Have you ever dropped your bike?

[Dag]

Hopefully some of you will contribute your own "I did a dumb thing and dropped my bike" story.
Here's mine;

I rode a Honda Magna that time.
It's 12 years ago now so blunder is obsolete.

I ran on board a ferry, parked and stopped the engine. One of the crew of the ferry asked me to move the bike a little bit backwards. Up with the side stand, pushed the bike a bit backward and dropped it (forgot the side stand). The left handlebar hit a car window and broke it and made a dent on the door of the car. Embarrassing 

[mhallock]

Had my Valk 3 days......brand new in 2001.....hit a BIG pothole at ha stop sign.....me. my wife, and my Valk on the ground....I asked my wife if she was OK......after I lifted the Valk back up...

Signed,
Anonymous

[Willow]

Maybe once.

[sugerbear]

not me!!!! i've NEVER done that

83 goldwing in a parking lot

99 valk foot slipped on a leaf  w/wife
2k valk  very slanted parking lot  w/wife

73 kaw 500 triple  gravel parking lot

78(?) kaw 650 front yard (too much to drink )

[Ghost]

WOW! I was on a ride for the church today which had 35 couples in it. I never block as i think it a good way to get someone killed. Well today before we left the church the leader ask me to block at this one intersection which was a very hard spot to see around. Two riders went one way to block on a hill and i was to go the other way to block. when i pulled up to turn left there was a truck coming with a trailer so i stopped, when i put my foot down there was no road to touch and over the bike went with me and Nicky. I did everything i could to hold that bike up, and of corse it had to happen in front of everybody. Well another guy came up to help me and he went over also which made me feel better. My back is hurt and my pride but Nicky is ok and the bike is ok. Its agaist the law to block in Indiana and i should have listen to my inner self on this one. I will never block again and its the first time in my life that i dropped a bike. My bad and its all my fault. Learned a good lesson today.

[valkmc]

About 10 years ago I was at biketoberfest in Daytona. I pulled into a packed local steakhouse on Sat night. There must of been 100 HD's in the parking lot (I'm sure they weren't all HD's but it seemed like it). The parking lot ended and turned into gravel, just as I hit the gravel a bike started to back out of a parking space. I tapped the front brake and down she went. There was all sorts of people watching because the place had a 45 minute wait and was serving beer in the parking lot. My friend who was behind me said the bike barely hit the ground before I had her back up, I felt like an idiot.

[Valkflyer]

Picked up my new '75 CB 750 and rode around like a bad a-s, pulled in to the toll both for the Crocket Bridge, stuck my foot down in some oil...did the splits, pulled my groin muscle...dropped the bike and rolled over on the za buttocks.             What show!  

[Michvalk]

Every bike I have ever owned has been dropped, parking, turning, backing up,(espicially) I've done them all. I'm hoping I'll quit that, cause I'm gettin too old to pick them up very good. Dropped the Valk a couple of weeks ago on the wet grass backing out of the garage.

[..]

Early 80's. Filtering through traffic in London. It's raining (suprise) and I'm wearing my very stylish yellow plastic waterproofs complete with baggy legs.

I have to stop cause I'm getting squeezed by a vehicle.

Put my left foot down and catch the footpeg with the baggy hem of the waterproof pants.

Over I go onto the hood of the car next to me. I've fallen and I can't get up.
...

I used to put my kckstand stand on my ex Valkyrie as I was coming to a stop and just gently let the kickstand touch down as I came to a complete stop. I thought it was pretty cool (plonker).

So I pull into a motel parking lot in Boone, NC and do my usual down with the kickstand before stopping. What I didn't take into account was the slight dip in the blacktop that caused the kickstand to hit the blacktop and flicked the kickstand back up. Coot had to help me lift the bike up. I had it just resting on the saddlebag and engine guard.

[..]

http://harley.wolfcrews.com/misc/drop_bike.htm

[..]

Hope this guy never gets to ride on the road. 

15 Ways to Drop a Bike	powered by Aeva

[Kaz]

I dropped my valk twice although I don't think the first one counts as a drop.  More of a sink.  I rode it to a friends place in northern Wisconsin and parked on what I thought was hard packed earth.  When I put the side stand down and rested it, the bike just slowly sank into the soil and I had to pick it up and put a board under the side stand.  The second time was when I was trying to load it on an enclosed trailer and dropped on myself as I was motoring up the ramp.  That was dumb and very embarrassing .  Now if I have to trailer it any where, I use REAL wide ramps. 

