudly) once he realized I had done more damage to my ego than anything else. I'm sure the few people who pulled up and then drove around us in the aftermath were probably shaking their heads at my 20-day plates. So like some of you guys, I did a little damage - the brake lever and a cracked thermostat cover, a loose mirror, and a ding in my heat shield (aaargh!). The worst was what I guess sounds like the obligatory scar on the engine cover. Aside from the last, I already ordered replacement parts and they were suprisingly cheap. The thermostat cover was ridiculously hard to find, but we managed to locate it through Honda.com by going to the electronic microfiche for part numbers and then ordering it locally. It sounds like there's a booming business for these same parts! Anyway, the website is a great resource if you're trying to find that obscure piece. So now I have a very pretty purple bruise on my calf and a sore wrist. But I guess we live and learn. :?

Glad you are OK. Good news is you got your first off out of the way so now you can relax and have fun! Stay safe.

Hey Lizzie, glad it was a 0mph spill and not a 50mph spill. I'm sure it's
tuff to see your brand new baby all scuffed up but you're ok and the the
damage is cosmetic. Reminds me of the Matrix when Neo first attempted
to jump rooftops and fell on his mug..."everybody falls"

Reading this thread made me feel a little better about my near drop last Monday evening. See my post "Aaargh... touch up paint?" in the "Repair and Maintenance" forum. I had put the bike on its stand then decided to move it forward a few feet. The kick stand popped up. I thought it was still down.

Even though it didn't go all the way down, I have a nasty scrape/scratch to deal with. Frame sliders wouldn't have helped in this situation, but I probably should add them to my list of future mods.

Okay, so I've seen enough frame sliders on the big road beasts, but I'm having a hard time picturing them on the 599 without imagining they ruin the beautiful lines. Anybody got any pictures?

Look around in the Mods section...there are several pictures of different types out there. Or use the search function and i'm sure you'll find them. After you've tried that, let us know if you still can't find what you're looking for and we'll be happy to help. :wink:

Luckily the only time i did that was with y gs500 and it dropped onto some dirt in my yard since i have to store it behind my house. Just brushed it off. No damage thankfully.

I have to confess that I went out for a ride this past weekend...went out with my bf and another friend...both guys with thousands of miles under their belts. (I got my license last summer and bought my first bike then but didn't get to ride too much before the weather got cold so I really consider that I only started really riding this year.) Well, back to this past weekend...we were riding through a small town, I was between the guys I was riding with...when a woman made a right turn from the left lane in front of my bf, who was riding in front. I saw what she was doing and, unfortunately, I locked my front brake and went down in an effort to stop quickly without running into her car (my bf was able to avoid hitting her and he came to a safe stop as did my friend who was far enough behind me for not to even be an issue for him). I got myself right up, my riding partners helped me lift the bike....my bf test-rode it for me and determined that it was in driveable condition. The only obvious damage was that the windshield that I had put on (purchased it from twisted throttle) cracked in half..and the engine slider on the side that the bike came down on was bent. The woman who cut me off had apparently pulled into her driveway and, once parked, came to ask if I was "all right"....lol....my bf and my friend didn't tell me that SHE was the woman who caused the accident. I just looked at her and gave her my damaged windshield and asked her to put it out in her trash.....well, I got back on my bike...and we continued our ride and i rode for most of the rest of the day. I'm sore, black and blue in a few places...but most importantly to me...my mind cannot let go of what I SHOULD have done to avoid the situation at hand. I haven't been back on my bike in a couple of days as I need time to heal physically. Nothing broken...just bruises. I lost my windshield and I have purchased a new helmet as my old (not so old) helmet took an impact when I hit the ground but my bike looks pretty good and I feel better today than yesterday. Anyway....newbie to experienced riders, here is my question: what advice do you have for a new rider who has now had an accident like this? I'm working on my "head" to get myself back into a riding state of mind......I'd appreciate any advice any of you have to offer....and, oh by the way......for anyone who doubts that protective garb and full face helmets help when you crash...all I can say is a resounding "YES!!!" I had a full face helmet on.....absolutely NO problems with my head....I had a good quality ballistic nylon armored riding jacket that took the impact when my right shoulder hit the ground....and I had on armored riding pants that also took the impact when my legs hit the ground and padded riding gloves that protected my hands as they hit the ground....advice? condemnations? I'm willing to listen to anything any of you have to say! Thanks!