[hubcapsc]

I haven't dropped my Valkyrie yet, though the previous owner(s) had both engine guards all
rashed up. It rolled forward a couple of inches one afternoon while I was getting the mail out
of the mailbox and I almost lost it, but it stayed up.

I typically fall off of motorcycles when lots of people are looking, so my time just hasn't come yet...

-Mike

[roboto65]

Yop will not straighten out the steering if you take off no matter how hard you try if it is locked  Yeah I am that idiot 

[chrise2469]

Oh yes.  Once in Custer national park- my foot slipped on loose gravel.

On an interstate (the road not the bike  ) after a bad tank of gas, was filling up with a jerry can.  Got back on, lifted kick stand and realized I forgot to bungee down the tank, go to put bike on stand- klunk.

On the Skyway in TN, found a pull out with uneven ground.  Got video of that one.
http://www.vholdr.com/video/dropped-valkyrie

Got some help with dropping the bike at a  service station recently due to some piss poor positioning on my part.

FI010003_1.MOV	powered by Aeva

No damage to the bike or myself.

[Big IV]

I hadn't had my Valk long. I was turning in a gravel parking lot in front of the shop, and barely clipped the edge of a concrete walk way and the bike rolled out from under me. I was disgusted with myself so I started ranting and cussing myself. My wife walked over and picked the Valk up and set it on its side stand while I fussed. She's wonderful like that.

[alph]

the day after i got my first cycle.  turned onto a road that had just been covered with pea gravel to fill the little cracks with tar.  was only going 10 to 15 mph, tapped the front break, down she went!!  actually was able to stay on my feet and just let the bike fall underneath me, that's how slow i was going!! 

another time, in my garage i needed to move the Valk forward two feet, so like an idiot i didn't strattle the beast, i just grabbed the handle bars and tried to move it forward.  darn thing was in gear, i didn't know it at the time, as i pushed she pushed back making me lose my balance!!  she fell to the right, thankfully, not a scratch on her, thank god for those engine guards!!

alph.

[f6john]

     A couple of years ago I made the mistake of riding the Valk with my cowboy boots on. Came up to a stop sign, put my foot down and you would have thought I was on ice. Over I go still on the bike and still trying to save it. Now I have never been able to do the splits like a cheerleader but I was almost there except I had 700 lbs of bike between my legs and a hamstring that's killing me. Who pulls up but a little Black girl that wouldn't weigh a 100 lbs, "You need some help?".  No, No, I got it! Well I didn't "got it". She comes bouncing over , grabs the handle bar and the top of the saddlebag guard rails and together it came right up. She says, "you ok?" and I'm saying sure, sure and to this day I believe she thinks I was drunk or high of which I was neither.  Only other pluses besides her help was it was dark and no one else drove by while I was performing my gymnastics.

[chip]

crap , which bike which time. No doubt my own stupidity every time

[Madmike]

......... just that time I fell asleep......

[f6gal]

NEVER!!!

Uh, well, maybe once... ok, could be twice... oh, hell, who's counting?

I found a solution though... If you burn out the asphalt deep enough, it will NOT fall over!  (Even sans kickstand.)


 

[houstone]

The Valk only once, so far...
Got gas, pulled up to the front of the store and got off.  Completely forgot about putting the kickstand down!  Adrenaline rush got 'er right back up though!  Here's to engine guards and bag rails!   

[Printer Mike]

I'm saving all this info. for when some of y'all have your bike listed as, "Never Down."

Shoot, I dropped mine on the second day I rode it... In the garage. In the dark. THOUGHT I had the kickstand all the way down...By the time I realized the stand didn't have it... it was too late. Went over easy though, 'cause I was still trying to hold it.

[Dag]

NEVER!!!

Uh, well, maybe once... ok, could be twice... oh, hell, who's counting?

I found a solution though... If you burn out the asphalt deep enough, it will NOT fall over!  (Even sans kickstand.)


 

 
It appears that it was foggy the day the picture was taken

[Rowdy]

  just helped a guy in Boone NC just off the parkway 
Looked like he was having a problem trying to kick it back down into first gear while he was stopped, next thing you know he was on the ground  rushed over and helped him out - siad he was tired  - I think he needed a time out 

Yes to most all of all the above seneros - it always seems to involve moving the bike while off the bike, or due to loss of footing on gravel or the old kick stand melting down into the pavement 

The worse case was down in the hills of West Va - I was on my Honda 900 - the wife had got sunblock on her eyes and stoped along the side of the road - blind    I turned around and parked along the side of the road - not the best place - it was all I had  walked a few steps away from the bike and I herd this noise  the dang bike rolled over into the ditch     Once we got Jan taken care of it it was an effort to get that back out of the ditch with Jan's help    no serious damage and I still have the CB 900 

[ChromeDome]

Yep ... and every bike I have owned.

[Varmintmist]

As I sit here running a bone stimulator on my right arm, ya'll are making me feel a lot better.

80's dropped a 360 Yamaha enduro in sand. Ended up in the weeds upside down.
When I just started back, I ran a 350 Honda off the road at real low speed. Got in a little ditch and the crash bar caught on the road (left) and grass (right) with the tires suspended. The whole thing came to a drop the anchor halt, cept me.
Eased the Aero over in a driveway.
Right after her first bath, I set the valk down on my right leg.
Then the biggie, which is the reason I am sitting here with a bone stimulator on my right arm waiting until the shoulder is strong enough that I can lift it high enough to go bike shopping again.

[fudgie]

3 times.

2007 I went to Ohio to attend a pre rally, rally.  ??? The day before the gates open they line everyone up on the road for a few miles. This year they put everyone in a wheat field. I wasnt going to the rally so I was heading home after a few beam & cokes. Instead of riding the length of the field to the road I decided to go up the ditch. Up I go and made it to the top and slowed to walk the bike into the turn. My stubby legs went down and there was no ground. Over to the left she went. Few HD guys helped me right her. Gawd thats imbarrasing. A hour or so later I roll back into IND and stop under a bridge to put my rain gear on. Put my still stubby legs down and no ground on the right side. Over she went to the right. Dam it! I couldnt right her by myself cause she was to far over. I tried jump rocking her up for 10 min. Finally called a cop friend that was on duty and he and another helped me get it up. Busted off my mirror. Great, I leave in 6 days for SD.

2009
We are doing the tourist/history thing in Deadwood SD and headed up to Mt Moriah to see Hickock Go up the steep street to the cemetary. We get into the parking lot and turn left to park. Next thing I hear is metal hitting the ground.  The lot is slooped but you cant tell it. A guy yells hold on I'm coming. He helps us right her and says he has been picking up bikes all day. Took 4 of them to park a sporty! Hurt my ankle a little and Kit ended up bruises from her ankle to her crotch from the floor board.

[MAD6Gun]

 Where do I start. One time in the garage I was reinstalling my left mirror on the valk. I got on the bike Kicking the stand up out of force of habit. Tightened the mirror. Went to lean over on the stand. No stand. Over she went with me still on her. Needless to say the wrench did not stay in my hand long. It went clanging around the garage after I threw it. So Here I am with a 800 pound bike traped on my left leg. Dad was out side and came in after and picked it up off of me. No damage to me or the bike.
 The big one though was two years ago at the last TN Inzane. I was on the Snake with 98T leading. I was behind him,dad behind me in the Miata and OtValk from Canada behind dad. We were riding along on some great curves. Lothair had a slow pickup in front of him. I got to close the Ts bike in a tight left hand turn. It was either hit him and damage both bikes or worse OR take the side of the road. So I streightened up and hit the brakes. I was doing fine until I hit the gravel burm. The front brake locked,bike skided to a stop and threw me off left. After I got back up I was so pissed that I didnt wait for any help getting the Valk back up. Went over,grabbed the handle bars and righted it myself. Needless to say it did some damage. Broke the end off of my clutch lever, the mirror mount,the left grip and scratched the case guards. No paint or seat damage. So we went back to the hotel. I got a new set of levers,mirror mount and was back riding again later.

 There were others but those are the two I remember most........

[Momz]

I admit that I've dropped virtually every motorcycle I've ever owned,....except my any of my Brit bikes (Triumphs, BSA's and a couple of Nortons.....never/ever).

My very first bike I crashed down a flight of stairs within the first half hour.
My second bike crashed into two cars and a tree without me even on it, (push start, stuck throttle incident). Now that was embarassing!

Heck, I've even drpped my Rat Rod Valk twice this year (before my surgery of course).

[R J]

Me drop my bike. no never, that's my story and I'm stickin to it.

I is a lyin like hell also.

Pulled up on my Aluma trailer one night to park for the evening.   Rolled into the front chock, I thought, night, dark as hell, and the headlight fuse is out.   Alternator dead in the water.

Vell, if ya ain't figured it out yet, I missed the chock.

Now, that is my story and I'm stickin to it.

Oh by the way, the firkin bike tossed me and it clear off the trailer.   I think MGM was pissed also.

Broke a turn signal off the Cobra bar, busted up my already lame knee that needed replaced.

BS, that is enough of this crap, bringin back too many memories..

[scoot]

I did it once years ago, but I made sure I did it right. My wife and I were on a ride with about 15 other couples in the hills of Kentucky. We had been riding all day.We were on a road that seems to go nowhere (alot of those in them hills) when we decided to turn around. Well I had the trailer and everything. the road wasn't much more then a paved two track. I pulled across the road and went to back up a little and lost my footing. Needless to say we went down. It was just a gentle tumble, but seemed to go over slowly, with everyone watching

We had been here earlier in the day, not that that had anything to do with it.

[CajunRider]

Well... let's see...

Valkyrie has never been dropped by me... YET...

However, a Triumph Thunderbird Sport was "dropped" when someone pulled out in front of me.........
.......
5 HOURS after I bought it!!!!!!    

It was totaled... so I still don't own one of those beautiful bikes... with the moratorium on Gulf drilling, I'll probably never be able to afford a chance at owning one again... 

And then there's dirt bikes...
XR100
KLX450
KLR650

ALL 3 of then down in the dirt... MANY MANY TIMES...

Luckily, no broken bones... YET...

On a side note... a wise man once told me that there are 2 types of motorcycle riders in the world...

Those that HAVE gone down... and those that WILL...

I'm lucky enough to survive the "HAVE" part so far... I hope to keep it that way.

[TheSpadMan]

Lets seeeee. ...... ..... What all I have dropped, not counting the engine-less bicycle,  8)HMMMMMMM.....
Sprite Mini-Bike, Kawasaki G5-100, Yamaha 360 dirt bike, Honda CX500C, Kawasaki KZ250, Honda CB500, Honda Rebel 250, WHEW !!!    SO FAR NOT THE VALK 

[Daniel Meyer]

Nope. Nu uh. Never.

Well...unless you count the time...

and that other incident...

and THAT time...

oh, then there's that day...


I spend a fair amount of time taking the valk to inappropriate places in less than ideal weather.

How many? Heh...Nobody knows for sure...I suppose my parts supplier might have the closest guestimate.

How many crash bars does one guy need to order anyway?

Ride 'em hard. Fix 'em when they break.

[Ghillie]

Once, twice, three times a lady.

[Cruzen]

Does the Valk dropping me count?  I was in a hurry to get off the Valk to capture a video of a coming train.  I pulled quickly into a parking lot at LaPosada in Winslow AZ, had the bike in neutral as it coasted up to a shaded parking spot next to a brick column. I had put the kick stand down while bike was still moving.  Jumped off with video camera in my left hand, while yelling back to my lady to shut the bike off.  While the forward motion of the bike had ended, my body had not yet gotten the message.  My left foot was on loose gravel and it slipped and I was launched left forearm first into the edge of the brick column.  Shaved more than a few layers of skin off  my left forearm on my way down but despite all the blood running down my arm I managed to get up and run toward the tracks to get the video shot.  Upon my return to the bike, the Valk seemed a bit smug.  My lady was not amused.

My former fiancée managed to roll her 800CC Drifter in the driveway while polishing it.  She was not on the bike when it rolled.  She came and got me out of the shower to help her pick it up.  Never could figure out how she had done that.

[Daniel Meyer]

I'm saving all this info. for when some of y'all have your bike listed as, "Never Down."

Heh...I already know the resale value on my machine will be roughly $3.98...if anybody reads my website anyway...

[Sharkey]

You know that little extension on the kickstand? The one so you can reach it when its under the exhaust. I got it stuck in my Levis pant legs somehow. Couldnt pull my leg off that thing, over I went. No harm no foul. No one saw it and Ill never admit it again 

[BF]

Nope.....never.....especially with the wife on the back in the parking lot of the credit union.  

Never rode off with the lift adapter still on the bike either (he said with fingers crossed)