Get back on the horse! It will be a while before you shake the fear, but it will happen. I still get antsy around blind right handed turns (the one I went down on was a blind right, decreasing radious) but you will get past it. Take it easy at first, go back to the basics, but soon enough you'll view this as a learning experience and not a tragedy. Glad you made it out okay though. And sounds like both you and the bike are in good condition.

Keep the rubber side down ma.

+1 what dj said!!!

Get back on the horse sooner rather than later. It wasn't your fault.
Maybe you grabbed a little too much brake, but you didn't do anything
wrong. From now on just assume that everyone in a cage is out to
kill you and ride accordingly.

Oh yeah, glad you're ok cfcats!!!!

I'm glad you're OK too. First time I dropped my bike was similar to this story. I slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting a car. Remember to watch out for cars.

Also watch out for soft shoulders. I dropped mine when I was stopping by the side of the road and the front wheel went into the dirt. Ooops. Now my fancy Rizoma slider is scratched.

And I dropped it another time (before sliders) trying to get out of my parking space. The bike parked next to mine was so close the bars were interlocked, and I lost it trying to untangle them. I was really pissed off at the time, but I learned to accept it. I don't mind having a few scratches.

...Anyway....newbie to experienced riders, here is my question: what advice do you have for a new rider who has now had an accident like this?...
...but most importantly to me...my mind cannot let go of what I SHOULD have done to avoid the situation at hand.
...I'm working on my "head" to get myself back into a riding state of mind......

Doesn't sound like you need any advice from us :thumbsup
It is dynamic out there...you are new and it takes time for all the reactions to be automatic. It will come in time and soon you'll be modulating the brakes without even thinking about it. Until then (and if you stay smart - there after) always be thinking and looking for threats. The best way to deal with an "accident" is to try and not be in the situation in the first place.

It can and does happen to everyone. Glad you are alright. And welcome.

I suppose it's my turn for revealing embarrassment.

First dump:
At a "T" intersection with 3-way stop, facing uphill, gravel in the turn I'm about to make, some traffic. So it's my turn and I roll on a little throttle to go right while trying to avoid the loose stuff. Pick up the right foot and don't realize I'm over-balanced until it's too late. Lying down, the bike seat is downhill, tires uphill. Nobody stops to help until well after I've got it back up and torqued my shoulder in the process. Broke my sunglasses getting my helmet off. Finally, someone asks if I'm OK, which I am. Can't immediately get the bike started, takes several tries. Some fuel and coolant came out the small hoses at the bottom of the engine. Damage: bent both brake levers, scratches on the bar-end, mirror loose, scratches on the engine cover (small one w/bolt in the center).

Second dump (a couple of weeks later):
This was worse, at least for my mental state. At a red light, in the left-turn lane, a few cars behind me, level ground. The green turn arrow comes on, I roll some throttle and start going left. I'm feet-up, slightly leaned over, moving about 3-4mph. Then the engine stalls. I don't know why, but now I'm down on the left-hand side. Guy behind me gets out to help me lift the bike, makes sure I'm OK. Mostly just a bruised ego, same shoulder is now sore again. This time, no liquid spills and the bike fires right back up, but it stalls every time I try to move to get out of traffic. This is a pretty heavily used intersection, so I'm not too happy. Finally get off to a parking lot catty-corner across from me to recover my wits. Needless to say, I was late to work. Damage: scratches on the left engine cover. Now both sides match.

Probably the most annoying point was that even before the first dump, I had sliders on back-order. They finally came a week ago. Sigh.

On the plus side, now it's really a punk bike. :roll:

So each time I think, just get back on the horse and try again, but it rains!! Enough to keep me in the cage. So much for that idea. Still, I'm back to riding as much as possible, though avoiding uphill stops when I can...

I don't mean to embarrass you by saying this, but thank you for telling your story. I'm just such a new rider that I look at other riders and just drool about how many miles they all have under their belts with no drops....why I seem to think that all these riders (other than me) have never dropped a bike is beyond me but your story makes me realize that many good experienced riders have even dropped their bikes at times. After my last drop (the one where the idiot woman in front of me made a right hand turn from the left lane....hmm..) I got right back on my bike (without the windshield which had been cracked in half) and put in about 75 miles. I was hesitant and cautious but I felt sure enough of myself to travel on all the local roads and highways. Last weekend, I took my bike down to an industrial park which gets very little traffic during weekends, and I practiced my starting and stopping...my friction zone and slow maneuvers, and the control of the throttle. It was a very good and worthwhile lesson for me. I intend to do that some more AND get back on roads again to take some long trips. I am dedicated to getting to the point where everything is second nature to me so I can concentrate more on the idiots I have to share the road with. Anyway, thanks again for sharing your story. It meant a lot to me to hear from someone else who, I am convinced, is a much more accomplished rider than I. Good luck to you and I hope you get some great weather to ride in.

I've been riding over 20 years and I've dropped mine twice - both times I've been pushing it around and it started to tip a leeeeetle to much to one side, and I just did not have the strength to catch it. And yes, I have sliders on order NOW. :lol:

Motorcycles are inherently unstable vehicles. They tend to fall over. Don't sweat it (too much!) Everything can be fixed or replaced if it bothers you too much.

...I roll some throttle and start going left. I'm feet-up, slightly leaned over, moving about 3-4mph. Then the engine stalls. I don't know why...
If you really were only moving 3-4 mph, you may need to slip the clutch a bit more till you are really moving...especially if you are just poking along at that speed and not accelerating...Also make really sure you are in first and not second gear when taking off.

As for spills... if you are new to bikes - it happens. One reason I really think new riders are best served starting out with less expensive lower power "less new" bikes. Then you don't half to worry so much. Most important part is the bike is fixable and as long as you come out alright, everything is good.

Motorcycles are inherently unstable vehicles. They tend to fall over.

Someone here (Tomacana? You out there? Was it you?) said that a motorcycle's natural resting position is in the horizontal orientation.

I'm thinking he was quite correct....

Motorcycles are inherently unstable vehicles. They tend to fall over.

Someone here (Tomacana? You out there? Was it you?) said that a motorcycle's natural resting position is in the horizontal orientation.
I do believe Tom said it here first...though to be totally fair, he was really paraphrasing something he overheard Newton say down at the pub after seeing the first "motorbike" whilst working out the final touches on his "three laws" over a frosty beer, you know, back in the day :shock: :mrgreen:

I couldn't possibly claim originality for my statement!! :D

I do believe Tom said it here first...though to be totally fair, he was really paraphrasing something he overheard Newton say down at the pub after seeing the first "motorbike" whilst working out the final touches on his "three laws" over a frosty beer, you know, back in the day :shock: :mrgreen:

Danged ole Newton. Always letting the frothy bubbles tickle his nose and spouting out theories....

...It meant a lot to me to hear from someone else who, I am convinced, is a much more accomplished rider than I. Good luck to you and I hope you get some great weather to ride in.
CF, I don't know how much more experienced I am than you. Just a little over nine months under my belt, actually. To be honest, the first time was mostly not paying attention. Embarrassing, annoying, but you get over it. Anyway, if my story helps you, then I'm glad of that. Don't give up!

If you really were only moving 3-4 mph, you may need to slip the clutch a bit more till you are really moving...especially if you are just poking along at that speed and not accelerating...Also make really sure you are in first and not second gear when taking off.

As for spills... if you are new to bikes - it happens. One reason I really think new riders are best served starting out with less expensive lower power "less new" bikes. Then you don't half to worry so much. Most important part is the bike is fixable and as long as you come out alright, everything is good.
Well, I'm not really sure how fast I was going, but everything seemed to be fine. I was little way into the corner when the bike stalled. Seemed to be plenty of throttle, though I could have slipped off a little. Traffic through that intersection is rarely smooth. And of course, I got a little freaked out lying there amidst all the cars, trucks, etc.

Amusingly enough, I never dropped my cheapo, used first bike. I guess the previous owners had already given it enough dings!

Anyway, the real problem is now I'm MORE interested in mods than I was before. $$$$$!!! :?

...Anyway, the real problem is now I'm MORE interested in mods than I was before. $$$$$!!! :?
Yes, this could be the most costly consequence... be very careful :lol:

I can no longer go for Sunday plate lunches on the bike, dropped it once in the parking lot where you buy the lunches and then again when I got home, I was a little too fast in the gravel and dropped it again!! Hubby says I have to go in the cage from now on. The bike is a little tall for me, I have to lean over when I stop and another time my leg slipped and she went down. Lucky this morning was distracted by a hanger in the parking lot and hit the brake with the bars turned, I kept her up by the grace of God . The only damage from all these drops was my brake lever, which is now a custom lever as I lost the end but now is it shorter and actually fits my hand better.

Yes - anyone who is a bit short for a bike must be aware of where they are stopping, and try to pick a place where they will have good balance. I can flatfoot mine, but even so if I put my foot down on a stray piece of rock my foot can slip out from under me for a split second!

Yeah, i'm 6'1" and don't have a problem with height but one definitely
needs to watch for oil spills when stopping. Almost dropped mine a
couple weeks ago coming to a stop at a light and when i put my foot
down it was right on a oil patch and my foot did the dipsy doo but luckily
i was able to keep the bike from touching pavement. Now i always check
before i put my foot down.

I was a brand new rider when I bought my 599 in June of 06...I dropped it the 2nd day I had it by coming to a stop to abruptly, and I couldn't save it...just a very tiny scuff on the side of the engine, and a scuff on the left bar end...I was in my neighborhood coming up to a stop sign...lucky me everybody was hangin out on their decks and saw it. No biggie though, I still looked cooler hoppin off that bike than they did sitting in a chair :) Anyway, I took the MSF Basic course a week after and it improved my riding abilities big time...now I remain calm in emergency situations, like just the other day someone in a truck pulled out in front of me and I locked the rear wheel and fishtailed going 50...but no problems!

Oh yeah, being able to lift the tail a bit is a good skill. If you can brake that hard you're doing a good job! :thumbsup

Oh yeah, being able to lift the tail a bit is a good skill. If you can brake that hard you're doing a good job! :thumbsup

He was locking, not lifting.

Locking bad.

Depends. A rear brake "locks" under hard braking because of weight transfer. I do that all the time (I practice it.) It sounded like sauroang had braked hard but properly to me, but you could be right.

Any idea why hoky had trouble starting his back up? I had the same problem last night when I dropped mine, even after I'd been riding for about an hour. I think my idle is set a little low at 1,000, though, so maybe I need to adjust it...

You may have flooded something in your carbs while it was sideways. It should clear up in a little while. I've tilted mine over more than once and I've not had any permanent carburation problems as a result so don't worry about it.

And as for the idle, if your bike does not stall, don't touch it. It's the stalling that indicates a problem, not a low idle per se.

may have flooded something in your carbs while it was sideways.

That seems to be the consensus among folks I've asked. It took about a half-dozen good pokes at the starter button to get things going again.

In my case I was (thankfully) well out of the way -- not in the center of an intersection or some other busy place -- so I aside from the initial embarrassment, it didn't really hurt me to wait that minute or so to get back on the move.

So if you're planning on dropping it on a regular basis, you should definately go with FI instead of carbs... :roll:

Sad...but true. :wink:

:lol:

:shock: Last season I got so 'good' at dumping it at a stop that I would hit the kill switch and keep it off the pavement as it fell over... :oops: